Open Water Frogging???

[walkeraviator]

I know I have asked this before but is using a frog ever useful at a lake that never sees lily pads or grass??? There is a lot of standing timber and laydowns. Lots of stumps underwater, but not much in the ways of grass and not a single lily pad to be found. Is frog still a good topwater approach? If so which frogs are best for this type of situation???

[Jrob78]

I haven't personally used the Spro type frogs in that situation but I have had success with buzz type frogs like Zoom Horny Toads. The Rage Shad has also produced for me in open water.

[cassidyta]

In situations like the one you mentioned, I primarily go with a popping frog. I throw these anytime I see timber that is near the surface.
I prefer them over the buzz type becasue I can dead stick it above the stumps.

[doc]

Originally Posted by cassidyta

In situations like the one you mentioned, I primarily go with a popping frog. I throw these anytime I see timber that is near the surface.
I prefer them over the buzz type becasue I can dead stick it above the stumps.

Have you tried any of the z-man frogs? They are the best of both worlds, you can fish them buzzbait style like a horney toad or rage toad, or you can dead stick them(my favorite). They float (even with a weighted hook, wich you will need to do to keep the frog upright) and they are made of that super stretchy plastic. they are very durable i caught 5 fish on one sunday, and plan on using it next time i go out.

[3dkicker]

Bass being opportunistic feeders will eat a moving bait over open water.

I've seen horney toads used in this manner at Buggs and catch fish. You don't have to have grass or pads....but it does help.

[keithdog]

Yes!!!! Definately most buzz frogs will work just fine around any of the cover you mentioned. The Strike King Rage frogs will really draw attention in the open water. If you don't have pads and grass, they'll be using the wood cover.

[bassthumb32]

it will work but your better off with a zara spook because of the better hook up percentage. the popping frog has a real good walk the dog action.

[carolina-rig-01]

Originally Posted by bassthumb32

it will work but your better off with a zara spook because of the better hook up percentage. the popping frog has a real good walk the dog action.

You are right about the Spook having better hook up percentages. However there are times when you just have to throw a frog to get bit. I will for sure throw frogs in open water, I have caught a ton of fish on a bank that didn't have any kind of cover or structure on it at all. Laydows are also a great spot to utilize a frog because of them being so weedless and they can be offered in a quiet presentation that can sneak up on bass hiding in the laydown, before they know it the frog is on top of them and you can get a lot of reaction bites this way.

[lilmule]

White bully wa or spro when chasing bait,other wise its a horney toad or spro or evergreen popping frog,they work very nice in flooded buckbrush,and spread out tree tops.
With braid not afraid to toss way back in the flooded island stuff.

[doc]

Speaking of ways to frog fish, do any of you ever use a frog (like a z-man, rage tail, or money frog) as a jig trailer? When I was fishing the z-man this past weekend, I noticed if the hook came out the frog would swim under the surface and it looked great. It seems it would be a different presentation for a jig, almost like a frog diving and swimming to the bottom to hide.

[toppwatr]

use like a spook or popper or something because a frog might not just look too natural. i am not at all saying it wouldn't work or anything but if you have no snags to get into and there is underwater timber that just screams zara spook.

[MississippiBoy]

Originally Posted by doc

Speaking of ways to frog fish, do any of you ever use a frog (like a z-man, rage tail, or money frog) as a jig trailer? When I was fishing the z-man this past weekend, I noticed if the hook came out the frog would swim under the surface and it looked great. It seems it would be a different presentation for a jig, almost like a frog diving and swimming to the bottom to hide.

Makes sense to me. I've never fished a frog on a jig, but I have let horny toads drop to the bottom (not very deep water....that would take way too long) to fish them kind of like a worm and got a couple of fish that way. Anything that gives a different look like that is worth a shot.

[Jrob78]

Originally Posted by doc

Speaking of ways to frog fish, do any of you ever use a frog (like a z-man, rage tail, or money frog) as a jig trailer? When I was fishing the z-man this past weekend, I noticed if the hook came out the frog would swim under the surface and it looked great. It seems it would be a different presentation for a jig, almost like a frog diving and swimming to the bottom to hide.

I've never tried this either. I did see a guy on another forum say he used them on c-rigs. There are no rules, can't hurt to try anything.

[MallenManson]

I never frog over open water, other than reelin it back from the pads. I did have a major strike that way one day but I was unprepared lol.
A lot of people swear by open water froggin, but if I'm fishing open water, I'll go with a Jitterbug since the hook up rate is so much higher.

[Jim80]

Originally Posted by doc

Speaking of ways to frog fish, do any of you ever use a frog (like a z-man, rage tail, or money frog) as a jig trailer? When I was fishing the z-man this past weekend, I noticed if the hook came out the frog would swim under the surface and it looked great. It seems it would be a different presentation for a jig, almost like a frog diving and swimming to the bottom to hide.

I have done it with swimming jigs and it works fairly well but you get a lot of short strikes were just the legs get hit



Jim