Using Top-water Frogs to Target Springtime Bass
Keith Lusher 04.24.24
As April passes, and the air temperatures warm, bass fishermen are adjusting to the bite by pulling out another weapon in their arsenal – Frogs!
“The bass that we have been catching are thick because they’ve been chowing down on all the bullfrogs in the pond,” says Adam Hotard of Covington, LA.
Adam has two other brothers John (12) and his younger brother Oliver (9). The brothers said they’ve been fishing for bass since they were “young”. “We began fishing for bluegill using cane poles when we were young, but when we switched over to using crickets for bait we caught bass and liked catching them way better than the perch,” John said.
The Hotard brothers do not have access to a boat, so they fish the local lakes that are in their neighborhood. Fishing ponds and lakes are just fine for the Hotard brothers because these bodies of water are typically the first to warm up which speeds up the spawn for the bass and also makes bulfrogs more active. Add to it the fact that these ponds and lakes contain more lily pads than the local rivers and you have the perfect scenario for some exciting top-water largemouth bass action.
This month, The Hotard boys have been having success fishing hollow-bodied frogs in a 5-acre pond that is near their home in Covington, LA.
While the brothers agree that April is a great month to catch bass using top-water frogs, like most siblings, they have a difference of opinion when it comes to the best way to catch bass.
Habitat
While most fishermen agree that grass and lilies are an important factor when using a top-water frog, there are some other types of plants to target when it comes to choosing a the best bullfrog habitat.
John says he likes to cast out away from the shoreline and pop the frog along a section of duckweed that extends from the bank.
Oliver says he likes to use hollow-bodied frogs underneath overhangs. “There is a spot in the pond where I always get hits! It’s in a corner of the pond underneath an overhanging tree. Almost every time I throw underneath it, a big bass comes up and hits the lure – I just can never seem to set the hook on it!” the youngster said.
Adam says he’s been having success fishing the lily pads with hollow-bodied frogs. “The last bass I caught, I made a cast out away from some lily pads and popped it towards them. Right before the frog got to the pads the fish hit it,” says Adam.
Types of Frogs
There are tons of frog lures on the market, however, Oliver said his favorite is the style that has plastic legs instead of skirt legs. “I like the frog lures that have solid legs because I think they make more noise when you move them across the top of the water,” he said.
Adam and John are in agreement that Olivers technique of fishing a frog lure is definitely not a subtle one. Adam recalled a day when Oliver was popping his frog very aggressivley. “One time I was far away from Oliver and I heard a huge splash. I yelled at him ‘did you get one?’ and he replied ‘no that’s just my frog popping in the water!”
Most anglers will agree that the most exciting part of using top-water frogs is the explosion that happens when a bass decides to hit.
Adam, John, and Oliver recommend that you remain patient when it comes to setting the hook. Oh yeah! It’s super exciting when you see that explosion. The first thing you think is to set the hook but just relax and chill out. Try waiting three seconds after the splash and when you see your line moving – then you set the hook,” Adam says.
While the brothers don’t have any personal stories about missing a fish because of being impatient they are quick to recall a time where their mom, Julie, had such a problem. “One time we were all using top-water frog lures. Adam had an extra frog so he let my Mom use it. Well, she wasn’t having much luck with it so she just tossed it out just let it sit on the water. All of a sudden a big bass came up and hit it! We told her to wait a second but she was so excited that she pulled it right out of his mouth,” says Oliver.
Spring is a fantastc time to fish with top-water frogs and as the weather warms, the frog fishing should improve into the summer. And while the Hotard boys focus squarly on the lakes around their home, the rivers and creeks across the Gulf South should produce a quality top-water frog bite. So get out there and work that frog on the surface, and remember to have patience when that big bass swallows your lure down!
