The Frog…not always considered a top option in smallmouth bass fishing. Sure, we use them in largemouth bass fishing a lot. After all, those bucket mouths love to chill around lily pads and frogs are often found in this environment so it seems to be a natural fit.
Smallmouth bass tend to hang around in schools in cooler, deep water lakes and around current in river so are frogs a good option for smallmouth bass?
Well.. let’s see! Since smallies go for almost anything that moves, when they are in the right mood, frogs can be a great way to go because not many anglers use frogs for smallmouth bass.
There are three main groups of frogs that you can use. We have popper, hard bait type frogs, soft bodied frogs and hollow bodied frogs.
Let’s look at some options…
Take a look at this Spro Bronzeye popper getting slammed by a smallie on the French River in Ontario.
Note a couple of things here. He was basically walking the dog with this lure. You can fish it like a typical popper bait or you can copy what was done here by walking the dog.
Also, you can hear the braid that he was using. This is good stuff in topwater fishing because it floats and you can get a quick, strong hookset with braid. Never use fluorocarbon when fishing topwater because it sinks and it’ll drag the nos of your topwater bait down, reducing the desired action.
Soft bodied frogs
Soft body frogs like the one in this video are fished similar to a buzz bait. Check out the smallies caught on these Ribbit frogs!
Throw this bait out there and start reeling. You want the bait to kick its legs as it buzzes across the water and wait for that explosive strike. When you feel the fish take it, set the hook. Try to avoid setting the hook on the first splash because you’ll pull it right out of the smallie’s mouth. These frogs have a couple of options with regards to rigging. The easiest is a 4/0 EWG hook ( I prefer Gamakatsu), texposed. There are other frog hook options with 2 hooks that can work well also.
Hollow Bodied frogs
Hollow bodied frogs are great because they are virtually snagless when dragged across lily pads and other weeds. They can be worked slowly or in a walk the dog pattern. I have caught smallies early in the morning from shore on small lakes in Massachusetts when the bronzebacks moved in to the shallows to feed.
Check out this video showing a nice smallie caught on a Kopper’s Frog! Check it out!
Tell us your experience with topwater frogs and smallmouth bass and pick up a few to try today!
