Frog Fishing for Early Summer Bass
There’s something about those first hot days in June that gets me specifically thinking topwater. It’s the annual growth of grass that begins to flourish in most bodies of water in the Northeast. No matter the type of vegetation a lake has, bass seek these areas for ambush cover and June is best known for its post-spawn behavior. Fish are coming off their spawning and making moves to feed as quickly as they can. This is the time of year you may find fish expending the most energy to score a meal.
There is nothing more primal in bass fishing than an aggressive, instinctive explosion on a topwater frog. Frog fishing is more like a hunt than anything else. Anglers are stalking bass deep in their natural habitats, into structure, cover, and vegetation, forcing the fish to make split-second decisions when that frog comes into their zone. The job of a largemouth bass is to get as big as it can—and in the Northeast, they have less time to do so than their southern counterparts. Efficient and aggressive feeding is required; hence the energy they will expend to dismantle the life of a large frog that comes their way.
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Topwater frogs come in many shapes, sizes, and colors. When choosing a frog, focus on conditions and the vegetation or structure you are fishing around. Thicker, more concentrated areas of lily pads or grass suggest fishing a standard, hollow-body skirted frog. The Spro Bronzeye Frog is a staple for these applications. Use a walk-the-dog-style motion and work in pauses around open areas.
Let the fish judge how aggressively you work the bait. However, if you are fishing around vegetation with more open water, consider a soft-body swimming frog, where the kicking action allows more action in open water. New to the market and effective in open pockets and all-around cover is the Live Target ICT Freestyle Frog. It can be rigged in multiple ways, making this freestyle frog very versatile.
When it comes to color, it’s all about contrast. On cloudy days, use frogs in brighter colors, such as white or yellow. Black frogs can play well on cloudy days, too. On sunny days, use more natural colors like brown, green, or black since the bass have better visibility and natural colors will draw more strikes.
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One of the most important aspects of successful frog fishing is the hookset. You can do everything right—gear choice, frog choice, cadence—but if you don’t correctly set the hook, you’re in for a frustrating day. When a bass commits to a frog, most of the time it expends so much energy that it misses the frog on the explosion. This is where many pre-mature hooksets happen. Many anglers make the mistake of setting the hook hard before the fish fully has the frog, launching the bait out of the strike zone and away from a chance to get the fish to eat again.
My best advice is to continue your cadence until the line goes tight and you feel that tension, then set the hook hard. It all happens very fast, and it can be difficult to hold the trigger for that extra second, but it will lead to more fish in the boat. If a fish misses the frog, let it settle, and see if you can draw the fish again.
Big rods, fast reels, and heavy line are three must-haves in frog gear. A heavy-action 7’6” rod is great for casting distance and the ability to work the frog in and around cover. The heavy action allows you to deliver strong hooksets on long casts and get deep in vegetation. Make sure you use a reel that has a higher gear ratio so you can work the frog effectively but, more importantly, to quickly catch up on slack line before a hookset. When it comes to line, a thin-diameter braid allows you to spool heavier line for strength but not compromise on casting distance. Consider 50-pound braid an all-around size for frog fishing.
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Three Ways to Find Big Bass in Summer Grass
Source: https://onthewater.com/frog-fishing-for-early-summer-bass
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