Now that Fall is finally here, it’s a great time to throw some seasonal baits that you may not normally use throughout the rest of the year. A frog is something I rarely throw, unless I’m on a lake with lots of grass mats or other aquatic vegetation, like lily pads. Lake Travis is a deep lake that’s had very little grass until recent years.
However, I’m not exclusively targeting grass with the frog. Any shallow area with some sort of cover for the bass to ambush their prey is what I’m looking for when throwing this versatile bait.
From May to early September, we are throwing topwater baits in the deep-water marinas on Lake Travis. These topwater baits are imitation shad baits, like a whopper-plopper or spook. When the first cool front of Fall hits the area, that bite tends to die down as the bait moves shallower and towards the various creeks around the lake. That’s when you can start throwing a frog and catch some really big fish this time of year.
From mid-September to mid-December, I’m fishing back in the creeks, behind docks, and behind marinas, throwing a frog into every nook and cranny. I’m targeting shady areas where bass are waiting to ambush an easy meal.
This is not a bait you’re going to catch a lot of fish on, but usually it’s a good keeper when you catch one. Here are some pointers on how to utilize this bait effectively the next time you’re on the lake:
- Fish fast and cover lots of water – no need to keep casting to the same spot at every possible angle. If the bass is within a few feet of where the frog landed, it’s going to hit it.
- You only have one chance to catch the bass – with lots of baits, if you miss the fish you can simply throw back in there and most likely, the bass with hit it again.
- This isn’t the case with the frog, though. I’ve missed several bass over the past month and have noticed that they never come back to hit it again. Unlike the topwater spooks and ploppers, these shallower bass waiting to ambush prey only go after it once.
- Count to 2 before setting the hook – we’ve missed catching bass by setting the hook way too fast. It’s exciting to see the bass explode on the frog, and of course you want to set the hook to get them into the boat. However, we lose most of the fish when we set the hook immediately. If we wait a second or two before setting the hook, we’ll get these bass into the net!
There are a few baits I have on deck as a follow-up technique when a bass blows up on the frog but doesn’t hook up. Depending on the depth and location, I throw either a weightless senko or a light ned rig. I’ll make a cast or two and let the bait sit there for a minute before picking up the frong and continuing down the bank.
Follow @fishingwiththefriz on Instagram and let us know if these tips help you have a successful trip on the water!