To Make
Better
a
Frog
By Mike Pehanich
Senior Writer
The quest for the perfect frog has stretched
the creative minds of fishermen and manufacturers alike. Here are some
of
the modifications lure makers have made
in the world of fake amphibians
T
Manufacturers are not only
building better action into fake
amphibians, they are making
them look more lifelike than
ever. Above is a Ken Daubert
frog alongside the real thing.
Photo: Laurie Tisdale
26
That “frog” itself is a four-letter word is surely no
coincidence. Just listen to the litany of expletives that
missed frog strikes repeatedly inspire.
Indeed, froggin’ may be the most exciting technique in all of
bass fishing, but it certainly can be the most frustrating, too.
Fortunately, the evolution of the fake frog has gained a lot
of impetus from human imagination. CAD-equipped lure
designers as well as imaginative anglers have invested serious time and intelligence in the quest to deliver a frog that
gets bit and stays bit.
Frogs of recent vintage have “leapfrogged” the faux frogs
of yore in quality and capability. Most boast features that
have upped the odds of strikes and hookups considerably.
And, of course, a dedicated frogger would rather croak than
resist the temptation to add his own personal touch.
Here’s what lure manufacturers have done to improve this
genre of bass baits.
(Continued)
Bassmaster | September/October 2010
To Make
Better
a
Frog
HOLLOW-BELLY FROGS
Why does the West Coast produce so many
accomplished froggers, such as Fred Roumbanis,
Dean Rojas and Ish Monroe? “We are fishing two different places that have the best frog fishing in the
country — the California Delta and Clear Lake,” says
Monroe, a native Californian on the Bassmaster Elite
Series tour. “The majority of the tournaments are
won on a frog in both places. You have to become an
expert real quick when a tournament is taking place
on those lakes.” Here are the newest hollow frogs that
will excite more than just West Coast anglers.
Koppers Live Target Frog (www.livetargetlures.
com) — The paint job on this hollow frog is unlike
any other on the market. Its realism is
startling, right
down to the
small front
legs molded
into the body.
The rubber is
extremely soft, allowing the bait to easily collapse
upon strikes. The rubber-strand legs are long so you
can trim them to your specifications. This frog is
available in 2 1/4- and 2 5/8-inch sizes.
Snag Proof Ish’s Phat Frog (www.snagproof.com;
513-489-6483) — Monroe put his froggin’ expertise
into the design of
the latest addition to the
Snag Proof
line.
“I designed it
with a separate cavity for the
hook so that there’s no hole going into
the bottom or the cavity of the bait itself,” he
says, noting that air releases through the legs
under the compression of a bass’ jaws. “You don’t
get water flowing into the body. My frog is virtually impossible to sink, unless you decided to cut
holes in it — or catch so many bass that they tear a
hole in it.”
Another design change called for pulling the legs
back. According to Monroe, getting the skirt-leg
sockets away from the hooks improves the hookup
ratio dramatically.
“You can take this frog and start walking it right
out of the package,” he adds. “People always say they
have a hard time walking their frog. But this is the
easiest ‘walking frog’ on the market today.”
The buoyancy of Ish’s Phat Frog also enabled Snag
Proof to add a 5/8-ounce weight to the body.
“It’s the heaviest frog out there,” Monroe claims.
“That has many advantages. One is casting ability.
Secondly, it makes a better impression when you are
fishing over trash or matted vegetation. It’s a lower
and sleeker profile that sits with its nose in the air
and body deeper in the water. That also allows the
fish to get the bait deeper into its throat and
improves your hookup ratio.”
Spro Bronzeye Pop, Dean
Rojas Signature Series
(www.spro.com; 770-9191722) — Spro’s Bronzeye
Frog may have sent
more ripples
through the
froggin’ world
than any of its
predecessors,
starting when Dean
Rojas gave a glimpse of its potential at the 2004
Bassmaster Classic. Last year, Spro added the
Bronzeye Pop, a popping, spitting version of the
original, armed with a 3/0 Gamakatsu hook. It
comes in seven colors.
Tru-Tungsten Mad Maxx
(www.tru-tungsten.com;
724-676-0512) — The
company added a drain
hole to keep the frog
afloat and a keel
design for better walking action. But, true to
its roots, Tru-Tungsten
also added a hollow
chamber with a tungsten rattle to the hook
shaft to draw bass from a
distance, even in matted vegetation and dark, dingy water. Since the bait’s initial release, the company has reformulated the lure using a softer plastic for better hookups.
SWIMMING FROGS
Real frogs don’t always swim the dog paddle. They
can use their frog kick to dive deep, as well.
About 15 years ago, I bought a handful of non­
descript frogs from a garage shop manufacturer
working an outdoors show. The baits looked good.
But unlike the rest of the frogs at the time, they did
not float, did not walk well across mats, and did not
work as jig trailers. They were designed for subsurface … and bass absolutely loved them! My appalling hookup ratio reflected their only
downside.
WALKING TIP FOR FROGS
I’ve been on the lookout for good subThe rule of thumb is, “the longer the tails, the straighter the walk.”
surface frogs ever since. The Apex
Shimmer Frog showed promise, but, like
Trimming the tail will accentuate the side-to-side walking action. Warning:
other subsurface frogs, it is either hard to
Trim a little at a time. There’s no growing them back!
find or gone from the tackle scene. Several
28
Bassmaster | September/October 2010
buzzin’-style frogs (aka “toads” or toad baits) like
the Strike King Rage Toad and Zoom Buzz Frog can
work double-duty as a buzzbait substitute and
underwater swimming frog. These newcomers and
sleeper baits may also fill that bill.
Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog, Dean Rojas
Signature Series (www.bigbite
baits.com; 877-222-7429) — Rojas
designed this soft plastic frog for
flipping and pitching as well
as Carolina rigging and
trailing a jig. The back
legs swim, and
the tiny front
legs stay
tight to the
body and out
of the way while dropping through cover. A flat bottom helps it glide.
NeverSnag Swimming Wormfrog (www.never
snag.com; 800-693-HOOK) — This twin-ribbontail Wormfrog is a born swimmer. Its other
unique feature is its springstyle weedguard that
swims well
through
wood.
Ken Daubert’s
Designer Bass
Frogs (www.
floridakayakfishing.
com; 352-624-1878)
— When the bait designer is
a former taxidermist, you can expect
hyperrealism. This is certainly the case with Ken
Daubert’s frog designs. These hand-painted creations are almost too pretty to throw. They feature
kicking legs (replaceable), and you nose-hook the
imposters with a weedless system unlike any other
for frog fishing.
Ultimate BucketMouth Baits Lunker Ugly
Frog (www.ultimatebucketmouth.com; 832-8135501) — Ultimate BucketMouth sought to create a
more realistic-looking frog. Its floating profile —
legs down — may be its
most realistic
dimension.
FROG AND TOAD TRICKS
Yum Money Frog (www.lurenet.
com; 479-782-8971) — It works as a surfacerunning buzz frog, producing commotion
similar
to but more restrained than a
buzzbait and moving
through vegetation that wire
baits can’t
maneuver in.
But you can also
let it drop and
dive into pockets.
FROGS WITH A DIFFERENT LOOK
Deps Basirisky Hard Belly (www.
optimumbaits.com; 951-676-6384) — This
Japanese bait has had a cult following since
the first sighting of its wild side-to-side
water dance. In this latest version, Deps has
added a hard plate to the belly of the
Basirisky, allowing only the top portion of
the bait to collapse and thus improving the
hookup ratio. The company also has added a
cradle for the hook to protect the plastic and
two air holes
for easier
compression
during a
strike.
How do you turn an average frog into a prince? Matt Bichanich,
sales manager for Uncle Josh Bait Co., is also a lure designer and successful weekend tournament angler. Try the following tips to get
more versatile performance from the frogs in your tacklebox.
Weight your frog: “I like to take a hollow-belly frog and slide the
double hook back, (then) take plain wire and wrap it 12 to 15 times
around the shank of the double hook and compact it tightly,”
Bichanich says. “This makes it heavier and allows the frog to sink into
the mats so the fish can key in on it better. This is far more effective
than just putting lead BBs inside the frog because in a hollow belly,
the BBs will roll to the back of the frog where the hooks are. You take
away from the hook gap when the frog collapses. But when you
wrap wire around the hook shank, it stays put.”
Underwater frog walking: To modify the Sizmic Toad (www.unclejosh.com) for subsurface action, take a Mustad Impact Hook and
push the suspended 1-inch sliding plastic bait-keeper pin into the
Toad’s head. Push the bait forward into a “U” shape and position the
hook point. Fish it like a jerkbait for a unique underwater walk-thedog act. “It will walk from side to side, and the two paddles kick the
whole time underneath the water,” Bichanich says.
Make it rattle: Make your buzz frog easier to find than a supermarket
Santa the week before Christmas. Buy a tiny bell with a BB inside at the
local craft store. Slide it onto the shank of the buzz frog hook and give
it a Disney-style toad-belly ride. “I am typically fishing the frog a little
more slowly to get the bell going,” Bichanich says. “The little bell is
moving free on the hook shank, creating extra noise.”
September/October 2010 | Bassmaster 29