Frogs, yes or no on the rivers?

[snagged in outlet 3]

He said "plop" not "flop"

[fishinwrench]

10 hours ago, Flysmallie said:

Obviously you haven't seen/heard me do a cannonball off a bluff. 

No but I bet I could finish a beer while waiting for the "rings to disappear".  

[drew03cmc]

14 hours ago, Flysmallie said:

Here is the one I've been using for the past few years.

It's an H2O from Academy.

Yeah other things might work but I can safely put this where you aren't going to put a regular topwater. I more concerned with getting it up in the laydowns and wads more than any weeds. And I really don't care if it walks the dog all that well because that's not the way I have been fishing it. Twitching, pausing, crawling over logs......has created some exciting moments. 

Ronnie, I have seen some water that would scream frog to me, but wasn't aware that smallies would assault them like a green fish in a pond. Is that your choice of color as well? I'll have to try a frog up here on ponds and lakes as well as this summer on the few floats I have planned. 

 

Now, tackle-wise, the gear I am currently sitting with includes a 6-6M spinning rod with 6lb YZH, 6-6M casting rod with 10lb YZH and a 6-6MH casting rod with 12lb YZH. I'd assume the MH would be the more appropriate rod for the frog, correct? Would that line be adequate (Hybrid breaks at least 40% above rated. 10 is closer to 16, etc)? Thanks guys. 

[moguy1973]

Smallies will crush them.  It's hard to walk the hollow bodied frogs in current though, which is probably why Flysmallie just hops them around things.

 

[drew03cmc]

Awesome. I guess I need to stock up.

[Flysmallie]

42 minutes ago, moguy1973 said:

It's hard to walk the hollow bodied frogs in current though, which is probably why Flysmallie just hops them around things.

 

It’s true that it is hard to make them walk in current but that’s not the reason I just hop them around things. And honestly it’s more of a hopping them through things. 

First I fish the thick cover because that’s where the frog killers live. 

Second. I have yet to see a real frog walk the dog when swimming. It’s more of a scoot, scoot, pause action. 

WTD is a great technique that catches fish. But it’s far from being the only topwater game in town. 

And yes Andy, a Smallmouth will crush one. 

[evilcatfish]

Hollow body frogs kill it in the river. I approach it a little different though than fishing lmb in slop of course. Smaller profile frog, bend the hooks out a bit, thrown on my "river jig" rod, 7' mh, 20-30# braid. I feel like a white or silver frog looks just as shaddy as a spook. The hookup ratio might not be quite as good as  a treble hook bait but it will go more places. Throwing it on to the bank and crawling it in has produced well for me

[jdmidwest]

I have used Torpedos for years with great success.  Tossed a few of the newer frog plastics too.

Trouble is, since the otters have eat all of the frogs out of the streams, fish have forgot what they are and do not recognize them as food.

[G3Boater]

If you aren't using topwater frogs you are missing out. Combo that with a weedless belly weighted swimbait for the fish that miss the frog... you are golden!

 

[Guest]

Its not real efficient at catching little mouth bass like Kentuckies or Smallies, so I use topwaters with treble hooks. If you learn to cast accurately into nasty logjams, you will be surprised at what you can get in there without getting hung. They key is to land it on the water & not the wood. Its easier said than done, but with a little practice you can make it happen. 

Horny toad are okay, but swimming a finesse jig is money. 

I have a do it all baitcaster in the boat with 12lb test & spinning rod with 6lb. That's how i roll.