Topwater frog fishing is exciting. If you’re into bass fishing, then using topwater frogs is a tactic that’s sure to get your heart racing. The moment when the fish grabs onto your lure and explodes upwards will make everyone go wild!
If you are new to fishing, Wondering when to fish a frog for bass? There are many variables that come into play with this question.
Brief Answer!
Frog baits are very effective in summer, but particularly when you’re fishing at night. This is because frogs tend to feed more actively during the cooler hours of morning and evening. However, frog fishing can be done throughout day or night if water temperature hovers around 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18˚C). The best time for catching large quantities of fish with a frog bait is early spring to late fall near heavy cover like lilly pads and other vegetation since this provides shelter for larger predators that hunt frogs as their prey.
Now let’s dive into the details, and look at the nuances of this topic.
Best Time Of Year For Frog Fishing
Many anglers assume that since real frogs are only active during the summer, this means you can only use frog baits in the summer as well. However, bass will still eat these kinds of lures even if there is no sign of a frog nearby because they also resemble other types of prey like rodents and wounded fish. (have you ever noticed how wounded baitfish tend to move erratically near the surface?)
One of the most fun things to do in fishing is catching bass with a frog. These are usually found at ponds, lakes, and rivers 3-4 feet deep when water temperature climbs above 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit. In many cases you can catch them during spring (including spawn and postspawn phase) all through fall until first frost comes around.
Summer is a popular time for frog fishing, because the vegetation in water reaches its peak growth during this season. During summer months you can also enjoy how well frog fishing works and have fun at the same time!
Summer Frog Fishing For Bass
In the peak of summer, many lakes have abundant vegetation in and around them. This includes water lily pads, emergent grass beds, hydrilla, cotton tails as well as riprap which creates perfect cover for bass to ambush their prey near shallow waters. Trees with branches extending into these bodies of land also create ideal spots where fish can easily hide underneath or behind objects like laydowns .
A frog is the perfect bait for catching a fish in summer because it can be fished across vegetation without getting caught. The best way to do this is by using weedless, hollow-bodied frogs. They are great options for fishing on top of dense vegetations since these baits barely get snagged.
See also: How to Catch a Bass?
During the dog days of summer, bass retreat to deeper waters during the day because temperatures are lower there. However, some remain in shallow water and can be found under lily pads or other cover providing shade. Thus you can catch them on top-water frogs even during midday on a hot summer’s day.
Cast your frog into a dense lily pad, and slowly retrieve it across the top of the leaves. There’s an increased chance that any fish hiding from the sun underneath will grab your lure because they sense vibrations with their lateral line organs (even if they can’t see properly). To increase chances even more, make sure to create enough twitching movements by moving your rod tip up and down so you don’t miss out on catching anything.
Frog Fishing For Bass At In The Fall
Fall is a great time for frog fishing, because bass can be found in shallow water chasing schools of shad and minnows. These conditions make it easy to catch them on topwater baits like frogs.
See also: How To Catch Brown Trout?
Whether it’s a new grass bed, old growth patch or emergent vegetation, the best place to fish during this season is dense patches of aquatic plants. This makes frog baits an easy choice for anglers hoping land big bass.
Best time of day to frog fish
During bright days, it is important to target fish that retreat into shade. Some good areas on these types of fishing trips include overhanging trees, beneath docks where the water isn’t very deep and you can see shadows in the sunlight.
See also: Can You Eat Bass Fish?
Bass like to hang out in shaded water, where they can hide from predators. While you could fish around lily pads and overhanging branches (which provide shade), the best time is early morning or late afternoon when bass come up for food.
In more open waters during the morning or later afternoon where bass come out from cover you can find them feeding actively on frogs as well if cast appropriately near this type habitat .
Frog fishing at night
When the sun is shining, bass retreat to deeper water during daytime. However, at night when the temperature drops to a reasonable level bass return back into their previous feeding zone. This is because they are most active during this time of day and feed with much more vigor than in daytime.
See also: Common Types Of Fishing Lures
Fishing at night is a great way to catch bass using topwater frogs, since these lures like creating commotion at the surface of the water during low visibility conditions.
When it comes to night fishing, choosing the noisiest lures proves most effective. This includes popping style frogs and rattling ones as well as black colored lures which perform best in many cases during nighttime hours.