The warm weather is here and that means topwater baits will be a big factor. There are many topwater lures, including frogs with several varieties and styles to choose from.
Bassmaster Classic champion Justin Hamner relies on various frogs, from standard to popping versions. He also mixes in buzzing frogs and frogs that he considers gliding frogs. Here's more about each of them and how he's fishing them.
From Buzzing and "Gliding" Frogs to Walking and Popping Frogs
Hamner uses standard frogs but also likes to mix in other unique options like the Snag Proof Pad Rambler and Snag Proof Zoo Kick. The Pad Rambler is a new product, but he's already used it to secure a Top 10 finish on the Bassmaster Elite Series on the Sabine River in Texas.
He describes the bait as a gliding frog because it moves from side to side. It's also very weedless. "It's a design I've never seen, and the hooks rest in these slots on the bait, and then when it's compressed, they come out. So, you can fish it anywhere," he said. "It's got a great gliding action and will move a pretty far distance to each side when you work it. The action on it is insane and totally different than other frogs."
The Pad Rambler is a versatile frog that Hamner will use in open water and around cover. "You can fish it anywhere, in grass, open water, and it also skips phenomenally," he said. "I've done well with it around bushes, cypress trees, docks, scattered grass, and lily pads. It's also a good option around bluegill beds. What's cool about it is that you can work it to get that big glide when you come up to a piece of cover, but then you can slow it down and get that tight walking action."
Hamner also likes frogs with buzzing tails, such as the Zoo Kick. "That's a great option when you are covering water, and you can twitch it, and the legs kick around or fish it with a straight retrieve," he said. "It's also hands down the best frog for duckweed, and I'll adjust the retrieve based on their mood."
Although Hamner likes to use buzzing and gliding frogs, he's still a big fan of the two most popular styles, standard frogs like the Snag Proof Bobby's Perfect Frog and popping frogs like the Snag Proof Smash Mouth.
"I like the Smash Mouth in many of the same places that I fish the Pad Rambler: open water, around docks, and for the bream bed deal," he said. "I like the Bobby's Perfect Frog for thicker grass and mats. It's one of the best frogs there is for fishing thick vegetation"
Froggin' Gear and Color Selection
Hamner will use one of two different rods depending on the frog he's using, but he uses the same line: 50-pound Sunline FX2 Frogging and Flipping braid.
"I'm a big fan of that line and use it for all my frogs. It gets those fish through everything," he said. "For rods, I'll use a 7-foot, 1-inch extra medium-heavy jig rod in the Halo BB Series for the Smash Mouth and Pad Rambler since they're a little lighter baits and because I'm usually fishing them in more open water. I go with the 7-foot, 2-inch heavy frog rod for the other frogs, so I have more power to get those fish in. What I like about both rods is that they are stout but very lightweight in your hands and very comfortable to fish."
For colors, Hamner is pretty straightforward, with whites, blacks, and browns getting most of his attention, but he does have a few others up his sleeve.
"For the shad spawn stuff, they have an awesome albino pearl color, and I like the angry gill color around bream beds," he said. "One unique one is the purple burst color, which is a glittery color with a purple belly, and the color pops. It's great for that stained and tannic water like in Florida and tidal fisheries. I used that color at the Sabine River this year, and it worked great."
It's the perfect time to throw a frog as many bass are shallow and around cover, and fishing a frog can be hard to beat. While standard walking and popping frogs get most of the attention, there are plenty more options with baits that will buzz along the surface or glide from side to side. Bassmaster Elite Series pro Justin Hamner knows there is a time and place for all of them, and he keeps each of them in his box and ready to go.
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