Tip: Missing This Great Aspect Of The Ragetail Toad - Catching Fish On The Sink & Sit

[tcbass]

Firstly, as I've posted before, I think the Ragetail Toad is one of the greatest topwater bass lures of all time. It has outfished almost every other lure for largemouth bass that I've ever used.

 

I've noticed when I've read a lot of reviews and comments on the Ragetail Toad that people say things like, "One of my only complaints is that it sinks, so you have to start cranking right away to get it up on plane."

 

 

Well, I learned something when I was first using it, which is also the same time I was learning to use a baitcasting reel. I threw a long cast under a dock that was in about a foot deep of water and immediately got a big backlash. So I let the Ragetail sink as I undid the birdsnest. After about 30 seconds of dealing with that I started reeling the line in assuming it was just going to be a burn back to the boat and cast again type situation. Well, as I reeled up the slack I realized there was a bass on the lure the entire time. He had eaten it on the sink or when it was sitting on the bottom. This was an epiphany for me! I think it's a lot like swim jigs, guys used to only cast it and let it sink and if they didn't get a bite on the initial drop they'd burn it back to the boat and recast. Now people are letting it sink and slowly fishing it back to the boat and catching fish both ways.

 

 

After that I started letting it sink and about 1/8th of the time you will have a fish on it. Like the pro's say, "Let the fish tell you what they like that day." When I first start using the Ragetail Toad for that day I'll let it sink and sit for about 5 seconds about 20 times and if fish aren't eating it on the sink or at the bottom then I'll just cast regular and reel it back in the rest of the day. If fish are eating it on the sink or at the bottom then I will let it sink a lot the rest of the day and will most likely get more fish that way. And when it's sitting on the bottom, I'm not moving it or twitching it, just letting it sit and then I just start reeling it in quickly to get it on plane and fish it back to the boat normally. I just let how the fish are initially taking it dictate how I fish the bait the rest of the day.

 

 

 

So, let that Ragetail Toad sink and sit on the bottom a few times, you might be surprised what you were missing out on.

[JLeon77]

Will have to try that, I just got a pack of rage toads. How are you rigging it?

[Big-O]

I tweak the feet and Flip or C rig it too... It's just a Big piece of Bass Candy in those situations

[The Commodore]

I have given this presentation some thought although I have not employed it yet.

My thinking behind this technique is having tried to catch a frog after it jumped into a pool. They don't just swim on the surface.

[Montanaro]

I've seen toads sit face down in mud with legs floating. Nobody said toads and frogs were smart.

[Teal]

I tweak the feet and Flip or C rig it too... It's just a Big piece of Bass Candy in those situations

A secret of mine. I use It as a jig or a swim jig trailer...often...and its money.

Another thing I do most of the tome when u fishing the toad is that throw it on a weighted hook... I like the extra weight being able to toss it further.

[Felix77]

I have actually used this to catch some decent bass last season.  If they don't bite the topwater I let it sink to the bottom and slowly begin swimming it back to me.  Vicious strikes!

[roadwarrior]

The two Rage Tail "sleepers" are the Toad and Lizard.

The Rage Shad and Eeliminator are also "under-utilized".

[Teal]

The two Rage Tail "sleepers" are the Toad and Lizard.

The Rage Shad and Eeliminator are also "under-utilized".

Well said.

[Zach Dunham]

Will have to try that, I just got a pack of rage toads. How are you rigging it?

 

I used to rig mine with a Gamakatsu 5/0 EWG; these toads have a pretty thick body. My one issue with this bait was always hook up ratio. It has a pretty thick body and it is not a hollow body; it doesn't just compress on a bite. You definitely need a wide gap hook to make this work well.

[tcbass]

Will have to try that, I just got a pack of rage toads. How are you rigging it?

 

 

 

I use this style hook. With this set up and just retrieving steadily without any jerks back to the boat I get a lot of strikes and miss very few fish. I think the catch to strike ration on this bait is like 95%. It's really great. Basically if they bite it, you're getting the fish back to the boat. That's not a testament to the fisherman but the bait.

[tcbass]

I tweak the feet and Flip or C rig it too... It's just a Big piece of Bass Candy in those situations

 

 

What do you do to the feet?

[Bluebasser86]

It's fun to use a bright white one in clear water. Kill it at the edge of weedlines, docks, around cover and watch for it to disappear as it's sinking. I've caught some nice bass and even a monster 15.5" crappie doing that. 

[tcbass]

It's fun to use a bright white one in clear water. Kill it at the edge of weedlines, docks, around cover and watch for it to disappear as it's sinking. I've caught some nice bass and even a monster 15.5" crappie doing that. 

 

 

 

I would love to that, but I've had white bellied ones with a dark top and they don't catch nearly as many as the ones that are all dark. Don't know why, maybe because it's fairly clear water.

[bigbill]

I have to order these for sure thanks.

 

If we think about split shot worm fishing is pretty much the same way. Cast it out and they hit it as it sinks or on the move. Either way it's all good.

[twitchfish]

Rage shad and the rage shellcracker rigged flat on a Chompers brush jig just like the PowerLures Lateral Perch is making money right now. Toss it close and let it soak. Drives 'em nuts.

Twitch

[tcbass]

I tweak the feet and Flip or C rig it too... It's just a Big piece of Bass Candy in those situations

 

 

 

How do you flip it and tweak the feet?

[Shane J]

How do you flip it and tweak the feet?

Big O showed me this a few years back. cut out the inside of the Toad's legs, like this one. When he said he flips it, he's talking on a flippin' hook, and into some trees.

 

[BigMoneyGrip]

I used to rig mine with a Gamakatsu 5/0 EWG; these toads have a pretty thick body. My one issue with this bait was always hook up ratio. It has a pretty thick body and it is not a hollow body; it doesn't just compress on a bite. You definitely need a wide gap hook to make this work well.

I like the Owner screw lock hooks. I take a razor and slice the body where the hook goes through, then skin hook just the point. The slice in the body lets the hook move more freely.

[War Eagle 44]

I like the Owner screw lock hooks. I take a razor and slice the body where the hook goes through, then skin hook just the point. The slice in the body lets the hook move more freely.

 

I use Owner hooks but I actually drill a small hole through the body so my hook has freedom of motion but at the same time doesn't completely start to break down the bait before I've even started fishing it. I was doing the same thing at first, cutting the bait, but it didn't hold my hook well while casting after doing this and also I couldn't catch nearly as many fish on one before it was ready to be replaced.

[tcbass]

You guys have an interesting problem. I use Gamakatsu Twistlock EWG hooks, TrokarTwistlock EWG Hooks and some other brands and have never had a problem.

 

 

 

I always lose a leg long before that becomes an issue. lol

[War Eagle 44]

You guys have an interesting problem. I use Gamakatsu Twistlock EWG hooks, TrokarTwistlock EWG Hooks and some other brands and have never had a problem.

I always lose a leg long before that becomes an issue. lol

I'm also using Owner Twistlock hooks. I'm simply looking for ways to get the absolute highest possible strike to land ratio I can from these baits, nothing more.