River Smallies & Frogging ?

[Spankey]

Sunday caught Smallies on a mixed bag of baits. Skitter Pop, Shad Rap, DT’s and T-Rig 4” & 5” ribbon tails. All Dinks and runts so I’m not gonna sugar coat any of them to be more than what they were. 
 

I broke out my frog rod for a while. Did get looks, slashes and short strikes. I was happy with just that. I don’t think over the years I’ve ever thrown them in the river. Believe it was a first time. I was using them over rocks. Casted up onto shore and popped and walked them back. 
 

My thought are they might be a bit too large. Thinking I might be onto something new for me, but might have to scale the size of them back some. I see where Zman puts out a soft walking and popping frog 2 1/4”. Not sure how well them will cast on my MH setup which is overkill for the river anyway. 
 

Are any of you guys throwing smaller soft hollow frogs on spinning gear? Medium w/ 8lb. test. Should make casting smaller frogs easier. River is not choked with heavy vegetation as the lake so I don’t see horsing a fish as an issue. Just some thoughts. Not opposed to picking up a couple smaller versions and trying them. Catching a river Smallie on a hollow body will be a first. 

[TnRiver46]

I always throw a frog when fishing river smallies. Toads are the best! I never throw them on spinning gear though, gotta hammer down on the frog hook set 

[Bluebasser86]

Haven't used them for river smallies, but the Booyah Pad Crasher JR is easy to fish on a spinning rod. I've used a 7' M/F with 20lb braid and it gets the job done. 

 

I've caught some lake smallies on frogs around grass and it's some of the most vicious strikes I've ever got on a frog. 

[Spankey]

You guys bring up two good points. This weekend I’m gonna get back on that spot and try the Zoom Horny Toads I put on my buzzbaits. I’ll try EWG weightless first. I do have some weighted if it looks like I need a keel weight to keep them positioned better on the water. I’ll try them before I order anything. I don’t think the Horny Toads float. I work around that. 

[TnRiver46]

2 hours ago, Spankey said:

You guys bring up two good points. This weekend I’m gonna get back on that spot and try the Zoom Horny Toads I put on my buzzbaits. I’ll try EWG weightless first. I do have some weighted if it looks like I need a keel weight to keep them positioned better on the water. I’ll try them before I order anything. I don’t think the Horny Toads float. I work around that. 

I usually hook them with a 5/0 but have caught them with 3/0 in a pinch 

[kayaking_kev]

I tried a regular 1/2 oz. Lunkerhunt Frog on the Rivers and got a lot of strikes with no hooks ups. So I switched to a 1/4 oz. Lunkerhunt Pocket Frog and was hooking Smallies and even Rock Bass with it.

[flyfisher]

I have done well on river smallies on frog flies for sure.  

 

[Bdnoble84]

I use a toad in place of a buzz bait, i have one spot that in the summer i feel almost guaranteed to pick up a 2 to 2.5 lb bass around 8pmish on a green and white or chart toad and 3/0 widegap

What brand of toad do you all prefer, i havent found an ideal one yet

[TnRiver46]

2 minutes ago, Bdnoble84 said:

I use a toad in place of a buzz bait, i have one spot that in the summer i feel almost guaranteed to pick up a 2 to 2.5 lb bass around 8pmish on a green and white or chart toad and 3/0 widegap

What brand of toad do you all prefer, i havent found an ideal one yet

Ribbit and zoom and rage 

[Bdnoble84]

Ive tryed the ribbet and the zoom, i feel like one of them was really dense but dont remember for sure. Regardless of which one i throw, i have issues with them riding upside down. Anyone got a solution to this?

[Flav]

If you let them sink for a couple seconds before you start reeling that will normally help with keeping them “right” side up

[Spankey]

I came across one of those small pocket frogs and have toads. Gonna switch up my hard Topwater baits to some soft plastics this weekend. I won’t be in grass at least not at first. Going to toss the up onto stone rock points and drag them off toward me. Will do the downsizing. Majority of my river smallies   have not been what I call “respectable”. But I’m ok with that. I am getting some nice ones, and the river seem to be rebounding some. It’s not a matter of frog fishing for small Smallies. More of getting Smallies on soft frogs. 

[moguy1973]

The 4.5lb river smallie in my avatar was caught on a buzz toad type bait.  Smallies love them in my experience.  I can't wait for the Spro Flappin Frog comes out for sale.  Currently I use a Horny Toad on a VMC 3/32 weighted 4/0 swimbait hook to keep it upright on the retrieve.

[Spankey]

Gonna go at it a bit different this week. I get to throwing those dang different style crankbaits and patterns a lot. Love fishing them but sometimes a couple of hours go by. Yes catching some fish but got to change it up sooner. No reason for it, have all my stuff layed out. More T-rigs, Shaky Head and Split Shot rigs. Tubes and grubs, they all work. Just too dang anal. 

[Scott804]

Yesterday morning I caught a ton of smallmouth on a little booyah pond magic buzzbait with a mini toad plastic. In the afternoon I decided to make the switch to a Booyah Padcrasher Jr and it is a great frog on BFS gear. I trimmed the legs super short and it was walking pretty well for me. I got a lot of little "popping" hits from tiny ones and then they would suddenly stop and a larger fish would come by and hammer it. If you don't have BFS gear, the Jackall Kaera is a great option for full size casting gear. Tiny frog, but it weighs 1/2oz and it walks better than any other of the smaller frogs that I have tried, as they usually are a pain to walk. If you don't mind throwing frogs on spinning go for it, but I would recommend checking out getting a budget BFS setup or trying out the Kaera. Both are a great time. 

[Spankey]

I scaled my stuff back a bit. I have two pocket frogs and two pad crusher jr’s. They are only 1/4 oz. I’ll go at it with spinning. I have a half decent set up for heavier baits. I’m really no frogger, pitcher or flipper, I just give it my all. I have never caught a Smallie frogging. But than again I’ve never really tried. I was surprised how they were short strikes on the larger frogs. They bumbed them. 
 

I have this one creek that feeds the river. Can fish it like a point. Water goes from inches to 6’-8’ quick. No real vegetation to talk about. Can fish it in a semi circle shape. Has always been good for a pop-r type bite. 
 

I’ve been off the river for a few years. Mother Nature I feel ruined it. It was my home. I think it is trying to come back. I would say truly that it is. But being a laker the last few years my bait choices have changed and I want to put them to use on the river. I catch myself overfishing the same old same old but I’m just trying to make the best of figuring the old river out. Can only hope next season is better than this. And the one after is better than next one. 

[T-Billy]

Z-Man Goat and Billy Goat have been working great for me on top.

[Spankey]

The pocket frog and Jr. was a bust. But I’m not dejected. I’ll continue to use them. They are light and worked perfect on medium spinning gear. MH with braid is overkill for river Smallies. I will make something happen with them. Action on them is great. Too great for a fish not to like it. All was not lost on the Topwater bite got 2 on a Skitter Prop. Pretty time proven bait for me for years but fish were nothing to brag about. 
 

All in all I’m not gonna kick on my day. Boated about 15 fish with a few being Greenies. Largest fish only 14” (greenie) was a bit sour about that, was taking that “Fishing For Monster Bass” approach. 
 

Got hung up throwing nothing but crankbaits my whole time out but every Rapala, Lucky Craft and Bomber I threw caught fish. 
 

When I get back out in a few days I’m doing nothing but a soft plastics approach. It will be a lot slower fishing but bait will stay in the zone longer. I have to switch gears I have nothing to loose. I’ve alway had the bar set to 15” to call my River Smallies respectable. A few guys at the ramp are taking a skunking, so they say. Not sure of their approach. At least I’m getting bit. Just looking for the big bite. 
 

 

[Bdnoble84]

11 hours ago, Spankey said:

The pocket frog and Jr. was a bust. But I’m not dejected. I’ll continue to use them. They are light and worked perfect on medium spinning gear. MH with braid is overkill for river Smallies. I will make something happen with them. Action on them is great. Too great for a fish not to like it. All was not lost on the Topwater bite got 2 on a Skitter Prop. Pretty time proven bait for me for years but fish were nothing to brag about. 
 

All in all I’m not gonna kick on my day. Boated about 15 fish with a few being Greenies. Largest fish only 14” (greenie) was a bit sour about that, was taking that “Fishing For Monster Bass” approach. 
 

Got hung up throwing nothing but crankbaits my whole time out but every Rapala, Lucky Craft and Bomber I threw caught fish. 
 

When I get back out in a few days I’m doing nothing but a soft plastics approach. It will be a lot slower fishing but bait will stay in the zone longer. I have to switch gears I have nothing to loose. I’ve alway had the bar set to 15” to call my River Smallies respectable. A few guys at the ramp are taking a skunking, so they say. Not sure of their approach. At least I’m getting bit. Just looking for the big bite. 
 

 

15” is my bar as well. 12-14 inches ok, I didnt get skunked. 17-19 is when I really get excited.

[Spankey]

11 hours ago, Bdnoble84 said:

15” is my bar as well. 12-14 inches ok, I didnt get skunked. 17-19 is when I really get excited.

I hear that my friend. I just try to keep it real. I’m not living in the bass Mecca of Penna. or the country. Over the years I’ve pulled off some nice ones. I know what the potential could be, I just try to fish hard. Try not to give up. It has been extremely hot out my way. Surprised the bite has not dropped off to nothing. River is very warm. On the weekend I’m gonna fish some of the deepest sections of the river and around bridge pilings. Slow with soft plastics. Gonna get off those hardbaits for an outing or two. I love fishing them but in my mind in these warmer temps I want to try to keep a bait in a zone a lot longer. Might be able to dial in on a couple of nice ones. Who knows, might work? 
 

Good luck, good fishing. 

[gim]

Although I’ve never tossed a hollow body weed less frog specifically for brown bass, I throw a lure called a storm subwart in frog pattern regularly in the river when I fish it. It certainly could represent a frog in that sense but because there isn’t any weeds I see no reason to use a weed less frog version. The subwart has treble hooks and it floats until I start reeling. It never goes below the surface by more than about 6 inches. It’s an extremely effective lure that’s discontinued but I still have several left.

[Spankey]

I’m pretty persistent I’ll get that to work at least once. Of all my years of river Smallie fishing I’ve never caught one on a hollow body frog. But I never fished it. The Rebel hard bait frog that resembles a Rebel craw, that’s a different story. Don’t know how long it will take, but will keep trying. The stretch of river I’ll be covering this weekend has a few spots that I’ll Chuck it around some. But putting down those hard baits down for a bit. Gonna slow things down some. Tomorrow I think we are gonna get hit with some big rain. Hope it doesn’t mess the river up. Will lake fish if I have to. 

[MassBass]

On 7/26/2021 at 6:35 AM, Spankey said:

 

When I get back out in a few days I’m doing nothing but a soft plastics approach. It will be a lot slower fishing but bait will stay in the zone longer. I have to switch gears I have nothing to loose. I’ve alway had the bar set to 15” to call my River Smallies respectable. A few guys at the ramp are taking a skunking, so they say. Not sure of their approach. At least I’m getting bit. Just looking for the big bite. 
 

 

Ya man i feel you I am on a new home river and most of my luck is small keepers at best. It could just be that that is the prevailing biomass and there is nothing wrong with your effort. Look at the entire river system to, on a map and try to identify areas where there might be a different kind of biomass.

 

As for froggin river sm, I would far prefer to fish exposed hook topwaters.

[cyclops2]

Some of the bass schools are big in the size of each fish.  So they need a large area with food at each stop.  I am seeing lots a huge baitfish groups  at about 12 feet. Sometimes with bass echo's  along side them. I can not get those bass to bite. I cruise with them sometimes hoping for a feeding time. I get bored & leave them.

[Spankey]

1 hour ago, MassBass said:

Ya man i feel you I am on a new home river and most of my luck is small keepers at best. It could just be that that is the prevailing biomass and there is nothing wrong with your effort. Look at the entire river system to, on a map and try to identify areas where there might be a different kind of biomass.

 

As for froggin river sm, I would far prefer to fish exposed hook topwaters.

The river is one I spent my whole life on. Back a handful of years ago I started noticing the degrading. I hung in there with the degrading for a few seasons. My bass fishing world was there. Got to the point where I knew I was a better bass fisherman than to deal with the crap set of cards Mother Nature dealt me so I pulled the plug on it. Moved onto a lake (big in size) and caught onto it pretty quick and have been doing pretty well there. Was the best thing and decision I could have made. Saw the other side and like it. For 3 or 4 seasons my boat and rods did not touch that water of the river. Last fall the river started playing on my mind some. Over the years the end of Septembers and Octobers I've pulled off some nice smallies. I was itching to get back on it last fall and was going to. Some big rains came in and I stayed off of it. Blessing in disguise really, broke my PB last season at that time on the lake. Over the winter I made a decission to get back on it to see where it was going. I've been giving it a hard honest effort dissecting it. Since spring I have not gone back over any spots yet. Maybe a couple points. Catching quite a few fish but not in the sizes I want, but pulling a half decent one now and again, it's been enough to keep me going back. I made the right decision to get back on it. The river is trying to rebound. I expected worse. The lake bass are going nowhere. Chasing the river smallies has been fun, maybe I'll stick to the river the whole season and reevaluate over the winter to what next seasons plan will be.

 

Good luck to ya, fish as hard as you can.