Best way to retrieve a frog.

[B-Gee]

I'm new to frog fishing.  Based on the many favorable reviews in this forum I have ordered a couple of Booyah Pad Crasher full size frogs, not the Juniors. I'll be fishing from the bank of a pond here in south Florida. I imagine it would be best to fish close to the shoreline, parallel as much as possible, but what is the most effective way to retrieve the frog? Should I do a slow or fast straight retrieve, walk the dog, or what. I would would appreciate recommendations from any of you folks who have success fishing the Pad Crasher or similar frogs.

[WRB]

Frogs typically move about a foot on top of weed mats or so and stop or move to open water pockets and stop. In open open frogs swim faster.

Tom

[casts_by_fly]

5 hours ago, B-Gee said:

I'm new to frog fishing.  Based on the many favorable reviews in this forum I have ordered a couple of Booyah Pad Crasher full size frogs, not the Juniors. I'll be fishing from the bank of a pond here in south Florida. I imagine it would be best to fish close to the shoreline, parallel as much as possible, but what is the most effective way to retrieve the frog? Should I do a slow or fast straight retrieve, walk the dog, or what. I would would appreciate recommendations from any of you folks who have success fishing the Pad Crasher or similar frogs.

all of the above. I start by fishing fast. Having started with the original lloyd talent rat (which is lighter than current frogs and has way less action), the default action was a high rod tip and popping it as you reel so that the frog moves about 4-6” per hop and the front of it kinda plops down on the water as it lands. I tend to do that over scum and thicker grass. If it’s sparse or more open then it’s walking style. Some frogs walk left and right. One I have (live target maybe?) pops up in the water with a twitch like a breaststroke. Either way it is tip down twitching. If I’m shore bound then my first cast is about 4” from shore so long as I can bring it back to me without coming up on land. I’ll then do a full sweep in 1-3’ increments per cast to the other shore. If there is grass all the way around I’ll fish all of it. Ponds with matted grass hold fish everywhere there are mats. 

[Glenn]

 

[MidwestBassAttack]

All depends…I’ve caught on a slow steady cranking retrieve about a foot or two off mat lines in open water.

 

Also caught on a pop, pop, pause retrieve. 
 

Just make sure your slacked on the pops.

[Captain Phil]

I honestly don't think there is a way to retrieve a plastic frog that won't catch bass at one time or another.  Frog fishing is awesome when it works.  Some of this may be regional, but here in Florida a faster retrieve works better for me.  Because of this, I tend to use toads more than hollow frogs.   I pull them fast like a buzz bait and drop back on the strike.  It took me a while to learn this technique.  When you get the timing right, it works well.  Here on the St. John's River, old timers use a Gambler Flapp'n Shad the same way.  I've seen some real giants caught on that bait.

[Jar11591]

I’ve caught bass on every kind of retrieve imaginable. Like most baits, the fish will tell you how they want it. I’ve found that a faster retrieve often works through lily pads, and a slower retrieve in slop. This is not a rule though. When I throw a frog, I will usually mix up the retrieve cast to cast. 

[Bankbeater]

Steady retrieve, work it like a popper, or walk it are the 3 types I use the most. 

[casts_by_fly]

2 hours ago, Captain Phil said:

old timers use a Gambler Flapp'n Shad the same way

 

Maybe a separate topic, but tell me more about the flapn shad.  I've never seen that one.  It looks like a fluke with a flapping tail.  How much commotion does it make on the water with a straight retrieve?

[Captain Phil]

14 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

 

Maybe a separate topic, but tell me more about the flapn shad.  I've never seen that one.  It looks like a fluke with a flapping tail.  How much commotion does it make on the water with a straight retrieve?

 

The Gambler flapp'n shad is a great bait.  Use a twist lock hook with the bait pinned in the nose and the point laying flat across the back.  When pulled on top, the tail flaps on the retrieve.  Throw it back into the pads and pull it out on top.   You can easily pull it all day.  When a bass hits this lure, you need to drop back.   It works much better than a hard buzz bait as bass will hang onto it.   If the guy who told me about this was still alive, he would kill me for posting this.   It's all he used on the St. Johns and he caught a ton of bass up to 12 pounds on the flapp'n shad. 

[casts_by_fly]

9 minutes ago, Captain Phil said:

 

The Gambler flapp'n shad is a great bait.  Use a twist lock hook with the bait pinned in the nose and the point laying flat across the back.  When pulled on top, the tail flaps on the retrieve.  Throw it back into the pads and pull it out on top.   You can easily pull it all day.  When a bass hits this lure, you need to drop back.   It works much better than a hard buzz bait as bass will hang onto it.   If the guy who told me about this was still alive, he would kill me for posting this.   It's all he used on the St. Johns and he caught a ton of bass up to 12 pounds on the flapp'n shad. 

 

thanks!  I won't tell anyone else, don't worry.

 

I'll throw a bag onto my next order.  

[Captain Phil]

2 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

thanks!  I won't tell anyone else, don't worry.

 

No worries. The guy who told me is fishing in a better place. ☺️

[B-Gee]

Thanks very much for these recommendations. I guess I’ll try different kinds of retrieves, steady, popping, and walking and hope one of these will connect me with a big bass or two.