almost like a topwater bait , but I let it sit still more often . When I ’ m working a frog , I like to pull it toward me two to five times and then stop . Then , I ’ ll just twitch it . That imitates how a frog actually swims . When I ’ m sight fishing , I don ’ t like to throw at the fish . I throw it about 10 to 15 feet ahead of it .”
Floating frogs work particularly well for targeting fish lurking in heavy cover , but not feeding aggressively . When not chasing baits , a big redfish might wait in the grass to ambush anything irresistible that passes too close . When a frog lands in the grass just over its head , a redfish sees a tasty morsel that looks easy to catch without expending too much energy to grab it . It can take time to study it and decide whether to eat it or not , something it cannot do with a buzzing frog that typically provokes instinctive reaction strikes .
Anglers don ’ t necessarily need to fish a weedy river delta , but can use frogs to entice redfish in many habitats . In Florida , Niemoeller often fishes sandy flats growing thick with submerged grass . In very clear water , anglers frequently spot “ potholes ,” bare sandy patches in the grass . In other places , outboard motor props cut trails through grass beds . At the trail or pothole edges , redfish habitually hide in the grass and look toward the openings to ambush bait .
“ I look for holes in the grass and throw past them ,” Niemoeller advised . “ Redfish hang right on the edge of that grass . Sometimes , they lay in the prop lanes . In clear water , we can easily see that . Sometimes , I throw a frog up the prop lane and zigzag it across the lane to hit both sides of the grassy edges .”
Besides grass , anglers can also fish frogs around oyster reefs , fallen trees , stumps
and sandbars – wherever redfish hide in cover waiting to waylay prey . Sometimes , bars or reefs trap fish in deeper pockets when the tide recedes . Anglers who try to cast over these obstructions into the deeper pools beyond them usually lose too many lures .
“ I like to fish frogs around oyster bars , particularly when there is a deeper hole behind it ,” Niemoeller said . “ Where it ’ s hard to fish with more conventional lures , I pull a Stanley Ribbit frog up to the back of the bar and stop it . Sometimes , redfish follow the frog and want to hit it just before it gets across the top of the bar . Throwing any other lure type past the bar will just snag , but a frog goes right over it .”
When fishing any entangling cover , use tackle strong enough to drag big , powerful reds from their lairs . Many anglers prefer 50- to 80-pound braided line , tipped with fluorocarbon leaders . Since fluorocarbon sinks , use only a 6- to 8-inch leader when fishing floating frogs so the descending line doesn ’ t affect the action . For fishing sinking frogs , anglers might use an 18- to 36-inch leader . In clear waters like the sparkling Florida flats , tie on longer fluorocarbon or monofilament leaders .
Most anglers fish frogs without weights so the baits naturally hop across matted vegetation . Weighted frogs typically work best in open water or patchy vegetation where anglers need to make really long casts . However , when the wind blows across a treeless marsh or open flat , anglers might find casting light baits extremely difficult . On windy days , some anglers add a split-shot or two to the line above the frog to help with casting . Anglers can also rig frogs with keel-weighted hooks to add extra heft . When fishing with added weight , hold the rod tip high when trying to keep the bait on the surface .
Although typically not the first lure choice for tempting redfish , plastic frogs can put more spot-tails into the boat under the right circumstances . Nearly impenetrable grass canopies might intimidate some anglers , but these vegetative thickets frequently hold the biggest fish . Catch the buzz and put more lunkers in the boat where others can ’ t even fish .
52 HOOKED UP SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2017 hookedupdesigns . com