A bass’ diet consists of just about anything that moves in front of them. The most popular menu items for largemouth bass are minnows, crayfish, frogs and other slippery slimy things such as eels, lizards, snakes, worms, and bugs. Minnows constitute the larger part of the freshwater fishes forage but more favored are crawfish and frogs when in season. Bass rarely pass up the chance to slam or eat a frog. During the warmer summer months, bass move into shallower water in search of frogs. Frogs offer a bite sized fulfilling meal to the voracious predators. The Spro Frog is the best soft bodied weedless frog on the market. -----How to Use it:-----
There are several different ways to use this lure. Just about every technique will work, some will work better at different times of the day and season, and during different weather and water conditions. Favored fishing techniques are entirely up to the individual but I will list a few of my favorite and most productive techniques with this lure. Drag and Bag: When searching for fish in shallow coves or large flats, I cast the Spro Frog as far as I can and slowly pull it in watching for a swirl or chaser behind it. When a fish commits to follow or chase, I stop it and wait, within a few seconds it usually gets pulled under. I like to use this technique when searching for fish and trying to cover a lot of water in a short amount of time. It generally works best in warm weather and the by just making a commotion on the surface will usually gain the attention of an aggressive or curious fish. Try to spread your vision away from the frog in directions peripheral and behind the lure as it drags across the top. The lure makes a small V wake on the top and most slow followers will be in one of the wakes. Look for a larger wake or a wake just to the side behind the frog. The wakes from the side generally come quickly and are fully committed to striking the bait. When the retrieve is paused, if the fish doesn’t hit within a couple of seconds, I like to give it a couple of twitches and brief delays before starting it again on the steady surface drag. This usually garners a strike while toying with the frog on the surface. Twitch: I use the twitching technique when the fish are not very aggressive but I know they are there. This technique takes a little more time than any of the others but is worth the patience when the fish have already been located yet are not eating or taking the lure. I cast the Spro and wait, I don’t even move it until the circles have dissipated from the original splash landing. Most strikes come within the first few seconds of initially moving the lure during this technique. What happens is this, the frog has gotten the attention of the predatory fish and they come to the sound and commotion of the original splash to investigate. If they have not taken it as it sits, they usually take it within the first five feet. Sometimes the fish hasn’t fully located it yet and needs a little movement or sometimes it is just like a cat and a ball of yarn, they like a twitch or two to trigger a strike. I work the entire cast back into the boat by slowly twitching the frog across the surface giving it a couple of seconds between twitches and mixing up the amounts of twitches. Try a couple and pause, a couple more, or a three count. Use this technique when the fish are a little finicky and are not hitting moving lures. Super Slow: The super slow retrieve is one of my least favorites. It is even slower than the twitching retrieve. It is just basically cast it out and wait, give it a pull or twitch every once in awhile. I only use this technique and fish the Spro Frog this slowly when the bite is all but non-existent. If the fish are incredibly finicky or fastidious then I try not to make much wake or commotion, kind of working the lure back to the boat while almost trying to hide the lure from the fish even though I know that they know it is there. Pop: They are actually making this lure with a popper face now which serves a purpose but is not always the answer. The popper head is harder to work through the thick or heavy cover and is tough to use in a subtle fashion. I can get the standard Spro Frog to have a popping action by keeping my rod tip down and giving it a hard, sharp, twitch. This will push the water from in front of the nose of the frog creating a pop onto of the surface. Popping the Frog works at all different speeds and techniques. Walk the Dog: This technique is more popular with a Zara Spook, but is equally deadly with a frog. Walking the Dog is when the angler gets the lure to move drastically from side to side virtually drawing Z’s on the surface of the water. It is hard to do with the standard Spro Frog so I usually add some weight to one side of the frog. Sticky lead, lead tape, or tungsten putty can be applied to either the side of the body of the frog or to one side of the double hook. This will get the lure moving to the heavier side after a pull or twitch. When it has slowed or reached the end of its pull, pause and give it another quick twitch. When the line tightens it will swing around and make a V –line towards the other direction. Once again, wait for the end of that singular pull before pulling it again. Once you get it moving and learn the technique it becomes easy. This technique is absolutely deadly on bass and has worked for many decades. It emulates wounded prey trying to escape from the predator which triggers the natural response to kill and eat. Most hits will come during the short pause between directions.
-----When to Use it: -----
As far as seasonally goes, I try to match the bait to the forage. With the Spro Frog, simply lend your ears to the water in the early morning or late afternoon. When hearing the croakers, it is a great time to throw the frog. But all that aside, it will work year round on open water. I have had more success during the warmer summer months when they bass move into the heavy cover and are feeding on frogs and expanding their food selection away from minnows. But don’t let this steer you, it will work any time. I have also done better with them on overcast days in open areas and bright days in thick cover. The bright sunlight will drive the fish under pads and cover where they ambush their prey. It is one of my favorite early morning tournament baits. -----Where to Use it: -----
I prefer the Spro Frog over other baits when fishing shallow and thick water. While it does work over open and deep water, other baits are better designed and are more suited for those situations. Whenever I see thick lily pads, weeds, hydrilla, or vegetation mats, I reach for the Spro Frog. The nice part about it is that it is totally weedless and can be casted over great distances. Sometimes the fish are driven so far and deep into thick cover that most lures are just not feasibly possible. The Spro frog can be thrown and fished in every situation. I know of no other lure that can work in heavier cover without getting hung up or covered in muck or slime. It casts a mile and catches fish. -----Construction/Design:-----
This is not an original design. Frogs have been used for decades and soft hollow frogs for quite some time as well. This frog became popular after being used to win Bassmaster’s events by Dean Rojas and other Professional Bass fishermen. What makes it different form the other hollow soft bodied frogs is its sleek design and various colors and color schemes. It is a cool looking frog that produces so it will not only catch the fish, it catches us fishermen as well. As previously mentioned, the body is very soft and buoyant. I like how this frog lands on its belly and fishes upright. I have never had one spin and it is easy to work through heavy cover. The nose on the Spro Frog is much sharper and streamlined than other frogs making it easier to work through the thickest cover. It comes rigged with very sharp Gamakatsu hooks that need no sharpening or alterations. They are pure pig stickers. There are no front legs and the rear legs are made from jig or spinnerbait skirt material. Spro has come up with some great colors and for legs and bodies but more on that later. The legs are tough and long and can be easily altered if desired.
-----Setting the Hook:-----
Learning how to properly set the hooks with this lure is very important. A fish can downright make you look silly when not executed correctly. You have to almost wait to feel the fish even though it is a top water lure. Since bass and other predatory fish have the natural response to slam and strike certain prey like frogs, they don’t always get it on the first try. With just about every other lure, when you feel or see a strike it is engrained in the fisherman to set the hook immediately to prevent a lost fish or miss of the hook set. Not so with the frog. Bass seem to slam the frog many times without actually getting it in their mouth or eating it. I am not sure if they are just striking out of pure reaction or if they are playing with their food, but it seems to be quite often that they strike it at least once before actually trying to eat it. An amateur, novice, or beginner will pull it or try to set the hook as soon as he sees the fish strike and a miss will pull the lure completely out of the strike zone and sometimes this will scare or alert the fish. By understanding the structure of the Spro Frog, fishermen can increase their strike to catch ratio. The hooks are hidden behind the soft rubber surface for the intent of not getting caught up on every weed it swims by. Since they are not exposed you have to let the fish actually chomp down on the soft rubber body of the frog which exposes the razor sharp hooks. It is tough to be patient when seeing a giant largemouth blow up under the Spro Frog, but if you wait for it to pull it under you can ensure the fish has it in its mouth and is exposing the hooks for a solid hook set.
-----Colors:-----
There are many different colors and designs to choose from, I will list a few of my favorites. I generally like natural or dark colors for most of my baits. I will deviate from that idea with certain lures but not with frogs. I like a green or yellow mix. The Green Tree, Leopard and Natural Green are all great models for any time of the day or year. They are natural frog colors and patterns. For very sunny days I prefer the dark colors such as Rainforest Black and Night Walker. The whites, yellows, reds and browns will work and are more suitable for stained and low visibility water.
-----Modifications:-----
These are unnecessary to most fishermen but I make modifications from time to time to my Spro Frogs for different situations or for various reasons. When fish seem to swirl up on the frog and not take it, or are short striking it, I will either go to a smaller version, the Spro Jr., or I will shave down the skirt/legs. The legs are a little long on this lure which give it a nice action but sometimes can appear too large. A pair of scissors rectifies this problem and downsizes the lure instantly without changing the action.
The hooks are great for this lure but will puncture the soft body. I dab a small amount of super glue where the hooks meet the lure. This prevents the body from being punctured at the point where the hooks meet the sides. Do not glue the point of the hooks to the lure, just a little dab on the body where they would meet will suffice.
The colors and designs are great on this lure but some situations call for a darker more subtle presentation. I always have a black sharpie marker in my tackle box for those situations and on a dry frog, color can be changed instantly. Weight can be added with sticky lead tape or tungsten putty. Out of the box the lure is perfect for most situations, I will weight it if I am fishing during incredibly windy days or if I want a different action. A split shot can be pinched around the shaft of the hook for the same result. Scents can be added to the outside or inside of this lure. A jelly or paste scent can be smeared on the frog or an oil or jelly can be injected into the body cavity. I think the scents help for secondary strikes and longer bites. It is mostly personal preference. Too much scent inside the cavity will make the bait heavier and your fishing partner might not like a glob of it shot into his ear on a whippy cast.
The legs can be changed out for a different color skirt but it is a tough process and the right tool for the job is required. Just about all of the Spro frogs come with great colors but we fishermen can be picky from time to time. Glitter can be added to a lure giving it a little more sparkle and shine with an aerosol spray adhesive and a handful of glitter. This can modify the color and brightness of the frog. I do this from time to time. -----Repairs:-----
Sometimes a bass will completely tear this lure up or you run into a more teethy critters such as a pike, muskie, or pickerel. Teeth and the pre-rigged hooks will penetrate the soft rubber. Small holes will not affect its performance but large holes or small holes in large numbers will make the frog sink. Super glue works when you have the time to let it dry over a hole or rip, I have also melted a rubber worm over holes which worked for a surprisingly long time. A direct flame will melt the hole back together but if not done perfectly will ruin the shape and color of the frog. Hooks can become dull or break and are easy to replace. Bass Pro Shops sells replacement hooks and with a pair of needle nose pliers can be changed out in a couple of minutes. For the price of this lure, dull hooks don’t warrant throwing it out or in the bottom of the tackle box. The skirted legs can be pulled out when a fish really abuses the lure and new skirted rubber can be inserted through the leg holes. A stiff piece of clothes hanger wire with a bent tip will do the job of pushing or pulling the skirt through the body, similar to a baseball glove stitching tool.
-----Price and Availability:-----
The real killer about this lure is the price, at $8-$11 it seems ridiculous. But it does work and is a very important weapon in a tournament fisherman’s arsenal. They are very durable and they work which helps justify the cost. They are available at Bass Pro Shops, Ebay, Spro’s web site, and other major fishing Stores.
''I designed the SPRO Bronzeye Frog to be the best on the market, period. Heavy cover or open water, no other frog catches bass like the Bronzeye!'' D...More at Bass Pro Shops
''I designed the SPRO Bronzeye Frog to be the best on the market, period. Heavy cover or open water, no other frog catches bass like the Bronzeye!'' D...More at Bass Pro Shops
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