Frog Lures 101: Everything You Need to Know to Start Catching Big Bass in Heavy Cover

Last July, I was fishing a lily pad field on a small lake in southern Missouri. It was 8:30 in the morning, water temp already pushing 78 degrees, and I'd been working the edges with a spinnerbait without much luck. I saw a little open pocket right in the middle of the pads that looked perfect, so I pitched my hollow body Frog Lures right into the middle of it. I gave it two little twitches, and – WHAM – a 6 and a half pound largemouth blew it up all over the frog. Ten minutes later, I had him in the boat, and that's when I remembered why I love frog fishing so much – you catch big bass in places that other lures just can't reach.

If you've never fished frog lures before, you're missing out on some of the biggest bass in the lake. Big bass love to hide in thick shallow cover, and a good frog is one of the only lures that can get in there and get them out. Let me walk you through everything you need to know to start catching bass on frogs.

Why Frog Lures Work So Well

Bass love to hide in thick shallow cover – lily pads, hydrilla, cattails, brush piles – all that thick vegetation gives them cover from predators and ambushing baitfish. The problem with most other lures is that they snag constantly when you try to fish through this cover. A good weedless frog lure walks right over the top of all that vegetation without snagging, so you can fish where the big bass live.

Another great thing about frog fishing is that it's really exciting – you can see the bass explode on your frog right on the surface, just like topwater popper fishing. It gets your adrenaline going every single cast.

Types of Frog Lures

There are two main types of frog lures that every angler should know about:

Hollow Body Frogs

Hollow body frogs are the most popular type, and they're what I fish most of the time. They have a hollow soft body with double weedless hooks that lay against the body, so they don't snag. When a bass strikes, the body compresses and the hooks come out for a good solid hookset. They work great over the top of thick lily pads and grass mats.

Soft Body Frogs

Soft body frogs have a solid soft plastic body and they often have more legs that move around in the water to create more action. They're great for fishing around scattered vegetation and open pockets where you want more movement. They also tend to last longer than hollow body frogs once you catch a few fish.

Both types work well, and I keep both in my tackle box depending on what kind of cover I'm fishing.

How to Choose the Right Color

Color selection for frogs follows pretty simple rules, just like other lures:

  • Dark colors (black, brown): Best for low light conditions – early morning, late evening, overcast days, and dark stained water. The dark silhouette shows up well against the surface.
  • Light/natural colors (green pumpkin, tan): Best for bright sunny days and clear water. The natural color looks more like a real frog swimming through the cover.
  • Bright colors (chartreuse, white): Work well in really thick matted vegetation where the fish need to see it easier.

I always keep a black frog and a green pumpkin frog tied on – those two cover about 90% of the situations I encounter frog fishing.

My Go-To Frog Fishing Techniques

Pitching to Open Pockets

This is the most common way to fish frogs. You look for open pockets in the lily pads or grass mats, and you pitch your frog right into the pocket. Then you twitch it back to the boat with short pauses between twitches. Most of the time, the bite comes when the frog is sitting still after you twitch it.

This is exactly how I caught that 6.5 pounder I mentioned earlier – one cast, one bite, and that was it. If you find the right pocket, the big bass are already waiting there.

Walking the Frog Over the Top

When you have really thick grass mat that extends for a long way, you can make long casts across the top and walk the frog back like you would a topwater walking bait. The walk-the-dog action creates movement that attracts bass from far away, and you can cover a lot of water quickly looking for active fish.

Retrieving Your Frog

The key is to fish it slow. Don't just reel it in quickly – twitch, pause, twitch, pause. Bass need time to catch up to the frog and commit to the strike. I see so many anglers reeling too fast and wondering why they're not getting bites. Slow down and let the bass have time to find it.

Equipment You Need for Frog Fishing

You don't need anything super fancy, but you do need the right gear for frog fishing because you're pulling bass out of heavy cover:

Rod: Heavy Power, Fast Action

You need a heavy power rod with a fast action tip – 7' to 7'6" is perfect. The heavy power gives you the backbone you need to pull bass out of thick cover, and the fast action helps you set the hook hard when you see the bite.

Line: 50-65 pound Braided Line Only

You have to use braided line for frog fishing – no exceptions. Braided line has zero stretch, so you can feel the bite and set the hook hard even when you're fishing through thick cover. It also floats, which helps your frog stay on the surface. I use 65 pound braid myself, and it's never let me down.

Reel: High Speed Gear Ratio

A high speed gear ratio reel (7:1 or faster) helps you reel in the fish quickly after you set the hook – you need to get them out of the cover fast before they can wrap you around a stem and break you off. It's worth having a dedicated frog reel with high speed.

What Anglers Are Saying About LENPABY Frogs

"I've been frog fishing for 25 years, and I've fished just about every brand out there. The LENPABY hollow body frogs have the right action right out of the package, the hooks are sharp, and they cost half what the big name brands charge. I caught a 7 pound 2 ounce bass last month on their black frog out of a thick pad field – couldn't be happier."
– Dan L., Missouri USA

"I fish the Florida everglades for bass, and I fish frogs almost every day in the summer. I go through a lot of frogs, so buying from LENPABY factory direct saves me a ton of money compared to what I used to spend. The action is great, they hold up well to toothy fish, and I catch just as many bass as I do with the more expensive brands. Absolutely recommend."
– James T., Florida USA

Frequently Asked Questions About Frog Lures

Q: Do frog lures only work for Bass Fishing?

A: Frogs work best for bass, but they'll also catch other species that like shallow heavy cover – pike, musky, and even catfish will hit a frog worked over the top of the grass. But 90% of the time, you'll be targeting bass.

Q: What's the best time of year to fish frog lures?

A: Frog fishing is best when the water temperature is above 65 degrees and the vegetation is grown in. That's late spring through early fall in most places. When the water gets cold and the vegetation dies back, bass move deeper and you can switch to other lures like Penceil Vib Lures.

Q: Why do I miss so many bites when frog fishing?

A: The most common mistake is setting the hook too soon. When you see the explosion, wait just a second – until you feel the weight of the fish – then set the hook hard. A lot of anglers set the hook immediately when they see the splash, and they pull the frog away before the fish has really taken it. Give it that split second, then set.

Q: Can you fish frog lures in Saltwater Systems?

A: There are saltwater poppers and lures that look like frogs, but the fresh water frog lures we're talking about here aren't really designed for saltwater. Make sure you get frogs that have corrosion-resistant hooks if you're going to use them in saltwater.

Q: Where is the best place to fish frog lures?

A: Anywhere there's thick shallow vegetation – lily pad fields, grass mats, hydrilla beds, brush piles near the bank. Any place where big bass hide that other lures can't reach is perfect for frog fishing.

Ready to Add Quality Frog Lures to Your Tackle Box?

Frog fishing lets you catch big bass that other anglers never even get a chance to cast to. They can reach the thick heavy cover where the biggest bass live, and the surface strikes are incredibly exciting. When you buy factory direct from LENPABY, you get quality hollow body and soft body frogs with sharp hooks and great action at prices that save you up to 60% compared to retail brands.

Start with a black frog for low light and a green pumpkin frog for clear water – those two will cover most of your fishing. Get the right heavy rod, spool it up with 50 pound braid, and head to the nearest lily pad field. I promise you'll be hooked once you catch your first big bass out of the pads – it's one of the most exciting ways to fish for bass. Good luck and happy frogging!