Texas Fishing Forum

Topwater Results: Spro frog 9, Popping Perch 0

Posted By: Brad R

Topwater Results: Spro frog 9, Popping Perch 0 - 06/05/17 12:49 PM

My high school neighbor and I went out late afternoon yesterday (Lake Athens), I guess we were afloat at around 6 PM. I am a finesse guy . . . but I forced myself to carry only one rod with a new, for me, Strike King Popping Perch; he threw his usual preferred frog, a Spro. Admittedly, this is not a good test or even a criticism of the Popping Perch . . . as I have a lot of work to do to get up to speed with casting gear. And, the info on the Popping Perch says it is really a better open water bait than for fishing in pads which we were working in or around the edges.

What I learned is I better get a whole lot more accurate with a bait caster if I want to succeed at frog fishing. Reagan caught 7 of the 9 fish after seeing them hit the surface, that, or we were in thin enough water that we could see them moving or pushing lily pads around. A 5 lbs. bass in 2.5 feet of water, if it moves much, will cause the water on the surface to swirl at bit. Only two bass were what I'd call "general casts" where his Spro frog just happened to land above a fish by "accident." This is a form of "sight fishing" as I discovered where identifying a fish trumps just tossing to fishy areas.

Let's see, one was a solid 5+ pounder, a couple were pushing 4 pounds, a few 3 pounders and so forth. Bass hitting frogs, from a finesee guy's observation, seem to be generally larger.

And, we were out a few nights before trolling in his bass boat, same area. I caught 4 (3 bass and 1 catfish on finesse stuff and Reagan caught 4 bass on the frog). One he caught had all the markings of a fish after a spawn . . . bloody tail, depleted looking. So, we guess that we were into some of the "late" spawners on Lake Athens. Bass do that . . . some spawn really late. Reagan posted an underwater video of a male guarding fry under his boat house back in February. Some are still at it.

Oh! Everyone will have their own experience here, there ideas and beliefs, but one BIG contributor last night fishing for 2 hours with good results? We carried my Meyers Sportspal S-15 canoe down to the water and glided around, silently and deeply back into and through the pads at times. We fished behind a boat house where no bass boat could go, not easily, into water 12" deep at times. I gave Reagan the bow and he was nailing them. Stealth. I often stood in the back, the canoe is so very solid. Once Reagan takes the canoe out by himself a few times and stands to make his pitches and casts, his results will be even better. But, even seated, he can hit tiny spots, "walk the dog," etc. I can't. Not yet.

This is one really fun fishing style! I think it might even be addictive.

Main lesson, again: There are few fishing presentations where accuracy counts for more than frog fishing.

Brad
© 2024 Texas Fishing Forum