Help with my frog walking "technique" - Line disturbing the water

Thanks to those of you who have provided feedback via my previous posts. I am learning how to use topwater/hollow-body frogs in heavy cover. I am using straight (no leader) 50 lb. braid on a heavy rod with a fast tip and a 7.5x1 gear ratio baitcaster...

I am keeping my rod tip down almost in the water, keeping slack in the line to help the "walk" and making short pulls/twitches. My concern is that when I "twitch" the lure the braided line, lying in the water, also twitches. It causes ripples in the water all the way up the line. Would this disrupt the fish or scare them off? Would it distract them from my lure, specifically?

Thanks for your help.

I walk a frog the same way I walk a spook...

If it’s scaring fish off then a frog is not the bait you need to be throwing at that time. When they are on the frog that line twitching in front makes no difference. Your set up is fine.

Remember, Frog fishing is about dedication. Some days you may only get a few bites but they are often the right ones.

No it does not bother the fish.

When I go with the Frog, it is extremely heavy cover. There are only a couple of open pockets for the frog to work it's magic. The Braid is laying most of the time on top of the grass or pads. That 3 ft. of line on the water in front of the frog will not deter the bite. If the water is open enough, I will be throwing the Spook. All of my big fish have come on both baits while it is sitting or making these first 3 sequences in working the bait.
- Throw it to the pocket and let it sit 10 seconds or so.
- The First sequence is 3 very soft twitches. The frog barely moves on each twitch. It only moves forward about one foot. Then let it sit again.
- The Second sequences is three 180 degree turns with a short PAUSE between each one. You will want to practice these turns in a pool until you learn the technique. Each time it turns in the opposite direction. I can accomplish this technique much better with Original Stren in 25 # Mono.. The sequence is called the Dying Quiver. I use a 7' MH Light tip Finwick Rod. The stroke of the rod is a very short downward quick stroke and the rod tip ticks the water beside the boat. The bait will only move about 2 ft. on those 3 turns.
- The Third sequence is 3 quick walks. Let the bait set again. The bait moves about 2 ft. again on the 3 walks. The rod tip again hits the water with a pop, pop, pop.

Then I will walk the frog back to the boat to make the next cast to an open pocket.

Or you can just chunk n wind, walking it back. Cover water and look for the active fish. It’s a reaction bite. They don’t need to get a good look at any of it. If they get a good look at that stupid frog, it’s done. If they just get a quick passing glimpse, it’s on!

I do the three presentations because all my big fish have come during that time. I have only caught on large bass over 7 lbs while walking the baits. She was blind in both eyes.

Hmmmmm I bet she was!

I have caught a few over 8 on a frog. I usually get bit within a few seconds of landing or sliding off a pad. But, I’m no frog pro. You do your OCD retrieve. I’m looking for active frog gulpers.

Good deal!

Thanks again to everyone for the help. I wanted to post a follow-up here because I changed the knot I'm using and that changed everything. Keep in mind I am a complete amateur, so I didn't realize what I was doing. But I was using a variety of what I'd called "locked" knots (Palomar, etc.) that cinch up to the lure's loop. After some research I learned that the loop knot (or Rapala knot) is the way to go on a frog...and man did that make a difference. It nearly eliminated the ripples caused by the line. I am also getting way more action out of the lure and thus way more bites.

I've landed a number of bass since changing the knot, so I'm happy about that. (I still have a lot to learn about setting the hooks on these hollow body frogs, though!)

From a quote by a seasoned professional fisherman .................

Setting the hook with a frog is EASY.

After the strike,

1. Pee if you need to. Or even if you don't.
2. Take a drink of your favorite beverage.
3. Adjust the height of your seat if you are sitting.
4. Check the depth of the water.

Now, wait a bit and then set the hook.

UNLESS you are in extremely dense cover with mono line. If so,

1. Jerk extremely hard and then wind like crazy.

That man ain’t seen me pee!!! That fish could swim to the other end of the lake, age a year, and gain a pound waiting on me.