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Using a frog lure to catch big bass is one of the more entertaining ways to fish and it’s also one of the best in areas that have a lot of vegetation. In this post, I’m going to be talking about 5 tips to help you catch more bass near lily pads.
There are a number of different lures you can use to fish near lily pads and most of them will work. The only thing you’ll need is something that won’t get snagged easily and can take a good amount of force without breaking. That’s why a frog works really well. Here are 5 tips to help you catch more bass in lily pads using a frog:
- Use the right equipment.
- Cut one of the legs shorter.
- Don’t cast on top of the fish.
- Cast near the edges.
- Slow things down.
There are a number of other things that go into catching bass with frogs but these 5 tips should get you 80% of the way there. You can also use some of these tips with other lures and it’ll give you similar results. Continue reading or watch the video below for the full details on how to catch bass in lily pads.
Use the right equipment.
The first thing you’ll want to do is make sure you have the right equipment. You can use pretty much anything to catch them but you’ll run into a lot of problems if you’re using the right stuff. It’ll just make things so much easier if you use the proper stuff from the start.
The first thing is the fishing rod. The length doesn’t matter too much but anything around 7 feet will be ideal. I normally have something a little shorter than that but it’s more of personal preference. The thing that does matter is the strength of the rod. You’ll want to have a medium-heavy or heavy rod so you have the backbone to pull the fish through the pads. They are quite tough and if you have a lighter rod you’ll have a harder time setting the hook and dragging them to you.
The next thing is the fishing reel. I prefer a baitcasting reel but a spinning reel could do the job if you have a stiffer rod. The thing you’ll want to make sure is that you’re using a fast gear ratio reel. If you’re fishing in lily pads and you hook a fish, they’re most likely going to swim down into the weeds. This is why you need a faster reel so you can land them as quickly as possible.
The final thing is the fishing line. You’re going to want to use something that floats and avoid fluorocarbon. Fluoro sinks and it’ll mess with the action of the frog which won’t give you the best results. I’ll always use a braided line because it floats, is super tough, and it doesn’t stretch. Since it doesn’t stretch, you’ll have an easier time setting the hook and it also casts a bit better than monofilament in my opinion. You can use anywhere between 30 lb and 65 lb test line.
Cut one of the legs shorter.
The next thing you’ll want to do is cut one of the legs a bit shorter than the other. This isn’t absolutely necessary but I do think it gives it a bit better action walking through the water. See our favorite frogs here.
The shorter leg will create a more intriguing walk through the water and is more likely to attract a fish. You want to keep things as natural looking as possible and any little thing you can do will increase the odds of landing something.
Don’t cast on top of the fish.
The next thing you’ll want to avoid is casting right on top of them. You probably know already that fish get spooked pretty easily so if you’re casting right above them, they’ll be gone. What you’ll want to do instead is cast past them and have them swim over the top of the fish.
Again, this is keeping things as natural as possible. Most of the time, you’ll get a frog sitting on the bank and then they’ll jump in the water and start swimming. If the fish are sitting in the pads you’ll want to cast as close to shore as possible and have it swim to where you think the fish are.
Since frogs are pretty weedless you can literally cast it right to the shore and you won’t have to worry about it getting snagged on something. All you’ll have to do is slowly drag it into the water and it’ll look exactly like a real frog.
Cast near the edges.
Another thing you’ll want to do is cast near an ambush point. Bass like to sit in the pads and wait for something to swim by. Most fish will be swimming along the edge of the pads so that’s most likely where the fish will be sitting.
You can catch fish in open water and you can catch them in the thick stuff (more in the summer) but you’ll have the best odds if you cast along the edges. Look for holes or pockets in the water because that’s where they’re sitting and waiting.
Slow things down.
The final thing you want to do is slow things down. Most people try to move too fast and even though you can still catch fish, your chances will be much better if you take your time. This is for all aspects of fishing.
If you’re reeling in too quickly it’ll look unnatural and a lot of the time your lure won’t have the right action. Frogs don’t normally rip across the water so why would you reel it in quickly? This goes for other types of lures as well. Always be thinking about what you’re actually using and what it’s natural action would be like.
The second thing is setting the hook too quickly. If you try to do this you’ll end up losing a lot of fish. Slow things down, let the fish play with the frog for a couple of seconds, and then set the hook when it’s good and ready. Most of the time they’ll take a second or two to get a good hold on it and if you set the hook too quickly then you’ll most likely miss it.
Until next time, happy fishing. If you want to catch more fish, use more hooks.
Let me know your thoughts and any questions you have. Like this article? Feel free to give it a share!
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