April 30, 2013
By Steve Quinn
Avid bass anglers know fishing fake frogs is one of the hottest techniques today for catching big bass. They're fun too, producing heart-stopping blow-ups back in the sticks, or right at boatside. I've loaded the boat with additions like the Booyah Pad Crasher, Livetarget Field Mouse, and Strike King Sexy Frog, new last year, as well as old favorites—Scum Frog, SPRO Bronzeye, and various editions of the Snag Proof. But as the weather starts to warm, I'm getting the itch to try the latest year-class of yummy amphibians. Here's are 9 great fake frogs for bass to try in 2013.
Bizz Baits Pad Daddy With cream-color belly and the same great eyes as the Slop Swimmer, Pad Daddy looks like it will put the hurt on pad-loving lunkers as it buzzes through the slop. It's designed to always swim with belly down and has a deep hook groove on the back.
Bizz Baits Slop Swimmer Newcomer Bizz Baits, designed by Brian Souza, brings on a short-body frog, the Slop Swimmer, that features big feet with flickering toes. Awesome lifelife eyes and cream-color belly enhance the effect.
Evolve Mad Mouse Okay, not technically a frog, but the latest Evolve creation, Mad Mouse, is built for the same swamp-style fishing — big rods and big bass in the jungle. The rodent has an upturned snout to wiggle through grass, while its feet and tail paddle along behind.
Lunkerhunt Lunker Frog David MacDonald the boys from Ontario add the Lunker Frog to their impressive line of softbaits. Lifelike colors match several species, including leopard and wood frogs, with natural countershading. But the long, jointed legs give this one another dimension of realism.
Paycheck Transporter This floating popper-style frog features skirts along its sides that imitate arms, as well as the usual tail skirt. Real cool coloration should bring bites, and with its big double Gammy, Bub Tosh declares, 'Whatever eats it gets weighed! '
Tuscaroran Pro-Lures Rude Frog Earl Carlswell and his band of Florida bass fanatics bring on the Rude Frog, a smooth-bodied model with broad head to push through cover, while the paddle feet kick up a fuss. Best of all, the unique material it's made from resists tearing, unless you juice up a jackfish.
River2Sea Spittin' Wa When you wan to make some serious commotion, River2Sea's new Spittin' Wa is your frog. Its cupped mouth is ported on each side for extra spitting as well as chugging. Its wide body and elongated skirt draw attention, too, while a River2Sea custom double hook is ready for anything.
Stanley Ribbit Top Toad Lonnie Stanley and John Hale haven't rested on their laurels after Ribbit's great success. Hollow-body Top Toad combines the flotation of a hollow-body frog with the buzzing legs of a toad. In a pack of two, ones come rigged with Stanley's Double Take hook, a serious sticker.
Yum Money Frog Taking their big-foot Money concept a step further, Yum adds this wide-striding frog with big paddle feet. The solid body has a slot on the back and belly to hide a big-bite hook.
