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Frogs and Rats On Top
Story & Photos by Brian Sak

July/August 2002 Issue

What could be more exciting than the splash of a bass attempting to eat your topwater bait? How about a huge largemouth erupting through a thick canopy of moss!

The evening weather report called for another day of record temperatures - it would be the fourth scorcher in a row. The blistering heat wouldn't seem so bad tomorrow, however, because rather than go to work I was taking a buddy out for a day of bass fishing.

"Lets hurry and get to the lake before it's too hot," I said anxiously when Rich arrived well before sunrise, "it's going to be an early bite." We threw Rich's gear in the truck, hooked up the boat and were on our way when he asked if I had ever fished a frog before. "A few times," I replied, "but never with any luck." "You're in for a treat today," Rich declared with a smile.

We arrived at an area where Rich and I had taken several big bass this spring. From the bank, out to about 50 yards, the water was only three or four feet deep, but the bottom quickly dropped to 15 feet after that. The shallow flat, which was probably a quarter mile long and relatively weed free last spring, was now covered with a blanket of yellow-green moss. Under the canopy was a maze of sparse vegetation.

The hook-up ratio with frogs and rats is often as low as 40 percent - a tough pill to swallow when you may already know you may only get a half dozen good bites.

Rich and I each tied on weedless frogs, doctored with glass beads to make noise and extra lead to add weight - Rich's was chartreuse and mine white. "Cast as far as you can," Rich instructed, "and use a stop and go retrieve, varying the speed."

It didn't take long for the action to begin. Although we missed the first few fish that blew up through the soup, our adrenaline was pumping and the level of excitement was higher than it had been all year.

Several casts later I set the hook on a largemouth that probably went six pounds, but while dragging the fish and an equal weight of weeds to the boat, she came off and disappeared through the canopy. As I looked disappointedly back at Rich, a grin crept onto my face. The two of us laughed and continued to fish, with even more anticipation than before.

Over the next several hours we each hooked three or four bass on our frogs, although none as big as the first fish that escaped. We even managed to get a few of those bass into the boat, each eliciting a cheer.

Mental Preparation
When you develop a pattern to catch largemouths with frogs or rats, you can expect to attract the interests of better than average bass. "Fishing a worm or a spinnerbait will catch a lot more fish," admits California pro Robert Lee, "but the overall quality of frog fish is just bigger." Western pro Bobby Barrack agrees, and will put a limit of frog fish up against five blade or flip fish every time.

There are downsides to using frog and rat imitations however; you need to be ready to deal with them. Frustration can set in quickly, especially when first learning to fish these baits, and if you're not mentally prepared it can destroy your day.

A major concern of many anglers is the low number of bites they get when throwing frogs and rats. "If you're going to throw a frog (for most of the day)," says Barrack, "you're probably looking at four to six bites." It's tempting to try different baits when you know there are other anglers on the water catching dozens of average size fish.

The hardest part of deciding whether or not an area is worth fishing is figuring out what's under a thick mass of weeds. The best time to check things out is before mats form, or after a stiff wind blows a lot of the moss away.

You also have to deal with a relatively high margin of error, because the hook-up ratio with frogs and rats is often as low as 40 percent. That's a tough pill to swallow when you already know you may only get a half-dozen good bites. Luckily, the number of fish you hook will vary from day to day, depending on lunar period, weather and what the barometer is doing. "There are days when I catch eight or nine out of ten," reveals Barrack, "but that's when the fish are eating good."

It's hard to commit to a bait when the odds seem stacked against you. "Fishing frogs takes more commitment," cautions Lee, "than flipping or using a spinnerbait, baits that you know will catch a limit of fish as you work your way down the bank." But commitment is what it takes to excel in this type of fishing - for that you need experience, and that leads to confidence.

Your mental attitude is really a key, and you need to stay positive when fish are missing their mark, or aren't swallowing your bait completely. "You have to understand what's going on out there," stresses Barrack. "You'll miss fish and you'll lose fish, but you're also going to get some tremendous bites."

Frog and Rat Time
Frogs and rats will catch bass from late spring through early fall, just so long as the water is warm enough. While most anglers restrict the use of these baits to the dog days of summer, Lee prefers spring and autumn, when there are more bass in relatively shallow water. "It's awesome in spring when fish are post-spawn," offers Lee, "and in the fall bass move shallow to feed, with bigger fish commanding the best cover."

Keep an eye on the barometer, because pressure is one of the most important factors to a solid frog or rat bite. "You want a stable barometer," explains Barrack, "and you want it to be stable for three or four days if possible." The bass that you're targeting are shallow, even when suspended under a canopy in ten feet of water, and changes in pressure have a strong effect on them.

Air temperature is also a key, and you want it to be balmy for an extended period of time. "Three to four days of real hot weather is prime," says Lee, "and the hotter and sweatier the better." With each additional day of hot weather, more shade-seeking bass will school under the floating moss - the odds of a fish seeing your bait overhead goes up correspondingly.

When the temperature doesn't warm up quickly enough, however, you may be better off abandoning frogs and rats. "If it's 65 degrees on Monday, with a warming trend predicted for a Saturday fishing trip," explains Barrack, "and by Friday it's only 75 or 80, I won't fish a frog - even if it jumps to 95 degrees on Saturday." The hot weather didn't happen soon enough, and Barrack says he'll stick to burning a spinnerbait or flipping a jig.

The best time of day to fish frogs and rats depends on the situation, and as with most bass fishing, it's usually good both early and late. The end of the day, after the sun's rays have warmed up the water a few degrees, is ideal. But don't overlook the middle of the day, when some of the biggest bass are taken.

Frog and Rat Habitat
Regardless of where you fish, most techniques will take bass from a variety of locations at any one time. Strong frog and rat bites, however, are limited to fewer areas. "The bite is best under stable conditions," explains Barrack, "when the water warms up but doesn't cool too fast during the nighttime hours." Ideal places have walls to block the wind, an abundance of shade and a healthy supply of juvenile fish or crawdads for bass to eat - for starters, try harbors, coves and dead-end sloughs.

Target the shallows once you find a promising location. "Bass are just overgrown bluegill," chuckles Barrack, "and they like shallow, warm water - two to three feet with a mat over the top is plenty." A spot is even better when there's deeper water close by.

Lee likes to fish frogs and rats in areas slightly deeper than what Barrack prefers, and adds that he looks for the clearest conditions he can find. "Waters with at least one to two feet of visibility, and three to five feet of depth," says Lee, "hold bigger fish and better schools."

The most common application for frogs and rats are thick weedbeds that grow in the shallows. The thickness of the canopy isn't as important as what you can't see beneath it. "I don't care how thick the moss is (on the surface)," declares Lee, "because if bass really want my frog, they will come through and eat it no matter what."

On the other hand, if the weeds below the surface are too thick, largemouths will not be there because they can't maneuver freely. "The moss needs to be on top of patches of weeds with holes in them," says Barrack.
Lee agrees, and adds that areas where the canopy has been growing for a while are especially good. "The moss takes the sunlight off the weeds below, so they don't grow anymore," explains Lee. The dying plants create alleyways for fish to swim around in.

The hardest part of deciding whether or not an area is worth fishing is figuring out what's under a think mass of weeds. The best time to check things out is before mats form, or after a stiff wind blows a lot of the moss away. Note likely areas in your log, and then return when the canopy grows in. In the meantime, simply keep trying different weed patches until you find a few that produce.

Frog and Rat Mechanics
Bass have been known to take real frogs and rodents on occasion, but these critters are not a typical part of their daily diet. This makes presentation a huge factor, especially when you're dealing with fish that are large, spooky, and in relatively shallow water. "Once you figure out where the fish are," says Barrack, "you have to figure out how to get your bait in there so a five-pounder thinks it's real, and will eat it."

Boat positioning is the first step to success. Lee concentrates on the inside third of the mats, where he feels the angle of retrieve makes a difference. Largemouth in the shallows are usually looking toward the bank for a meal, and are reluctant to change position - you don't want to be dragging your bait over their tails. "When I see a mat I want a fish," explains Lee, "I'll cast at a 45 degree angle (to the bank), then turn around and go through the area from the other direction, again casting at a 45 degree angle."

When that doesn't work, Lee tries different angles, until he's casting parallel to the bank. "I've fished mats for an hour without a strike," claims Lee, "then I'll change angles and all of a sudden I have caught three fish in five casts."

Stealth is the name of the game when moving into a weedbed, and you can't get to the fish effectively without a push-pole. "If I put my trolling motor in the water," describes Barrack, "I'll be watching the moss rock-and-roll as my prop spins at about ninety." With that kind of commotion you'll likely be seeing bass moving away from your frog, rather than toward it.

To make bass eat something they aren't accustomed to, like imitation frogs and rats, you have to make your offering appealing. The secret is presenting an easy meal, one that the fish can't resist. "Frogs are reaction baits," offers Barrack, "and when all of a sudden, here comes Kermit, to within inches of a six or seven pound bass with an attitude…POW, she pounds it."

Contrary to popular belief, an effective presentation does not always mean fishing frogs and rats as slow as you can. Lee suggests mixing up your retrieve. "Slower is better most of the time," admits Lee, "but there are situations when you get just as many strikes with a faster retrieve."

"Your technique may have to change daily," explains Barrack, "based on the activity level of the fish." Slow your retrieve when the barometer is on the rise, but if it's on the fall, speed it up - bass can sense when conditions are going to slip, and may become more willing to run down your bait.

Frog and rat imitations are great for triggering reactions from big bass, but to make these baits work, your offering has to look natural. And regardless of how fast or slow you're working your lure; a stop-and-go retrieve is the best way to mimic the real thing. "If you watch a frog, a bird, a lizard or anything on top of a mat," observes Lee, "you'll see them move a couple of times, stop and look around, then move and stop again - they don't go hopping across the surface at 90 miles-per-hour."

Frog and Rat Gear
California pros Robert Lee and Bobby Barrack have perfected the art of fishing frogs and rats over moss mats for monster bass. Here are their basic tips for what you'll need to get started.

Rod - Use a seven-foot rod with a light tip and a stiff butt, one that will allow you to cast frogs and rats into small pockets, but fight the bass out, once hooked.

Reel - Use a 6:1 or 6.3:1, high-speed reel, so you can get big bass out of the soup before they tangle in the maze of weeds below the surface.

Line - Use no stretch braided line to insure both immediate and strong hook-sets. Twenty-pound test is minimum, but don't be afraid to go heavier.

Lure - Use frogs and rats that are made with stout, sharp hooks. White or chartreuse baits can be seen better on thick moss mats, while darker colors like green, brown or black look more natural when the weeds are patchy.

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