8 Best Frog Lures for Bass Fishing

Frog fishing is popular among anglers that try to catch bass, but there are different types of frogs that can be used for this purpose. In the following sections, you can read about the various types of frog lures available on the market.

Hollow Body Frogs

The hollow-body frog lure is the most topwater lure for catching bass; as a frog bait, it can be used in both open water and in heavy vegetation. These hollow-bodied frogs can float on the surface, regardless of the vegetation, and attract bass to it.

The hollow bodies make the frogs great for walking, and they’re also quite easy to reel in. The only downside to this type of frog is the fact that they might absorb water and sink below the surface.

Popping Frogs

The popping frog is also a hollow-bodied frog, although there are some hard-bodied models. The difference between the hollow and the popping frogs is the cupped mouth.

When this frog makes contact with the water, it makes a loud, popping sound that attracts the fish; these sounds imitate the sound of fish-eating insects on the surface.

This frog lure performs well in thick weeds; the addition of weedless hooks makes fishing topwater easy in any conditions. They’re particularly good for fishing in shallow waters, and anglers have great success catching bass with these frogs.

Hard Plastic Frogs

In contrast to hollow frogs, the body of the hard plastic frog is sturdy and made entirely out of plastic. These lures aren’t weedless, so they’re a good choice for catching bass in open water.

Additionally, hard plastic frogs have a treble hook that’s also no good in heavy vegetation because it will tangle up in the weeds. Based on these facts, we have to emphasize that the use of this frog should be limited to clear waters.

Frog Lures Selection Guide

Color and Pattern

Topwater lures for bass come in various colors and patterns, and these are very important features to keep in mind. Sometimes, fishing with a white frog is more effective than fishing with a black frog.

However, this depends on many factors, the most important ones being the weather conditions, whether you’re fishing on open water or among weeds and lily pads, and what type of fish you’re trying to catch.

If you’re interested in which color is good for what type of fishing, we give you the two most common options:

• Black frogs are a good choice for dirty and weedy waters;

• White frogs are the best option for low-light conditions;

Fishing for bass in clear water requires a realistic frog pattern, and you can choose from the many available patterns.

Durability and Longevity

The best topwater frog lures are strong and durable, so when you’re looking to buy one, you need to make sure that it’s made from high-quality materials that can endure constant exposure to water.

More importantly, they won’t fall apart whenever fish bite, particularly the largemouth bass.

The main requirement for topwater fishing is that the bait floats, so you’ll need to find a frog that’s light enough to float on the surface and sturdy enough so that it doesn’t fall apart.

Our advice is that you should pay more for a lure that’s of good quality and will last you a while before you have to replace it.

Buoyancy

We already mentioned that one of the defining features of topwater frog lures is the fact that they float on the surface and, essentially, entice the fish to come to you.

So, when you’re shopping for frog lures, you need to make sure that the one you’ve chosen won’t sink below the surface as soon as it touches the water.

This often happens with a hollow body frog, and most of these lures need to have the water squeezed out of them before going back in. However, doing this after every cast is tiresome, so choose a frog that can be cast at least 5 or 6 times before you need to squeeze the water out.

Hook Size and Design

Most topwater frogs have hooks attached to the body – you’ll rarely come across a hookless frog. The hook type is very important, but you have to choose the right hook for the water you’re fishing, as well as for the type of fish you’re trying to catch.

Most frogs used for bass fishing come with a double hook attached to the body. Treble hooks can also be used, but remember that these hooks are no good in weedy waters.

Besides double hooks, you can also go for a Texas rig hook, a wacky rig, a drop shot hook, or others – the possibilities are endless. And in the end, it comes down to personal preference – choose the one you like most and attach it to your frog rod.

Action and Movement

A frog floating on the surface is often not enough to catch bass. The best frogs replicate the movements of a live frog and attract more fish. Usually, this movement is enabled by the frog’s legs which create the illusion of a swimming frog.

Foot frogs are commonly used as bass lures, as they produce more action than footless frogs. However, you’ll want to get a frog whose legs are just the right length; short legs don’t have much of an effect, and extremely long legs seem unrealistic – even to bass.

Size

Frogs come in various sizes, so you need to pick a size based on the type of bass you’re trying to catch. When fishing for largemouth bass, you will need a larger frog because you want the bass to bite the entire thing to get it properly hooked.

Smallmouth bass, on the other hand, requires a smaller frog because they can’t bite the larger one. Luckily, you can choose to get a smaller, 1-inch frog or opt for a really large, 5-inch frog.

However, we think it’s a good idea to have various frog sizes in your tackle box and be ready for every situation.

Weight

A very important feature of topwater lures is their weight. If it’s just a little too heavy, it sinks below the surface. Most of these lures weigh between 0.01 and 0.04 pounds, although there are some on the heavier side, weighing as much as 0.08 pounds.

Lures in this weight range should float without difficulty, although you should adjust the weight depending on whether you’re fishing in salt or fresh water. Heavier lures fare better in salt water, seeing as the water helps keep them afloat.