Fall Frog Tips for Saltwater, Part One

frogAs we’ve touched on in the past, frogs are very popular among bass anglers when the topwater bite is on. When autumn sets in, though, most anglers leave the frogs in the recesses of their tackle boxes, in favor of other lures or techniques, especially saltwater anglers. However, today we’ll take a look at some useful tips to help you get some more use from your frogs, even when the temperatures drop a bit in your neck of the woods.

When the days start to get colder, you’ll find that it’s common for bass to move shallow, where the water is a bit warmer. This is because frogs, as well as baitfish and bluegill, tend to congregate there in search of insects. Where you find frogs and baitfish, you can bet bass aren’t too far behind.

Try to look for shallow bays with soft bottoms, coves, and backwater areas when you’re looking to throw frogs this fall. I’ve also found main lake areas that have vegetation, especially areas close to points and deeper water, to be rewarding when using a frog. Where there is vegetation, such as weed clumps, you’ll find bass that are most likely used to seeing weedless baits like Senkos or jigs, so tossing a rarely seen frog into their midst can be just the change of menu options to pique their interest.

If coves and weed clumps near the shore aren’t producing, you can always turn 180 degrees while standing in your boat and try open water weeds. Frogs aren’t just limited in their effectiveness to shallow waters. You’d be surprised at how many times I’ve gotten a big strike just by casting a frog to a lone clump of weeds away from the shoreline. Finally, one tried and true favorite target for frog fishing is docks. Even in the autumn, bass will collect in the shade beneath docks, and skipping a frog deep under these wooden havens produces time and time again.

In my neck of the woods, the snow’s been steadily collecting, little by little, over the last few days. If you reside further South, though, where you can still fish without worrying about the ice setting in, tossing a frog now and then in the fall will still yield results, even if your instincts may tell you otherwise. Keep the tips above in mind and be sure to come back later this week for more tips on frog fishing down South this fall.