Above the Slop Pt. 1

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When it comes to frog fishing, there’s a common length that seems to be the standard. Anybody who follows me knows how much I love to throw a frog. I think there is an overall misconception on a frog setup. The typical setup is in the 7'-7'4 range and I feel like that's misleading. The longer the rod the better off you are. There is the argument for open water vs. vegetation fishing and I get it but for me I prefer a rod that can do both. That way I can fish any scenario without having to switch setups. The shortest I will go is a 7’6 and at times I’ll venture all the way up to an 8 footer. I get called crazy for being short and using such a long rod for a frog but there is a method behind the madness. The ideal frog rod length to me is a 7’8. This length is very versatile. You have the extra length but it’s not too long to the point where it can become a nuisance when trying to put it in tight places. One of the main reasons for a longer rod means less distance my rod has to travel to penetrate the hooks. A lot of anglers feel it is necessary to wait before setting the hook and to me that couldn’t be any more false. I don’t wait when I see a blowup. I swing for the fences. A lot of times giving that extra second costs you fish. The other reason I like a longer rod is leverage. Having a rod that has a little bit of tip but is parabolic with a solid back bone is key. You won’t have to worry about trying to get that fish out from the nastiest cover around that way. After the hook set, you can get their mouth open and ski them back to the boat before they can get the upper hand in the vegetation. Having a longer rod allows you to do this a lot easier than fishing a shorter blank. The rod that I use is a custom that I got built by Mark Neflas of Nef Customs. I pair it up with a Shimano Curado K DC 8:5.1 and spool it up with Pline TCB 65 Lbs braid. The addition of the DC has really upped my game. They’re an awesome reel and allow for you to skip a frog with ease. This can prove to be critical when trying to hit targets and remain as quiet as possible while doing so. My go to frog is the Stanford baits Boom Boom frog and the color of choice is typically Fred’s frog. Throwing Frogs is one of the funnest ways of fishing. It’s a proven big fish catcher in the hottest months of the year and can be really hard to put down. These are some of the best months of the year when you can get the angry summer fish that kill anything in their paths. I target areas with water clarity, current, and vegetation. If you got isolated weeds, you can work the bait slow around the edges and see great success. Never overlook a shade pocket. Even if it seems like it’s small, fish love those ambush points where they can get out of the sun and cash in on any forage that crosses their path. The last hour of daylight is the best bite of the day. It can be so good that it’s every cast at times. The weather is finally bearable after the extreme heat and the fish come out in the lowlight to hunt for an evening meal. Get out there and enjoy the topwater bite because once it’s gone it tends to feel like forever until it comes back again. If you find yourself swinging and missing far too often, add length to your setup. You’ll find it to be extremely helpful especially in times when your reaction time is delayed. Take advantage of what summertime brings. It can be the best time you’ve ever had on the water.