There is no doubt about it, bass love munching on frogs.
It is for that reason that fishing with topwater frogs has become one of the most effective and one of the most exciting ways to catch bass.
Because these lures have become so effective, it seems like every year there are more and more frog imitating lures on the market.
For that reason, I have put together this post to have a closer look at 9 of the most popular topwater frogs on the market in search for the best topwater frog.
My goal is simply to help you choose the best one for your fishing needs.
What is the best topwater frog?
Here is a preview of some great lures we are going to look at in this post.
- Booyah Toad Runner
- Spro Bronezeye
- Spro Bronezeye King Daddy
- Lunkerhunt Lunker
- Lunkerhunt Popping Frog
- Livetarget Hollow Body
- Booyah Pad Crasher
- Booyah Poppin’ Pad Crasher
- Savage Gear Hop Popper Frog
- Whopper Plopper
- Snag Proof Bobby’s Perfect Frog
- Blitz Buzz Phrog
- River2Sea Spittin Wa
Let’s begin….
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Booyah Toad Runner
Features:
- 4.5 inches long
- 7/8 ounces
- 360-degree rotating tail.
There is no doubt about it, whopper poppers catch fish. Why are we talking about whopper poppers in a post about frog lures?
That is because of Booyah’s Toad Runner. As you can see from the picture above this is a normal-looking topwater frog, but it has a 360-degree rotating tail. As it is being brought across the water it makes a very distinctive noise that drives bass wild.
In addition, the tail is attached to a small wire that allows you to bend it. By bending it in a different direction you can change the sound and action ever so slightly.
Lastly, 4.5 inches is pretty big for a frog lure. If you are looking for something a little bit smaller you might want to try the Booyah Toad Runner Jr. It is 3 inches long and weighs 1/2 ounces.
Spro Bronezeye
Features:
- 2.5 inches long
- 5/8 ounces
- Available in a number of different colors.
Next up is the Spro Bronzeye. The first feature that really makes this lure stand out is that it is a little bit narrower and longer than other frogs on the market.
This helps to make it great for walking the dog and it also makes it much easier to cast it further. In addition, it is weighted in such a way that it will land on its belly.
One of my favorite features about this bait is the selection of colors. While most bass fishermen will probably just stick with a few different colors. This lure is available in over 30 different lures.
If your goal is to catch the biggest fish in the lake, you might want to drive the Spro Bronzeeye King Daddy. It is 3.5 inches long and weighs 1 ounce.
Lunkerhunt Lunker
Features:
- 2.5 inches long
- Realistic Look
- Soft Plastic – better hookups
One of the most realistic-looking frogs that we are going to talk about today is the Lunkerhunt Lunker Frog.
This is as real as you can get. It is 2 1/2 inches in length and can extend to 4 1/2 on retrieval because of the legs. The hooks sit tight up against the body making it a 100% weedless topwater frog. You will have no fear throwing this lure in the deepest of cover.
One of the biggest challenges when froggin is setting the hook. If the plastic is too hard and doesn’t expose the hooks fast enough, you are going to be missing out on many, many fish. However, with this lure, I feel the plastic is really soft. This is good because it allows for better hookups.
While many topwater frogs nowadays are going to skirts. This lure, in particular, has legs. This gives it that lifelike frog kicking motion. When you pause it the legs sit up into the body just like a real frog. In my opinion, you can’t get a more realistic-looking frog than the Lunkerhunt Lunker.
If you like the Lunker Frog, but want to create even more disturbance on the water and better your chances of catching more fish you may want to check out the Lunkerhunt Popping Frog.
This has the same design as the Lunker Frog the only difference is the popping action. It is available in two different sizes, 1/2 ounce and 1/4 ounce.
You may also enjoy reading: 17 Of The Best Topwater Lures For Bass – Are They In Your Tacklebox?
Livetarget Hollow Body
Features:
- Realistic Look
- 100% weedless
- Available in different colors and sizes
When you hear two fishermen talking about the best topwater frogs, without a doubt you will hear them talking about the Livetarget Hollow Body Frog. This is a very popular frog and for good reason. Time after time this lure has proven to catch fish, big ones!
Like the lunker frog, LiveTarget spent a lot of time creating a frog that looks realistic. This is important especially if you like to deadstick the frog. If the bass gets a good opportunity to look at your lure, you want your lure to look as real as possible.
Like most frogs this lure 100% weedless lure, with the hooks hidden behind the body. The plastic is a very thin material, making it compress with very little effort and maximizing your chances of landing more fish.
It is available in several different colors and sizes.
See the LiveTarget hollow body frog in action:
BOOYAH Pad Crasher
Features:
- 2.5 inches long
- Thin durable plastic
- 100% weedless
- Narrow-body
We continue our search for the best topwater frog by taking a closer look at the BOOYAH Pad Crasher. This is a hollow body floating topwater frog. It is available in two different sizes. The BOOYAH Pad Crasher is 2 1/2 inches and weighs 1/2 ounce while the BOOYAH Pad Crasher Jr. is 2 inches long and weighs 1/4 ounce.
Which one should you choose? It really doesn’t matter. Both of them are going to catch you fish.
This frog is made from thin, but durable plastic. The hooks are embedded into the plastic making it 100% weedless. You will have no problems throwing this into the heaviest of cover.
One of the best features of the frog is its noticeable narrow body. This really sets it apart from other topwater frogs on the market such as the ones that we have already mentioned. This narrower body allows for walking the dog with ease.
If you are looking for a frog that you can walk I would recommend you pick up a BOOYAH Pad Crasher.
Watch the BOOYAH Pad Crasher in action:
BOOYAH Poppin’ Pad Crasher
Features:
- 2.5 inches long
- Weighs: 1/2 ounce
- 100% weedless
- Popper Frog
If you like the BOOYAH Pad Crasher you will love the BOOYAH Poppin’ Pad Crasher.
This frog is very similar to the BOOYAH pad crasher by design but it has one very noticeable difference, the popper front. This is really designed to make as much disturbance to the surface of the water as possible.
I really like the design of the popper because it can be popped with very little effort. This can give the bass the idea that the frog is injured or is trying to get away. This action is something bass just simply can’t help, but come up and get it.
This frog is 2 1/2 inches long and weighs 1/2 ounce. It is made from the same plastic as the pad crasher and the hooks are 100% weedless.
Throw this the BOOYAH Poppin’ Pad Crasher in patches of cover. Remember to pause between pops.
Savage Hop Popper Frog
Features:- 2 / 3.4 inches long
- Weighs: 3/4 ounce
- 100% weedless
- Popper Frog
The next lure on our list of the best topwater frogs is the Savage Gear Hop Popper Frog.
This is a popper frog that is designed to be a floating frog. It is 2 3/4 inches and weighs 3/4 ounces. It is made of flexible plastic that when compressed will expose a single hook.
The single hook design was to improve hookups. This is especially true with frogs that have legs because many times with dual hooks the legs can fold up and get caught on the legs. However, with the single hook design, you will better your chance of landing more fish.
Take advantage of this design, it looks just like a frog. Thus it makes a great frog that you can slowly bring across the cover. Another way to take advantage of it is to pop it across the water. As we mentioned this creates a lot of disturbance on the surface and gets the bass’s attention.
Make sure you give the bass plenty of opportunity to look at the bait. Sometimes the longer you wait the better your chances.
Whopper Plopper
Features:
- Length: 3 1/2 inches
- Weight: 1/2 ounces
- Lots of surface action
I know what you are thinking. But isn’t this post about frog lure, why is a Whopper Plopper featured on this post.
Well, let’s stop and think about it.
Many times when throwing a frog we want to create as much commotion as we can on the surface of the water. That is going to get the fish to react.
What better way to do that than with a whopper plopper. Especially a whopper plopper with either a dark belly or the one featured above. The one pictured above is the munky butt color.
No, they don’t look like a frog to us, but remember all the fish see is that white belly.
Snag Proof Bobby’s Perfect Frog
- Water Evac System
- 100% weedless
Another popular topwater frog amongst our readers is the Snag Proof Bobby’s Perfect Frog.
One of the biggest drawbacks to many hollow body topwater frogs is that water can enter the lure and this can cause it to sink. To prevent it from sinking from time to time many fishermen will squeeze the belly of the frog.
However, with the Snap Proof Frog, there is a water evac system that allows the water to escape on each cast. This is a great feature that helps the lure stay on the surface of the water.
One of the best features is definitely without a doubt is the silicone skirt. As this lure is being retrieved the skirt is designed to give off a very enticing action. With that being said, be sure to use that to your advantage to get more looks and more bites.
Oftentimes I will give it a lot of action and then deadstick it. The skirt will move ever so slightly and that is just enough to entice a bite.
Learn more about this lure in the following video:
Blitz Buzz Phrog
Features:
- Extremely soft plastic body
- Paddle tail
- 100% weedless
The next hollow body frog on the list of the best topwater frog is the Blitz Buzz Phrog. As you can see from the picture above, it has a uniquely shaped body. Perhaps much like a torpedo.
This unique shape does a number of things for this bait.
For one, it allows it to be brought through heavy cover with ease. Second, the thinner shape makes it easier to cast, allowing you to land it right where you want it.
Lastly, let’s talk about the tail.
This frog is equipped with 2 paddle tails which is quite different from others on this list.
If you like fishing with buzz baits, you are going to love fishing with the Blitz Buzz Phrog. As it is being brought through the water the tails give off a unique sound and commotion that bass can’t help but to come up and bite.
River2Sea Spittin Wa
Features:
- Length: 2 1/4 inches
- Weight: 9/16 ounces
- Popper
Another great topwater frog to be added to our list is the River2Sea Spittin Wa Frog.
It is 2 1/4 inches and weighs 9/16 ounces. The first thing you will notice is the popper head on this frog. This lure is designed to be popped to create commotion and attract attention. Right behind the popper are holes that are designed to create a bubble trail.
It is not the best to be walked but does a great job making its presence known and bringing the bass up to come and get it.
See the River2Sea Spittin Wa Frog in action in the following video:
You May Also Enjoy Reading: An Upclose Look At The Best Bass Lures For Muddy Water
Frog Fishing For Bass – Everything You Need To Know
Choosing the right equipment is essential when frog fishing for bass. For that reason, let’s talk equipment…
Rod: Fishing topwater frog calls for a powerful rod, but having a fast action is also helpful for better hookups. For that reason, I would recommend a 7-foot, Medium to Medium Heavy, Fast to Fast Action Rod.
If you are going to be punching your frog through the pads I would recommend a Moderate to Moderate Action Rod. A favorite amongst many is theSt. Croix Mojo Bass Topwater Series.
For more on fishing rods when frogging check out the following post: Best Frogging Rod
Reel: Just as important to choosing the right rod is choosing the right reel. Fishing a topwater frog means covering a lot of water and thus requires moving it quickly across the water.
I would recommend a fishing reel with a gear ratio of no less than 7.1:1. A reel such as the Lew’s Super Duty Speed Reel should get the job done.
Line: Since you will be fishing around heavy cover and need the extra strength to get the fish out when you get the hook up I would recommend a braided fishing line.
Braid also has less stretch and will also be helpful in setting the hook. My favorite is Suffix 832 Braid. Depending on the cover you want to have 50 to 60lb braid.
If you fish a lighter line you risk the chance of a bass taking the lure under the cover and snapping your line.
Now that we got the equipment out of the way, let’s talk about some tips that are guaranteed to catch you more fish.
When to throw a topwater frog and what techniques work best?
You can just about throw topwater frogs all year long, but each season calls for different techniques. Let’s talk a little bit about the best techniques for each season.
Spring: Many bass fishermen don’t like to throw topwater in the spring because the water is cold and bass are slow-moving.
However, you can have success with frogs in the springtime. The best technique is to fish the frog slowly. Popping frogs work very well in the springtime because they make a long of noise.
To work a popping frog, just pop it by giving your rod a twitch and then allow your lure to sit (just like a frog would do). Keep in mind, that sometimes the longer the pause the better chances of getting hit.
Summer: Summertime is the best time to fish a frog. When the water temperature is over 55 degrees and the bass are actively feeding, it is time to throw topwater. The best part about throwing topwater in the summer is you fish it just about any way you would like.
For example, you can fish it very quickly across the top of the water coming across the water. Another way to fish is really slow in heavy lily pads with a pause and retrieve action. Keep in mind as we mentioned early sometimes the longer the pause the better. You can even walk the frog in heavy cover or open water near shallow waters.
It may sound obvious, but always throw a frog when you are within a reasonable distance from the shoreline. Bass are not used to seeing frogs in the middle of the lake and thus you will not have any success there.
Autumn: Once again in the fall time things start to cool down and the fish aren’t feeding actively. So instead of trying to get the bass to come and get it, we may need to vary our approach and bring the bait to them. A few approaches that generate strikes might be walking the dog in open water where you know fish are present or fishing in heavy, heavy cover. remember, heavy cover means big bass.
Additional tips for frog fishing for bass…
Start on the shoreline. Another technique that can work in just about any season is to start by casting the frog up onto the shore. Once it is on the shore, slowly creep it into the water. Just like a natural frog. The more natural/lifelike you make it, the better.
Downsize your lure. If you find yourself missing a lot of bits it might be because your presentation is too big. Many hollow body frogs have a large version and a small version. This might be a good opportunity to downsize to a smaller version.
Another option especially when working heavy cover is to cut the skirts. By cutting the skirts you are forcing the fish to inhale the bait/hooks and better your chances of landing a fish.
Lastly, if all else fails you can always add a trailer hook. Your lure won’t be weedless, but you will land more fish.
Keep the rod tip up. When fishing lily pads it is important to keep the rod tip up. By keeping the rod tip up you will in turn keep the head of the frog up as well. This will not only make it easy to retrieve over the lily pads but give it will also give it a more natural presentation as well.
Have a backup rod. Sometimes the bass might blow up and completely miss the frog. You know that by throwing a frog back in that direction it probably isn’t going to land you the fish. However, by having a second rod ready with, let’s say a Senko, and quickly flipping it in that direction could land you a fish.
Lastly, let’s talk about hookset. Without a doubt, one of the most difficult things about frog fishing for bass is the hookset. Let’s face it we all have been there. We get really excited because we saw a bass blow up on our lure and we set the hook too early and lose the fish. Here is one tip that is going to help improve your hookset ratio.
How to properly set the hook with a topwater frog?
The first thing to do is fight the urge to set the hook immediately. The reason this approach is going to fail is that there is slack in your line.
That slack is not going to give you enough power to fully expose those hooks in your hollow body frog and you are going to literally pull the lure right out of the fish’s mouth.
The best thing to do after a blow-up is to point the tip of your rod at the bass. As you are doing this quick reel up the slack in your line. Then and only then give it a strong pull. This will give you enough power to really drive the hooks into the fish’s mouth.
Yes! Frog fishing for bass is fun. Hopefully, the above tips will help you to catch more fish.
Final Thoughts….
So which frog is your favorite?
As you can see from the few that we talked about, that is a very difficult question to answer.
If you are looking for something new, check out the Blitz Buzz Phrog.
If you are simply looking for something that best resembles a frog you can’t beat what LiveTarget and the Lunker have to offer.
Lastly, if you like to draw fish in by creating a lot of disturbance on the water, then check out the River2Sea Spittin Frog.
In fact, even though this post is pretty long, we didn’t even talk about them all. There are so many more on the market. The important thing is to get out there a find out which one works best for you.
What do you think is the best topwater frog? Share with us your thoughts in the comments section below.
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