Lets Talk Topwater Slop

[Craigums]

I have a question....I was throwing floating frogs in the slop last weekend it was a slow day but when I was in the slop I got 8-10 hits. Problem is I didnt Hook a single one, im not sure what I was doing wrong I tried setting the hook right when the water exploded, I tried waiting a second before setting but no matter what I couldnt hook them....Is it possible that the bass were just playing with my head. or is should I have switched to a differant lure for slop fishing....

[lookincalifornia]

i would keep a back up rod rigged with a weightless plastic and toss it into the hole made by the bass. i also throw the frog back at the hole, if you don't feel the fish, he likely didn't feel you either. you can always stop your frog and twitch it a little. sometimes they just don't come back. just reading about a bass comming up through the slop gets my heart pounding

[Craigums]

I was actually casting the frog at the edges of cuts made by boats through the pads...do you think I should have cast right smack onto the pads? they come in VERY thick were I fish

[lookincalifornia]

if you were getting strikes, i wouldn't worry about it. as long as you have strong enough line to handle the pads and a frog that stays weedless(love my new bronzeye frog!) i would throw it over everything. fan casting is how i generaly slop fish. sometimes you find slop fish in the most unobvious spots. i have caught fish in slop the size of football feilds and the fish will hit out in the middle with no open water, you never know with those sloppers. also, on those hot days, fish aren't as willing to chase. i have made two casts about three feet apart, then split the frog trails and POW!

if you were fishing stritcly pads, you may have been able to toss a willow leaf spinnerbait as well. they stay just under the tops and bounce off the stems. much better hooking percentage

[EBass]

If they miss it and you didn't pull away twitch it a bit for a few seconds, then if nothing reel in fast and cast back with something like a senko, fluke, worm, even a jig. The bass is still in the area and they didn't hit it for some reason, so toss in the "change up" and see if that works.

Classic example and somewhat recent: I was on a river and using buzzbaits. They would swirl at but not take it, only in the spot that had a sunken tree. Any who, I toss out a skitter prop and bumps it again but not taking it. I then toss in a crankbait and WHAM. The fish was aggressive, but picky.

Side note: could be the color of frog, or retrieve that was just off a bit, but you were on the right track. This is one of those cases where the fish are telling you what to do. It's a matter of deciphering the clues they are giving ya.

[JP Z]

May want to switch up to a different bait. I generally throw jawbreakers and they do well. But yeah, if a fish blows up on it, then I "try" and wait a second until I feel the fish, then I pop him. But the fish could just be getting ticked at the frog and not actually striking.....try something else for a drop back bait.

And definitely cast into the deep slop, as long as your gear is capable.....the piggies love it.

[ikeslayer]

So here is what i have learned in my days of top water action. By the time the water is warm enough to be throwing top water a bass can be selective and picky and lazy because there is so much food in our lakes. So here is my take on why a fish does what he does. When a fish really wants to eat the bait it will no mistakes. However when it is being lazy or even playing with its food it will make a mad pass at it. When fishing frogs in teh pads or spooks in open water if a fish comes up and just makes a pass at it what it is trying to do is stun its food. A harsh tail wack to a frog will paralyze him and he will lay there completely motionless and the bass will come up and slup him under. So the next time you have and absolute explosion and no eat don't move that lure. i have let it set there as long as a minute before they eat it but usually it is less than 15 seconds. and the second strike is no where near the first but it is indeed eaten. However what i have also found that when fish are doing this stunning game it is a sign that there is no competetion around for food. Which means you are by no means on a school.

One other thing that i have found is that after the stunning slap and the giant pause that if they don't eat it then they will not eat a throwback lure (senko etc) So i rarely even do a throwback lure.

I hope this helps you catch a couple more and it is rediculously exciteing when it works and when you can fish it with expectation. Takes an amazing amount of self conrol not to move the lure or set the hook on the initial blast and then you must count out loud to yourself just letting it sit there.

I am done rambling

ike

[lookincalifornia]

ike, have you used a batwing or other swimming frog as a throw back? i think if with a little work, a power beast could resemble a frog too.

[Craigums]

I actually did use a 5in purple senko after I got frustrated and caught 2 bass in that spot....But Its not as exciting as that top water explosion I was seeing....and my heart jumps way to much to just let the frog sit there after a strike!

[french_lake_kid]

Slop= flippn' stick and power-pro.

[Daze Off]

I always try not to set the hook until I feel the weight of the fish when fishing a topwater frog especially. Sometimes you miss the fish without even getting a swing at it because it gets dropped but your hooking percentage goes way up when you do get a hookset started.

Daze Off

[rippinlips]

uh slop fishing is a great thing I rarely miss one any more it takes patience, you have to be able to control your emotions when that fish explodes on your frog and if you can do that you are that much closer to increasing your hook up ratio 2nd when that fish explodes on your frog by the time you reel up the slack in your line it's time to let big mama have it. If you can overcome the emotions then getting the slack reeled up just becomes second nature to you. I hope that helps.

[Bushwacker]

Exactly like rippinlips says it takes some practice to get onto the bite. I set the hook by how the fish hits the lure. If it is a huge "toilet flush" on the lure I hit it as soon as I can, but if it is a little suck under the water I wait a little and then hit him with a steady pull. The frog fishing is heating up right now and I love it! Nothing like an explosion from a 4 lber in the pads. The fight is on!!

[bmc]

I hear alot about people using Jawbreaker spoons, but does anyone use a Moss Boss? That is by far my absolute favorite slop bait! It's got a nice big hook on it too. I just caught a 20.75" and 16" on the ol' Moss Boss yesterday. I also had a few "swings and misses"!

Brian

[Dan Brelje]

This might be my new favorite way to catch bass. A couple weeks ago was my first time landing slop bass off a frog. Man is it fun!!! I have yet to catch one on a moss boss or a jawbreaker, i do like the action of the jawbreaker better though.

[bassNspear]

what are the best frogs out there? What are youall using out there theres days. I have a few slop frogs, but looking for other options.

[french_lake_kid]

Trophy frog & Trophy frog jr. loaded with glass tube rattles

[Daze Off]

For my money the Rojas Bronzeye Frog is the best one I have used. They now have put out a "junior" version also but it appears to me that the difference is too slight to make it worth another purchase - they are pretty close to being the same size.

Only other one I use and like at all are the Zoom and Yum frogs which are really soft plastic buzzbaits for the most part.

Daze Off

[fishman40]

If the trophy edition scumfrogs would hold up better to the constant pounding I would say they are right there as on of my goto lures for slop.

Fishman40

[lookincalifornia]

i'll second the bronzeye. i had been using snagproof for about 15 years or so. i am glad i ponyed up the dough for the spro. absolutly everything about it is better than my sp tourney frog. casts better, lands upright, looks better, works better, and has a better hook. i will be getting a couple more and i am a cheapskate

[ocf1]

Ive never thrown a frog since i dont fish slop all that much, how do you fish it?

[littlebear]

the Bronzeye is now my #1. Scumfrogs are what I used, and still use, but do not take the abuse of the Bronzeye. Have caught over two dozen on one bronzeye....still catchin!

[bassNspear]

I have never hear of them before. Where can you pick them up at?

[french_lake_kid]

It depends on the activity of the fish. If they are really active its just a non-stop swimming/very subtle pumping motion. I think of it as jigging for walleyes on the surface. If they are not just going crazy, I keep it moving until it enters a pocket then kill it. Let it sit for a few seconds twitch it, then continue. They're 3 major keys to frogs: #1 add as much weight as possible, but not so much that it sinks. What you want is a nice wake even when on top of matted weeds. Weight can be any thing from: glass tube rattles*** , split-shots, or anything you would want to try. #2 Flip'n stick and power-pro or any heavy braid that will still let you cast AFAP. #3 Patience, it is a very hard thing to master, especially when you dont expect a dynamite explosion! I guess I cant really tell you to wait until you feel the fish B4 you set the hook AHAP, cuz I cant even do it. Its a rush! Have fun

[french_lake_kid]

Quote:

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the Bronzeye is now my #1. Scumfrogs are what I used, and still use, but do not take the abuse of the Bronzeye. Have caught over two dozen on one bronzeye....still catchin!

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My personal experience with the Spro frog is that I miss a lot of fish because of its harder plastic, also I trim the extremely long legs, that might be part of missn em too. Bass N Spear, they are at Cabelas for about $8