Fall is a great time to fish topwaters. Frog style baits like the Zoom Horny Toad not only mimic frogs skimming across the water but also can give the appearance of shad as well. In a local tournament this past weekend, a high pressure system had set in and the bite was tough. Fish that had been chasing moving baits like shallow running crankbaits and spinnerbaits turned neutral, and a more subtle presentation was needed. We immediately went to the Zoom Horny Toad.
The Horny Toad has a very low profile leg kick action, and with the proper hook, it can be thrown just about anywhere. The weight of the bait allows it to be thrown long distances. The bait pictured above is a green pumpkin pearl and we like to tip the very ends of the legs with chartruese dye. The white belly of this toad provides flash and mimics both frogs and shad on the surface.
The beauty of the presentation with the Horny Toad is it can be fished on top, buzzed, or just under the surface. A go-to technique is to buzz it over grass or near blowdowns and kill it in grass openings and holes. We really like to fish this bait around floating docks and pilings too. Braided line is critical, and we have used the Zoom Frog Hook, the Gamakatsu 5/0 offset worm hook, Mr. Blitz Peli-Lock 1/8 ounce weighted 5/0 hook and the new Lazer TroKar Swimbait hooks for this application. We recommend a fairly stiff 7 to 7 1/2-foot rod, and it’s critical that the hook is centered in the bait to allow it to run true both on top and under the surface. It is imperative that the frog be skin hooked through the body down the spine of the toad for truer hook sets. Let the Ultra-Vibe legs do the work and hold on.
Give the fish time to suck the bait in before reacting to the bite and your hook up percentages will be better. This is a visual presentation.
You can learn more about the Horny Toad and its available colors by going to the Zoom website, or to buy, you can click here.
