Pro bass angler Justin Lucas takes us on a fall Lake Guntersville matted grass frogging session. He demonstrates his approach to finding productive areas and consistently catching quality fish using purpose-built hollow body frogs. Gear is essential in this application — Lucas covers it all from essential bait attributes, rod length and power, reel, and why he prefers a coarser braided line over smooth varieties. Here are his key tips for success.
TACKLE USED (retail links)
- HOLLOW-BODY FROG – Berkley Swamp Lord, color – MF Bluegill: Buy at Bass Pro Shops | Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- LINE – Berkley x5 Braided Line, 50-pound 50 lb. Test: Buy at Bass Pro Shops | Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- REEL – Abu Garcia Revo STX LP Casting Reel, 8.1: Buy at Bass Pro Shops | Buy at Tackle Warehouse | Buy at FishUSA
- ROD – Abu Garcia Fantasista Casting Rod, 7’11” Extra-Heavy: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
FINDING THE RIGHT FISHING SPOT
Lucas stresses how important location is. He listens for subtle sounds like bluegill and bass activity when fishing mats, even in the distance. The presence of life will guide you to high-percentage baitfish-rich areas. From there, Lucas looks for open spots and irregularities in the dense vegetation – bass prefer feeding where the mat is hollowed out underneath.
GEAR FOR FROG FISHING IN MATS
Lucas has a specialized setup to handle bass in heavy cover. His rod setup includes a 7-foot-11-inch extra-heavy rod, which has the leverage, thanks to the length and backbone needed to haul fish out of the thick stuff. While many opt for a 65-pound braid, Lucas prefers the improved casting distance and grass-cutting ability of a smaller diameter 50-braid. The Berkley Swamp Lord is his bait of choice. The heavy build displaces water and grass, so it gets noticed, while the soft body easily collapses against the ultra-sharp custom Fusion19 hook for exceptional hookup ratios.
MASTERING THE FROG TECHNIQUE
Frog fishing is a game of extremes and requires a mental balance between maximum excitement and patience. Bass commonly miss the bait, so Lucas advises making a quick throwback past the target hole to re-engage the fish for a second shop.
BOAT SETUP
- BOAT – Phoenix 921 Elite II Bass Boat: Check out at Phoenix
- MOTOR – Yamaha V6 V MAX SHO 250 hp: Check out at Yamaha
- TROLLING MOTOR – Power-Pole Move ZR Trolling Motor: Buy at Bass Pro Shops | Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- SHALLOW WATER ANCHOR – Power-Pole Blade 2.0 Shallow Water Anchor, 10′: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
