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Foam frogs

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So I've always wondered. The water can act as a mirror but the sky does not. Why do we spend so much time and care in doing a lot painting on the top of these frogs. I've had them with lots of fancy colors and others just green on top and cream on the bottom and never felt like either way improved the fishing at all. Just to make us feel better looking out at the top of it? I did finally convince a buddy of mine eye can be very important underwater at times, in fact most times, but it took having to borrow some from me to convince him..

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Agree. Profile/ silhouette prolly more important to any surface bug second to action/ movement. Details, colors, finishes, spots more for the angler's than the fish. I'd say big eyes, sparkle, rubber legs most times does help the fish to "finish" the strike. Especially when they just ease up and slurp rather than rush and crash, and the top side prolly is never seen. I spot the bottom of some of mine just to emphasize the frog look despite not really correct.

Some sea trout guys down here made a jerk bait outa a tooth brush. Worked but that's stretching it too much for me...All the jazzy stuff gives us confidence and makes it fun!

I went thru my popper box and replaced old wilted rubber legs and tied knots/ glued them to improve the frog profile. Split tail saddles as traditional " back legs" seems to have always worked. That's assuming the bass perceived it a frog in the first place....

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I am also very interested to see what these do in the water.

 

As for the paint jobs, its more for the fisherman I think. The livetarget frogs in the hardware department have gotten intensely realistic. Eye candy for the lure enthusiast. Don't get me wrong, I also love to put the time in making them look good on the top side. It is a lot of fun.

 

A very accomplished fly tyer and fisher once told me that the bottom can be any colour so long as it's white. That said, I do like black and yellow, but I have had the best luck with white bellies.

 

This is an older video of mine that you may have seen already. I did some underwater profile shots in the bathtub. 'fish eye view'

https://tieflycast.wordpress.com/2016/05/16/bass-popper-faster-stronger-better/

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Many years ago I saw the simple foam frog in a US magazine that made its way over here. I had to tie some, and had great fun doing them. What I didn't have was anywhere to use them. Still they were fun. Now I have found a loch with huge numbers of frogs, perhaps a place to tie them for. Of course my recent mobility problems prevent me getting to that loch now. Ha well such is life.

 

Cheers,

C.

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Good looking stuff denduke! I like the puffy paint and plan on getting some to dab on foam. I had a lot of fun with foam frogs on worm hooks this summer here in Okeechobee. I can cast these in the thickest mats and pads on the lake. Yours would be great in open water and sparse cover. I agree, I'm not sure if the color makes a big difference when you're sliding through pads and they are crushing it. But when they are slurping it down without a ripple, maybe that extra detail made the difference. Like you say it can be fun, and if it boosts confidence it'll certainly catch more.

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Good looking stuff denduke! I like the puffy paint and plan on getting some to dab on foam. I had a lot of fun with foam frogs on worm hooks this summer here in Okeechobee. I can cast these in the thickest mats and pads on the lake. Yours would be great in open water and sparse cover. I agree, I'm not sure if the color makes a big difference when you're sliding through pads and they are crushing it. But when they are slurping it down without a ripple, maybe that extra detail made the difference. Like you say it can be fun, and if it boosts confidence it'll certainly catch more.

Now that's a slick pattern! I'm definetly making some of those tied on the worm hook this winter. Well tied.

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Finally got around to giving these frogs a go on the vise. Found these skip gap hooks and had some fun playing with belly profiles. Can't wait for the ice to melt to give them a cast.

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Finally got around to giving these frogs a go on the vise. Found these skip gap hooks and had some fun playing with belly profiles. Can't wait for the ice to melt to give them a cast.

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Bo, I think the bass will be racing at these like Secretariat going for the Triple. They look durable with good movement, too. Hope there is film at 11

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Very interesting....Never saw those hooks. Slight bend with pliers and great hump shanks for poppers!

I didn't think of that, that's a good idea for sure.

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Got limits 2 days on small foam frog. Amazing it's still in tack....l made few more waiting on things to clear from the big rain last nite. Some of these small fish had eggs therefore kinda stunted is why we are encouraged to keep. Noticed some bedding fish fell for the lil frog even though they are in spawning mode. They just couldn't stand the frog there. Nice smacks on strikes made for lotta fun....

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The lil frog in center still catching after 2 days, foam is lil tattered...

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Still lil early for breamses but found a willing red belly on a choronimid under a lil popper.

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