Attention Froggers. The Grass Bite Is Coming Alive.
Lake Guntersville was setting up for a frog fisherman’s paradise. Thick grass, pressured bass, and explosive strikes were making patience and presentation just as important as finding the right mat.
Frog Fishing Was About to Hit Full Swing
The next couple of weeks were shaping up to be a frog fisherman’s paradise on Lake Guntersville. The frog bite was ramping up quickly, and the question was simple. Were you ready?
The previous week had been nothing but fun. I only had one guided trip because the anglers wanted to use a gift certificate they had won at a Somewhere on the Lake Wounded Warrior auction. Other than that trip, most of my week was spent practicing for the BFL.
Dialed In Until the Fish Moved
By Thursday morning I felt like I could call my shot. I knew when I was about to get a bite, and I had not felt that confident going into a tournament in a long time.
I checked an area that I had not touched since before leaving for Ohio. About a dozen flips later, one grabbed my NetBait B Bug and she was a dandy.
I had been practicing without a hook, and she would not let go of the bait. I eased over to another place where I had previously gotten a bite, lined up on the waypoint, and made another flip.
The bait never made it to the bottom. One smashed it and started swimming up, bringing about eight fat friends with her that were all trying to take the bait away. After seeing that, I knew there was a chance for a big tournament sack.
Then tournament day arrived and they had moved.
I could not believe it. Those fish had simply left an area they had used for weeks. I had been so keyed in on flipping that I never gave the frog bite the chance it deserved. I did not believe the frog would produce the right fish to compete against the flipping pattern.
Needless to say, I stunk up the lake Saturday.
A Frustrating Tournament Turned Into a Frog Fishing Lesson
I do not take a bad day of fishing lightly, so Sunday morning I got up and went looking for those big fish again.
I started with what had been working and, to no surprise, nobody was home. Frustrated, I started heading toward the ramp when I noticed a grass mat that reminded me of another mat I had driven past the day before.
I had to go check it.
That decision kept me on the lake until dark. I had a crazy frog fishing day with more than 20 bass, and by the end of the day I had also relocated the bigger fish.
They had moved only about 40 yards from the last place I had shaken one off.
Where to Look for a Frog Bite
At that point in the season, the upper portion of Lake Guntersville had plenty of the right kind of grass mats.
Mats positioned along or near the river channel were especially worth paying attention to because they gave bass a combination of grass, depth, and nearby travel routes.
Not every patch of grass is equal. Focus on healthy mats with depth, openings, shade, and access to deeper water.
Grass located near the river channel can give bass an easy route between shallow cover and deeper water.
Heavy fishing pressure makes bass smarter. Approach the same mat from different directions before giving up on it.
The bass wanted the frog worked slowly. Take your time and let the bait stay in the strike zone.
Wait Before You Set the Hook
My clients had never caught bass on a frog before, and they had a blast learning it. There were plenty of missed opportunities, but they did manage to stick one and get it into the boat.
One of the biggest mistakes new frog anglers make is setting the hook the instant the water explodes.
When you get a blowup, wait about one second before setting the hook. Then set it hard. You need to drive those hooks into the roof of the bass’s mouth.
The cadence the bass wanted was a slow popping presentation. Something similar to:
Pop. Pop. Pop. Pause.
When they committed to the frog, they usually ate it well. Pliers were needed to remove the hooks on many of the better strikes.
Pressure Makes the Details Matter
Lake Guntersville receives plenty of fishing pressure, and those bass learn quickly. The more pressure the lake receives, the more important cadence, angle, patience, and presentation become.
Want to Fish Lake Guntersville?
Whether you want to experience a seasonal grass bite, learn more about Lake Guntersville, or simply spend a day catching bass, our guide team can help you plan the right trip.
