Matted grass is a key area to target bass during the fall months, and there’s no better bait to catch these fish than a hollow-body frog. A quality frog comes through grass jungles with ease while coaxing bass up for explosive bites and delivering excellent hooking percentages. Brandon Coulter shares a range of information from identifying likely fish-holding areas, his top 2 retrieves, and the best rod setup for the application.
TACKLE USED (retail links)
- FROG – Berkley Swamp Lord, Green Pumpkin: Buy at Tackle Warehouse, Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- ALL FROGS – Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- ROD – Fenwick World Class Casting Rod, 7’5″ Heavy, Fast: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- REEL – Abu Garcia Zenon X Casting Reel, 8.3:1: Buy at Tackle Warehouse, Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- LINE – Berkley Jordan Lee X9 Braided Line, 65-pound: Buy at Tackle Warehouse, Buy at Bass Pro Shops
HOW TO READ THE GRASS
Coulter discusses the importance of understanding grass when fall bass fishing. He demonstrates how to identify where bass position by observing the movements in the grass mats. Remember, it’s about more than spotting blow holes – it’s understanding their behaviors and habits as the seasons transition.
BEST HOLLOW BODY FROG RETRIEVES
Coulter highlights the importance of cadence over color. From the “Gunnersville Slide” to his signature pop-pause rhythm, he explains how mimicking real-life movements under the grass mat can elicit the most aggressive strikes. Fall bass, particularly in mats, react more to the frog’s movement than its color. It’s about sending the right vibration and profile, and making sure you trigger a predatory response.
BEST FROG ATTRIBUTES FOR HEAVY COVER
For Coulter, the best frog lures deliver excellent castability, workability, durability, and, perhaps most importantly, excellent hooking percentages. His starting point in choosing frogs is the hook. An exceptionally designed hook with a frog body fitted to it produces the best results. The new Berkley Fusion frog hook is a case in point. The Berkley Swamp Lord has grown a solid following for its excellent all-around performance, with a premium hook as a starting point. Matching the hatch can also be important. Here’s Coulter’s take on when hollow body bluegill baits shine.
ROD SETUP FOR HOLLOW-BODY FROG FISHING
When it comes to rod setup for frogging open water mats, consistency is key. Coulter prefers a 7’5” heavy power rod for mat frogging, which delivers the power to horse bass from thick vegetation. He pairs this with a high-speed reel to maintain control. He stresses the need to stay attentive, emphasizing that the slightest nuances can make the biggest difference when targeting fall bass with hollow-body frogs.
In conclusion, this video is a masterclass on fall bass fishing using a hollow-body frog. With Brandon Coulter’s expertise, learn how to decode the mysteries of grass, perfect your frog retrieve cadence, and set up your rod for maximum success.
BOAT SETUP
- MOTOR – Mercury Pro XS Outboard, 250hp: Check out at Mercury Marine
- BOAT – Falcon Boats F215: Check out at Falcon Boats
- SHALLOW WATER ANCHOR – Power-Pole Blade 2.0 Shallow Water Anchor: Buy at Bass pro Shops, Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- TROLLING MOTOR – Garmin Force Trolling Motor: Bass Pro Shops, Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- FISH FINDER – Garmin ECHOMAP™ Ultra 126sv: Buy at Tackle Warehouse, Buy at Bass Pro Shops
