By: Tommy Loving    
 
Let me begin by saying that I am without a doubt a frog fishing fanatic!! And one of my favorite ways to fish a frog is to "sling a Toad".

I have spent hours upon hours looking for the type of cover and or conditions that will warrant a Toad bite on lakes that I fish or plan to fish. Although there are a number of Swimming Frog/Toads available to the public today, in my opinion the best is made by KickerFish Bait Co. But, just like any other bait you choose to throw it MUST be used with the right equipment and at the right time to get the most out of your offering. In the article to follow I will share some proven tournament winning tactics that I have used to get the most out of this bait.
 
Your tackle......Are you ready for an X'plosion???
 
Lets start with your tackle set-up on fishing Toads. First and foremost, when the first swimming frogs hit the market several years ago the BUZZ (pardon the pun) was heard for miles around. Stories of huge bass annihilating Toads circled the tournament ranks. But most of these Fish Stories had one thing in common, anglers were unable to hook and/or land these overly aggressive fish. I must say I was guilty as the next guy or gal in the weigh-in line, lost fish were definitely a problem with these baits. But, there was a simple solution to all of the heartache and misfortune everyone encountered. And it was as simple as changing the hook I was using. I will never throw another Toad without rigging it on a Mr. Blitz Toad Toter hook. These hooks come weighted or un-weighted and have a unique rigging method that allows the Toad to swing free after a hard hook set, allowing the hook to penetrate the fishes mouth and increase your hook up percentage.
 
Second, you wouldn't throw a topwater bait on a Heavy action Flipping stick with 50 pound braided line would you? If you are Toad slingin' you better!!! These baits are designed to be used in or around heavy vegetation and the wrong rod/line combo will only add to the stories of lost fish. A heavy action rod will allow you to set the hook better on long casts and help get the fish out of the thick stuff. The braided line insures that you will have no stretch when trying to drive that hook into a 6 pounder who is trying to take your bait away from you 30 yards from the boat. And the abrasion resistance from braid will keep you from breaking off in the heavy vegetation. You don't need to run out and buy another rod/reel combo yet. Simply cut that heavy jig off of your Flipping stick and tie on your Toad and you are ready to go!!!
 
When do you throw a Toad??
 
I live in South East Texas and we have a saying in Texas, If you don't like the weather just wait 15 minutes and it will change. Although the Toad Phenomenon is short lived,  I can recall catching fish as early as February and as late as December on these type baits, under the right conditions of course.  With that in mind, I keep a Toad tied on at all times no matter where or when I am fishing.

What are the right conditions?? What should I look for if I want to catch a KickerFish on a Toad?? Well, these are questions that have multiple correct answers depending on who you ask. For catching BIG bass I like to look for any matted vegetation that is close to where I think the bass should be at that given time of the year. For instance, if it is a post spawn deal on Sam Rayburn Reservoir in East Texas I have had tremendous success targeting main lake flats with Pepper Grass and or Hydrilla. Look for the sublte differences in the cover and make your offering. As always the conditions on any given day dictate which bait we choose to offer the fish. I have had days scouting for a tournament where I never had a bite in a certain area, but I knew that under the right conditions I could wack them swimming an X'ploding Toad.

The unique sound and bubble trail offered by the X'plodin' Toad can call fish to the surface and makes it easier for them to locate than other soft plastic frogs. I have found that on shallow bare flats where I might throw a 1/4 oz Buzz bait, that I can catch Bass on these baits under low light conditions. As well as shallow stump fields and laydowns in the fall when the water temp drops to the Mid 70's and the bass start feeding up for the winter. You can cover a tremendous amount of water with a Toad and usually out fish others throwing standard buzz baits in these areas.
 
The Greatest Sacrifice...???
 
After you have figured out the when and where of Toad Slinging, next comes the most important question of all. Do I sacrifice the number of bites on any given day to catch a big bag throwing a Toad?? I say no!! The unique thing I have noticed about the X'plodin' Toad is that is does catch BIG fish, but it also catches those just keeper sized fish needed to fill out a limit. In other words, this is a great technique for both SIZE and numbers once you have the fish DIALED in. This all hinges on your confidence level in this technique and your ability to capitalize on the opportunity in front of you.
 
Why the X'plodin Toad??
 
As I pointed out earlier, I have spent hours upon hours fishing frog type baits. And after throwing nearly everyone of the Toad type baits offered, I have found that the X'plodin' Toad is my favorite one. This bait offers jointed legs like a real frog. And has a tapered body to allow maximum penetration on hook sets, resulting in fewer missed strikes. Coupled with the unique noise and bubble trail, this bait draws some of the most X'plosive strikes of any topwater bait of its kind on the market today. Pick your favorite color, tie it on and watch out.

This bait is ready to X'plode!!!!
 
Tommy Loving
Cypress,TX