Catching Bass on Top Water Frogs

Oh boy, I could talk all day about catching bass on top water.  One of the reason I live is for fishing top water for bass.  There are a few different lures I use when top water fishing but one of the main ones I use is a top water hard plastic frog.  There are a ton of different frogs that work well but let's look at some good ones.

BooYa Pad Crusher - Bull - I have used this frog plenty of times and it has always worked well.  I usually use thiis type of frogs in our lakes or in private ponds for the best success.  I have caught bass over 8lb on this frog and still use it today.  One thing I usually do is shorten the skirt on the frog to give the fish more feel for the frog itself, you lose less fish this way.

5 Hollow Body Top Water Frogs

I usually buy this on amazon here. These frogs work really well in lily pads and heavy brush.  They won't get stuck in heavy cover but they will get the bass's attention!  Always keep one of these frogs in your tackle box.

Team Catfish Video Blue Catfish

Team Catfish are renowned for their ability to catch catfish and once again they have proved it in this video of catching blue catfish:

Catfishing March 17th using Stink Bait

Ok guys, a lot of people have been asking me about catching catfish and using stinkbait to catch them well here is your proof.  I took off an hour early at work and got to the fishing hole around 5pm and fished till 7pm and this picture here is the result:

Ohio River Blue Catfishing Video

Here's a video of a guy catching some Blue Catfish in the Ohio River.

Catching Catfish in March is it Too Cold? Video!

Check out this video of these guys catfishing in march in the santee cooper area of SC.  Is it too cold to catch catfish in march? I think not... here's the video

Is March Too Cold for Catfish?

I have been asked this a millions times now so I figured I would touch up on the subject.  The answer is it depends on were you live.  For an example, here in SC the catfish are in deeper water at the beginning of march and are now moving into the shallows slowly as the water temperature goes up.  The bass are also starting to spawn for you bass fisherman.

March is usually the start of the spawn in the southern east coast states such as South Carolina and Florida.  In fact, I'm pretty sure the catfish are in the shallows in Florida because it has been warmer there this year.  Here in SC were going through days were it gets into the 80s and drops back down to the 50s the next day.

So, if you want to catfish the rest of march I suggest checking your water temperature before going.  If the water temperature is lower than 55 degrees, you will need to find points and channels were the depth is between 25 and 60+ feet.  If you are fishing for blues, I would suggest using oily cut bait such as shad or herring.  If the water temperature is above 60-65 degrees, the catfish will move into shallow water so get your stink bait ready and find shallow water (6-10ft).  Check out my previous article for tips on how to catch channel cats: March Channel Catfishing

The Easiest Way to Catch Channel Catfish in the Spring

Channel catfish, in my opinion, are the easiest type of catfish to catch once the water has warmed up some. I usually keep track of the water temperature with NOAA weather. Generally, channel cats will start going into the shallows when the water temperature reaches 60-70 degrees. So, make sure you keep any eye on the water temperature and remember that whatever temperature it is, it will essentially be warmer in shallower areas.

As far as bait, channel catfish will eat anything oily and stinky. In the past few years, stink bait has really become very common for catching channel catfish but it is very easy to use and is almost irresistible to them. I usually either use sonny's stink bait which can be bought at anglers and I order Team Catfish Secret 7 Stink bait on Amazon (click the link to be taken to the product).  You can also use hotdogs, chicken liver, shrimp, and cut bait but stink bait is going to be your best bet.

The thing about stink bait is that when the water temperature gets warmer, the stink bait will sort of liquify and spread a stench around in the water.  In fact, a little secret that most people don't know is that when you first get to the fishing hole it is always best to throw the stink bait out in the spots you will be fishing and reel them back in a couple times to get the smell going in the area.  Also, if you are in a boat you can drift with the stink bait and the fish will follow the smell until the get to the bait.  I was drifting with 2 poles once and I had one on the line and it got to both baits before I could get it in the boat, that is how powerful this stuff is.

Also, if you are going to use stink bait hooks I would recommend using the worm type hooks like this: stink bait hooks.  These are the only type of hooks I use and the stink bait stays on them very well.  Don't use tube baits that have big holes.

When using stink bait, find a good flat spot on a lake, river or pond and position the bait were a channel might be or just try to find the deepest spot around you.