iceintheveins

X2 I can understand you guys still using scum frogs because they're cheaper or for nostalgia's sake but seriously spro frogs (or even bobby's perfect or swamp donkey's) are lightyears ahead of scum frogs. The improvement in hook up ratio from scum frogs to spro bronzeye's is huge and they cast much better as well. As I stated I do love the Spro Popper, but the reason to keep using Scum Frog poppers also is for me anyways, is that they flat out catch fish. They may be cheap, they may not have as good of hooks, they land upside down a lot of the time and they don't cast as well as the Spro, but they flat out catch fish. I am all for new and improved but kicking something that produces like the Scum Frog to the curb just does not make any sense. Like iceintheveins said, both. For the Spro I have had good luck with Leopard, Midnight Black and rain Forest Black. Green Tree is also good at times. For Scum Frog Poppers of which I have been using for years there is only two colors you need, Solid Black and Natural black/Green. These two colors have produced for me from IL to MN to OK to Texas, to Cali. This is not to say the other colors won't work for they will, but with these two I feel I am covered. If I were to buy a Spro popper to try,what one color would you should I get? :-? Leopard frog.

Cabelas sells a bunch of it. However the formula was changed a couple years ago and it's not what it once was >

I fish hula grubs on deeper structure with at least a 1/4 ounce jig. If I'm using heavier line or fishing in deep water I won't hesitate to go 1/2 ounce of heavier. In really nasty rocks or wood cover, I go with a weedless jighead. The hula is one of the very finest baits for deep smallies and largies.

Which is the better reel, especially for preventing backlashes?

When do you guys think a regular frog is a better choice than a popping frog?

Natural frog, black, and a hi vis like chartreuse. Those three colors should cover just about any water conditions.

All four could produce a 10, but I think plastics, jigs, and spinnerbaits have slight edge over topwaters. Topwaters can produce a big one though as well, easily. My biggest bass of all time, nearly 7 pounds, was caught on a buzzbait.

I have a cheaper quantum reel with a magentic brake, and it is unreliable and I usually get 3 - 5 backlashes per day. But since I'm buying a Curado I think I won't have to worry about that as much.

Here in Colorado we now have inspections even at non municipal reservoirs, but since I use hand launched boats they don't have to be inspected.

Spro bronzeye frog, spro bronzeye popper, and the scumfrog popper. For most work I prefer poppin' frogs.

The banjo frog has fantastic action for slow rollin' under the surface. What type of hook do you use with it?

A number 5 jointed shad rap will run about 8' down on ten pound test, and over that with lighter line or braid. If your using heavier line, step up to the #7 jointed shad rap. I also like excalibur's fat free shad, but that will dive down to about 12' on 10 pound test. Don't overlook the suspending wally diver either.

Berkley powerbait 3" power minnow, berkley powerbait 3" pulse worm, and the Yamamoto 3.5" cut tail worm. Some like to drop shot 3" senkos too.

Luck E Strike also makes a ring worm with a longer, ribbon style tail, in both 4" and 6" sizes.

I love ringworms. The BPS version is one of my favorite, and is scented with Yum attractant. They are great for split shotting and light texas rig work. Use a 1/0 or #1 hook with the 4" worm.

The scum frog popper rocks and I don't think the spro is any better, though both are good. I love fishing slop with both. The scumfrog sits lower in the water and has a more subtle action, while the spro walks the frog better and has a louder bloop. I say an angler needs both.

They are one of my favorite spinnerbaits for sure. My best all time spinnerbait for both bass and pike is the 1/4 ounce, double willow with a chartreuse/white skirt.

Flukes, sluggos, senkos, t or c rigged lizards and worms, weedless frogs, buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, poppers, cranks.

Heddon tiny torpedos, Rapala Skitterpop #5 and #7, and Rebel Pop R. Don't forget the Heddon Pop n' Image Jr. either.

Zoom lizards are my favorite, but I also like the Strike King 3X lizards, especially on Carolina rigs since they float.

I use topwaters mostly during morning and evening twillight hours. Cloudy days also are very good for topwaters. Sometimes you can catch them during the day when they are feeding on forage on top or if you are throwing a frog over heavy vegetation. But topwaters are arguably the best thing to throw during the three main times that I mentioned.

My favorite is the Rapala Risto Rap and the Rattlin' Fat Rap. Both are discontinued now, so I use mostly shad raps and bomber model As. Excalibur Fat Free fry are great too.

X - Raps rock, but I really love Husky Jerks, LC Pointers, and Bomber Long A's. The husky jerk and long A have a much more subtle action than the X - Rap, while the pointer has an action in between the two. X - Raps seem to produce best for me though. Don't overlook the LC Staysee though.

I love both. The sluggo is better fished in shallower water because it sinks much slower than the senko, with a more erratic retrieve. The senko works better in somewhat deeper water with a slower retrieve. You need both to be effective many days.

Leave em' intact.