I know that walking the dog is a favorite retrieve when fishing hollow frogs. How much more effective is it than just pulling it along with twitches and pauses? Anyone have a good amount of success fishing frogs without walking the dog in open water?

Not so much in completely open water, but when bank fishing I cast out 10 feet beyond the hydrilla mat line and walk it back until its 25% onto the mat, then I drag and pause/walk in open holes. Walking the dog keeps it in the strike zone longer and aggravates bass into striking.

I've personally had more success with the twitch, twitch, twitch, pause method than walking the dog. Granted I have caught a few walking the dog, just not anything consistent. I would say that 75% of my bites come when I twitch the bait fast 3 times pause then give it a single twitch. They blast it as soon as I give it the single twitch.

I've had hits walking the dog.. but many bug bass caught on walking / quick pops in open water then a long pause.. once I get to the mats I'll drag it very Sloooww! Once I hit a pocket I'll let it float around for awhile

15-30 senconds minimum up to a minute or so.. then twictch so the skirt moves and then let it sit again.. also I like throwing on the bank so I can drag it into the water.. around me theres a few docks with some sparse vegetation I walk the dog along the dock and get bit pretty well.. also along flats early in the am walking the dog at a steady pace is killer!

 I would say that 75% of my bites come when I twitch the bait fast 3 times pause then give it a single twitch. They blast it as soon as I give it the single twitch.

x2.  It's all about the pause then single twitch. drives'm crazy.

sometimes its a short 5sec pause...sometimes 30sec. that single twitch usually puts'm over the edge. but be open to all kinds of retrieves like Grizzn said.  can be very a versatile lure. 

It really depends, I love throwing spro frogs and I have found that the main difference between slight twitches/slight pops and walking the dog really depends on weather and water clarity. If you seem to have problems generating bites on frogs add some glass beads to the frog or rattles. Sometimes when the bass seem finickey and unwilling to fully commit a rattle will set them over the edge. Other times frogs may get heavily used in the area so a different pause/retrieve method for the frog will work better than another. You just need to test different approaches out to find what the bass want!

when i skip a frog back under some over hang, i walk the heck out of it, knowing only 3 out of 5 of my skips go perfect on a baitcaster, so  I want to keep that frog in strike zone forever, if i am on a pond with pad, just thump it across till i find a opening then i walk it. gotta be versitile.

I've personally had more success with the twitch, twitch, twitch, pause method than walking the dog. Granted I have caught a few walking the dog, just not anything consistent. I would say that 75% of my bites come when I twitch the bait fast 3 times pause then give it a single twitch. They blast it as soon as I give it the single twitch.

 

^^^THIS^^^

I fish frogs in thick and nasty only really and walk them only in the short clearings they cross through.  Occasionally I'll throw them along the edge line of freshly cut weeds/pads and walk them there. There are better served lures for open water topwater in my opinion. Rage Shad/Frog or buzzbait for covering water. Spooks and poppers to drive them nuts. Skitter props, tiny torpedos, hulas, etc....etc... So many options that mastering a frog walking seems less important to me. 

Up until very recently I was the complete opposite. I caught all by bass twitching, and hopping. Then last month for whatever reason I started walking the frog and still got pretty good results. I guess we adapt based on what presentation the bass wants.

I'd say similar to how you'd present a Texas rig, you gotta mix it up and see what works better for the day. I prefer just twitching and pulling them forward little by little. And read that article on the BR homepage. I think pauses are more important than how you walk it!

Some days I walk them really fast. Some days I dead stick. It is nice being able to do different presentations with the same lure. Fishing team tournaments 1 will start out fast and the other slow until we hit the right presentation. This can also change during the day. I would definitely practice walking the frog even if it not your main presentation.

I change up the cadence, walk, pop, dead stick, short pauses with bursts...the key is to remember what you did when you get your first blow up.

I change up the cadence, walk, pop, dead stick, short pauses with bursts...the key is to remember what you did when you get your first blow up.

spoken like a true bass whisperer