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Topwater.....

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What would you rather fish - a topwater frog or a whopper plopper?

Haven't bought a plopper yet. I try to stay away from new lures that cost more than $10. I've hear great things about them. My problem is, if I'm fishing top water, it's through the slop and a plopper just won't come through that stuff with exposed hooks. Frog gets my vote.

Seeing as I caught my Pb of 7 pounds this year on a frog.. I would say frog 

  • Super User

I don't see this as an either/or answer as they both shine in different situations. I would not through a WP in the salad and would not throw the frog in open water (some do).

  • Super User

I fish the 90 Whopper Plopper. It's a good bait. Admittedly I jumped on that band wagon with others. It works but I'm not a huge fan. I fish other top waters that are more effective. My top water fishing is a bit more on the open side. I really don't know how to properly fish heavy slop with frogs or rats. I try to somewhat punch a worm creature in some holes in heavy cover. That's effective. I've been fishing my whole life but I'm not properly set up to frog fish. Really no excuse for not being set up for it. 

  • Super User

My topwater arsenal is  1. Spook  2. Buzzbait  3. Frogs (popping and regular)  4. Yamamoto DShad (twitched on top or across grass beds) 5. Plopper (Jury is still out I've thrown it but not with any success yet).

 

Each has a time an place but there's one thing that is for sure.....Topwater bites are the absolute best!!  :P

I'd go with a prop frog! Even in the slop  I still catch them

I have a 7'3'' H/F with 65lb braid that only ever has a frog tied on and a 6'9'' MH/F with mono that always has other top water tied on, either a Whopper Plopper or a regular popper.  I throw my frog rod more.  But I am a top water addict. 

 

I do also carry a third setup (I'm a bank fisher) a 7' MH/F with mono that I typically keep a Texas rig on for soft plastics when top water isn't getting the bites.  

I can't say I like either one better because to me they are different tools.

 

If I'm searching and fan casting all over, the Plopper is excellent.  I got the 130, it's big but still catches 12 inchers.  It casts a country mile.

 

Frogs only seem to work for me in heavy veg.  Haven't gotten many hits over open water with it, so it's relegated to just shallow shoreline stuff for me.

  • Super User

.....don't sell yourself short on the Rat...when the water is calm, I have significantly better results

Whopper Plopper 110 has been my most consistent fish producing topwater bait over the last year or so.  Frogs only produce Pike for me.  Plopper gets my vote.

  • Super User

It depends on how thick the vegetation is.

  • Global Moderator

I'd rather fish a Plopper because I can cover more water. 

  • Super User

Always a Plopper if I can for a few reasons. I love paddle tail frogs (homemade Teckel Sprinker Frogs) and Whopper Ploppers equally but the Whopper Plopper has a few advantages over a frog. 

 

1.)  Whopper Plopper has dual treble hooks. Better chance of hook ups because of this. 

 

2.)  Whopper Plopper is a hard bait so won’t deteriote after many fish like a frog which has a soft rubber body. Unless a northern really tears it up a WP could last lifetimes. 

 

3.)  Can cover water, faster with a Whopper Plopper than a frog. 

 

 

I have buzzbaits, Ploppers, PopRs, Spooks, Jitterbugs and Devils Horses for topwaters. But where I fish, a frog and a toad are the only thing I use for topwater in the summer because the vegetation is so heavy. A frog for the slop, a toad fished on the edges. I do well enough I dont feel the need to try anything else.

I find a frog more versatile.   I can fish it in the slop or in open water.   I especially like the Stanley Top Toad.   It goes through the slop well, but also makes enough commotion on top that I can still get bit reeling in over open water.   I have had a great hook up ratio with this also.   It is a durable frog (toad)as well.  

I have a few Whopper Ploppers, and even though I have not thrown them a lot, I have not had great deal of success.    One reason I think is that you can't throw them with any floating vegetation and with the trebles, it's hard to throw around cover as well.   

I agree the hook up ratio with dual trebles is solid, but I hate dealing with trebles if I don't have to.   

I've only had success with whopper ploppers so far, it works in open water or working along the bank. So long as there isn't slop that's usually going to be my first choice.

Frog for sure. I don't really like the whopper plopper.

The Spook Jr has been killing it lately for me.  The arbagost hula frog popper has done well too.

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