“If I had my choice I’d use a broom handle to fish frogs with, but since I can’t I like a 7-foot 3-inch extra heavy action rod,” said Gibson. “You’ve got to set the hook and turn that fish right at the get-go. If you use a medium-heavy or limber rod you’re out of the ball game. I use my rod with a Shimano Curado with 65-pound PowerPro braid.”
When you’re fishing vegetation for large bass on a big-fish bait like a frog, everything is critical if you want to land the fish.
“When one of those big fish get down in that pad and grass thicket they’ll break your line or tear free in a second,” Gibson said. “So it’s imperative that you get to him as soon as possible. When I get a lunker on and he goes down I’ll get on that trolling motor and get to him real quick.”
Getting to the fish in the salad patch means having a powerful trolling motor that can chew up that vegetation and burn it to the fish. Once he sets the hook and the bass buries up in the pads or grass Gibson will keep the pressure constant and keep the bass pinned tight to the cover so that it can’t spit out the lure or tear loose around the vegetation.
“I’ve used all types of braid and had problems with just about all of them but Berkley Power Pro,” said Gibson. “It’s the best I’ve ever used and you just can’t go wrong with it.”
If you’re looking to catch big bass and want to experience the thrill of topwater fishing, then tie on a frog in May and head to the lake to try some of Temple’s and Gibson’s tips.
You just might catch the bass of a lifetime.
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