LURE 101
04 Lures / Topwater / Frog
08 · Hollow Body Frog

Frog

フロッグ · Also called Dahei (“hitting black,” i.e. snakehead fishing), Leiqiang (frog over weeds)

A hollow soft-body topwater with a double hook tucked tight against its back, so the points are shielded by the body. It slides over thick weeds, lily pads, lotus leaves and duckweed without snagging. The signature lure for snakehead, also used for bass in heavy vegetation.

Typical depth
0–0.05m
Typical weight
10–25 g
Typical size
5–7 cm
Beginner-friendly
●●●●●
Snag resistance
●●●●●
Depth zone
Surface
AMotion

Action Demo

FIG.1Frog · Walk the dogTwitch (slack) · twitch (slack) · twitch (slack)
TOP VIEW
The dashed line traces the lure's last 4 seconds; top left shows the rod tip movement and line slack.
BHow it works

How It Works

  • When bitten, the hollow body collapses, exposing the hook points so they penetrate; when not squeezed, the points rest against the sides and don't catch weeds.
  • Weighted in the tail, it sits tail-down and nose-up at rest, so it can walk the dog like a pencil bait in open water.
  • Dragged over matted weeds, it rustles and shakes the leaves, imitating frogs, birds, mice and other animals that fall in the water.

Main Types

TypeNotes
Walking frogThe most common type; walks the dog in open water and skims smoothly over mats.
Popping frogA cupped mouth that makes a “bloop”; good for holes in the weeds and open water.
CRetrieve

Techniques

  1. Over mats: drag–pause–drag, pausing longer at holes and gaps.
  2. In open water: walk it with small rod twitches like a pencil bait.
Related techniquesWalk the dogDraggingStop & Go
DWhen & Where

When & Where

● Good for

  • Hot summer water
  • Ponds and shallow lakes thick with lily pads, lotus leaves, duckweed and weeds
  • Seasons and waters where snakehead are active

○ Not ideal for

  • Deep open water (other topwaters are more efficient)
ETackle

Recommended Tackle

Rod
H–XH, fast, 7'0"–7'6"
Reel
High-speed baitcaster (pick up slack fast and drag fish out of the weeds)
Line
Straight PE #4–8 (about 50–80 lb), no leader; braid cuts through weed stems

For rod power and action see 01 Rods; for line size conversion see 03 Line.

FTarget & Tips

Target Species & Tips

Northern SnakeheadLargemouth Bass
  • After a strike, wait about half a second to a second until the fish has it (you feel weight on the rod), then set hard while reeling to pull its head up out of the weeds.
  • Snakehead guard their fry in summer, and many anglers choose not to target guarding parents.
  • After catching a fish, check whether the frog took on water; squeeze it out before you keep fishing.