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In NASCAR, drivers like to say “Rubbing is racing.”  To this list, we’d like to add “If you ain’t froggin’ in fall, you likely ain’t catching fish.”

A little long and not all that catchy, we know, but it is true.

As many of our pros are fond of sharing with us, fall is prime time for fishing with buzzin’ frogs, and the Zoom Horny Toad was created with this in mind. It’ll catch fish year-round, but when the weather begins to cool, the versatile lure excels like few others.

The great part about fishing the Horny Toad this month is you can catch fish other anglers likely pass right over.

The Only Buzzer You Need For Fall

It’s no secret the most popular lure for early fall is the buzzbait. It fishes fast, draws reaction strikes like nobody’s business and allows anglers to take advantage of the often-aggressive fall bite. But for as great as buzzbaits are, they don’t allow for slowing down the presentation, unless you consider downsizing the lure, which invites backlashes.

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Enter the Zoom Horny Toad

It’s a similar but better option, one that can be used in the same locations as buzzbaits, but with one key difference: It can be fished at, above and below the surface. When bites are aggressive, throw the frog tight to cover, then burn it back to the boat as it gurgles mightily the entire time.

In those instances where the fish have yet to show you how they want the lure presented, make a long cast, then pull the lure onto the surface by starting the retrieve. Swim it just fast enough to keep its back out of the water. Often, fish that aren’t ready to commit to a surface strike will chomp on the lure fished in this manner.

If neither or those tactics works, you can always resort to fishing the frog subsurface. You read that right. One of the best, seldom-talked-about ways to fish the horny toad is right under the surface, akin to how you fish a swimming jig. You can peg a weight at the nose for blistering-fast retrieves or go unweighted for a slow retrieve.

Why not use a buzzbait or swimming jig instead of the Horny Toad?

Because…

The Horny Toad does it all and can give fish a presentation they have not seen.

Tie on a Zoom Horny Toad this month. You won’t regret it.

7 Comments

  1. looks like a great alternative to buzzbaits. How do you rig this bait and does it come in various sizes?

  2. I use the Horny toad and it is just a great lure. I’ve caught so many bass off of it. It works all year and is my go to lure when nothing is biting.

  3. Hello I love using this bait in the summer and fall fishing I love using around grass and trees…..I use the crawfish color I do dye the legs chartuse dye. LAKE AMISTAD That’s all I throw in the morning and late at night I LOVE THIS BAIT

  4. I would love to try the Horny Toad in the White and in the Green Pumpkin/Pearl colors…..Green Pumpkin and Watermelon Seed have been working particularly well.

  5. This bait is not just for buzzing the surface or fishing ontop of grass matts, I use it Texas rigged with a 3/16 oz brass and glass sinker and fish it like a worm or use it on a Carolina rig, I have caught fish down to 20′ this way.

    It has replaced plastic worms for me in most situations, big Crappie love it too, I’ve caught some around 2-2 1/2 lbs. on it.

  6. The Horney Toad is not just for buzzing of fishing on top of grass matts, I use it Texas rigged or Carolina rigged down to 20’to 30′, it kills the bass that way also, big crappie love it too, I’ve caught them 2-3lbs on it.

  7. Use it year round in FL & normally catch larger bass on them. Black is my fav color with 5/0 hook with screw in keeper at hook eye.

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