1. Inspect the Hollow Body, Nose & Seams
Find tears, splits and body distortion before casting.
Open Detailed GuideFRESHWATER BASS • TOPWATER FROG CARE • PRE-CAST CHECKS
Hollow-Body Frog Lure Care: Hooks, Legs & Water Intrusion
Keep hollow frogs floating, weedless and ready for a clean strike.
Six practical guides for the frog body, double hooks, existing drainage points, skirt legs, safe storage and a final on-water check from our Lund.
We flatten the barb on every hook and lure. Guide 6 uses our exact previously approved Lund photograph.
Three Hollow-Frog Checks: Body, Double Hooks & Drainage
Inspect the collapsible body, confirm both hooks lie correctly, and expel water only through the frog’s designed drainage opening.
Frog designs vary. Some have a drain opening; others are intentionally sealed. Do not pierce or modify the body.
Six Hollow-Body Frog Inspection Skills
Click any photographic card to open its full five-step guide. Every image is embedded in this unpublished review page.
2. Check Double Hooks, Alignment & Flattened Barbs
Confirm the hooks are sound and the body still collapses.
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3. Drain Trapped Water & Check Flotation
Keep hollow-body frogs floating as designed.
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4. Inspect Skirt Legs, Anchors & Action
Check rubber legs for wear, tangles and unequal pull.
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5. Clean, Dry & Store Frogs Without Crushing
Protect soft bodies and hooks between trips.
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6. Final Hollow-Body Frog Check from Our Lund
A five-step pre-cast check for freshwater weed mats.
Open Detailed GuideComplete Hollow-Body Frog Inspection Guides
Six five-step guides for soft-body condition, hook placement, drainage, skirt legs, storage, and the final pre-cast check.
1. Inspect the Hollow Body, Nose & Seams — Detailed Guide
A hollow-body frog is made to compress around a carefully positioned double hook. Deep tears, pulled-out nose hardware or split seams can spoil flotation and the lure’s weedless presentation.
Five Practical Steps
- Look over the complete body. Inspect the back, belly, nose, tail opening and body seams for splits, punctures, hardening or visible distortion.
- Check the line-tie eyelet. Make sure the nose eyelet is secure and smooth, without a sharp edge that could cut braided line.
- Gently test body compression. Press the frog between fingers to verify the soft body compresses and rebounds rather than cracking or remaining collapsed.
- Inspect the hook-body contact area. Confirm the lure body sits naturally against the double hook and is not torn where the metal passes through.
- Retire structurally compromised frogs. Set aside a frog with a large rip, displaced hook harness, loose line tie or body that cannot float properly.
Fishing tip: A slightly worn painted finish is often cosmetic. A split nose, loose harness or badly torn body is a functional problem.
Safety & equipment care: Do not cover manufacturer drainage openings with glue, heat the body to reshape it, or attempt to repair an exposed hook harness with household adhesives.
2. Check Double Hooks, Alignment & Flattened Barbs — Detailed Guide
The double hook should sit snugly along the back or sides of a hollow-body frog and become exposed when the body compresses. We flatten all hook barbs as part of our freshwater catch-and-release approach.
Five Practical Steps
- Inspect both hook points. Look for rolled tips, corrosion, cracks, bending or damage caused by hitting rocks, wood or hard cover.
- Check each hook against the body. The points should lie close to the body in the manufacturer’s intended orientation rather than stick out into vegetation.
- Gently squeeze the lure body. Confirm each hook point can clear the compressed body without snagging on torn rubber.
- Flatten both barbs with pliers. Place each small barb itself between the plier jaws and squeeze gently until it lies flush with the hook shank; check the point afterward.
- Replace rather than force a damaged hook. If the wire is cracked, heavily rusted or badly misaligned, retire the lure or use manufacturer-approved replacement parts.
Fishing tip: Flattening the barb can make hook removal easier, although it may occasionally cost a fish. Maintain deliberate line tension during the fight.
Safety & equipment care: Never pinch the hook tip in pliers or repeatedly bend a high-strength double hook; do not compromise the hook shape to make it more weedless.
3. Drain Trapped Water & Check Flotation — Detailed Guide
Many hollow frogs allow some water to collect, especially after repeated strikes. Some have drain openings while others feature sealed chambers; follow your particular lure’s design.
Five Practical Steps
- Look for signs of water intrusion. A frog that sits unusually low, rolls or slowly sinks may contain water or have a damaged seam.
- Locate the intended drainage point. Inspect the rear skirt opening or manufacturer-provided vent or drain; do not puncture a new hole.
- Squeeze gently to expel water. Hold the lure over a towel and compress the flexible body slowly to empty trapped water through its existing opening.
- Make a brief flotation test. Place it near the boat or in shallow water and confirm it rides and tracks as that particular model should.
- Inspect recurring leaks. If water immediately returns or the frog no longer floats, examine tears and body attachment points and retire it if structurally damaged.
Fishing tip: Some models use flow-through drainage; others are intentionally sealed. A small amount of water after a strike does not automatically mean the lure is defective.
Safety & equipment care: Never cut, drill or force open sealed designs. Do not put glue into a designed drain opening.
4. Inspect Skirt Legs, Anchors & Action — Detailed Guide
Many hollow-body frogs use silicone or rubber strands to imitate legs. Loose bundles or tangled strands can affect their appearance and the way the bait walks.
Five Practical Steps
- Inspect both leg bundles. Look for missing, frayed, melted or badly shortened strands, especially at the attachment point.
- Check the rear retention point. Make sure the skirt bundles are held by the lure’s intended rear channel or retainer and have not torn the body.
- Separate tangled strands gently. Work wet or stuck strands apart by hand. Avoid sharp tools that could damage a soft body.
- Compare leg length and action. Check that the frog moves as intended in a short close-to-boat test; intentionally unequal legs are not always a defect.
- Replace parts only if compatible. Use manufacturer-supported leg bundles or a new frog if the rear anchor is torn or the leg material cannot be secured.
Fishing tip: Leg length can influence the walking cadence on some frogs. First compare with a fresh lure of the same model.
Safety & equipment care: Do not pull hard on leg bundles or melt the plastic to fasten them. Preserve intended drainage and body seals.
5. Clean, Dry & Store Frogs Without Crushing — Detailed Guide
Dry storage reduces corrosion and helps soft-bodied topwater frogs hold their shape. A damaged bait should not be packed away with ready-to-fish tackle.
Five Practical Steps
- Rinse visible lake debris. Remove algae, mud and vegetation with clean fresh water when needed, using only gentle hand cleaning.
- Drain and dry before boxing. Empty the designed water outlet and allow the lure and double hooks to dry on a towel away from direct heat.
- Separate damaged baits. Keep split, badly compressed, rusted or waterlogged frogs in a repair-or-discard area.
- Protect bodies and rubber legs. Use roomy compartments so heavy hard baits or pliers cannot squash the frog’s body or tangle its legs.
- Check before the next launch. Reinspect hook points, leg retention and flotation after a long period in storage.
Fishing tip: Keep similar frog models together with room for the skirt tails instead of stuffing them into a single crowded compartment.
Safety & equipment care: Do not leave soft-body frogs pressed against incompatible soft plastics or in a hot boat compartment for extended periods.
6. Final Hollow-Body Frog Check from Our Lund — Detailed Guide
The final check keeps the lure weedless, floating properly and ready for a topwater strike around lily pads, grass, pockets and shallow wood.
Five Practical Steps
- Choose the intended frog style. Pick a walking or popping hollow-body frog for the cover and open pockets you expect to fish.
- Check soft body and drain. Inspect the nose and body seams, gently expel any trapped water if the design allows, and verify flotation.
- Inspect both hooks and barbs. Confirm alignment and sharp points, and keep both barbs flattened as we do on all theBASSguys lures.
- Check skirt legs and line tie. Make sure legs are secure, the nose eye is sound and no vegetation is caught in the lure.
- Test near the boat and store spares. Make a short retrieve to confirm intended action and keep backups protected in the tackle compartment.
Fishing tip: Give a bass time to take the frog fully before driving the hook home, rather than setting on the first surface splash.
Safety & equipment care: Watch your footing on the bow, keep loose hooks clear of clothing and avoid reaching into dense vegetation blindly.
Printable Hollow-Body Frog Inspection Form
Use the green button to print this form alone. The red full-page button includes the six expanded photographic guides.
theBASSguys • FRESHWATER FISHING FIELD NOTES
Hollow-Body Frog Care — Field Card
Inspect body seams, double hooks, drainage, legs and storage before fishing.
| Observation / setup | First Spot | Second Spot |
|---|---|---|
| Body and belly free of major tears and distortion? | _____________________ | _____________________ |
| Line-tie eye secure and free of sharp burrs? | _____________________ | _____________________ |
| Soft body compresses and springs back normally? | _____________________ | _____________________ |
| Double hook points sharp and correctly positioned? | _____________________ | _____________________ |
| Both hook barbs properly flattened between plier jaws? | _____________________ | _____________________ |
| Water expelled through existing opening if applicable? | _____________________ | _____________________ |
| Frog floats and tracks as designed in short test? | _____________________ | _____________________ |
| Both skirt leg bundles and rear anchors secure? | _____________________ | _____________________ |
| Used lures dry; damaged frogs separated? | _____________________ | _____________________ |
| Spare frogs stored without crushing soft bodies? | _____________________ | _____________________ |
Hooks sharpened / replaced: _____________________________________ Barbs flattened: __________________
Frogs to repair / replace: ____________________ Skirt legs / replacement parts to restock: ____________________
theBASSguys practice: Flatten both hook barbs, drain only through intended openings, and store frogs dry without crushing.
Technical References: Hollow-Body Frog Care
Manufacturer descriptions and freshwater fishing guidance on frog body design, double hooks, and water drainage. The step-by-step inspection wording is original.