To fish successful with topwater frog lures, you need the right rod to get your lure in the right place and drag fish out of heavy structure – and we have 12 top picks for you ranked and rated.
Whether you are brand new to searching for the best frog rod or you simply want to add a new rod to your collection, there is a range of great features and brands you can choose from when preparing for frog fishing.
Some topwater frog fishing rods are made for lighter baits, while others can handle extremely large frogs and help you land that next massive bass trophy fish.
Read on to find the best frog rod for you. And if you are in a hurry, our top three recommendations are right below.
Best Frogging Rod: Quick Picks
This long 7 feet 6-inch frogging rod offers an incredible amount of leverage and sensitivity. It’s great for casting frogs of all sizes, and the tip is sensitive enough to let you feel every contour change on the bottom and nibble from the fish so you know exactly when to set that hook and catch bass of all sizes.
Take the guesswork out of properly dancing your lighter lures across the topwater with the Omen Black frog rod. This bass fishing rod is extremely sensitive and can translate even the most delicate contour changes or fish nibbles back to your hands instantly.
Abu Garcia made their Veritas rod with durability in mind. If you’re tired of dealing with a lesser fishing rod cracking or snapping under pressure, this is your best choice. This heavy power rod is able to withstand the pressure of hauling in large fish out of heavy vegetation without cracking under the stress.
Best Frog Rod: Full Reviews
The Champion XP offers a rod length of 7 feet 3 inches which makes it a great length to give you suitable leverage when setting a hook. Topwater frog anglers will also notice plenty of power in this fishing rod, giving you excellent control when dragging your fish away from lily pads, heavy vegetation, or other hiding spots.
The tip of this rod is flexible, giving you great movement when jigging, popping, and walking your frogs during topwater fishing. The rod is made from a graphite blank with Kevlar wrapping, so you’ll find plenty of durability to ensure a solid set on fish of all sizes.
- Strong and powerful graphite and kevlar construction
- Comfortable premium quality cork grips for hours of comfort
- Includes a Fuji reel seat with alconite inserts and Fuji line guides
If you’re looking for a longer-than-average bass fishing rod, the Speed Stick by Lew’s is a great option when it comes to a good frog rod. This particular rod measures in at 7 feet 6 inches which gives you an increased amount of leverage when setting the hook and steering large fish away from cover.
One of the biggest benefits to this added length is that the tip is soft, giving you some highly active walking and jerking action with your frogs on the topwater. You’ll also get plenty of control when setting the hook and hauling fish in closer for landing.
- Premium quality graphite rod blank with Fuji guides
- Graphite reel seat is lightweight and versatile
- Full length handle made from premium cork grips for extra comfort
The Lithium Series from Denali are some of the best frog rods for use in high vegetation and thick cover areas. The length of this powerful fishing rod is great for getting exceptional leverage with long casting and quick hook sets. It is also reinforced with silver graphite to prevent breakage on the lower half.
Denali made sure this rod offers high flexibility at the tip so you can get some exceptional movement from your frogs and buzzbaits. You’ll also love the lightweight feel of the rod, which can help prevent wrist fatigue during long fishing sessions and landing those big fish.
- 7 feet 4-inch graphite blank with silver-graphite strengthening
- Lightweight and ergonomic for hours of fatigue-free casting and landing
- Soft and flexible tip for excellent frog walking and buzzbait movement
If you’re searching for a lightweight but extremely durable frog rod, Daiwa has you covered with their Tatula baitcasting rod. This frog rod is made from a highly durable graphite blank and includes carbon fiber strengthening to ensure you won’t snap your rod when hauling in a large fish from the lily pads and other thick vegetation.
The authentic Fuji line guides and oxide inserts make these fishing rods both versatile and stylish, while also ensuring you get the most movement from your frogs and other lures due to the highly flexible rod tip. You’ll be able to feet the instant a fish touches your bait and set the hook immediately afterwards so you can start reeling in that fishing line quickly.
- Extremely durable graphite blank with carbon fiber strengthening
- Full length comfort-focused handle made from premium cork
- Authentic Fuji line guides with versatile oxide inserts
If you’re looking for frogging rods that are made with durability in mind, Abu Garcia has you covered with their high-quality frog rods. Their Veritas rod is made from a premium graphite blank with Powerlux strengthening technology which increases strength by 15% overall. You’ll be able to wrestle and haul in the largest fish with ease and not have to worry about your more powerful fishing rod snapping mid-battle.
The Veritas rod is extremely lightweight and includes ultralight zirconium inserts and titanium alloy line guides, so you can easily cast frogs all day without suffering from wrist fatigue. Additionally, the rod includes a seat for an ultralight micro-baitcasting reel to keep weight down on the rod overall.
- Made from premium graphite blank with Powerlux strengthening
- Versatile titanium alloy guides and zirconium inserts
- EVA comfort grips on a split-type handle for hours of ergonomic use
With a standard 7 feet long rod length, this spinning rod is more on the shorter end, but offers great handling and control when fishing in very tight quarters and extremely heavy vegetation or thick trees. You’ll be able to cast both lightweight hollow body frog baits as well as heavy frogs with accuracy, and can feel even the slightest touch on your bait as well.
Being a shorter rod, you’ll be able to perform ‘walk the dog’ style frog movement with ease and control, and with the rod being lightweight you can keep this up all day without getting fatigued, even when hauling fish out of thick weed beds and heavy cover. This frog rod has a carbon fiber grip in split type style to ensure extreme comfort and ergonomics throughout the day.
- 7 feet long rod made from unidirectional carbon fiber blank
- Rod features Fuji micro line guides and exposed reel seat
- Has a split type carbon fiber grip for handle comfort
If you normally use lightweight hollow body frogs or buzzbaits and swimming jigs, you might notice a lack of control when using stiffer and heavier rods or those that have a heavy power rating. The CRT frog rod is an excellent option to use for lightweight bait as it falls in the medium-heavy power range instead of heavy power.
At a measurement of 7 feet 3 inches, this rod is ideally suited for making your lightweight frogs or heavier worms jerk and jig at the surface of the water. As a versatile rod, the CRT is great for a range of bait styles, including frog bait, buzzbaits, large worms, and other lures so you can land those big bass even in heavy cover settings.
- 7 feet 3-inch blank is made from lightweight carbon fiber
- Genuine Fuji line guides and reel seat
- Excellent option for lightweight frogs
With the Dobyns Fury Series, you’re getting an excellent 7 feet 3-inch rod that is perfectly suited for 25-pound lines or less. It’s perfectly suited for lightweight frogs and other lures in the 2-ounce or less range and can handle frogs, buzzbaits, swimbaits, worms, or other artificial lures to suit your fishing technique.
While this rod is slightly longer than some others on the list, it still offers excellent control when used in heavy cover and thick weed beds. The lightweight rod and great balance give you an edge when it comes to quickly setting the hook and hauling the fish out of the dense cover and thick weeds.
- 7 feet 3-inch graphite blank with kevlar wrapping
- Great for lighter 25-pound line and 2-ounce or less frogs and buzzbaits
- Excellent control for secure hook setting even in dense vegetation
Berkley has loaded their frog rod with a number of desirable features, including stainless steel and non-corrosive line guides, a durable shock-absorbing tip for quick hook setting, and a highly durable blank constructed from carbon. It’s a budget-friendly rod as well, which makes it great for beginners just getting into frog rods and bass fishing in dense vegetation.
Ergonomics was a focus as well, and with a thick rubber handle, you won’t suffer from wrist fatigue or soreness after using this rod for hours on end. Whether you are just wanting to give frog fishing a try or are simply wanting to try a new brand of slow-action rods, you should give this rod a try.
- Very effective shock-absorbing tip for walking and jerking your frogs
- Rubber handle gives excellent comfort and ergonomics for hours of fishing
- Carbon blank and stainless steel line guides make this great for beginners
When it comes to responsiveness, St. Croix puts a lot of emphasis on that for their Mojo casting rods. You’ll get excellent action and response from the tip when using both lightweight and heavier baits. And with such a lightweight and comfortable handle, you will love casting heavy lures with this rod all day long.
This rod may be lightweight, but it’s also extremely durable and can hold up to even huge bass and more aggressive fish. If you’re fishing in an area where bass simply slams into your bait, you’ll be able to set the hook as soon as the bass strikes and haul them in with ease when using the Mojo.
- Makes use of SCII graphite rod blanks for exceptional durability
- Extremely lightweight and responsive for the best frog action
- High power for quick and sure hook setting on all fish
Falcon put a focus on remaining lightweight yet extremely strong with their line of frog rods. They started with an extremely strong graphite blank for both supreme durability and excellent power. You’ll never have to worry about this tough rod snapping or cracking when hauling in even big fish.
If you put an emphasis on feeling everything that is happening in the heavy cover with your bait and the fish, this rod is an excellent choice for catching the bass of all sizes. It’s highly sensitive and gives you a real feel for nibbles and grabs from bass and other fish, whether you are dancing your lure on the top or letting it sink a bit into the fish’s cover.
- Authentic Fuji reel seat and line guides for style and practicality
- Incredibly strong and sensitive graphite blank for premium power
- 7 feet long rod in a single piece for no connection weaknesses
If you love dragging your frogs and other lures across the bottom but want a high level of sensitivity so you know what’s happening below the surface of the water, 13 Fishing has it covered in their Omen Black frog rod. You’ll feel every little change in the contour of the bottom as well as the immediate grab from big bass or other fish.
The core of this heavy rod is made from a 30 Ton Toray blank with graphite fibers for added durability along the backbone. With the thick Portuguese cork handle, you’ll get excellent levels of comfort and ergonomics for a full day of fishing.
- Premium Portuguese cork handle for comfort and accurate handling
- Exceptional graphite fibers with 30 Ton Toray rod blank
- Fast action rod perfect for dragging heavy fish out of the weeds
What Makes a Good Frog Rod?
When fishing for bass or other trophy fish in deep vegetation, one of the best bait to use is heavy frogs. This requires your fishing gear to be much heavier and stronger than average fishing equipment. Being able to not only securely set a hook but also drag a fish out of heavy vegetation is why selecting the right frog rod is so important.
Rod Type
Finding the right frog rod is important when you want the best movement from your frogs. While spinning rods can work for smaller topwater frog lures, larger and sturdier baitcasting rods are recommended instead. When you need a rod that can handle heavier lines and large lures, baitcasting rods and reels are your best option.
For smaller frogs that you want to get more finesse from, spinning rods are suitable. However, most frog lures are too large and heavy to be used with spinning rods, so this is a very niche rod to use as a frog rod. You will get much better results with all sizes of frog lures with a baitcasting setup.
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Length
Frog rods will range from 7 feet to 8 feet in length, with the majority being around 7 feet 5 inches long. The length of a rod will determine how much movement you can get from your bait frog or lures. “Walking the dog” is a lure movement that many anglers like to do in thick brush areas, and the move is made easier when the rod is around 7 feet 3 inches in length.
Longer rods are excellent for getting more leverage when landing large bass or setting the hook in wily fish but can be an issue in some fishing locations due to brush and other vegetation. If you plan on keeping your rod tip near the water while you wiggle your frogs around, a rod that is similar in length to your height is a great fit. This gives an equal mix of bend for dancing your lure and leverage for setting the hook and landing your fish.
A benefit to using a long rod is that when you get a bite from a target fish at 30 feet or further away, a long rod can make setting the hook much easier and more definite. You don’t want the bass or other target fish swallowing your bait or spitting it out and swimming off, so a quick and rapid jerk on a long rod can give you the maximum force when getting a hook set.
Power
The term power when it comes to frog rods is not the same type of power you would get from other rods and reels. In a frog rod, power is directly related to durability and strength. When you land a large bass in an abundance of vegetation, you want the rod to have enough power to bring that fish back to you.
Higher power rods also help when you are casting extremely large frogs a good distance away. Bigger and heavier lures can often be a problem for lower-quality rods that just don’t have the power to hold up to the weight. High-power frog rods can give you a maximum cast with even large baits and lures.
Action
Having a frog rod with good action means you are getting a realistic wiggle, walk, and jig from your bait frog. These subtle twitches of the rod tip equal pure and naturalistic movement in the bait that helps draw in elusive fish.
The best frog rod will have a strong and stiff backbone with a soft tip to give you fast action when it comes to working your bait frog. Once the fish strikes your frog, you want the rod to be stiff enough to withstand the fight that will inevitably come with larger target fish.
