ter r o p s n a r ait’s t B k c e h c th Pay i w h s o t Bub
Only y d o J y b Photo
Wanting very specific elements in a frog helped tosh create his own - the transporter. He stated, “it’s out of the pack ready.” let it sit. When i cast, i let the frog sit until the ripples are gone. Change your speed. Keep it slow when there is high sun and it’s hot. This is usually the time you want to go as slow as you can take it. rip it when it’s overcast, raining or there is chop on the water. don’t forget the pause. Walk it and wait with two or three pops and a pause. Change up the cadence depending on what the fish want. You will know what they want, when they bite. Use observation to pick the right color. i use white in summer, when it is hot and sunny and they’re eatin the baitfish good; but watch your surroundings, if you’re hearing the bullfrogs, tie on a bull frog color, if there are baby ducks in the water like there usually is between Mar. and aug.- use the baby duck color, if you see the bluegill - get out a bluegill colored frog and don’t forget to look for the black and red birds on the delta. it’s always about matchin’ the hatch - even with frogs. turn it into a rico. take any frog and add a Punch Stop and a nose Job to it and it will turn into a giant rico. tie the Stop on first and then the nose Job it will be unbelievable how much water it will spit as it chugs on. You will get the most violent strikes you’ve seen. This is what i was doing for my three fish for 16-lbs in day one of the 2012 Snag Proof open. With two FlW tour victories and three consecutive top-5 FlW finishes on the Calif. delta, tosh may be known best as a bait designer and the outspoken creator of his Paycheck Baits company.
BUB TOSH - PAYCHECK BAITS TRANSPORTER
Crutcher credits a natural brown Koppers live target frog as the best there is on his home water - Clear lake. trim and thin the strands. i cut 1/4- to 1/2-inch of the legs and i thin them down to 12 or 14 strands. Use thinner braided line. i like to use 50-lb Power Pro because of the thinner diameter. it makes it walk better. Throw it on the bank. When i think the fish are facing the bank, i throw my frog on the bank then i let it slide down into the water, making a very quiet entry. Use long casts. When you’re in clear water, make long casts. You want to keep away from your target area to reduce the noise. Keep your casts to about 50-yards. Use a heavy rod. You need a heavy rod with a light tip. it helps for super accurate casts, but still have the backbone to get ‘em out of the heavy cover. Crutcher, a lakeport local has two top-three FlW finishes on Clear lake to his name.
MARK CRUTCHER - KOPPER LIVE TARGET HOLLOw BELLY
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Photo by Jody Only
Photo by Jody Only