Horny Toads 2025

Bionicman reply :

Ive noticed a lot of people on the forum tend to have a lot of luck on the horny toad so i went to bass pro and bought me a couple packages of them. What I want to know is what colors do you use, how do you fish them, where do you fish them, what is the advantage of them over a spro frog type and what is the best way to rig the horny toad? I live in northern Indiana and unfortunately there is still snow on the ground where I am so I wont be fishing for a few more weeks but when I go out this will be the first bait that I try. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

By the way, You guys are awesome Ive learned so much in so little time on this forum great job guys and thanks a lot,

Derek North Judson, IN

eyedabassman reply :

I use the watermelon,but I don't think color matters so much.It is more of a reaction bait if you are fishing pads or slop.But if you fish them in open water or on the edge of pads or weed lines,then I think color would matter. :

Cajun Caster reply :

First, swimming (plastic) frogs (horny toads, ribbits, etc.) are completely different lures than floating (hollow) frogs (Spro Bronze eye, Snag Proof, Scum Frog).

Swimming frogs are used in open water near stumps, timber, weed edges, THIN duckweed, etc.

Floating frogs are used more for slop fishing, like heavy duckweed, grass mats, etc., stuff that would upset the plastic frog because of the way it is rigged with the hook hanging below it.

In both types of frogs you want that hook pointing up when the fish takes it. If you're casting and retrieving across both types of scenarios then you can use either, you being the judge as far as which to use.

Second, both types of frogs require a MINIMUM of 30 lb. braid. I use 65 lb braid. You don't want to use mono because of the stretch factor which just pulls the lure out of the fish's mouth, acting more like a bungee cord.

You have to use a heavy rod with a fast action so you can cast these lures and so you can set the large hook(s) into the roof of the fish's mouth. You just don't want too heavy a rod (broomstick) because your casting distance will fall short. Recommended minimum length should be 7'.

Wayne P. reply :

Rigging and hooks"

Marty reply :

My partner uses Horny Toads and I use Sizmics and Ribbits, but we both use black almost exclusively, although I'm sure a wide variety of colors will do just fine. For the Horny, I'd use a 5/0 extra-wide-gap hook. We both use our toads in fairly thick weeds, as well as more open water. These toads sink and are generally used when we want to work our baits fast, like a buzzbait. Hollow-bodied floating frogs seem more suitable for slower, stop-and-go type retrieves, when you're fishing targets and don't need to cover water fast.

JigNBig reply :

Wayne P.,

7/0 owner wide gap on bottom?

KenDammit28 reply :

Horny toads have always been amazing for me. I use Black, White, Green Pumpkin, and Watermelon/red.

As far as rigging goes, I use anywhere from 3/0 to 5/0 EWG hooks, and a dab of superglue at the nose.

For equipment...a good 6'6" medium or med/hvy rod will work perfectly for the way I fish horny toads. I also use 15# Yo-Zuri Hybrid line. You don't NEED to go overboard with a heavy rod and the like with a horny toad...the fish WILL eat it...I've seen bass in clear water eat the BLACK horny toad two or three times before I set the hook.

The way I fish the horny toad is sub-surface. I think that a lot of people miss a LOT of fish because they only use it on the surface. To fish it sub-surface, you have a myriad of retrieve techniques but the two I most often use is hopping it and swimming it slowly. Swim too fast and the frog will come to the top..you want it to stay under the water. You can modify the swimming retrieve to make it more like a jerkbait by using jerks to move the lure instead of just reeling. To "jig" it...cast it, let it sink to the bottom(it falls in a spiral and this is deadly in and of itself), then just ittermitently hop it back to you. Sometimes two quick jerks, sometimes one slow jerk, sometimes a drag.

I think that if you give the horny toad a chance as a sub-surface lure around the weeds and stumps and stuff like that, you'll come away VERY happy.

Anyway, thats the way I fish them and with what. Have fun with them....and my most successful color has been black.

Triton21 reply :

I got a ton of these things and haven't had any luck with them. Maybe I haven't give them a fair chance. I bought them because my friend in OK kills the big bass on them. I intend to fish them more and read everthing I can on fishing them. Hopefully I will be able to catch a few on it and build my confidence in them.

Kelley

KYbass1276 reply :

Another tip here. Wait until you feel the fish before setting the hook don't try setting as soon as it blows up on it wait a couple seconds. Also if one slaps at it, Kill the bait stop reeling the bass will think it stunned it and come back for it agin

guest reply :

triton21.

If your not gettng action on horney toads then you are doing something wrong. Probably not fishing in thick enough cover. A properly rigged horney toad will go over or through anything,

Try this. Peg a 1/32 oz sinker to the nose. It will buzz easier and will spiral down a tad faster. Then you can try some of that subsurface stuff.

don't give up on these. They are killers

georgiabassfisherman reply :

well i catch lots of bass with the horny toads but i dont really catch the big ones with it the biggest i caught was a six pounder and it was really on accident. i had casted in my bossmans pond and hit a limb so it slung the bait down the side of the bank instead of the little pocket i wanted to go to on the other side. i started pulling it fast so i could cast cuz i had just saw one strike and i must have brought it over his back cuz i just saw this huge wave and i thought of killing it but i kept on going but a little slower and then wham that fat guy nailed it but i do have lots of luck with these things but i usually use the subsurface retrieve i may keep it up for a few seconds then i slowly let it fall and jerk it a little and repeat.

Wayne P. reply :

FISHINGDUDE, the bottom hook is a 11/0 hook that I bought for using big Senkos. I threw away the package and don't remember the brand. It's too long for the Horny Toad and was a comparison shot for another conversation about hook sizes. The top hook is the G-Mag Oversize hook.

T-rig reply :

When they're not hitting the horny toad on top i will rig it on one of these hooks. (owner sled head)

Works really well in pre-spawn!

marlboroman reply :

I fished these last year in some lilly pads... I caught plenty of fish on them, but they tear up alot easier then the hollow frogs.

If you have not tried to fish them in heavy cover you should try it, they worked nicely.

JigNBig reply :

wayne p.

those hooks look awesome for using on 10" worms and lizards and big 7" senkos. the oversized front end of the hook looks really good for using senkos w/

Grey Wolf reply :

wayne p

Those 11/0 hooks you refrenced to , could be made by OWNER. I just bought a pack of them.

T-rig reply :

Are you guys sure that hook is an 11/0 because i have these 7/0 owners and they look the same size to me as the one in the pic.

T-rig reply :

Again

Wayne P. reply :

T-Rig, that is the correct hook. The pack I got had 11/0 printed on it.

T-rig reply :

The hook just looks to small to be 11/0. Could be the label was wrong on that pack.

Compare these hooks: top 7/0, bottom 10/0

Wayne P. reply :

T-rig, I agree with you, must have gotten a mislabled package. I got them at Bass Pro Shops in Charlotte, N.C.

Banor reply :

While I've never been one to ignore any possible patterns I do not think you will get a fair shake out of the Horny Toad if you present it right after Ice Out. There are so many more optimal presentations for that time of year, being the pre pre spawn. The toad really shines when it's warmer with a bright sky and the fish are buried in the pads/slop. If you are going to fish it that time of year I'd fish it in more open water like you would a buzz bait.

Advantages to the toad over hollow plastic frogs is that I think the legs/feet of the toad create more vibration. The Spro type frogs are better for skimming over the pads in my opinion but I still prefer the horny toads in that situation. Horny toads are great for open water with thick submerged weeds too.

I rig my toads with a trailer hook which really ups my hookup ratio. I posted a how-to on rigging the trailer hook late last season.

Wayne P. reply :

I don't put the hook through the Toad body except at the head. I just put the bend of the hook between the legs and then skin hook the point on the top. That eliminates the bulky body from filling up the hook bend. The Toad usually moves out of the hook bend on the hook set for a more secure penetration.

Siebert Outdoors reply :

You guys ever seen a horney ribbit. I got one. Made it yesterday. Horney toad top and ribbit legs. Yeah gman was board.

I typically use a 4/0-5/0 for those and seems to work fine.

Rattlinrogue reply :

My two most successful colors are white and black.From the begining,I was catching bass on them.Most of the lakes that I fish have lots and lots of floating and slightly submerged grass(I think it's milfoil but could be wrong).I catch more on a solid white Toad than anything.I like to buzz it through and along the edges of the mats of grass.I'll often kill the retrieve when I hit a hole in the mats.I use a 7'0 MH Lightning Rod w/a Amb. 5500.I spool it w/15 lb Yo-Zuri Hybrid in low vis green.When pitching/flipping plastics I'll often use a Horny Toad in watermelon w/pearl belly.I've had some success this way.It's also good on a Carolina Rig.I use a 4/0 or 5/0 Eagle Claw EWG hook.As has already been said,when I get a bite I wait untilI can feel the fish before I set the hook.IMO,this is VERY important.

guest reply :

My best hook up ratio with the horney toad is the Owner 5/0 riggin hook. The hook sold by zoom is also very good but you will tear up your baits something fierce and I get no better hook up than with the riggin hooks.

Remember, alot of hooksetting is timing.

by the way those seld heads are great too.

mike bat reply :

there is a horney toad hook ..... zoom sells this hook it is a 5odd hook with a little corkscrew attached to the hook eye .... all you do is screw the toads head on the cork screw and run the hook all the way through the back of the toad the hook point will run along the back of the toad fully exposed .... ive had best luck buzzing this toad along the top ... i also toss this toad in the nastyest pads and salad i can find ... good luck ;D

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Horny Toads 2025

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