Hollow Body Frog Fishing on Chippewa Flowage
Chippewa Flowage · Wisconsin · Midwest
This sprawling 15,300-acre lake system is characterized by thousands of islands, submerged timber, extensive weed beds, and dark, stained water. Its complex structure and wild character make it a unique and challenging fishery for anglers targeting trophy-class bass.
A soft, hollow body with two upturned hooks that rides over surface vegetation completely weedless. Work it across mats, let it fall into pockets, and work it around pad edges. When a bass grabs it from below, the soft body collapses and the hooks drive home. Big-fish technique — frog fishing consistently produces 4+ pound fish.
Hollow Body Frog Setup for Chippewa Flowage
| Rod | 7'3"–7'6" heavy casting rod, fast action |
| Reel | 7.1:1–8.1:1 baitcaster |
| Line | 50–65 lb braid (no stretch, cuts through grass, positive hooksets) |
| Weight | 1/2–5/8 oz (BOOYAH Pad Crasher, Livetarget Frog, Spro Bronze Eye) |
Seasonal Tactics on Chippewa Flowage
Lake: As water temperatures climb into the 50s and 60s, bass move into shallow bays and pockets, with largemouth favoring emergent weeds and timber, while smallmouth gravitate towards rocky points and hard bottoms.
Hollow Body Frog: Fish the edges of sparse early grass and around pads as water warms above 60°F.
Lake: During the warmer months, largemouth relate to thick mats of lily pads, wild rice, and heavy wood cover, often in just 2-6 feet of water; smallmouth frequent offshore humps, rock piles, and channel edges in 10-25 feet.
Hollow Body Frog: Prime season. Work across matted grass and punch into pockets. Midday bite can be excellent under mats.
Lake: Bass school and actively chase baitfish in preparation for winter, often moving into shallower river arms and main lake flats, where both species can be found aggressively feeding on crankbaits and spinnerbaits.
Hollow Body Frog: Fish open pockets in dying grass. Work slowly as fish become less aggressive.
Lake: Under ice, bass behavior slows significantly, with fish generally positioning deeper near current breaks or holes, becoming less active targets for traditional angling methods until the thaw.
Hollow Body Frog: Not applicable — bass leave shallow vegetation in cold water.
Best Conditions
Thick grass mats, lily pads, surface vegetation, shallow water in summer, post-spawn through fall, morning and evening
Wait on the hookset. After the explosion, lower the rod tip slightly and wait until you feel pressure before sweeping hard. Premature hooksets cost half your fish.
More Techniques for Chippewa Flowage
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