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Top 3 Fishing Stories of the Week: Slop Fishing Tip, Pairing the Best Rod and Reel, and Must-Have Topwaters

Originally posted on Fishing on SI  |  By Kurt Mazurek  |  Last updated Aug 24, 2025 7:00 AM ET

1.) Catch More Bass in the Slop: Learn This Simple Frog Fishing-Punch Rig Strategy for Success

Fishing a frog over the pads and slop is one of my absolute favorite ways to catch bass. The visual strikes are absolutely explosive. When the bite is on, a day of frog fishing is a great day. It’s even exciting to see them attacking your frog without actually eating it and getting hooked—exciting, for a while that is.

At some point, especially on a tournament day, those non-hooked up strikes will drive you crazy. You know exactly where a bass is. He’s aggressively attacking your lure again and again. But somehow, he isn’t getting the lure in his mouth. “Eat it,” you plead, but the bass aren’t cooperating.

Good news! I’ve deployed this little two-step system to convert a lot of those frustrating, noncommittal bass into boated keepers…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.

2.) Spend Smarter to Get the Best Bass Fishing Rod & Reel Combo—Here’s How

Most anglers assume when building a new rod and reel combo, you should match the approximate price of your reel to the rod. Since most manufacturers seem to combo their own gear using an approximate 50/50 split of the rod vs reel value, so do most people.

But here’s the truth: you’ll often experience more real-world on-the-water performance by shifting a higher percentage of your budget into the rod. Spend smarter on your combo by pairing a slightly over your budget rod with a perfectly capable, slightly under your budget reel, and you’ll fish better for less money…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.

3.) 5 Must-Have Topwater Lures for Bass: Proven Picks for Explosive Strikes

You already know there is no more exciting and satisfying way to catch a bass than with a topwater lure, but which one is best, when and where?

The following list highlights the five most universally productive styles of topwater baits with two options: first, the current best sellers on TackleWarehouse.com; and second, my personal favorites after a lifetime of chasing the addictive topwater explosion…GET THE REST OF THE STORY HERE.

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This article first appeared on Fishing on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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