Entry 248-2

Fishing Strike King’s New Lures with Luke Estel

Part 2: The Rage Toad

Question: Luke, why do you like the Rage Toad?

Estel: Although the Rage Toad will catch bass in open water, I prefer to fish it around grass with a No. 6/0 wide-gap hook.

Question: Why do you like the Rage Toad better than other frog-type baits?

Estel: Other frog-type baits don’t throw water like the Rage Toad does. The design of the Rage Toad is completely different from the design of any other frog-type lure. Because the Rage Toad creates a commotion on the water, it draws more bass and gets me more strikes than other frogs do.

Question: What color Rage Toad do you like best, and why?

Estel: I’m basically a green-pumpkin fisherman, although sometimes I’ll fish with a solid-white Rage Toad. I don’t think the color of the lure is nearly as important as the sound of the lure. I use the green pumpkin because that’s my favorite color when I’m fishing any type of soft-plastic lure.

Question: You mentioned that you fished the Rage Toad in open water. Most people consider frog baits a grass, a weed and a lily-pad type lure. Where and when do you fish the Rage Toad in open water?

Estel: I fish the Rage Toad around lay-downs, on rocky banks and in any open-water situation where I see stained or semi-clear water. The Rage Toad is a great draw bait. I use it to pull suspended bass out of treetops, around boat docks and off points.

Question: How far do you think the Rage Toad will pull a bass?

Estel: My Rage Toad has drawn bass from as far away as 15 to 20 feet out of a tree. I usually cast past the tree and work the Rage Toad on the side of the tree or through the tree limbs. The bass will continue to follow the Rage Toad out into open water, and when the bass can’t stand it any longer, it will come up and inhale the Rage Toad.

Question: How do you set the hook when the bass takes the Rage Toad?

Estel: I wait until I feel the fish on the line. Top-water fishing is a visual sport, and anglers tend to get excited when they see a bass blow-up on a lure. But I’ve found that if you wait until you feel the fish, and the rod loads up, your hooking percentages will increase drastically.

Question: What pound-test line do you use with the Rage Toad?

Estel: I fish it on 50-pound-test braided line.

Question: Why do you like the braided line better than the monofilament line?

Estel: Most of the time I’m fishing the Rage Toad around heavy grass, so when a fish takes the bait, it usually will try to dive into the grass. The braided line can cut through the grass and allow you to land the fish. If you’re using monofilament line, the fish can bury-up in the grass, making getting the fish out of the grass difficult. When I’m fishing open water, I switch the braided line for 20-pound-test monofilament line. However, most of the time, I don’t switch line. I continue to fish with the braided line. I don’t think the size or the type of line you use is important when you’re fishing the Rage Toad.

Next: The Iguana

Contents:

• Part 1: The Football Jig
• Part 2: The Rage Toad
• Part 3: The Iguana
• Part 4: Sexy Crankbaits
• Part 5: Drop the Zero and Be a Hero