By Ripson Cabral, founder of Cabral Outdoors · Updated June 2026
South India's backwaters are arguably the finest frog-fishing destination in the country. Backwaters choked with lotus and hyacinth, paddy-field bunds, jungle rivers and village ponds — these are textbook habitats for the snakehead (Channa striata / Channa marulius) and murrel that absolutely demolish a well-worked frog on top. Below are the 7 best frog lures we stock for murrel and snakehead, every one verified in stock as of June 2026, with real prices and exactly how to fish each (COD, ships pan-India).
Quick answer — our top frogs for murrel & snakehead
| Frog | Type | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Z-Man Finesse FrogZ | Soft buzz-frog | All-round (our #1 seller) | ₹495 |
| Booyah Pad Crasher | Hollow-body | Heavy cover / pads | ₹513 |
| Scum Frog Trophy | Hollow-body | Bigger murrel | ₹683 |
| Z-Man Leap FrogZ | Walking frog | Walk-the-dog action | ₹350 |
| Bufo Kero Kero | Popping frog | Noise in stained water | ₹479 |
| Lucana Bull Frog | Soft frog | Value all-rounder | ₹300 |
| Lucana Black Mamba | Soft frog | Cheapest / beginners | ₹250 |
Prices and stock correct as of June 2026 — check each product page for live pricing.
1. Z-Man Finesse FrogZ — ₹495
Best all-rounder — and our #1 selling frog.
The Finesse FrogZ is a scaled-down soft buzz-frog moulded from Z-Man's 10X-tough ElaZtech, with twin paddle feet that churn the surface on a steady retrieve. It's super-weedless, so it skips through lotus pads and hyacinth where murrel hold — and at a compact 2.75" it suits the lighter spinning gear most Indian anglers use.
How to fish it: Cast onto or past the weed and roll it back steadily so the feet buzz the surface; pause it in the open pockets between pads — that's where the murrel are waiting.
👉 View the Z-Man Finesse FrogZ
2. Booyah Pad Crasher — ₹513
Best hollow-body for heavy cover.
A genuine hollow-body frog, the Pad Crasher is built to crawl over the thickest, muckiest, weed-choked water snakehead love — exactly the cover other lures can't touch. The soft body collapses on the strike to expose the twin hooks, and the rubber legs leave a tempting trail. A worldwide snakehead favourite.
How to fish it: Walk-the-dog it over mats and pads with gentle rod-tip twitches, pausing 2–3 seconds over every gap and edge. Murrel will often hit it sitting dead still.
3. Scum Frog Trophy Series — ₹683
Best premium hollow-body for bigger fish.
The Scum Frog name is practically synonymous with frog fishing. The Trophy Series is a tougher, bigger-bodied hollow-body with rust-proof weedless hooks and trimmable legs, and a nose that rides slightly up so you can walk-the-dog or twitch-pause it. Built for the murrel that snap lesser frogs.
How to fish it: Same weedless approach — a slow walk over cover with long pauses in the holes. Its size makes it a magnet for bigger Channa marulius (the great snakehead).
4. Z-Man Leap FrogZ Walking Frog — ₹350
Best walk-the-dog action on a budget.
Another ElaZtech frog, the Leap FrogZ is built to "walk" side-to-side with a rhythmic twitch, throwing a wide, fish-calling profile across the surface. Soft, weedless and 10X-tough, it shrugs off the toothy strikes that shred ordinary plastics.
How to fish it: Twitch-twitch-pause to make it walk the dog across open lanes and pad edges; let it rest in the gaps between twitches.
5. Bufo Kero Kero — ₹479
Best popping frog for stained water.
A compact popping frog with a cupped mouth that spits and chugs water on each twitch — the extra noise calls murrel up from deeper cover and dirty water. A great option when fish want a louder presentation.
How to fish it: Pop it sharply, pause, pop again, working it along weed edges and over submerged structure. The chug-and-pause draws reaction strikes.
6. Lucana Bull Frog — ₹300
Best value soft frog.
A dependable, India-made soft frog at a friendly price — soft enough to collapse on the strike, weedless, and a proven backwater producer for local anglers. A great everyday frog you can fish hard without worrying about the cost of losing one in the snags.
How to fish it: A steady surface retrieve over pads, pausing in the open pockets where murrel ambush.
7. Lucana Black Mamba Frog — ₹250
Cheapest pick — and a great first frog.
The most affordable frog on this list at ₹250 — and black, the colour many anglers swear catches the most snakehead. It's the ideal first frog: cheap enough to learn the cast-and-pause game on, and effective enough to land you fish.
How to fish it: Cast onto cover, twitch it across the surface, and pause over every gap. A perfect frog to learn the all-important hookset on (see below).
👉 View the Lucana Black Mamba Frog
How to fish a frog for snakehead & murrel
- Find the cover. Murrel and snakehead are ambush hunters that hold in and under lotus, water hyacinth, paddy bunds, reeds and pond margins. Fish your frog right in and over that cover — frogs are weedless, so they go where other lures can't.
- Work it slow, with pauses. Cast past the target and walk or twitch the frog back over the cover with the rod tip down. The pause — 2–3 seconds in every open pocket or gap — triggers most strikes; fish often hit a stationary frog as it settles.
- The hookset is everything. When a fish blows up on the frog, don't strike instantly — that's the single most common mistake. Drop the rod tip, wait 1–2 seconds until you feel the weight of the fish, then set hard. Murrel and snakehead have bony mouths, so you need a firm hookset, a medium-heavy rod and braided line to drive the hooks home.
- Match the colour. Black is a proven snakehead colour; go bright (chartreuse, white) in muddy or stained water, and natural green-brown in clear water.
- Gear up right. Pair these frogs with a medium-heavy baitcasting or spinning rod and 30–50lb braid. See our budget rods under ₹3000 and best reels under ₹1500 guides, and browse the full frogs collection.
FAQ
What is the best frog lure for snakehead and murrel in India?
For an all-rounder, the Z-Man Finesse FrogZ (our best-selling frog). For heavy cover and bigger fish, a hollow-body like the Booyah Pad Crasher or Scum Frog Trophy.
What colour frog catches the most murrel?
Black is a proven big producer. Switch to bright colours (chartreuse, white) in muddy or stained water, and natural green-brown patterns in clear water.
How do you hook a snakehead on a frog?
Wait 1–2 seconds after the surface strike, until you feel the weight of the fish, then set the hook hard. Snakehead and murrel have bony mouths, so use braided line and a medium-heavy or heavier rod. Striking too early is the most common way to miss them.
Where should I fish frog lures?
Over and into cover — lotus, water hyacinth, reeds, paddy bunds and pond edges — where murrel and snakehead sit and ambush prey.
Do you deliver across India / offer COD?
Yes — Cabral Outdoors ships pan-India with Cash on Delivery available. Every frog above is in stock and ready to dispatch.
Sources & further reading
- Outdoor Life — The Best Snakehead Lures (outdoorlife.com)
- Snakehead Fishing Club — Best Lures for Snakehead Fishing & How to Fish Them (snakeheadfishing.club)
- FishTalk Magazine — How to Catch Snakeheads on Topwater Lures (fishtalkmag.com)
Prices and stock correct as of June 2026. Cabral Outdoors is India's trusted fishing tackle store, based in Udupi, Karnataka — shop 1,000+ rods, reels, lures and tackle online with COD.