Swimming Orange Belly Frog

The Orange Belly Swimming Frog is a versatile topwater pattern that shines when fished on the surface, imitating both a cruising frog and a wounded baitfish with uncanny realism. Its buoyant deer-hair body allows it to skate, wobble, and push water, while the bright orange belly flashes during each kick—an unmistakable trigger for predatory fish looking for an easy meal. On the pause, the fly settles softly and rights itself, creating the subtle lifelike posture of a resting amphibian before springing back into motion. As a variation inspired by the famous Dahlberg Diver, the head can be trimmed into a slightly more angular diving wedge, allowing the fly to dip just below the surface on short strips before rising back up. This hybrid approach adds unpredictability and simulates the frantic escape behavior that drives big fish to commit.

After each cast, give the fly a single sharp shake to trap tiny air bubbles inside the deer hair along the belly. Those bubbles release one by one during the retrieve, creating a faint ticking sound and a shimmering trail that mimics the subtle noise and disturbance made by real frogs breaking through surface film. It’s especially deadly in calm water where fish track sound as much as movement.