snag proof frog fishing

[blaze1]

I just recently got into top water fishing and I purchased a snag proof frog. The small pond by my house has great cover but I haven't had any hits yet. Any advice on cast placement, presentation and time of day for summer success would be great. I've read a few threads and have seen lots of experienced fishers comments. This was the right site to join. Thank you for your time.

[Bassboss]

Time of day depends on the kind of cover. If it's thick stuff, like big lilly pads, or mats of vegetation like cool tail, then I think you can throw them at high noon and still get bit. If you're fishing scattered submerged grass, wood or rocks, then I think lower light times of the day are better.

In mats, I think you need to slow down the presentation a bit. Cast it out, let it sit for 5 or 8 seconds, and slid it across, try to walk the frog if it's design allows it. Try to make as much camotion as you can, while moving it least amout of distance. When the frog is on top of of stuff like that, I think the bass need all the help they can get in establisher a sure target. Mix it in there with a few pauses, and I think you're good to go! I like popping style frogs for this better, they really seem to make more noise then others. Spro's poppin frog work the best, IMO>

In more spars cover, like dolor pads, and wood, I think a faster presention is better. Cast it out, let it sit until the ripples are gone, and give it some action and pause it near a likely fish holding area, like a stick up, or "different" areas in the pads, such as open pockets, concentrated clumps, and isolated clumps. How long you pause it really depends on what the fish want that day. If the fish are hitting it when the frog is moving, then keep the pauses short, 3 or 4 seconds is often long enough to get those legs faired out, and to entice any followers to bitting. Other times they want you let it sit for as long as you can stand to let it sit. Experiment to see what they want on any given day.

One of the most important factors in fishing frogs in the gear you use. You don't want 10lb mono and flimsy little rod for this type of fishing. You need to bring the BEEF. A stiff 7' or more baitcasting rod with 30lb more heavy braid is crucial for getting a good int he fish, and getting them to you.

Hope this helps, ya out, and good froggin!

[blaze1]

That's exactlly what I needed to know. The pond I fish on has all the covers you described. When I get off work today I'm going straight to the water to give it a try. Thanks for the info bassboss! Good luck to you this summer as well!

[Z-Man]

Check out this thread that I started... http://www.bassfishin.com/bassfishin...ad.php?t=28510

Some awesome information that might help ya out the next time your out on the water

[blaze1]

Awsome thread z-man! I have that problem with some of my lures so I can only imagine how excited you can get when a biggie hits your frog. Thanks for the link and good luck this summer!

[Bryan]

Bassboss gave some good info.

I used to fish a pond about 5 minutes from Bealeton and I caught a bunch of bass on frogs in there. During the summer there was so much grass that's about all you could use anyway. Froggin is a ton of fun, good luck.

[aikenyounggun]

Tip: don't give up hope when you miss fish, it's not an "if" in frog fishing, you miss some. Wait until you feel the fish, NOT when you see it, this will help a lot, but it's never a hook em all presentation.

[DaveW731]

..about missed fish while frogging: usually the fight is not so much fun, because of having to winch the fish across the weeds and pads. If Ican get 2-3 blow-ups, I look at it as a success, even if I don't hook them. IMO, 90% of the fun is in seeing a fish respond to the action you are imparting to the bait.

[Z-Man]

Well said Dave! Couldn't agree more, however putting fish in the boat is also fun.

[lilmule]

Sometimes they just dont take the frog,so a missed fish isnt your fault.
Different types of frogs also take a different hookset,run with rod high ,horny toads,ribbets and capt kens designer bass frogs take an instant hookset like a buzzbait just reel up and set,floaters like spro,bully wa,tournament etc take a 1,2 3 step reel up and side sweep after it takes it down taking as long as counting to one two three.
With the former one wants the rod loaded with a say a spro one does not.
If you cant get over setting the hook and pulling it away from a bass on a big blowup switch types.

[Captmikestarrett]

All good info you got there.. let me add one item to your list of frog fishing. Rod position is very important.
If fishing deep or tall pads point the rod right at the lure so the rod will not load up. This allows for maximum in the water time and not jumping from the top of pads 1 foot above the water. When fishing layed down wood or mats of grass keep the rod about half way up in front of you pointing above the lure as it works. This prevents linning (spooking the fish with the line) and allows enough swing area to set the hook.

These two methods will allow you to crawl the frog in the heavest cover..and that is where they live.

Capt Mike

[DaveW731]

Capt. Mike: You give me new hope! By "tall pads" I assume you mean plants with long stalks so the pads themselves are well above the water. If that is the case, I would love any other advice you (or anyone else) can give, about fishing them effectively. One of my favorite lakes is full of pads like these and I gave up trying to fish in them, despite my love for frogging. I catch a good number of nice fish by probing the edges, but if I can effectively fish into the pads themselves, I would love it!
BTW: to make it more challenging, I fish from a canoe, so standing up is not an option.
Thanks,
Dave

[IowaBasser]

Originally Posted by DaveW731

BTW: to make it more challenging, I fish from a canoe, so standing up is not an option.

I was gonna ask if you were fishing from a boat. Even from a canoe (and I have done, and still do, a LOT of fishing from a canoe) I recommend having a second rod rigged with a rubber worm. When you miss a fish on your frog, throw your rubber worm to that spot as quickly as you can. I like my worm completely weightless for this so it sinks as slowly as possible.

It's a technique many people have heard of and many people have tried. All too often it doesn't seem worth the hassel, so people (myself included) at times are not ready with a second rod, but it's crazy effective! If you're gonna fish with frogs, you're gonna miss some fish. It's good to be prepared when this happens.

P.S.S. Last year I was a "Horny Toad" guy, but I'm starting to favor the "Stanley Ribbit Frogs." I've got a couple of "Spro Frogs," but still haven't given them a try.

P.S. I don't have the real heavy weed mats where fish, the back-up technique might not work as well in the super thick stuff? It would be worth a try, though you might have to add a bullet sinker to break through the mat of weeds.

[keithdog]

I have a lot of tall pads in my area lakes as well. In that case, I ditch the frog and get in close and start pitching short pitches into the pads with a trigged beaver weighted with a 3/8 - 1/2 oz. weight pegged to the nose of the bait. I'm sure to rig the bait on a heavy wire EWG 4/0 - 5/0 hook. I'll pitch it in there and let the bait fall through the peds and work it on the bottom below. This works much better for me in tall pads than trying to work a frog through them. A 1/2 oz. jig and craw combo also works very good.

[waldershrek]

My biggest problem with frogs has been controlling my urge to set the hook before the fish has it