BassinLou

The only mod I do on a frog is trim an 1" from both skirts. Give it a slightly smaller profile. Other than that nothing. Don't need to really. Depending on where you fish, some open the hooks a bit. That will be fine in an open water application but a pita if you fish in heavy cover like me.

Yep.... June 1st.... just like clock work. 2-3 threads about frogs already..... lol....

Hi Cory, Welcome to BR. What is your current b/c setup? What line are you using? With the amount of activity you are experiencing, I would expect your hook up ratio to be a little better than 1 bass. Like some have mentioned already. A MH, XF, 7ft rod with at least 40lb braid will suit you. If you were fishing in denser cover I would recommend a H rod. Assuming you have the ideal set up. Identifying the strike will help you determine if you set the hook or not. If they are just slapping at it, its just that. Slaps that are no where close to the hook. However you said they were striking and bringing down the frog. The bass may have been small, or maybe they weren't bass at all. When a bass takes a frog, there is no question or doubt. Your frog is there one second and vanished the next. Feel/ watch for the weight of the fish, set the hook strong. Keep at it, best of luck.

I actually have 2. A Champion 734 for general jigging, and a Champion 736 for heavy jigs and flipping applications when fishing the slop in the Glades....

When the frog bite is on its pretty tough to leave the water and leave biting fish. Nice catches.

Sqhertz, PM Sent.

LOL... I saw sabiki rig and I thought there was a saltwater forum.... Sabiki rig, and chicken rig same thing. Personally never used it in freshwater. Saltwater different story.

There is no wrong way. It's what you have adapted to. Preferably the dominant arm should be handling the rod and the non-dominant/hand does the reeling, but in many cases this is not the case. I am a natural lefty and when I am using spinning gear. I will cast with my left arm and switch hands to reel. That's the way I grew up fishing. however, when I switched to a b/c yrs ago, it was a natural shift. I cast with my left and retrieve with my right.

To train your brain not to set the hook the moment you see the explosion takes a little time. Lol!! Especially when you don't know when its going to happen. Once you dial in the fish during an outing, you will be able to anticipate the strike and setting the hook will be easier. Your hook up % will be better.

Sorry to hear this. I know that surgery is the only option left in extreme cases. Gr8outdoorz, I wish you the best during your recovery. TNT2671, dealing with the pain for 3 yrs + 1yr recovery is tough. Thankgoodness, you recovered. Fortunately, in my case, although my elbow hurt pretty good, it never got to the point of surgery. This injury can really sideline a fisherman for a good while.

That would be sight to see. I have rarely seen a frog in the water's that I fish. The extremely rare opportunity I have seen a frog in the water, its hauling butt to get the heck out....

IBTL.....I have a pretty good idea what magazine it is!!

Time to go shopping!! Look into as a minimum 7 ft MH rod, 40 lb braid minimum, and preferably a 7.1:1 ratio type reel.

......... this just got good!!

Frog fishing and be exhilarating and heartbreaking all at the same time. To the OP, first you have to confirm the bass has indeed taken the frog. Is this a hollow body frog, or soft plastic frog? If its a HB frog, confirmation of a bass taking your frog after a miss is when you squeeze the frog. Does it pee water? If it does, then the bass are taking your frog. A couple of things quickly come to mind. Are your hooksets solid? You have to set the hook pretty hard when you use a frog. Are your hooksets vertical? Hook setting to the side can result in more misses. Lastly, after the initial hit, confirm your frog is gone before you set the hook. Many times you see a huge explosion but the bass for whatever reason missed the frog. Make sure the frog has disappeared before you swing for the fences. Trust me when the hookset is solid you will feel the difference. You will feel the whole weight of the fish when you drive the hooks home. Keep at it, and good luck.

Thankfully, mine has been fine for 3 yrs now.

Unless that fish was bedding maybe...., if not it's gone. Now if the fish missed your bait, that's a whole other story.

Senko Lover, at 14 yrs of age, your almost bullet proof.

Outside of braid, Yozuri hybrid is the line I use. It's cheap, tough, and if treated with line conditioner, will last for a long while.

Others have heard my story. Fisherman's elbow crippled my fishing for a long time 3 yrs ago. Fortunately I have overcome it, but I feel for any angler who has a severe case of fisherman's elbow. AKA: lateral epicondilitis. If not treated correctly it can become extremely debilitating. I tried the cortizon shot route. Yes, felt relief, but after 4 weeks the pain came back. Icing was a daily ritual, however that doesn't help cure it. I took high dosages of anti-inflammatories, which later caused me to have a kidney stone. (That is not fun what so ever!!!) Finally, after a 9 months of battling this issue, I was referred to a Physical Therapist that educated me, treated me extensively, and thank goodness helped me recover. I have since learned what to read the signs and back off or change the techniques that effected me. Fisherman's elbow is basically an overuse injury. Caused by a few reasons. As it pertains to the fisherman, incorrect repetitive form and/or heavy fishing equipment compounded with time can be a recipe for Fisherman's elbow. Also, weak back, shoulder, bicep and tricep muscles help exacerbate the issue. How to treat it? First off, you have to get the swelling down. Deep tissue massage although extremely uncomfortable helps tremendously. Ultrasound therapy in conjunction with massage therapy may be very beneficial. Finally, a well balanced strength training program will help ensure the issue will not return. Lastly, proper bio-mechanics. The angler could be holding the rod and reel incorrectly, although to the angler it may appear completely normal. Arm position, how we set the hook, etc can all be culprits. Having others study the way you fish can be very helpful in correcting poor technique. To the OP, best of luck in dealing with this issue. After experiencing this injury, I can tell you its no laughing matter. If you want additional info or help, you can PM me at any time.

Um yes...... I would do the exact same thing. In my case, I don't have the luxury to dismiss an $11 frog because I messed up my cast. I have a 5ft aluminum pole/ boat hook just for these reasons. It's not only me, anyone that comes with me fishing, I will retrieve their lure. Don't get me wrong, I hate it too, especially when there can be snakes or gators around in the area. Getting your lure stuck in the Everglades can be a downright adventure. As I approach a tree, I can tell where others couldn't hack it and they leave their bobbers and lures still hanging from the trees lol!!

You should reconsider the leader. Just make sure you are proficient in joining two lines together. A well tied alberto knot can go a long way in situations like these.

Unfortunately, like you mentioned earlier, the residents will not understand. The good news however, is you and your buddy have a lake with little to no lake pressure at all. Best of luck to you and welcome to BR.

I come across mudfish often. Although I do not prefer catching them, I also don't have any ill will against them either. I really hate it when people kill so called "trash fish" just because they happen to catch a different species of fish that was not there target fish .

The lake has been around for 30 yrs, I think its good. Besides I doubt the residents want what you are proposing. Unless they were all bass anglers then maybe they will understand. I also think your data does not support the claim that the fish are stunted. Just because you guys have caught several 2 lb fish. How big is this 30 yr pond? 5 acres, 10? 15?