Frog Misses!!!! NOOOO!!!!!

[Bass Junkie]

   I just pulled out one of my frogs, a Spro Bronzeye Jr. and started throwin' it again. I got several BIG bites and had three hooked up. None came to the boat. This is the same problem I've had throwin' them before. I am doing better, as I'm gettin' hooks into the fish, but I'm losin' some HOGS!!!! I am flippin' out! I have never hooked and landed a bass on these frogs. I even set the hook three times on one of the bass, ripping drag each time. WHAT am I DOING!!!!!!!!!! I'm using a 6'6" Medium action baitcasting rod with 30lb Spider Wire. I have tried "Breakin' in the body"  and all that stuff. No dice. How long should I wait? I'm waiting maybe 1-1 1/2 seconds before I set the hook. The stikes are comin' on the frog while I'm walkin' it after hopping it off the bank or outta a bush. I can't afford an equipment upgrade, though I don't think I'll need one 'cause most of my froggin' is in open water, and I'm usually within 20ft. of the fish when it strikes, never over 40ft. HELP PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[Under the Radar]

I'm using a 6'6" Medium action baitcasting rod with 30lb Spider Wire.

The Medium Action rod I suspect is the culprit. Not enough backbone to  bury the barb.

Just a guess.

I set up on a 2 lbr with a bronze eye last Sat. using a TDP 7'6" hvy. Sent that poor little guy airborne about 4 feet.  

[Bass Junkie]

Yeah, its like

    FISHERMAN1: BITE!!!!!

    FISHERMAN2: DUCK!!!!! LOL.

I have fished buzz frogs on a 7ft ML so I figured a Medium would be fine for these frogs. I'm pretty positive I can bury the barb with that thing (the medium) when I rip drag on the hookset with the drag as tight as I have it. I guess maybe I'm just tryin' to avoid another rod, but I think Maybe I'm not waitin' long enough. I don't know.

[J Francho]

Rod < MH + toads in cover = fail.  I use a flipping stick for frogs and toads in heavy cover.

[Catt]

Wait until you feel the weight of the bass & then set hook like you're trying to break something

[Bass Junkie]

Wait until you feel the weight of the bass & then set hook like you're trying to break something

Ahhh.........My weak point. I have problems thinkin' the bass will detect the fact that hes just grabbed a hunk of rubber instead of froggy, especially in the open water situations when they don't have to sort the main course out from the salad. Is this a legit worry??? What can I do to prevent this???

[bassin is addicting]

if you are in "open water"  maybe use something with an exposed hook? a soft bodied frog/toad...... reel to get it on top. let it work the same??  maybe even bend hooks up on the ones you are using.  or put a trailer hook on if you aren't in the weed/brush and want to use a floating frog...  

otherwise, i agree, a MH rod to get some back bone to set hook..

the key is too wait to set hook....it is hard but imperative.  and set it hard!  i've had a few missles come back at me..    but if you wait til they take it under water and reel down you'll have better luck.  

nothin like topwater!!  

[Bass Junkie]

  I'd like to stick with the frog I'm usin', no offense. Thw water I fish is rather varied in cover, or lack thereof, and I usually try to throw it onto the bank and hop it off. I LOVE seenin' that wake come out from the bank, maybe a bulge behind the froggy, then WHAM.

[bassin is addicting]

no offense takin..  

i think the combo of rod and waiting may be your key.  i have a couple rods that say MH but sure seem on the M side to me and i have good luck on top water.... i have learned (usually) to wait... before setting hook

good luck...

[Bass Junkie]

Thanks, I'll have to try whats been said.I'll look into a frog rod. Can't shell out the dough on this one.......... :-[

UPDATE: What do ya'll think 'bout this rod for froggies? I know its cheap, but I wanna dispenable rod, cause when I set the hook, I set the hook. My only conscern would be rod length, I like at least 6'6", preferably 7'........http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_96007_100002006_100000000_100002000_100-2-6?ordProd=Y&CMID=BOTTOM_selectitems#itemDetail I am lookin' at the 6' mh.

What 'bout this one??? Note: Mostly my rods aren't this cheap, but for a frog I'm simply lookin' for brute strength, not sensitvity or anything like that.

[uicdent11]

I was having a similar problem with toads last year. Switched to a H  rod and it solved my problems. Make sure the rod is rated for 3/8oz. on the low end. Some rods H power is more like a M/MH.  I thought it might have been the line, but I am hooking up well with 12# Yo Zuri. I may switch to braid in the near future though.

[Catt]

Hum! Let's see you're getting hits on a Spro Bronzeye Jr. so I don't think it would be wise to change.

You could go with a heavier action or longer rod only to have the same problem of setting hook too soon but now you would be snatching the frog away sooner.

With top water lures I find the need for hesitation is to allow the bass time to fully engulf the lure and most generally turn before setting hook. With mouth fully closed and changing directions your hook set should be solid.

I aint saying a better suited rod would not help but you need to fix the hook set problem

[MALTESE FALCON]

I agree with Catt. Give them that extra time to close mouth, and start to swim away. I prefer a 7' rod for more leverage on hooksets.

Falcon

[Bass Junkie]

 Thanks for the help guys. I will be throwin' these some more, so I will let the fishies give my frog more of a taste test before slammin' in the steel. However, I don't feel confident 'bout it. What if they spit it real fats????

[cyph3r]

well you will never know if you never try it out. if they are spitting it out before you set the hook, then maybe it is another issue, but try it first, what do u have to lose...cept maybe a few fish initially...haha

[J Francho]

Just slather your frog with Megastrike.  When froggy goes bye-bye, and feel a fish, set the hook.  It isn't that complicated.

[Bass Junkie]

  I've tried scents inside the body cavity, but never a wax scent. I'll look into that.

[Jeff C.]

Wait,, wait ,, wait , to set the hook,,

try to give a 3 count before hammering it home.. its hard, I know,'

but its worth the wait..

a stiffer rod is always good too.

I am not sure what happins  but it seems like the bass

only grab the feet, then turns and then inhails the rest.

just a guess,,,

so setting to soon will pull the feet out..

[rubba bubba]

Try a downward sweep for the hookset. With plenty of gusto, of course.

[Dan:]

I agree with what others have said, you need a heavier rod for sure and make yourself wait a couple of seconds after the hit before you set the hook. Don't worry about the fish "feeling" the bait and spitting it out. You will lose more fish by setting too early than you will because the fish spit the bait because they can tell it is fake. I set the hook as hard as I can straight upward

[SwimbaitDave]

I am with everyone else, you need a heavier rod. Frog hooks are big and thick, so you need some extra power to really drive them home.

Also keep in mind that sometimes its just the day and how active the fish are biting. I was fishing this weekend, and the fish would hit the Frog light, like a Bluegill, to see if it would twitch. Then once it did, BAM. While the previous day they were inhaling it as soon as it hit the water. Go figure.

[NOVA Angler]

It sounds like they're eating the bait, your are just having trouble driving the hook home.  Like some others have said, I think you need a medium heavy rod and a preferably a rod that's 7'.  I can't really say that I always wait to set the hook, but I don't rush it either.  By the time I react, the fish has engulfed the frog and turned to swim away.  I guess it's worth a try to see if waiting works for you, but for me either they eat it or they don't.  If they eat it, my hookups with the Spro Jr. are very good.

[Gangley]

I fish frogs,  A LOT!   One of the first issues I had with frogging was poor hookset.  I actually saw a bass throw a frog that was deep in his throat.  Knowing that the frog was deep in his throat and still came out, I figured it was poor hooksets.  I quit using the medium rod and went to a much stiffer medium/heavy-fast rod and problems solved.  I quickly noticed that most of my hooks were coming straight up into the fishes head and nose, making it hard for the hook to get good penetration, but with the stiffer rod, the hook was able to cleanly break through the barrier when before the rod was too weak.  

Also, frogs either get their legs ripped off, or they get swallowed WHOLE and are engulfed.  I've found that when the legs get hit, if you give the fish a second or two, they will re-gulp and then swallow the entire frog.  If the frog is swallowed whole, its rarely spit out quickly.  So either way, as soon as you see the bulge take your frog, count to two in your head, then yank the hiney-hole out of that fish.  The good thing about frogs, if the fish misses, often times they will hit it again on the next cast.

[Bass Junkie]

  I can't really afford an expensive froggin' rod now, so I'm gonna have to live with the medium. I will consentrate on waiting a little longer to set the hook, and will reel up 'till I feel the fish. Hope this works. Thanks for the help!!!!

[twitchfish]

The Megastrike seemed to help me. They stuck it much more "enthusiastically" and held on. I use a H/Extra-Fast rod Team All-Star. $80 @ Dick's.

My problem is only pulling the pooper out of my frog and not the fish. JUST WAIT TWITCH!!

Twitch