For Froggin.. Rod Help

[WiregrassRiverRat]

I am getting a *** rod for froggin.. I cant decide on my length or action at this point. I know I will be using a 7.1:1 lews speed spool with 50-65lb braid.. I have been warned that this braid with a Heavy rod will break my rod because "something has to give" so that has me thinking medium heavy.. but not sure.. I have fished with my MH duckett for frogs.. I was using flouro cuz that is all I have.. and I wanted a little more power.. but I was using a 6.4:1.. so it was slower to get slack out and a MH duckett is between medium and medium heavy.. so my main question is.. 

Is heavy too heavy? is medium heavy sufficient? and finally should I go 7'1 or 7'3.. I will mostly be doing hollow bodies but have thought about doing soft plastic frogs as well which will require some added length.

[Cgrinder]

MH is fine for me. H is also fine if you need more power. In regards to something having to give, sounds like nonsense to me. The fish is going to give. It's not like you're setting the hook on a cinder block.

[Rusty Shackleford]

Dobyns Champion 735C

[WiregrassRiverRat]

Dobyns Champion 735C

cant afford that rusty, I am gettin an ***. just deciding on the details of it.. If you wanna pay the difference.. I will be GLAD to get that champion.

[Mike2841]

I use a MH vendetta and it works great

[MarkH024]

I use a 7' MH/F Croix...which is probably on the verge of a heavy.  You're not going to break your H action rod though with 50-65lb braid with normal use.  I mean you can but you can break the same rod using 15 or 20lb braid. Most broken rods are due to human error whether anyone wants to believe that or not.

[WiregrassRiverRat]

I use a 7' MH/F Croix...which is probably on the verge of a heavy.  You're not going to break your H action rod though with 50-65lb braid with normal use.  I mean you can but you can break the same rod using 15 or 20lb braid. Most broken rods are due to human error whether anyone wants to believe that or not.

I just dont want to set the hook and break the rod... I feel like with froggin. .I tend to set the hook like Bill Dance... everything else I am not as harsh.. but froggin for some reason.. I give em 1.4 seconds and then try to get the hook in their brains.. 

[webertime]

The Heavy + Braid = Snap is nonsense. 

I use a Heavy rod with a little softer tip (Phenix Recon 766/Daiwa Ballistic T3 8:1/Sunline FX2 60lb braid) and find it perfect.  The slightly soft tip keeps the hooks from tearing out while the Heavy power gives you enough "omph" to get it out of the slop.  You can also fling that frog with a touch softer tip as opposed to a pool cue (from what I've found with my many frogging rods).

[MarkH024]

I just dont want to set the hook and break the rod... I feel like with froggin. .I tend to set the hook like Bill Dance... everything else I am not as harsh.. but froggin for some reason.. I give em 1.4 seconds and then try to get the hook in their brains.. 

You wont....trust me. 

 

Here is a youtube of me earlier in the year punchin/froggin. You can see how hard I set the hook and my rod is perfectly fine. I've gotten LOTS of bass on that rod and I only use it for frogging.  Like Weber said..it's nonsense.  The other big froggers here will tell you the same thing.

 

Edited September 18, 2013 by MarkH024

[webertime]

I just dont want to set the hook and break the rod... I feel like with froggin. .I tend to set the hook like Bill Dance... everything else I am not as harsh.. but froggin for some reason.. I give em 1.4 seconds and then try to get the hook in their brains.. 

Everyone knows it's 1.3 seconds...  1.4 seconds!?!? you are lucky to have not blown up a rod and reel!!

 

 

 

(Just reminded me of that scene in Somthing About Mary, where the nut goes off about 6 Minute Abs NOT 7 Minute Abs)

[5dollarsplash]

Depends how thick you get into it.  I like a H and I've never snapped one, at least with a hook set, doors frames/vehicle doors maybe 

 

50lb-65lb braid + Heavy rod= Bringing in the fish along with the 10lbs of lillys and whatnot on top of him.

[BassinLou]

I agree with MarkHO24, you will not bust a H rod with 50lb. I have that set up myself. I have 7ft 4" Rage H on 50lb braid and the combo works well for me. I find that some people set the hook in an exaggerated way. Do not get me wrong, when frogging a strong "hookset" is advisable but not a hookset that makes your boat flip over. I also agree that most rods outside of a silly accident like a car door, are broken by human error.

[WiregrassRiverRat]

You wont....trust me. 

 

Here is a youtube of me earlier in the year punchin/froggin. You can see how hard I set the hook and my rod is perfectly fine. I've gotten LOTS of bass on that rod and I only use it for frogging.  Like Weber said..it's nonsense.  The other big froggers here will tell you the same thing.

 

Mark what rod are you using.. just to get an idea.. 

 

Everyone knows it's 1.3 seconds...  1.4 seconds!?!? you are lucky to have not blown up a rod and reel!!

 

 

 

(Just reminded me of that scene in Somthing About Mary, where the nut goes off about 6 Minute Abs NOT 7 Minute Abs)

I am glad someone caught my exact timing.. lol when you get that frog bite.. it feels like waiting an hour to set the hook!

[MarkH024]

I guess you didn't read the credits now did you!!!!!!!!!!! j/k man.  For punching I was using a 7'1" MH/F St Croix Rage rod with 40# 832.  A bit of a light set up for really heavy punching but it gets the job done.  The frogging portions I'm using a St.Croix Mojo MH/F with the same 40# 832 braid. 

[Bass Junkie]

I throw my frogs on a 7' XH Duckett with 65lb braid. Trust me, the fish will give  

[Jrob78]

Frog hooks are big, you need a stout hook set and rod to drive those hooks home, braid or not.  I use a heavy powered rod with 50lb braid for frogging and wouldn't think of going lighter.  Rods don't just break on hook sets, if you avoid banging your rods into hard objects and stepping on them, they will last a very long time.

[Cgrinder]

so with that being said.. would there be any cons to getting a heavy action rod as opposed to MH?

 

You lose versatility. I can get by casting weightless Senkos or 3/8 oz spinnerbaits on my MH *** in a pinch. I don't believe that a Heavy would do that. 

[WiregrassRiverRat]

yeah ... well with my current rods.. I need a bottom contact and a heavy cover rod so that would cover it..  plus there will be straight braid on that rod.. so pitching heavy stuff would work great..

[Jrob78]

yeah ... well with my current rods.. I need a bottom contact and a heavy cover rod so that would cover it..  plus there will be straight braid on that rod.. so pitching heavy stuff would work great..

By all means get the heavy then.  A good 7'-7'6" HF rod is very versatile for heavy weights and heavy cover.

[fishguy613]

set your drag properly when using braid and you shouldnt have issues

[mjseverson24]

It depends on how heavy the cover is. If you are in really thick stuff I would go with the heavier action rod also at a minimum of 7'6", 8' would be better. this will give you better distance on your casts and also a better angle to get the fish's head out of the slop and skiing on the surface. if you are in medium cover and or wooded areas a MH rod works great the length depends on how accurate you need to be with the cast. 

 

Mitch

[Frenchman83]

I have the exact set up you are talking about. I got the 7'3" MH and 65# braid. Casts the hollow bodies great and pulls the bass out. I believe the rod is rated up to 20# so you should not have an issue.

[WiregrassRiverRat]

I have the exact set up you are talking about. I got the 7'3" MH and 65# braid. Casts the hollow bodies great and pulls the bass out. I believe the rod is rated up to 20# so you should not have an issue.

gosh it is so hard to chose.. I dont get in slop as much as I would like.. but I would like the ability if I had to... so a heavy sounds great.. I just dont know what to do

[Cgrinder]

Get the heavy. If you don't like it, return the heavy.