Frogging In Very Thick Pads

[Catch and Grease]

How do you guys go about doing this? I have had success fishing them in moderate cover but I just can't produce fish when it comes to the really thick stuff like hydrilla. Do you guys just pop the frog through the hydrilla or maybe just reel in stopping at the holes?

I'm using a MH fast action rod with 50lb braid. I know that isn't what I need, I'm broke and don't have the funds right now to get a heavy, fast/extra fast action rod...

I'm sure this has been asked 100s of times but didn't see anything specifically about thick pads posted recently

[David D.]

Thick stuff to me means H/XF with 65 lb braid and a hollow body frog. Vary the retrieve until the fish tell you what they want.

What type of frog are you fishing with?

[Catch and Grease]

I've been trying a strike king frog, and the small h2o express frog and the bigger one.

All hollow bodied

[DILLY07]

When I find this cover, I usually throw Live Target frog. Cast it out, let it sit on the cover. The way I think, when the frog is on the cover, the bass will hear the thump on top of their heads. After its on the cover, reel it very slow to the little water hole, twitch it lightly. Reel it slowly to the water then twitch twitch then hopefully youll get a bass following the frog. Smack! Works for me.

[einscodek]

Hydrilla is still ok for hollow body frogs .. thick mats over hydrilla and the tendency for bass to pop a hole goes way down for me.. when the thick stuff forms, its flip and pitch time.

[Catch and Grease]

Hydrilla is still ok for hollow body frogs .. thick mats over hydrilla and the tendency for bass to pop a hole goes way down for me.. when the thick stuff forms, its flip and pitch time.

Yeah I've always had great success flipping and pitching into the thick stuff but I justed went out one day and decided to try something new

[CJV]

First of all your rod is perfect you didn't post the length however a good frog rod IMO is atleast a 7FT MH fast tip would be ideal you really don't want a heavy because it will be much harder to walk the frog. Secondly I would suggest using a popping style frog and you will have much more success and throw it in the nastiest stuff you can find and haul them in. Goodluck

[Catch and Grease]

First of all your rod is perfect you didn't post the length however a good frog rod IMO is atleast a 7FT MH fast tip would be ideal you really don't want a heavy because it will be much harder to walk the frog. Secondly I would suggest using a popping style frog and you will have much more success and throw it in the nastiest stuff you can find and haul them in. Goodluck

Ive been using a 7FT MH/Fast action rod called the shimano zeles from a combo I bought a pretty good while back, I really like the rod.

[FlipnLimits]

The frog doesn't matter as much as the action does.  Try to get your frog to make as much commotion as you can, that will call the fish in heavy cover.  The rod, well, you already should know a pretty heavy one will be required. 

 

FL

[Catt]

My first question is how deep is this area?

Lily pads grow in shallow water while hydrilla grows out to 15-18'.

[Catch and Grease]

Its 4-10 feet

[Catt]

Sorry I took the grandkids to Micky D's

I spend 9 hrs yesterday fishing the exact same scenario you are faced with.

First you need to understand that just because you want to throw frogs doesn't mean the bass want to eat frogs.

That's what happened yesterday, so I switched to a Texas rigged Bass Assassin Tapout worm with an 1/8 oz bullet sinker. I cast the worm out & after shaking my rod tip to insure it was on the bottom I slowly worked back. Don't try to force it through the cover but use your rod to help keep it from getting hung.

This technique produced 17 bass up to 4 1/2 pounds.

Oh by the way my setup!

Calcutta 100

Crucial 6' 10" medium heavy extra fast

Berkley Big Game 15#

In heavy cover it is essential you take control of the bass on the hook set. Have your trolling motor at the ready on high & go to the bass if necessary. I only had to twice!

[frogflogger]

Keep experimenting with retrieves - your outfit is fine - 50# gives you a little more distance which is important.

[tcbass]

I've had limited success with hollow bodies but have caught a lot with Ragetail Toads, in thick pads too.