Question About My Frog Setup

[Bedore]

Hey guys,

 

I recently purchased a frog setup and I am having some issues. I have a St. Croix mojo bass slop-n-frog rod with a Abu Garcia Revo SX baitcasting reel and 30lb spiderwire braid. I filled the spool partially with 12lb mono and then attached the braid to the monofilament and finished spooling the reel. The issue I am having is the drag/hook set. When I had a fish on and go to set the hook, the braid spools out and I cannot set the hook properly. Thinking I had the drag set too low I turned it up some and still had the same problem. I had to max the drag out and the problem went away but I know something is not right. Is it possible that there is too much braid on the spool? Can anyone help me here? I pulled in a bunch of Bass today with this setup so I am very impressed with how it worked overall but got to figure out the drag issue with your help/input.

 

I also used a LH lunker frog. They hit it hard but by the end of the 4 hours of fishing it was toast. The colored paint was flaking off and the legs were either bit off or detached somehow. The hook also tore the belly of the frog completely open. I could not use it anymore but loved the presentation.

[200racing]

braid spools out??? can you elaborate?

[Bluebasser86]

Was the reel new when you bought it? It sounds like your line is spinning on the spool but if you put backing on like you said then it shouldn't be an issue. 

[CJV]

braid spools out??? can you elaborate?

Yeah I'm not sure what the OP is trying to say either. Spools out? You did the correct thing by using backing.

[starcraft1]

You should change your braid. Spider wire is a little stiff for my taste. Power pro makes a great braid and the super 8 slick works well for me. 30 lb. is the same pound test I use and have never had any problems so far.

[kikstand454]

^ I doubt his preferred brand of braid is the issue.

[gulfcaptain]

If it's a new reel and your drag is slipping it isn't the braid.  It's the reel.  When they put it together they may have gotten oil or grease on some of the washers causing it to slip.  If it's new, take it back and swap it out at the store....switch spools so you don't have to respool your line and check it before you leave to make sure it's working the way it's supposed to. Now if it's a used reel, well you're drag washers are worn out and need new ones.

[Bedore]

Yes, this is a brand new reel. Unfortunately for me I do not have the luxury of taking it back and swapping it out for another one. I ordered this one online. I can send it back however if it is a problem with the reel. 

 

And what I mean is that the line is spinning off the spool when I try to set the hook. If I set it at max drag it doesn't do it, but only if it's at max drag. Otherwise when I go for the hook set, I can hear the clicking of the drag system and I can see the line coming off of the spool. Is it possible to use too much mono for backing? I am not sure how much I used but probably 1/4-1/2 of the reels capacity for mono and the rest for braid which was probably around or less than 75 yards.

[mod479]

Keep your drag locked down, back it off when you hook up if you want some slip.

[gulfcaptain]

You can take it in and get it serviced and add a better aftermarket drag washer.  If you're mech. inclined and have torn apart and rebuilt reels you could pull and check yourself. But locking the drag down and then lossening it after the fact is a bandaid as well as a bad idea especially if you hook a fish of a lifetime. Not sure what that reel runs, but if I was you....I would buy another one from somewhere close, swap the spool, and then return your reel to them explaining the drag isn't functioning right and get a refund.  Not always the best approach but seeing you're kinda in a bind and the reel isn't up to your standards the store will return it to ABU for credit and be made whole.

[Bedore]

Well it sounds like the reel may be the culprit. In that case I can buy a new one and relegate this one to lighter duty with mono line which I haven't had a problem with. What is a good reel for frogging in the $150 ish range? I was looking at the Daiwa Tatula Type-R but got a great deal on the Revo SX.

[mod479]

Should get revo fixed or replaced, what good is a real with a faulty drag? Tatula R has so many good reviews, I'd look that direction after the revo failed.    

[Bedore]

Is it possible that I am setting the hook too hard and causing the drag to activate? I am new to bass fishing as of this summer and completely new to braid and quite used to monofilament line. I know braid has no stretch like mono does. 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Revos typically have pretty high max drag, but yes that is very possible especially with braid.

[Bedore]

Yeah that is the only thing I can think of aside from a problem with the reel. I may check the drag washers and see if they are dry. How hard should I set the hook using braid? Using mono I'd give it a good yank but looks like it wont need to be as hard with braid?

[Fisher-O-men]

Without the drag set pretty hard you will hear a short "zip" sound when you set the hook on braid.  I hear it on my reel and those of the guys I fish with.  It is probably no more that a few inches of line, and may help you not yank the frog from the fishes' mouth.  I don't think you have a problem.  When I use braid with a leader I purposely set my drag so as not to pop the leader on the hook set.

[Bedore]

Yeah I am thinking it's probably just me getting used to braid and learning how to set the hook by not using so much force. I will see what happens on my next outing. I did check to see if the line was slipping on the spool and it did appear to be tight.

[gulfcaptain]

Well don't swing for the fences, a quick pop of the rod will do.  Also if you have your drag set right and it's acting properly you can alway use a bit of thumb presure while setting the hook. I tend to do that when I'm pitching jigs as well as frog fishing.  Gives you that little bit of extra presure right when you need it to being able to let the reel's drag do what it's supposed to.  Hope it works out for you.

[Bedore]

Thanks guys, I will take it out a few more times and see what happens.

[joeyd50]

Should get revo fixed or replaced, what good is a real with a faulty drag? Tatula R has so many good reviews, I'd look that direction after the revo failed.    

I have a Tatula, love it but I don't know how it would hold up frogging, plastic gears inside.

[frogflogger]

I crank the drag on my ardents and others down tight as I can - 50# sufix performance braid - still slips just a bit - but I use a powerful sweep with frogs.

[jonnyblazex]

I believe the drag washers are supposed to be coated in a light coat of grease, they should not be dry, and grease, not oil. The reel may have sat for a while with the drag cranked down tight. I have heard that the washers can get flattened from this, and loose surface pressure. = slipping drag. Not sure if this is your problem, just a thought.