Had To Throw The Manual Out The Window

[Preytorien]

Fished a decent sized pond last night. Had a lot of reeds along the edge along with some grass that stopped just below the surface.

I first attempted a buzzbait worked parallel, but the grass kept fouling it just enough that I had to clean it off every other retrieve and if I had to keep doing that the whole rod/reel rig might end up thrown in the drink, so I put on a frog.

Used a small Booyah Pad Crasher, the small sized one. Usually I kind of twitch it along, which is the result of my futile attempts to walk the dog with it (haven't ever gotten the hang of it with a frog, even after trimming the legs unevenly). That wasn't getting any strikes, but I noticed I got a couple strikes when I was bringing it back to shore after twitching it in some grass. They'd hit it on my retrieve. Weird I thought. So I started just chucking it parallel to the shoreline and simply steady-retrieving it back to me. It lit up after that. I don't know why on earth they wanted the frog like that, I have my suspicions (wanted something more subtle), but man they were zeroing in on it after that. Especially when the lure would bounce off of a stick or reed in the water, it just provided them more targeting or something. I even had a bass flop up into a couple inches of water to slam it. I ended up hauling in over 20 in about 2 1/2 hrs. Before it got dark. For this pond that's a darn good night.

 

I guess when you're trying to figure out what the fish want you've got to sometimes throw the manual out for lures and try using it in a way that's not conventional.

[Master Bait'r]

Just a thought- if you have trouble walking a frog, maybe try the deps basirisky frog. It has a really sexy wiggle that you don't need to walk yourself, just steady retrieve and it does it for you. Almost like a jitterbug but soft and weedless.

Seems like it would have been perfect for the retrieve they were keying on as well. Just a thought

[Catch and Grease]

The spro bronze eye shad is easy to walk too

[smalljaw67]

What happened to you isn't weird or even uncommon, you were basically walking the frog but it didn't have the side to side movement, for some reason there are times tht the fish want the frog moving and you were moving it. There are two baits made for just the scenario you found, the Yum Money Hound and the Manns Ghost, the ghost has been around a long time and it walks easier than the money hound. They are hollow body baits just like a frog but in the shape of a spook and they walk well and more importantly you can fish them in heavy cover and they get bit. I have both and have fished them a long time, Manns has discontinued this bait only to bring it back and I believe Yum has discontinued the Money hound but you can still get them, they are worth it.

[doyle8218]

Just a thought- if you have trouble walking a frog, maybe try the deps basirisky frog. It has a really sexy wiggle that you don't need to walk yourself, just steady retrieve and it does it for you. Almost like a jitterbug but soft and weedless.

Seems like it would have been perfect for the retrieve they were keying on as well. Just a thought

Nice frog, but very expensive for what you get.

[doyle8218]

What happened to you isn't weird or even uncommon, you were basically walking the frog but it didn't have the side to side movement, for some reason there are times tht the fish want the frog moving and you were moving it. There are two baits made for just the scenario you found, the Yum Money Hound and the Manns Ghost, the ghost has been around a long time and it walks easier than the money hound. They are hollow body baits just like a frog but in the shape of a spook and they walk well and more importantly you can fish them in heavy cover and they get bit. I have both and have fished them a long time, Manns has discontinued this bait only to bring it back and I believe Yum has discontinued the Money hound but you can still get them, they are worth it.

Also nice bait and still available.

 

http://www.tacklecenter.com/yum/yum-money-hound-4104?gclid=CKzTg4np5cACFUMF7Aod824AhQ

[Choporoz]

Thanks for that, Smalljaw.  I picked up some Moneyhounds off a clearance rack for a buck years ago.  They are THICK skinned.  After trying to rig confidently for an hour with various 4/0 and 5/0 hooks, I gave up and threw them in the basement.  I may have to dig them out and try again. 

[kikstand454]

Seems like it would've been a great time for a horny toad!

Way to figure them out man! Sounds like a blast!

[Master Bait'r]

Nice frog, but very expensive for what you get.

Agreed, but there is nothing else like it out there. Uniqueness, quality and a different action IMO can carry a higher price tag and still be "worth it"- I very rarely lose a frog anyways, as it's a weedless topwater on 50lb braid. I wouldn't pay the same for something I'd send to the bottom just because I'd be more afraid to lose it. I was actually selling a bazzy but this convinced me to keep it hahaha

I think of it like this- if it's what the fish are looking for on ONE DAY and on that one day it makes it the day of your life- would you pay an extra $10 to have that day? I would. Very subjective though, so I don't expect many people to agree.

[doyle8218]

Agreed, but there is nothing else like it out there. Uniqueness, quality and a different action IMO can carry a higher price tag and still be "worth it"- I very rarely lose a frog anyways, as it's a weedless topwater on 50lb braid. I wouldn't pay the same for something I'd send to the bottom just because I'd be more afraid to lose it. I was actually selling a bazzy but this convinced me to keep it hahaha

I think of it like this- if it's what the fish are looking for on ONE DAY and on that one day it makes it the day of your life- would you pay an extra $10 to have that day? I would. Very subjective though, so I don't expect many people to agree.

No argument there.

[Raul]

Excuse me but ...... what friggin manual you are talking about ? never heard of such thing as a bass fishing manual.

[deaknh03]

Excuse me but ...... what friggin manual you are talking about ? never heard of such thing as a bass fishing manual.

I think he's talking about Manuel, he slays them south of the border!

[lectricbassman]

All the baits mentioned above may work and may be easier to walk but it sounds like you found exactly what the fish wanted that day. Who cares if you cant walk the dog, if its working and youre having fun forget the manual and write your own.

[Bluebasser86]

A weighless Havoc Pit Boss buzzed across the surface can be a killer bait at times. Sounds like it would have been a great option for you in that situation. 

[Jar11591]

I think he's talking about Manuel, he slays them south of the border!

Lmao!