Hollow Body Help

[neocrunch]

I'm having trouble setting the hook on hollow body frogs.  I even upgraded my cheap-o frogs to the "lunker" frogs.  I'm getting lots of bites but I either wait too long to set, or set too hard and the frog comes flying out of the mouth (and out of the water). 

How should my drag be set?  How should I set the hook? Swift jerk upward?  Long swipe sideward?  

Any other tips on using hollow body frogs?

 

Thanks. 

[5fishlimit]

What kind of setup are you using?  What line type?

[neocrunch]

Braided line, 7'6 fast action / medium power rod.    I don't use a leader... but maybe I should?  Although I'm not really having trouble getting bites, but rather setting the hook.

[ABW]

Are you using a baitcaster? Whenever I get a blowup, I reel up the slack, and when I can feel the fish swimming away with the frog, I set the hook vertically. Drag is pretty much locked down.

[neocrunch]

Yes, I'm using a baitcaster.  I'll just keep trying... maybe I'm just missing hits on smaller fish that can't get the whole frog in their mouth.  

[gardnerjigman]

Braided line, 7'6 fast action / medium power rod.    I don't use a leader... but maybe I should?  Although I'm not really having trouble getting bites, but rather setting the hook.

 

Go to a medium heavy power rod. I couldn't imagine driving double hooks home with a medium rod. I use a 7' medium heavy with 50# braid. Drag is totally locked down. I swing hard on frogs. 

 

I also don't wait to feel the fish like others will say to do. If your frog disappears, set the hook. I've had too many fish get away from waiting to set the hook. 

[HoosierHawgs]

Go to a medium heavy power rod. I couldn't imagine driving double hooks home with a medium rod. I use a 7' medium heavy with 50# braid. Drag is totally locked down. I swing hard on frogs.

I also don't wait to feel the fish like others will say to do. If your frog disappears, set the hook. I've had too many fish get away from waiting to set the hook.

^^^^This

[long island basser]

Go to a medium heavy power rod. I couldn't imagine driving double hooks home with a medium rod. I use a 7' medium heavy with 50# braid. Drag is totally locked down. I swing hard on frogs. 

 

I also don't wait to feel the fish like others will say to do. If your frog disappears, set the hook. I've had too many fish get away from waiting to set the hook.

What he said. Same here.

[einscodek]

Go to a medium heavy power rod. I couldn't imagine driving double hooks home with a medium rod. I use a 7' medium heavy with 50# braid. Drag is totally locked down. I swing hard on frogs. 

 

I also don't wait to feel the fish like others will say to do. If your frog disappears, set the hook. I've had too many fish get away from waiting to set the hook. 

Ya you know bass can spit a lure faster than you can blink an eye.. or so it seems

When I feed my pet bass, if it aint right, its spit it so fast you wouldnt believe

[gardnerjigman]

Ya you know bass can spit a lure faster than you can blink an eye.. or so it seems

 

Yup. 

 

Also have it happen where they blow up and dart to the next weed patch or grass mat and by the time you "feel" them to set the hook, you end up yanking half the weeds out and get a very poor hookset on the actual fish. 

 

Set the hook when the frog disappears. Most of the time, you will be rewarded. Sometimes, you will have to dodge a 90mph flying frog. It's funny cause it's true...

[Master Bait'r]

Braided line, 7'6 fast action / medium power rod.    I don't use a leader... but maybe I should?  Although I'm not really having trouble getting bites, but rather setting the hook.

 

 

 

I would recommend no lighter than a MH rod for Frogs.  Meduim rods generally don't have the backbone or immediacy to drive home two big frog hooks.  If you want to use the Medium rod though, try picking up some of the 1/4oz frogs or maybe some soft plastic ones that you can texpose a normal EWG hook through as if it was a craw or worm.  

 

 

If you want to be successful in using hollow bodies though, you've got to bring a grenade to a watergun fight.  MH or H rod, and heavy braid.  

 

 

Now you may be able to get by without the specific setup and boat a fish or two now and then but froggin' is one of those techniques that every requirement you take away, your odds of landing a fish drop off significantly.   

[gardnerjigman]

I would recommend no lighter than a MH rod for Frogs.  Meduim rods generally don't have the backbone or immediacy to drive home two big frog hooks.  If you want to use the Medium rod though, try picking up some of the 1/4oz frogs or maybe some soft plastic ones that you can texpose a normal EWG hook through as if it was a craw or worm.  

 

 

If you want to be successful in using hollow bodies though, you've got to bring a grenade to a watergun fight.  MH or H rod, and heavy braid.  

 

 

Now you may be able to get by without the specific setup and boat a fish or two now and then but froggin' is one of those techniques that every requirement you take away, your odds of landing a fish drop off significantly.   

 

Exactly. You can get away with it on soft plastic frogs. I usually set my wife up with a horny toad and she catches the hell out of them on a medium spinning rod.

[neocrunch]

Thanks for the advice.  Looks like I'll be in the market for a dedicated frog rod in the near future.  

[gardnerjigman]

Doesn't have to be anything fancy. Academy sports lower end ethos rods or berkley lightening rods work fine for this. They take a beating. $50

[BassinLou]

Go to a medium heavy power rod. I couldn't imagine driving double hooks home with a medium rod. I use a 7' medium heavy with 50# braid. Drag is totally locked down. I swing hard on frogs. 

 

I also don't wait to feel the fish like others will say to do. If your frog disappears, set the hook. I've had too many fish get away from waiting to set the hook. 

 

There is nothing to add here, gardnerjigman hit the nail on the head. Waiting to feel the weight of the fish may lead to a broken heart  sometimes. Some bass spit the frog out so quickly that it will make your head spin. Just to give me a fighting chance for those bass, I spread Megastrike all over my frog.  

[Ratherbfishing]

No need for a leader.  In addition to providing an additional "weak link", the knot will likely foul on stuff.  Plus, in the kind of conditions where a frog works best, the visibility of the line won't make much difference.  Straight braid is, IMHO, the best choice.

 

I would not wait until you feel the bite to set the hook but I would suggest you "pause" very briefly-long enough, at least, to determine if the lure has gone under.  Expereince is the best teacher on this.

 

When setting the hook, if and/or when it's possible, I like to do a "whole body sweep."  I feel it provides a little more power than what my arms alone can do.

[CWB]

I fish frogs alot. Hollow body and toad type.

I use a 7'6" medium action rod and 50 lb. braid. Can cast a mile and never had an issue with setting the hook. Totally agree you can wait too long. I watch the frog the entire retrieve every cast. If you get a hit you can see if the frog is gone or if the fish missed. If it's gone, I hit 'em and keep reeling. If the frog is still there, I wiggle it in place a little and then start the retrieve again. More times than not, they'll get it again. I used to use the "wait till you feel the fish" method but alot of times by the time you reel up and try to feel him, he's gone. Thats just my opinion based on my experience. You have to decide for yourself.