Fishing with Horney toads

[GLADES]

Ive been using the zoom white horney toads with zoom 5/0 hooks with mixed sucess. I usually fish them on the surface, pulling them across grass to open

water or tossing them up into bullrushes and retrieving on the surface.

I get alot of hits, but I hook up only 25%. Should I let the bass run with it?

Today I casted across a canal,  retrieving the toad, I stopped reeling and let it sink to the bottom while I was having a swig of a fav beverage.

The toad sank in 15-20 ft deep water in the center of the canal.

a minute later, I started reeling up the slack when a felt weight on the line.

I waited a few more seconds and set the hook on a 8 lb bass.

The sun was bright and it was around 11AM.

Has anyone else had sucess fishing toads deep?

I was fishing at Sawgrass in South fl.

[Cephkiller]

I have never fished them that deep, but I just want you to know that is cheating. That fish doesn't count and should never be mentioned again ;D

Oh yeah.  When fishing them on top you should let the fish run with the bait until you feel it.  Then set the hook.

 

 

[linesider7]

A lot of times, the fish will only get the legs in it's mouth, and needs to readjust the bait in their mouth before a good hookset can be established.

I generally fish with the rod tip high, when I get the hit, drop the rod tip, give it a good 2-3 seconds, then set.

Are you using braid?

I've had fish hit the toads on the fall, but never that deep, but then again I've never tried.

[SneakySnook]

Glads I've had the same thing happen that when I stop and let it sink in deep water a bass will jump on it. At times I've worked it the same way I would a senko and have caught a lot of big bass that way but the best way is still buzzing it on top.

[fisherboy]

i actually use the seizmic brand frog and i have the best results t-rigged hoping it off the bottom. i really recomend it. if it doesnt work. your not fishin it right

[Guest avid]

Well Glades,  congratulations.

You have discovered one the best baits for Florida conditions.

The horny toad is extremely versatile.

My typical retrieve is buzzing right in or next to cover and then "killing" it.

Try a 1/32 oz. (3/0 size) split shot placed 3 inches above the nose.  

When you stop the toad it will spiral down just like a dying baitfish.

I have flipped toads with heavy pegged weight with great success.

I have T- rigged them and fished them like a worm with great success.

I have used them as jig trailers with great success.

I have deadsticked them with great success.

Get the picture?

Now You owe me big time buckaroo  

I expect to see hawg photo's and your first born.

well, ok you can keep the kid, but about those photo's  ;D

git er done son.

avid

[skeeterman24]

using a treble hook as a trailer with one the hooks cut off helps.  If you cut off one hook and stick the 2 remaining into the legs it will remain weedless and you will land more fish.

[.ghoti.]

I've caught a lot more bass on the toad sub-surface than on top. It's at least a 5/1 ratio. I use a 5/0 magnum superline hook. The hook is large enough that the point does not go through the bait. I slip the point between the toads legs and let it ride loose on the toads back. I get much better hooksets, and tear up a lot fewer baits this way. The hook is also heavy enough to get the bait down without additional weight, for depths in the 6-8 foot range. Much deeper than that still requires more weight.

Cheers,

GK

[RoLo]

Honest, I tried to keep this brief, but it just leaves out too many important points :-[

The feet of most plastic toads are like rounded lobes that become active at very low speeds.

On the other hand, the legs of the Horny Toad are more like curly grubs, which require a higher forward speed to activate.

As a result, if I want to work on top, I'll usually go with a sizmic toad or cane toad whose feet stay active at ANY speed.

That said, when you kill a sizmic toad or cane toad, they fall like tossed salad, without any attractive action at all.

That's not a problem though, because I never stop a sizmic toad or cane toad, but keep'm coming.

BUT, when you kill an "unweighted" horny toad, it spirals lazily to the bottom, actually pivoting from side-to-side, all by itself

Though I might buzz the horny toad a few feet, (depending on bass mood), I'll always "stop it", and allow it to spiral lazily down,

till it's about 2 or 3 feet deep, then reel just fast enough to activate the grub legs, then kill it again, and so on.

In brief, I've had my best success working the horny toad as a subsurface lure rather than a topwater or deep water lure.

I get alot of hits, but I hook up only 25%. Should I let the bass run with it?

I heard that

Of course, during a hot topwater bite, we can buzz our coffee cups through the bulrushes and get hits...but then what?

It's very hard to do (for me anyway), but I force myself to nod to a hit, that is, instead of coming back with the rod,

I drop the rod-tip. Once you drop the rod-tip, it's usually too late to pull the lure out of his mouth, no matter what else follows.

Does that always work? Heck No!

I might add, I prefer a 4/0 Gammie to the horny toad hook, and always use Power Pro line (a BIG asset).

Roger

[FIN-S-R]

Braid

Owner 3/0 or 4/0 Round bend wide gap J- Hard to find- Gives U the angle of offset hook and room of ewg.

If U miss bite-Kill it, let it sink

When U get Bite- Wait, then wait some more

My lazy butt 8yr old son taught me the effectiveness of the subsurface horny toad bite

If you get lots of misses on white try black..works 4 me

JMO-Good luck

[wickyman]

I have studied the fish on Clear Lake, for some time.  I noticed that surface fishing out here in Cali, is futile, until later on in the early summer, rather than pre/post spawn periods.  Also, the dawn/dusk is easier to get a hit on the top.  Everyone here probably knew that already.  I use something that sinks relatively fast, so that it gets to where I want it, and hit the hogs on the bottom 5 feet.  Being that our lake is relatively shallow, they don't have a choice of going too deep!  If you run that frog out, and a fish hits it, lower your rod tip, give it 3-one thousands, and smash it!  I don't think one time, that I have ever missed a fish because the hook didn't set properly, so heed that, and what others are saying, and treat it like it's life or death!  The guys here seem to have it covered already, listen to them!  A lot of these guys have much more experience than I do!  lol  I'm still a noobie!  A full year under my belt is all I have to vouch for!

[Autiger1291]

Ok. I was having the same problem with hook up ratios a few weeks ago. A couple points:

1. First of all alot of times the fish doesn't always eat the toad. Sometimes they just smack it or just grab the legs. Only set the hook if you feel weight. You always have the chance of another strike if the you don't swing on a missed strike.

2. Braided line helps alot. It doesn't stretch at all and gives you a good solid hookset. I use twenty lb test but alot of other folks would reccomend higher.

3. I use 4/0 gammy EWG hooks and they work great. Personally I feel like a 5/0 is a little large even thought that's what zoom makes.

Just make sure your slack is gone before you set the hook.

[grid]

Do you just reel the toad in or in a jerk reel motion? Not sure how to fish these horny toads.

[WBFishing]

I like to throw my horny toads on 20lb braid with 5/0 EWG Gammie.   I like to pop the frog in open water and use steady retrieve over grass.  I  try both techniques until I get a blow up, especially if I am positive there has to be a fish holding in that cover.  The most effective thing I know to getting the hook set is like everyone is saying wait until you feel the fishes weight, then drill him.

[grid]

Went out this A.M. and had many strikes.  Some didn't feel any weight but several I did.  Tried to wait a couple seconds and no luck!  Have the darnest luck!

[Guest avid]

I have experimented alot with hooks for the horney toad.

The zoom horney toad hook is good,

but my favorite by far is the owner 5/0 riggin hook

It fits the toad perfectly and the deep bend leaves plenty of steel curved below the bait.

I don't hesitate.  If the bait is moving when the strike comes I keep on cranking, lower the rod tip and slam em.

If the bait is on the drop when the hit comes, I reel out the slack and slam em.

Don't let people tell you that "all hooks are the same"

That is  the owner cutting edge is a penetratin demon.

When you have to put the hook point through a wad of plastic and then a bass' jaw you want something with superior strength and penetration.

the horny toad is one of my favorite baits......by far.

this would definitly NOT be the case if I was missing alot of fish.

Use a stout medium heavy - heavy rod and braided line,

the braid is especially nice because it cuts nicely through the grass and transmits virtually all your hook setting power.

[wickyman]

This is a great topic.  I really need to grab a pack of these toads!  They sound like they are quality baits, and at a worm price, that makes it even better.  This topic is really helping me with my decisions on hooks, plastics, and techniques.  It's great to hear these kinds of results from people whom actually know what they are talking about.  

[mike bat]

are you olny fishing the zoom toad ????? if so you may wanna look at the stanley ribbit and the gambler cane toad ..... ive also used the sizmic toads and the yum frogg .....  the olny one i wouldent buy again is the yum frog ,,, it doesnt wanna stay on one side .... it spinns in the water rather than kicking .... i can tell you i will have the cane toads ,,,, horney toads ,,,, and ribbits in my box this year ...   OOHHH and the SPRO froggs .....