First Bass On Frog

[68camaro]

Been trying for couple weeks to catch a bass on a frog. Had a dozen or more nice blow-ups but couldn't land one, most my fault. 

 

Tonight I put on a Lake Frog Trailer Hook.

 

Well tonight luck finally visited. Stop by pond for a 1 hour limit after work and threw nothing but frogs. After 50 minutes landed the 17 1/4", 3+lb'er below, caught him center of upper lip on trailer hook. Couldn't have been more happy.

 

About 5 minutes after the catch had another bass hit my frog three times in a row, took the frog each time but let it go.

 

Dobyns 735C

Curado 7.1:1 reel

50lb braid

Scum frog

Frog Trailer hook.

 

All in all fun 1 hr.

 

[Bass newb]

Frogs have ruined me. I prefer them to anything else now.

[Bass newb]

I think that waiting until you can feel the fishes weight may yield the best hook up. I have to let some fish have time to eat the frog twice. They don't have binocular vision like we do. They miss a lot, you have to stop the bait as soon as they try to hit it, or at least slow it down. A 5.5lb fish that I caught the other day needed 2 swipes to get it, and I would have missed him had I done my typical 1, 2 hookset routine.

[Bass newb]

U sure 17.25" is 3+ lbs?

[68camaro]

U sure 17.25" is 3+ lbs?

 No, I use a online Bass weight estimator, since I don't carry scale. I take pick of fish next to pole, then measure spot at home, then use estimator here: http://www.in-fisherman.com/straws-blog/bass-length-to-weight-conversion-chart/#ixzz3lXimYgzc

 

I always wondered accuracy? Is this not correct?

 

 

Frogs have ruined me. I prefer them to anything else now.

 

 

Ditto:)  It's such an addictive hit.

 

 

I think that waiting until you can feel the fishes weight may yield the best hook up. I have to let some fish have time to eat the frog twice. They don't have binocular vision like we do. They miss a lot, you have to stop the bait as soon as they try to hit it, or at least slow it down. A 5.5lb fish that I caught the other day needed 2 swipes to get it, and I would have missed him had I done my typical 1, 2 hookset routine.

 

This is how I caught it, it took him a couple tries, I actually thought I lost him. Since I am new the biggest learning curve was learning the patience as you suggest, With a frog, the hits can be quick and explosive so natural inclination is quickly set the hook as excitement spikes. A big no-no as I am learning.  

[Bass newb]

The biggest 16.5" fish I caught has been 2lb 8oz. The 18.5" fish was 2lb 13oz. I would guess that 17" was more like that range.

[WIGuide]

A healthy 17" fish should be close to 3 lbs. Each individual fish is different so it's hard to say exactly how heavy they are. If you want the most accurate weight I suggest buying yourself a scale. Even the cheap digital ones are fairly accurate. 

[Bass newb]

Close to but that fish doesn't look like it's over.

Here is 18.5" 2lb 13oz with more belly:

[gardnerjigman]

Close to but that fish doesn't look like it's over.

Here is 18.5" 2lb 13oz with more belly:

Would you like to tell the OP you think he is off a few more times??? Could probably find a dead horse to beat somewhere else....

[68camaro]

Would you like to tell the OP you think he is off a few more times??? Could probably find a dead horse to beat somewhere else....

Thanks Gardnerjigman for the support. I think comments were trying to be helpful so all good.

I probably do need to get scale, truth be told everytime I try to buy a scale I find a couple lures I would rather have instead so I put scale back and get the lures I guess I'll just bite the bullet and get the scale so I have accurate info.

I thiught the formula I found would be pretty close but maybe it isn't, no harm not foul. Whether it was 3 or 2 lbs not real important to me, most important thing is it was my first frog bass and it is addictive.

[kickerfish1]

Congrats on the accomplishment and nice gear too! Weight always depends upon the body condition of the fish and the accuracy of the scale used. I have given up on weighing fish 99% of the time. First it can be harmful to the fish to have its body weight supported in such a way. Second it is much more faster to just hold it up to a ruler in the boat. A fish measured properly (bottom lip closed and tail pinched) is an accurate assesment of size and much easier on the fish.

[Bass newb]

Would you like to tell the OP you think he is off a few more times??? Could probably find a dead horse to beat somewhere else....

I didn't know it was coming off like that. I was just trying to help him accurately gage. ..you've certainly got a way with words yourself.

[Bluebasser86]

A 17.25" fish can certainly be over 3 pounds, this one is over 3 and wasn't even 17"

 

IMO, more frog fish are missed by the terrible advice to wait until you feel the fish. If the frog is gone, it's because it's in the fish's mouth! If a fish strikes my frog and it's gone, I'm swinging. It's been way more effective than trying to feel the fish like I'm fishing a T rig. 

[Bass newb]

IMO, more frog fish are missed by the terrible advice to wait until you feel the fish. If the frog is gone, it's because it's in the fish's mouth! If a fish strikes my frog and it's gone, I'm swinging. It's been way more effective than trying to feel the fish like I'm fishing a T rig.

That's not terrible advice, that's the advice people give who are tired of setting a hook only to have the frog come flying by their face. When the frog is gone it's NOT always in the fished mouth, that's the problem. I've never missed a hook up by waiting too long, but I've missed a bunch by not waiting long enough.

[Big C]

If your using the Lake Fork Stinger hook (which is awesome), you can really swing.  Once that frog is gone, WHAM.  If you don't think that's the right way of setting the hook, watch the Tacticallbassin' frog videos.  They are the two of the best frog fishermen I've seen in a while, look how they set the hook.  I don't know about you, but I'm gonna follow their advice.

[gardnerjigman]

That's not terrible advice, that's the advice people give who are tired of setting a hook only to have the frog come flying by their face. When the frog is gone it's NOT always in the fished mouth, that's the problem. I've never missed a hook up by waiting too long, but I've missed a bunch by not waiting long enough.

I'm sorry, but if a hollow body frog is under water where else do you think it is if not in the mouth??? I suppose when you were a kid fishing using a cork and worm you waited to feel the fish rather than set the hook when the bobber went under?

To each his own, I just prefer to catch the fish... Not let them taste my frog and spit it before I cross their eyes...

[lecisnith]

I used to have problems with this and I decided that it was probably due to having excessive slack in the line. Now it's "hit, reel in slack, swing" and I Don't. Lose. Frog. Fish. I imagine it's a combination of waiting a split second to determine if the fish has actually taken the frog and the added leverage of getting a good hookset with the constant contact of the line. Don't stop. I'd rather swing and miss than not swing and let a meatball go straight down the middle of the plate.

[Bluebasser86]

That's not terrible advice, that's the advice people give who are tired of setting a hook only to have the frog come flying by their face. When the frog is gone it's NOT always in the fished mouth, that's the problem. I've never missed a hook up by waiting too long, but I've missed a bunch by not waiting long enough.

Never missed a hook up with a frog? That's impressive. I'm glad it works for you, but like I said IMO you're going to miss so many more fish by waiting to feel a frog fish. If a fish hits a frog, frog disappears, where is it if it's not in the fish's mouth? Maybe buried in the grass because it spit it out while I was trying to feel for it, or waterlogged and sinking because she crushed it and spit it out while I was feeling for it? Maybe it only had the legs, but you'll miss that fish either way. Other option would be if it's so small it didn't get the whole frog in it's mouth, but I don't care to catch that fish anyways. If you let a fish turn and run with your frog into heavy weeds it's just going to be that much harder to hook them and get them out also. 

 

I don't miss many frog fish, but it happens, it's the nature of the beast. I also catch WAY more of the bites I get since I started setting as soon as I couldn't see my frog anymore. One of the great things about this sport is there's no set rules for how you have to do anything. After chasing those little green fish seriously for around 20 years, that's what I've found to be most productive for me and my friends that I fish with have tried it have increased their hookup ratios as well. Watch how many professional bass fishermen set the hook as soon as their frog is gone, I'll bet it's almost all, if not all of them. 

[Catch and Grease]

While I don't wait until I feel the fish I try not to set the hook the second I see the splash, I usually will wait a good second before setting the hook... Just my .02 ¢, but what do I know lol

[gardnerjigman]

That's what we are saying. In no way shape or form are we saying set the hook when you see the splash. It's IF THE FROG IS GONE.... SWING.

[Montanaro]

My boater two weeks ago caught a 17 1/4 over 3 pounds.

[jignfule]

I've been blesses to catch a lot of bass on frog. One thing I've hardly ever been able to do is to "feel the fish" with adenaline pouring through my body all I can feel is the anticipated hook set. I just wait  a second or two after the explosion and swing for the fences.(if I can't see the frog of course)

[Bass newb]

I'm sorry, but if a hollow body frog is under water where else do you think it is if not in the mouth??? I suppose when you were a kid fishing using a cork and worm you waited to feel the fish rather than set the hook when the bobber went under?

-I suppose you still are a kid

To each his own, I just prefer to catch the fish... Not let them taste my frog and spit it before I cross their eyes...

[gardnerjigman]

No need to be sorry but to answer your question, I've personally watched bass bite at a bait, in real life, on youtube, and read about others on this forum,where the bass don't have the bait engulfed, but they bite it or swipe at to injure it before eating it. If you swing at that bass you'll miss it. I'll do like the frog package instructions say and wait 1 or 2 seconds.

 

We can probably put this to bed considering you are taking what I'm saying and interpreting it your own way... rather than how it is supposed to be taken. 

 

Good luck on your future frog fishing. Hope to see some more pics of catches. 

[ogbfishing]

Never missed a hook up with a frog? That's impressive. I'm glad it works for you, but like I said IMO you're going to miss so many more fish by waiting to feel a frog fish. If a fish hits a frog, frog disappears, where is it if it's not in the fish's mouth? Maybe buried in the grass because it spit it out while I was trying to feel for it, or waterlogged and sinking because she crushed it and spit it out while I was feeling for it? Maybe it only had the legs, but you'll miss that fish either way. Other option would be if it's so small it didn't get the whole frog in it's mouth, but I don't care to catch that fish anyways. If you let a fish turn and run with your frog into heavy weeds it's just going to be that much harder to hook them and get them out also. 

 

I don't miss many frog fish, but it happens, it's the nature of the beast. I also catch WAY more of the bites I get since I started setting as soon as I couldn't see my frog anymore. One of the great things about this sport is there's no set rules for how you have to do anything. After chasing those little green fish seriously for around 20 years, that's what I've found to be most productive for me and my friends that I fish with have tried it have increased their hookup ratios as well. Watch how many professional bass fishermen set the hook as soon as their frog is gone, I'll bet it's almost all, if not all of them. 

my mistake