Ribbit Frog Dilemma...

[Luna2406]

So I recently began fishing with the Stanley Ribbit Frog. I started off just using a 5/0 hook and the first day using it I missed a fish and got another. Ever since, I haven't been able to bring one in. I get plenty of blowups but no luck bringing them in. So I decided to try the Stanley Double hook that they make for their frogs...nothing changed. Plenty of blowups but no fish. Also I noticed with this type of hook my frog is upside half the time and I have no idea how to fix that. In open water there is no issue, but as soon as I throw it on top of grass or algae it starts coming back upside-down. Any reason this is happening? is it something I'm doing? maybe rigging it wrong or off-center? Before I set the hook i let them take it under and wait a bait then set the hook and then I play "dodge the flying frog." Any advice would be great because I can see this bait works! I just need to be able to bring the fish in. 

(I'm using a frogging rod and I'm using heavy braid on my reel as well. I have the bluegill color, the watermelon red, and the white frogs.)

[primetime]

I use a 5/0 Zoom Horny Toad single hook with all my frogs and sometimes go weightless and sometimes I add some weight for longer casts...

I do not like double hooks on toads but I know plenty of people do. My guess it has something to do with the hookset? I use the BPS Humpin Toad alot because it has a hook slot on top for easy texposing, and if I use the Stanley Ribbits, I think I use a 4/0 for smaller ones, and I use 5/0 I think, I rarely go bigger than that..I use heavy line, rod, and I let the fish take it and then I swing Hard since casts are usually far....

One Trick that helps me is I keep my rod high around 10 oclock, and as I am reeling, once I get a strike, I lower the rod and I turn toward the fish or lean forward before setting the hook. If you are driving home 2 thick hooks you need to swing hard, especially if making long casts, and same with using a single hook since if you have 50lb braid and a thin guage hook it bends, Make sure the rod is strong enough back bone wise and try to give them extra time and give a 2 count before swinging and make sure you feel the weight of the fish, and then swing hard and do not let slack get into the line which often can happen after swinging since the momentum causes fish to swim at you really fast..That is why a fast reel makes frog fishing easier, I used to lose 70% of Hollow body frog fish because they would get off half way to the boat until I focused on tension and power....

Hope that helps...You Tube has some great videos that show guys catching bass on toads and frogs, and that should help you figure out the mistake..I still make tons of mistakes when fishing Swimbaits that are not on top so I can't see and when texas riggged weedless, I often pull the bait away from the fish before getting a good set...

Keep in mind..Some days fish will simply slap at your frog to either stun it and come back, or they just strike it without the intent to kill it...That is just the way it is sometimes, and some days they spit it out faster than you can react...

FYI...It sounds like you are fishing the bait the right way...I know you said Ribbit but are you maybe using the Hollow Ribbits that come in a 2 pack with the 6/0 double hook? Top Toad I think it is called but I know it says Ribbit on the packs I think....

If that is the case, I have heard mixed reviews from people who know what they are doing, some say terrible, some say awesome, I just have never used them yet. I only thought of this when you listed the colors, since I never see a bluegill colored Ribbit in the stores but I am sure they make one...I consider the Ribbit the regular soft toad...

[PennBass]

Used to have the exact same problem. I've found that switching to a keel weighted hook keeps the frog upright every time. 

Pay attention to the hookset, cause the bass might only be holding on by the legs. Wait until you feel the weight of the fish before setting the hook.

[Catt]

@ primetime nail it

[Luna2406]

@primetime thanks man! I'm gonna try dropping my rod when they bite that way they have more time. I guess I just think they won't hold it for a long time so I set the hook to fast. And no im using the soft plastic ribbit frogs, I've never really had any luck with hollow body frogs lol 

 

@PennBass that's a great idea I never even thought of that. Thanks! 

[flyfisher]

i actually like screw lock hooks on my buzz frogs.  When i made the switch, it seems to have helped my hookup percentage.  I know it seems like sacrilege but if you actually look away from the bait once you make the cast it helps in waiting to set the hook.

[primetime]

19 minutes ago, Luna2406 said:

@primetime thanks man! I'm gonna try dropping my rod when they bite that way they have more time. I guess I just think they won't hold it for a long time so I set the hook to fast. And no im using the soft plastic ribbit frogs, I've never really had any luck with hollow body frogs lol 

 

@PennBass that's a great idea I never even thought of that. Thanks! 

I never started fishing Hollow frogs until a few years ago because I was convinced they were a waste of time since I would miss most fish..Then I watched a video where a guy was practicing for a tournament and he didn't have hooks on the frog (A Joke I now play on a few friends, but only a few, clip hook under barb and watch them get frustrated)

But during the video he made a point that finally made me understand...A frog or toad is a soft bait and we give Bass time to swim to the side with a Senko etc...A hollow body feels the same to the Bass. A Bass is an efficient predator and if it truly wants to kill something and eat it then it will...He then let the next few bass take his hollow frog down without hooks and let them hold it and on average they would move with it for as long as 10 seconds...I have also done the same test when I know it is a smaller fish and I choose not to swing, and they will often hold it until they feel the hooks....

I don't care what anyone says...Catching Bass on Frogs is not easy, you don't get a ton of strikes so many times the strikes are quality fish that are loud, and instinct is to set the hook since usually I am thinking about my next cast if it is a slow day etc...

I would estimate that on a good day if I get 10 strikes on a floating Topwater with treble hooks, I only hook 7-8 fish, but I would say it is closer to 60% and I catch another 20% on the follow up soft bait...Some fish just smack it and I have watched 5lb bass up close Ram a Shiner coming from deeper water and they move much faster then we realize, and when they hit the shiner with their nose, gold scales fill the water and the Shiner then stops moving and then the fish circles around to decide what to do next...Those Smacks are loud blowups, and many times they bass will come back and not eat the shiner....Although recently I was messing around with some big shiners and a giant Female was eyeballing the shiner for about an hour on and off and I wanted to see how big she was....Once my shiner slid off my hook and the shiner was dead, that fish sucked it in within 10 seconds...It knew I was their, but it knew the hook or line was not right....My point is that I now just have fun when fishing frogs and accept the fact that sometimes you may hook a few but some days you can hook almost all of them...Cutting skirts, rattles, all that stuff helps as well so it is worth experimenting, I love throwing topwater and I accept that sometimes you will miss fish but they almost always will hit a worm right away or if you come back in 10 minutes....You will do better as the weather get's warmer, I noticed during the pre and during spawn that Topwater was low percentage compared to May Through Fall...

[Avalonjohn44]

Best hook for this that I have found is made by Stanley, makers of the Ribbit. Its called the Ribbit Double Take hook, in both weightless and keel weighted versions. Best frog hook on the market.

[doyle8218]

I put a downward bow in the frog with a 4/0 hook and they stay upright all the time.

[dsqui]

i had the same issue with the ribbits and all frogs until i started using a small powerswivel about 3 feet in front of them to keep the line twist down you dont realize its there but every roll over weeds and fish smacks flip the bait.  adding the swivel seemed to help keep it upright the weight of the hook should keep the belly side down.  i just use the stanley hooks that come with the bait never seen a need to try a different hook

[Wurming67]

4/0 EWG fits perfect for me,5/0 I was having rigging issues with it.

[riverbasser]

Gotta wait till you feel em and of course set the hook. . . hard