Finesse Frogging... Going to change the game!

[JayKumar]

Very cool! Might cover it in the BassBlaster....

[primetime]

Great Post..I have added larger hooks to many of my frogs, especially the Spro Popping Frog in smaller size which comes in 2/0 and seems to be a bit on the small side. I move up to a 4/0 Owner Double frog hook and it works much better. Academy now has a popping from that is a clone of the Spro Frog and they have 3/0 Hooks on them (I have only looked at them online) but I have changed out hooks on all my older Snag proof Frogs which had the thick legs before the Perfect Frog came out. I hate the Wide gap Owner hooks, so I put 5/0 Owner hooks on them, and then take the Wide gap Owners that seem to not do the job and add them to the smaller frogs...

I agree that finesse Frogging is a great idea, I often fish the small 45T Live Target Frog on 15lb Big Game or on my Medium Action Spinning Rod with 20lb braid and I have not had problems losing fish, or with hooksets. The Live Target hooks are razor sharp, and I file them after every few strikes, but Tiny frogs like the 3/16 baby Bully Wa, 3/16 Scum Frogs, often work really well. 

My Buddy throws the 3/16 scum frog which he adds 2 suspend dots on the hooks for weight and flash, and 2 small split shots for added weight, and throws them on a Medium action spinning rod to skip them, and he uses 15lb braid, and often cleans up in water I fished with 40lb braid and the exact same frog....The Tiny Scum Frogs are Fantastic since fish can't really hold it without having the hooks if you trail that short hula popper style skirt. Scum Frogs come with Owner hooks, and if you look at the tiny ones you can see the hooks are desinged for lighter line as they are thin....

[Jrob78]

22 hours ago, JayKumar said:

Very cool! Might cover it in the BassBlaster....

Very cool!  If you guys don't get the BassBlaster, shoot @JayKumar your email address, well worth it.  

I don't know Jay and I'm not affiliated in any way.  Just trying to pass on something cool.

This thread is featured in today's addition.

[IndianaFinesse]

That looks like something I'll have to try.  Do you like the smaller pad crashers and what is your favorite size of finesse frogs?( it still seems strange to have the words "finesse" and "frogs" in the same sentence)

[Drew03cmc]

I bought my first frog yesterday for $1.96 at Wally World, it's a Snag Proof in green with the solid legs. Would that be Finessey or is that more of the standard size? I'm looking at spooling a Black Max 3 LH with 20/6 PP and tossing it on a 6' M Garcia rod...whatcha think?

[ww2farmer]

I have been doing this for years.............keep playing with it, it works.

[Further North]

OK...really stupid question: Where do we find the "little frogs"?

I tie small frog-like poppers for flies all the time...but am curious where to find small frogs...

[Master Bait'r]

11 hours ago, Further North said:

OK...really stupid question: Where do we find the "little frogs"?

I tie small frog-like poppers for flies all the time...but am curious where to find small frogs...

 

Usually right next to the big ones!  The same place *should* sell a couple sizes to choose from.  TW, DSG, BPS etc...  They all carry them.  Just check the weight, you're looking for around 1/4oz or so.  

 

On July 11, 2016 at 9:04 PM, JayKumar said:

Very cool! Might cover it in the BassBlaster....

 

Hey thanks for the shout out!  Admittedly I had to Bing it, but I will have to sign up!  I really like your format and content!!

 

On July 12, 2016 at 9:56 PM, IndianaFinesse said:

That looks like something I'll have to try.  Do you like the smaller pad crashers and what is your favorite size of finesse frogs?( it still seems strange to have the words "finesse" and "frogs" in the same sentence)

 

Yeah pad crashers are nice and soft.  The smaller ones are just teetering on the edge of what I'd consider a finesse frog, but they alone with the LT 45ers are both great frogs that are slightly larger and will work well once dialed.  

 

My favorite size is probably the lunker hunt 1/4oz frogs though.  They have the tiniest profile and seem to just have a certain knack to draw strikes.  I have several in various states of leg destruction and they all give slightly different looks.  With legs they chug straight better and with skirt legs they walk and wiggle really well.  To each their own though, different people will like different ones better and for different reasons.  I think trying different stuff with your specific combo is important though.  

[TxHawgs]

Pretty sure there is or was just recently an article on finesse frogging on another popular fishing forum.

[Bluebasser86]

18 minutes ago, TxHawgs said:

Pretty sure there is or was just recently an article on finesse frogging on another popular fishing forum.

@JayKumar just took the info that @Master Bait'r posted and did a write up on it in BassBlaster.

[Master Bait'r]

7 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

@JayKumar just took the info that @Master Bait'r posted and did a write up on it in BassBlaster.

 

Pretty excited about that!  Nothing would make me happier than enough people experimenting, catching fish and talking about it that someday it gets picked up and actually made right from a factory.  With all the boatless paddles that get produced nowadays I don't think it's much of a stretch to imagine.  

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

  

Here is a pic of some various sized frogs

Smallest to largest pictured

1. lunker pocket
2. cabelas chuck-it jr
3. cabelas chuck-it jr
4. live target 45t
5. booyah pad crusher jr
6. r2s bully wa 55
7. KVD
8. spro 65
9. Koppers 65

 

 

[Master Bait'r]

Was spending some time FFing again this AM, nailed probably 6 or 8 1-1.5ers on it, and then it happened...  

 

What was more than likely my PB inhaled the sumbich and I set the hook like my life depended on it.  Solid as a rock, it stopped my rod dead.  He turned and I got to see the side of the body and it took off, my drag started peeling like crazy- mind you a PXLR has a pretty stout drag- so I'm trying to reel in but it's pulling me so hard my boat is now barreling towards the weeds, I watch the line go straight in, make a big right hand turn around some pads and stop dead as the momentum crashed me into the same spot as the line tightened-  I had it locked up- bucking and stuck down in the pads, but it was there.  My heart was pounding and I was trying to clear the pads as fast as I could...  And I grabbed the line.  Tugged it twice to try and loosen the pads while clearing with my other hand-  it shook it's head and the line went *POINK*

 

I yelled out loud like you see in the movies.  Probably a couple times, actually.  They may have heard me in space.  I've never been so heartbroken, and it's all my fault for pulling on it like an idiot.  I even lost my favorite finesse frog.  Double whammy!  I should have cleared all the pads by hand or just reached down and noodled it out.  I'm such an idiot.  Oh well.  Live and learn I guess...  At least I know they're there and FFing isn't just a dink magnet.  I guess I really need to be more mindful of the finessey nature of the beast, although that fish was an exceptional outlier.  I'm not going to be able to let that go...  I need to catch that fish now.  On a FF. 

[Master Bait'r]

Oh, and some pics of the tiniest dinks caught so far...  Even the smallest fish can still fully inhale the little frogs.  These things really are the Ned Rigs of the frog world.  

[JeepFisher]

Been doing this for a couple years as well (not replacing the hooks, just using the smallest frogs).  Yes it catches dinks but also catches bigger ones.  Some of the best luck ive had is just throwing it under some branches and letting that little frog sit for 20 or so seconds then whooomp. The fish in my favorite lake seem to respond more to the light tap tap tap of the smaller frogs than the more commotion that the bigger ones produce.  Great post!

[Master Bait'r]

Dang, broke off a freshy again today.  Pretty sure it was a pickerel this time but the little guys were blasting away again just like they always do.  I'm definitely setting up the boy with a FF when I bring him out Weds.  He is going to LOVE it!  

[MassYak85]

On 7/20/2016 at 9:01 AM, Master Bait'r said:

Was spending some time FFing again this AM, nailed probably 6 or 8 1-1.5ers on it, and then it happened...  

 

What was more than likely my PB inhaled the sumbich and I set the hook like my life depended on it.  Solid as a rock, it stopped my rod dead.  He turned and I got to see the side of the body and it took off, my drag started peeling like crazy- mind you a PXLR has a pretty stout drag- so I'm trying to reel in but it's pulling me so hard my boat is now barreling towards the weeds, I watch the line go straight in, make a big right hand turn around some pads and stop dead as the momentum crashed me into the same spot as the line tightened-  I had it locked up- bucking and stuck down in the pads, but it was there.  My heart was pounding and I was trying to clear the pads as fast as I could...  And I grabbed the line.  Tugged it twice to try and loosen the pads while clearing with my other hand-  it shook it's head and the line went *POINK*

 

I yelled out loud like you see in the movies.  Probably a couple times, actually.  They may have heard me in space.  I've never been so heartbroken, and it's all my fault for pulling on it like an idiot.  I even lost my favorite finesse frog.  Double whammy!  I should have cleared all the pads by hand or just reached down and noodled it out.  I'm such an idiot.  Oh well.  Live and learn I guess...  At least I know they're there and FFing isn't just a dink magnet.  I guess I really need to be more mindful of the finessey nature of the beast, although that fish was an exceptional outlier.  I'm not going to be able to let that go...  I need to catch that fish now.  On a FF. 

d**n dude sounds like I need to give this a shot. What frogs would you recommend, I don't have any under 3/8 ounces I don't think. And are you throwing these on casting gear? I was thinking of using a MH spinning rod I have spooled up with some 20lb braid. 

[Master Bait'r]

6 hours ago, MassYak85 said:

d**n dude sounds like I need to give this a shot. What frogs would you recommend, I don't have any under 3/8 ounces I don't think. And are you throwing these on casting gear? I was thinking of using a MH spinning rod I have spooled up with some 20lb braid. 

 

I get a 1/4oz pocket frog and the baby jawbone frogs together.  Rip off the LHunt legs, swap in skirt legs and put in the hooks from the jawbroni.  That's seems to be the money shot so far.  The frog is the smallest there is, and skirt legs make it even smaller and easier to inhale.  It is kind of a pain to have to do but it's pretty consistently the highest producer.  I've lost a few, used the above recipe again and although the jawbone hooks kind of suck it still works and you can bend them around to where you want them and it will slay.  

 

I'm using casting gear I would normally throw jig and worm type baits with but spinning would be fine too.  MH may work but it's all about the rod loading so results will vary.  I like my MXF setup because it lets me bomb them super far and the lightness doesn't make a big splash. 

 

It definitely will never replace the big dog frog setup because it can't reach into the heavy stuff but it's killer on the fringe.  

[MassYak85]

21 minutes ago, Master Bait'r said:

 

I get a 1/4oz pocket frog and the baby jawbone frogs together.  Rip off the LHunt legs, swap in skirt legs and put in the hooks from the jawbroni.  That's seems to be the money shot so far.  The frog is the smallest there is, and skirt legs make it even smaller and easier to inhale.  It is kind of a pain to have to do but it's pretty consistently the highest producer.  I've lost a few, used the above recipe again and although the jawbone hooks kind of suck it still works and you can bend them around to where you want them and it will slay.  

 

I'm using casting gear I would normally throw jig and worm type baits with but spinning would be fine too.  MH may work but it's all about the rod loading so results will vary.  I like my MXF setup because it lets me bomb them super far and the lightness doesn't make a big splash. 

 

It definitely will never replace the big dog frog setup because it can't reach into the heavy stuff but it's killer on the fringe.  

Thanks man, is there any trick to doing the skirt legs? I remember I tried to do that on a normal size frog once and it was a serious PITA. 

[Master Bait'r]

On 7/27/2016 at 8:49 PM, MassYak85 said:

Thanks man, is there any trick to doing the skirt legs? I remember I tried to do that on a normal size frog once and it was a serious PITA. 

 

Yes.  Get a pair of these babies and it's a breeze.  

Tie a knot in the middle, push these through the leg holes and grab a "foot" and push/pull it through both holes at once.  Also a dab of spit seems to really help too.  

[Master Bait'r]

Spun up a couple freshies for the weekend.  

 

Finally figured out the right way to make a lake fork trailer hook work as a single frog hook too.  I've used it a few times and it definitely helps snagging.  May have to add some suspendots to put some weight back in it but it works well.  

 

 

[Sam]

On ‎7‎/‎10‎/‎2016 at 6:41 PM, Catt said:

Seriously!

I've filed for copyright infringement!

I've been working on this for 4 or 5 months...well one of sons has been.

After everything I've taught about the effectiveness of Texas Rigs & Jigs he loves top water lures!

Especially small top water lures, when I'll throw a 1/4 oz buzzbait he'll throw an 1/8 oz.

This year I set him up with my frog rod & the next week he had a 4 1/2" H2O Xpress Frog.

His setup is a Shimano CI100DSV 6.2:1, Shimano Crucial 6' 10" medium heavy xtra fast, spooled with 15# Power Pro.

Those Academy frogs are outstanding!

[Catt]

1 hour ago, Sam said:

Those Academy frogs are outstanding!

I like em just fine!

[Master Bait'r]

We don't have any BPS or Academy locations.  One Cabelas in Hartford, a Gander Mtn in Kingston, and few DSGs scattered around WMass.  

 

Its sad.  Finding a good Mom & Pop with more than a few bobbers is even harder.

[Catt]

Academy does sell online