Teckel Sprinker Frog & Hookups?

[TxHawgs]

I keep telling myself when I buy a new bait ONLY buy ONE. So I recently bought 3 of these when I came across some at my local shop cuz of the hype when they came out. Well yesterday I took one to the proving grounds, Lake x. Aka my buddies pond in TX lol. Well after 5 or 6 blow ups and not tying into one for a sec I tied on a white spinnerbait and went to work. 50lb braid heavy action rod. And I can't remember the last time I lost or missed a regular frog fish. First cpl fish I gave them a sec to feel weight before setting hook like I do on reg frogs and nothing. Then I just steady retrieved it, fish would blow up never felt a thing with both giving them time and not. So what's the deal, am I doing something wrong or is it the frog?

[d-camarena]

I havent had any problems. Same catch ratio as any other frog

[Cgolf]

I have only used the homemade version, in the time I used it, it seemed like they were hitting the paddle tail and never getting to the hooks. Had 15 hits and only managed 1 pike on it. Not sure how to get around that issue, maybe using it some more would help me figure it out. For what it's worth I got most of my hits fishing it like a plopper. 

[TxHawgs]

18 minutes ago, cgolf said:

I have only used the homemade version, in the time I used it, it seemed like they were hitting the paddle tail and never getting to the hooks. Had 15 hits and only managed 1 pike on it. Not sure how to get around that issue, maybe using it some more would help me figure it out. For what it's worth I got most of my hits fishing it like a plopper. 

That seems to be what was happening to me, and all my blow ups came on a steady retrieve.

[tcbass]

Had horrible luck with the original Teckel Sprinker Frog. Like 20 bites and only 1 fish caught which a northern. Had some spectacular blow ups though. Note: I did bend the hooks of mine up, didn't appear to change anything.

 

 

However, on my Spro 65 Homemade Teckel Sprinker Frog had an almost 100% catch ratio on hits and only lost a few. 

 

My homemade frog has a real Teckel Sprinker Frog tail, so maybe the tail is not the problem. 

[webertime]

Haven't missed anymore fish on them vs any other frog.  You are fishing them differently than a regular frog, adjust your hookset...  ie you have slack in the line on a regular frog and you twitch it in.   Sprinkers have no slack and it's a straight retrieve, try not pausing as long before swinging for the fences.

[rippin-lips]

Bend the hooks up, just like they suggest doing on other frogs. 

[TxHawgs]

1 hour ago, webertime said:

Haven't missed anymore fish on them vs any other frog.  You are fishing them differently than a regular frog, adjust your hookset...  ie you have slack in the line on a regular frog and you twitch it in.   Sprinkers have no slack and it's a straight retrieve, try not pausing as long before swinging for the fences.

I'm just reeling it in they blow up and I never feel any weight. They are completely missing it I guess. And these r 4 and 5lb fish so there not too small to eat it.

[Bluebasser86]

I've only missed 1 bite on mine so far, and that was because the fish hit it so hard it knocked it a few feet up in the air. I caught it the next cast back to the same spot. Hookup ratio has been excellent and I didn't even bend the hooks. 

[TxHawgs]

On 10/25/2017 at 12:40 AM, Bluebasser86 said:

I've only missed 1 bite on mine so far, and that was because the fish hit it so hard it knocked it a few feet up in the air. I caught it the next cast back to the same spot. Hookup ratio has been excellent and I didn't even bend the hooks. 

On a steady retrieve? Maybe they were just short striking mine that day.

[Montanaro]

Last couple years ive fished topwaters over pads/duckweed/cheese almost every single weekend.

 

From my experience there are days where bass will NOT inhale the lure.  They simply strike it with their nose out of aggression.  Ive seen multipound bass fly completely out of water and never have their mouth open.  It is usually a fishery wide phenomenon for the day/weekend.

 

2 options.  Speeeed up and downsize...or slow down with punching or twitching soft jerkbaits and letting them flutter into holes.

 

So...it isnt the frog or your hooksetting.  Its simply the fish.

[Bluebasser86]

29 minutes ago, TxHawgs said:

On a steady retrieve? Maybe they were just short striking mine that day.

Yes, they were crushing it and getting it good every time I fished it.

[TxHawgs]

4 hours ago, Montanaro said:

Last couple years ive fished topwaters over pads/duckweed/cheese almost every single weekend.

 

From my experience there are days where bass will NOT inhale the lure.  They simply strike it with their nose out of aggression.  Ive seen multipound bass fly completely out of water and never have their mouth open.  It is usually a fishery wide phenomenon for the day/weekend.

 

2 options.  Speeeed up and downsize...or slow down with punching or twitching soft jerkbaits and letting them flutter into holes.

 

So...it isnt the frog or your hooksetting.  Its simply the fish.

I agree w this and it makes total sense. Thanks man.

[tcbass]

5 hours ago, Montanaro said:

Last couple years ive fished topwaters over pads/duckweed/cheese almost every single weekend.

 

From my experience there are days where bass will NOT inhale the lure.  They simply strike it with their nose out of aggression.  Ive seen multipound bass fly completely out of water and never have their mouth open.  It is usually a fishery wide phenomenon for the day/weekend.

 

2 options.  Speeeed up and downsize...or slow down with punching or twitching soft jerkbaits and letting them flutter into holes.

 

So...it isnt the frog or your hooksetting.  Its simply the fish.

 

I've gotten some fantastic blowups that resulted in no fish and I think this is what you're talking about. 

 

If this happens next time I think I will switch to my homemade Teckel Frog and see if I can catch them. 

[Bluebasser86]

7 hours ago, TxHawgs said:

On a steady retrieve? Maybe they were just short striking mine that day.

This is a few of the fish I caught with one my first time out with it.