Hollow Body Frog Set Up

[Tizi]

I have read a bunch of information about frogging.  It is my understanding, a heavy rod and reel with a good/heavy drag and 50lb braid are key components.  I have read conflicting info about the reel speed either fast 8:1 or slow 5:1, some say fast to pick up line, others say slow to get torque.   I have a 7'6" Heavy/Fast rod and either a 8:1 reel or 5:1 reel (the 8:1 is a Johnny Morris Carbonlite 2.0 and 5:1 is a Shimano Bantam Magnumlite 1500 with fighting drag).  My questions are these:  first how easy is it to cast a hollow body frog with heavy rod and braid?  Secondly, what reel speed is recommended?  I have both.  The Shimano drag can be locked down to not move at all.

[Russ E]

The faster ratio works best for me, when frogging.

It should cast fine. 50lb braid is about the same diameter as most 12 pound mono. Plus it has no memory.

The torque argument in my opinion is ridiculous.  You fight fish with the rod. Not the reel.

For me,the only time reel torque makes a difference is with big lipped deep diving  crankbaits. The lower ratio takes strain off of your hand and wrist.

[Deleted account]

35 minutes ago, Tizi said:

 first how easy is it to cast a hollow body frog with heavy rod and braid?  Secondly, what reel speed is recommended? 

1. You want a rod with plenty power, but at the same time have a soft enough tip to cast the frog. The heavier the cover, the more rod you want. In open(ish) water (not sure why folks do this) you can get away with a MH most of the time.

 

2. I like a fast reel for frogging. A 6.3 (I know, it's not considered fast anymore) or 7.something works. If one insists on using a small reel with big braid and long casts (not sure why folks do this either), then an even faster reel will compensate for the silliness.

[GeekOutdoors]

I'm using a relatively cheap 6'10" H/F Team KVD paired with a Kastking Royale Legend Elite 8.1:1 spooled with 50lbs test braid. The rod is a little short as far a as a frog rod goes but fits the bill. Cast just shy of a country mile and it's more than enough for me. A longer rod would likely get me the full country mile cast but I don't feel I really need it. I have yet to hook a bass on a frog though, only hooked a pike.

[Heartland]

Torque is over-rated for frog fishing, as mentioned many times, you move a fish with your rod not the reel. As far  as IPT goes, you only need something fast enough to manage the slack line produced from working the frog.  

[Matt_3479]

I love my 7’4” heavy fast action rod! Plenty of power to wrench the big bass from logs and slop, yet the tip is soft enough to send a small 1/2oz jackal frog further then Ive ever been able to throw any frog before. Paired with a 7.1:1 gear ratio, plenty of speed to pick up the slack when walking the frog with short motion of the handle, and to be able to really pick up the slack quick to be able to pull the fish towards before it gets buried back in where it came from!! I wouldn’t go with any slower of a reel. Was debating on trying the 8.1:1 shimano bantam mgl this season on it! 

[Thomas Olson]

I personally found that casting lighter frogs around 1/2 oz. is difficult with a heavy action. The rod I was using just wasn’t meant for it. I personally found the a 7’0” MHF works well for me. I catch quite a few large bass and it seems to do just fine. I like using a reel 7.1:1 or faster. I use a Abu Garcia Revo SX. This max drag is 26lbs and stops everything in its tracks. But a heavier frog like a 5/8th is needed for a long cast. Short casts are a breeze tho. Hope this helps

[GeekOutdoors]

6 minutes ago, Thomas Olson said:

I personally found that casting lighter frogs around 1/2 oz. is difficult with a heavy action. The rod I was using just wasn’t meant for it. I personally found the a 7’0” MHF works well for me. I catch quite a few large bass and it seems to do just fine. I like using a reel 7.1:1 or faster. I use a Abu Garcia Revo SX. This max drag is 26lbs and stops everything in its tracks. But a heavier frog like a 5/8th is needed for a long cast. Short casts are a breeze tho. Hope this helps

Good point ! My setup backlashes with frogs under 5/8oz. 5/8 and 3/4 are fine so that's what I'm using

[the reel ess]

For the reel, I say FAST. You'll be using the rod for the lever. Then you'll need to take the slack line up fast. The idea is to get the bass to the surface, then ski it across the surface. I use a Lew's Tournament MB reel with 7.5:1 retrieve, but 8:1 would be even better. There are plenty of technique specific rods out there. I use the Cabela's Tournament XC 7'3" heavy frog model, but I think that line has been discontinued, probably because of overlap with BPS rods. Casting the frog is no problem with 50# braid. I usually use a Booyah Pad Crasher and this combo will bomb it out there. I usually don't cast it that far though. You really want to be dragging the bass up out of the mat, not horizontally through it, if you can help it. I fish from a kayak, so I can paddle right into the mat and reach my targets.

 

There's really no need to cast light frogs. Dinks will eat the standard size Pad Crasher.

[new2BC4bass]

On 1/3/2019 at 10:57 AM, Tizi said:

I have read a bunch of information about frogging.  It is my understanding, a heavy rod and reel with a good/heavy drag and 50lb braid are key components.  I have read conflicting info about the reel speed either fast 8:1 or slow 5:1, some say fast to pick up line, others say slow to get torque.   I have a 7'6" Heavy/Fast rod and either a 8:1 reel or 5:1 reel (the 8:1 is a Johnny Morris Carbonlite 2.0 and 5:1 is a Shimano Bantam Magnumlite 1500 with fighting drag).  My questions are these:  first how easy is it to cast a hollow body frog with heavy rod and braid?  Secondly, what reel speed is recommended?  I have both.  The Shimano drag can be locked down to not move at all.

Easy.  Naturally the rod and its lure rating is going to determine which weights to use.  For my dedicated frog rod I bought the Tatula 7'4" which is rated 1/2-2 oz.  As you might guess....it doesn't launch a 1/2 oz. hollow-bodied frog.  Rod currently has 60# braid on it and does okay with 1/2 oz., but much better with a 5/8 oz. frog.

 

Never having fished frogs before, I went with the opinions of the majority and currently have a 7.0:1 reel on it.  Specifically a Curado 201E7.  Going to see how the 60# works out, but thinking I may drop down to 50# braid in a few years when it needs replacing.

20 minutes ago, Thomas Olson said:

I personally found that casting lighter frogs around 1/2 oz. is difficult with a heavy action. The rod I was using just wasn’t meant for it. I personally found the a 7’0” MHF works well for me. I catch quite a few large bass and it seems to do just fine. I like using a reel 7.1:1 or faster. I use a Abu Garcia Revo SX. This max drag is 26lbs and stops everything in its tracks. But a heavier frog like a 5/8th is needed for a long cast. Short casts are a breeze tho. Hope this helps

I'm thinking you mean Heavy power.    And yeah, I would be using a MH rod for 1/2 oz. if it wasn't for throwing back into lily pads and other garbage.

[ChrisD46]

A decent budget hollow body frog set up :

 

*Dobyns FR 735c rod

*Daiwa Fuego CT 8:1 gear ratio casting reel

*Power Pro #50 lb. Braid

*Booyah Pad Crasher Frog

 

 

[Matt_3479]

It’s crazy to see how many people have a problem throwing a 1/2oz frog. I never thought of it before cause up until last year I always threw a 5/8 or heavier. But this year I started fishing the loomis imx pro 884 twfr (top water frog rod) rated for 3/8-3/4oz which is there lighter frog rod and it bombs those 1/2oz frogs and is perfect rod! Balance is great, still a heavy power rod so loads of back bone, light to be able to fish all day without getting tired! My favorite frog has become the 1/2oz jackal karea frog. My hook up ratio’s have gone way up since I started fishing that frog

[Junger]

25 minutes ago, Matt_3479 said:

It’s crazy to see how many people have a problem throwing a 1/2oz frog.

I don't think it's that crazy tbh. Finding the right frog rod with heavy/MagH power with a fast/xfast and soft tip isn't easy to do (those are my preferred attributes). I'd say I still haven't found the perfect frog rod for myself yet.

 

Also when jig fishing, a rod may be rated 1/2 to 1.5oz and then people throw on a 3/8oz jig and add a trailer and then bombing it with a total weight of 7/8oz. When throwing frogs, it's going to be a true 1/2oz lure so it's not always apples to apples comparing jig to frog fishing when considering the same rod.

 

 

[fishwizzard]

If I could take an iRod Fred’s Magic Stick and, while retaining it’s power/taper, shrink it down to like 6’8” or even 6’6” I would have my ideal frog rod.  

 

Right now I am using the Fred’s and a MB Hyuga 72h for frogs/toads.  The Hyuga is a XH/R rod and while the tip is not at all suited to walking anthing, the hookup to landing ratio with it is off the charts.  

[Matt_3479]

1 hour ago, Junger said:

I don't think it's that crazy tbh. Finding the right frog rod with heavy/MagH power with a fast/xfast and soft tip isn't easy to do (those are my preferred attributes). I'd say I still haven't found the perfect frog rod for myself yet.

 

I just didn’t realize it I guess. I never had a true frog set up and when I was shopping last year I wasn’t lookin so much at the lure rating as I was for feel and opinions. When I purchased the 884c twfr I picked up multiple frogs in the 5/8-3/4oz weights. When I was struggling to get hook ups I went out and bought 4-5 different brands, in 2-3 different colours and one was the 1/2oz jackall keara. At time of purchase I noticed it was small and was thinking maybe it could help. It has quickly become my favorite frog, soft, increadibly sharp and durable. I haven’t had a single issue on the 1/2oz frogs so i never realized the lighter frogs were issues for most rods. 

[Jcj90]

7 hours ago, ChrisD46 said:

A decent budget hollow body frog set up :

 

*Dobyns FR 735c rod

*Daiwa Fuego CT 8:1 gear ratio casting reel

*Power Pro #50 lb. Braid

*Booyah Pad Crasher Frog

 

 

I fish this exact setup except my reel is a 7:1. It’s also a great jig rod. Highly recommend this rod and reel

[FishTank]

I use a Daiwa Zillion 7.3 to 1 and a 7' Heavy fast G. Loomis 844C IMX with 50lb braid.

[new2BC4bass]

7 hours ago, Matt_3479 said:

It’s crazy to see how many people have a problem throwing a 1/2oz frog. I never thought of it before cause up until last year I always threw a 5/8 or heavier. But this year I started fishing the loomis imx pro 884 twfr (top water frog rod) rated for 3/8-3/4oz which is there lighter frog rod and it bombs those 1/2oz frogs and is perfect rod! Balance is great, still a heavy power rod so loads of back bone, light to be able to fish all day without getting tired! My favorite frog has become the 1/2oz jackal karea frog. My hook up ratio’s have gone way up since I started fishing that frog

It's all in the rod.  I have a 7'6" MH rated 3/8-1 1/4 oz. that won't cast a 1/2 oz. spinnerbait (which we all know weighs more) any further than my 7'4" HF rated 1/2-2 oz. will cast a 1/2 oz. frog (which is closer to 1/2 oz.).  Maybe not as far.

 

A known frog fisherman on another forum mentioned to me that he prefers the 1/2 oz. size frogs to the bigger sizes.  He gets more strikes.  I will try the 1/2 oz. Jackall Keara.  Thanks.

[ike8120]

I bought a Dobyns FR735C and mating it with Diawa Fuego CT 8.1:1 gear ratio and Power Pro 50# braid. 

[CroakHunter]

15 hours ago, ChrisD46 said:

A decent budget hollow body frog set up :

 

*Dobyns FR 735c rod

*Daiwa Fuego CT 8:1 gear ratio casting reel

*Power Pro #50 lb. Braid

*Booyah Pad Crasher Frog

 

 

This is my frog, vegetation, heavy jig set up. Absolutely love it. Even throws the small keara frog nicely

[MIbassyaker]

I fish frogs with 2 rods: an older 7'0" H-MF Fenwick HMX, and a current gen 7'5" MH-F Fenwick Aetos. I'm pretty sure neither of these was designed as a frogging rod -- the Aetos was designed for C-rigs and swimjigs; the HMX maybe for flipping (?).  But they both work well for frogs -- powerful, but with enough tip to launch a 1/2oz frog. I have no complaints at least.

 

I expect eventually I'll buy a more frog-specific rod, but the ones I have both work well-enough for frogs that it's low-priority for now.

[mwh33]

I use a dobyns 746dx paired with a shimano exsence dc. For line I use either 65 lb suffix 832 braid or 60 lb sunline fx2.

[Heartland]

Gen 2 Revo Premier 6.4:1,   Falcon Cara Jason Christie Frog Rod.  50lb Sunline FX2 braid.