Need Reccomendations for Heavy braid Frog, topwater combo

[AlTheFisherman313]

Hey guys,

 

Was looking for a baitcaster option under $300.00 that's gonna work out well for frogs and topwater.

 

I was gonna really only use this rod for frogs, but I dont believe in buying 1 pole for just 1 job so some versatility would be nice, however I need something that is accurate and can handle big braid for the cover I plan on using this in.

 

The last stipulation is the baitcaster has to be a left retrieve. I grew up on spinning tackle and the left retrieve becoming prevalent was the only way I was able to love using a baitcaster. I hate the hand switch of a traditional baitcaster.

 

What do you guys have for me haha? Also, dont be afraid to mention a cheap combo, as long as its a good combo, because this rig isnt gonna be a bread and butter rig, more so a situational rod, so not spending the full 300.00 would be fantastic, however I dont want a piece of garbage either.

[ike8120]

Your start looking at the Dobyns series. I have a Fury 735C this is what fit into my budget, the Champion series are supposed to be excellent rods.

 

 

[redmeansdistortion]

Abu 4601 C4.  Holds plenty of 50lb or 65lb braid and retrieves 30 inches per turn.  Only drawbacks are its weight and it doesn't palm easy if you have smaller hands.  If you have Sasquatch hands like me, it's no problem.  You can find them on eBay new for under $100 on sale, otherwise they go for $140 to $150.  I see you're close to me, I have a 4600 (righty) I can let you test out to see how you like it.  

[johnD.]

A frog rod is not the same rod you want to throw topwater baits with trebles on. A frog rod can double as a paddle tail swimbait rod or swim jig rod.

Tatula CT sells for less than $100 on ebay. A Tatula 7'4 Frog rod sells for $169. I'd highly recommend both.

50 lb braid. If you're not a daiwa fan , I'd suggest a Curado K and a St.Croix Bass X 7'4 Heavy.

[d-camarena]

Ive been using a daiwa airdx 7ft heavy with a fuego reel. Awesome and cheap

[MN Fisher]

14 minutes ago, d-camarena said:

Ive been using a daiwa airdx 7ft heavy with a fuego reel. Awesome and cheap

Exact same setup I have.

[flat]

I use a Revo Toro 51 with a St. Croix 76 Heavy telescopic for slop, it's also my light musky and flathead rod. 

[flyfisher]

I have a dobyns fury 734C ( i think anyways) paired with an older citicaE model that is my dedicated frog set up.  I use it only for frogs because i throw it with braid and the other things i would use a heavy power rod on I prefer flouro or copolymer.

[Matt_3479]

I’d probably go for a dobyns fury or Sierra 735, or a st. Croix mojo bass 7’4” heavy paired with a curado k 7 or 8 gear ratio.

[WRB]

Frog rod it's to beat Irod IRG754F Freds Magic stick and it's versitile for small swimbaits, wake baits big deep crank baits, about &150.

Tom

 

[bwjay]

On 6/11/2019 at 7:56 AM, johnD. said:

A frog rod is not the same rod you want to throw topwater baits with trebles on. A frog rod can double as a paddle tail swimbait rod or swim jig rod.

Tatula CT sells for less than $100 on ebay. A Tatula 7'4 Frog rod sells for $169. I'd highly recommend both.

50 lb braid. If you're not a daiwa fan , I'd suggest a Curado K and a St.Croix Bass X 7'4 Heavy.

Why wouldn't one want to throw topwater lures with trebles on a frog rod? From what I understand, a frog rod is a fairly stout rod with a fast tip, stout to pull fish out of cover and fast for walking and good hooksets. Walking frogs and topwaters is done the same way. So... why not one rod for both applications?

[ResoKP]

17 minutes ago, bwjay said:

Why wouldn't one want to throw topwater lures with trebles on a frog rod? From what I understand, a frog rod is a fairly stout rod with a fast tip, stout to pull fish out of cover and fast for walking and good hooksets. Walking frogs and topwaters is done the same way. So... why not one rod for both applications?

"topwater" refers to lures like poppers, spooks, etc. You'll rip those treble hooks out of the fish with an overpowering frog rod. Topwater and frogs are two completely different categories. I'm guessing OP isn't using the term "topwater" correctly because I can't imagine anyone would want to use a 7'2"-7'6" H to XF frog rod for a popper...

 

OP, get the new Megabass Levante Perfect Pitch for your frogging & other heavy applications. I have the Orochi XX PP and if the actions are similar (which I'm guessing they are) it's a great frog rod & very versatile for many other applications.

[bwjay]

25 minutes ago, ResoKP said:

"topwater" refers to lures like poppers, spooks, etc. You'll rip those treble hooks out of the fish with an overpowering frog rod. Topwater and frogs are two completely different categories. I'm guessing OP isn't using the term "topwater" correctly because I can't imagine anyone would want to use a 7'2"-7'6" H to XF frog rod for a popper...

 

OP, get the new Megabass Levante Perfect Pitch for your frogging & other heavy applications. I have the Orochi XX PP and if the actions are similar (which I'm guessing they are) it's a great frog rod & very versatile for many other applications.

Ah yeah, I just did some reading and found that people suggest a more moderate action for trebles. I think a heavy power would be fine for big topwater baits as long as you could walk them properly, but an extra fast tip would be a little too fast I think. Good point.

[Tizi]

I use an Exage 7’2” Heavy with SLX 7.2:1 reel

[AlTheFisherman313]

To answer everyone’s question I meant like frogs or a Whopper plopper in a large size. I fish poppers on a spinning rod haha. The popper would throw a title wave. I just assumed I could use buzz, prop, spooks and frogs on one rod. The spook would probably be the hardest. I know the frog rods are heavy and the main reason I wanted to have one is some of my lures are super heavy where I’m throwing them light to not snap my tip off. Granted you don’t have to really use the rod to get a lure that size out a small flick sends it a mile, I’m just sure eventually one of these days I’m gonna get excited and peg a long cast and kill the rod I’m using my big top waters on now. A lot of the frog rods I see have lure weights to like 1-1and1/2oz lure ratings. Plus I assumed with usually throwing top water near coverage a pole could be versatile enough to do both? Again not a popper or a smaller top water, but bigger stuff I might work near cover and get pulled into the said cover lol. 

 

If im describing a rod that doesn’t exist please tell me!

 

within the last 5 years my angling skills got to a point where I need intermediate-higher equipment, and a minimum of 3 rods each trip haha. I was fishing with spinning reels and mono until my buddy, got a boat and he brought me up to speed braid wasn’t garbage anymore and they sell lh baitcasters now! Believe it or not the hand switch is what would mess me up. I have maybe had 1 birds nest a year since switching to lh baitcasters and it’s always because I did something dumb, or me having a setting just ever so off on a windy day It screws me. They are a blast to throw once you get them down and I love it for throwing into cover and being able to drop that lure exactly where it needs to be. Believe it or not you can do this in a similar way on a short spinning reel. My uncle taught me to pitch and flip on a spinning reel years ago haha! I obviously don’t do that now unless I have a follow up and am using a spinning reel.

 

plus I should mention living in Michigan, I’m just as excited to land a pike as a bass, so I’m not sure if I can have anything too flimsy, my buddy just broke his medium st. Croix on a 38 inch angry angry pike lol. Although that rod was old, and that pike was big for the bass waters we usually fish. I will tell you he was not happy to be hooked. Figure 8s like he won the Daytona 500. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Skunkd]

Just picked up a Dobyns Sierra 705c and put a Curado K XG as a ( mostly) dedicated frog rod for the kayak. Total price $350.00 Loving the combo. Its my first Dobyns rod and from what I've read the Sierra series fishes a little slower than the other series. For me, its got the perfect balance of power and tip. About 80% - 20%. Enough tip to chuck frogs deep into the junk and work the frog and plenty of backbone to horse em out of there. The Curado is rock solid, smooth with plenty of drag. Haven't thrown anything but frogs yet but plan to see how it handles jigs, swimbaits. Good luck with the search

[AlTheFisherman313]

4 hours ago, fishnbear said:

Just picked up a Dobyns Sierra 705c and put a Curado K XG as a ( mostly) dedicated frog rod for the kayak. Total price $350.00 Loving the combo. Its my first Dobyns rod and from what I've read the Sierra series fishes a little slower than the other series. For me, its got the perfect balance of power and tip. About 80% - 20%. Enough tip to chuck frogs deep into the junk and work the frog and plenty of backbone to horse em out of there. The Curado is rock solid, smooth with plenty of drag. Haven't thrown anything but frogs yet but plan to see how it handles jigs, swimbaits. Good luck with the search

Nice! One of my next fishing purchases is a kayak, there are just some spots you can’t take a boat. Is landing a big boy as intimidating as I think it will be the first time in a kayak? Or if I get a wider more stable kayak not so much? 

 

And tight lines with the new combo brother! 

[michaelb]

1 hour ago, AlTheFisherman313 said:

Nice! One of my next fishing purchases is a kayak, there are just some spots you can’t take a boat. Is landing a big boy as intimidating as I think it will be the first time in a kayak? Or if I get a wider more stable kayak not so much? 

 

And tight lines with the new combo brother! 

If by "big boy" you mean pike, then yes they are. I often take my time when the pike is next to the boat in the hope that they may just throw the lure out on their own and I don't have to deal with trying to pick it up. A large pike with a mouth full of trebles between your legs can be challenging (I avoid or remove trebles from lures).

 

But large bass can be easier. they have a bigger mouth and so more room to get your thumb in there and grab them.

[AlTheFisherman313]

8 hours ago, michaelb said:

If by "big boy" you mean pike, then yes they are. I often take my time when the pike is next to the boat in the hope that they may just throw the lure out on their own and I don't have to deal with trying to pick it up. A large pike with a mouth full of trebles between your legs can be challenging (I avoid or remove trebles from lures).

 

But large bass can be easier. they have a bigger mouth and so more room to get your thumb in there and grab them.

Absolutely, I was more concerned with a huge pike or even a musky when I’m up north. I think I’m gonna end up getting a kayak trolling motor hybrid that’s a stand up caster as well. I know I have to register it as a boat, but I think it would be great for river fishing and shallows. Otherwise we usually fish off a 16 foot Boston whaler.... and a dingy for a secret drain spot you can’t get back in anything else lol. Obviously a dedicated bass boat would be great, but I’m 28 a real boat will come to me when I earn it! 

 

Plus I will say you could fish off really almost any boat with better results than shore in my personal opinion. Being able to work along the weed beds and not threw them is productive and less frustrating 

[FishingGeekTX]

I love my current frog setup more than my other more expensive combos, and have fished it a lot this year (in some areas, all day long) with good success.  Lots of casting, walking, popping, bomb casts and the unfortunate sometimes winching through weeds.

 

Lews Superduty Speed Spool LFS SDG1XHF

8:3:1 - bigger drag, spool, braid friendly, big handle.  Spools 12 lbs at 150 yards (!).  And still a pretty light reel.

 

And for you they appear to have a left retrieve at 8:3:1 : SDG1XHLF

 

Dobyn's Fury Frog Rod: FR735C

 

That's right at $300 for the pair.

Most any stout rod and $70 reel would function, so much of it is confidence/enthusiasm.    You say situational, but this year I find myself trying to find areas to throw it because I've enjoyed it so much...that and the topwater bite is just so fun   Suddenly I'm fishing nights from the bank just to get in those weeds.

 

[AlTheFisherman313]

On 6/14/2019 at 11:30 AM, FishingGeekTX said:

I love my current frog setup more than my other more expensive combos, and have fished it a lot this year (in some areas, all day long) with good success.  Lots of casting, walking, popping, bomb casts and the unfortunate sometimes winching through weeds.

 

Lews Superduty Speed Spool LFS SDG1XHF

8:3:1 - bigger drag, spool, braid friendly, big handle.  Spools 12 lbs at 150 yards (!).  And still a pretty light reel.

 

And for you they appear to have a left retrieve at 8:3:1 : SDG1XHLF

 

Dobyn's Fury Frog Rod: FR735C

 

That's right at $300 for the pair.

Most any stout rod and $70 reel would function, so much of it is confidence/enthusiasm.    You say situational, but this year I find myself trying to find areas to throw it because I've enjoyed it so much...that and the topwater bite is just so fun   Suddenly I'm fishing nights from the bank just to get in those weeds.

 

That actually looks like a setup I may run with. I’m at a point where I try to fish topwater and plan my times and trips according to it. 

 

Growing up in michigan fishing for pike and musky, as well as going deep sea fishing for tuna in San Diego 5 times and lots of trips to the kelp beds when bass fishing I try to make it as exciting as possible. Plus in my experience I may catch less fish with top water, but they are usually bigger! 

 

Like I said earlier if I could go out and throw frogs, spooks, ploppers and poppers all day and be productive that’s my dream fishing day. Nothing beats watching your bait get hammered haha. 

 

Granted you can’t always get what you want, so I obviously still throw soft plastics and sub surface lures, spinners all that stuff too, I just prefer top water. 

[Phil77]

I use a gen 2 Revo SX on an ugly stick lite pro 7 ft rod with 50lb powerpro for frogs. Laugh all you want but that $35 dollar rod works very well. Most any 7 to 7'3 medium rod paired with the line and reel of your choice will work for top water.  

[FishingGeekTX]

16 hours ago, AlTheFisherman313 said:

That actually looks like a setup I may run with. I’m at a point where I try to fish topwater and plan my times and trips according to it. 

Granted you can’t always get what you want, so I obviously still throw soft plastics and sub surface lures, spinners all that stuff too, I just prefer top water. 

I'm at that point right now as well.  Got back into bass fishing due to a magical one hour of casting a popper and having large bass slam it every other cast.  Some old rod/reel I was just casting at a resort for fun in the evening to get some casts in.  I was like "why haven't I been doing this as a hobby!?!"  Last guided trip the guy said we'll do topwater all morning, I was thrilled!  Caught my PB on that trip, on topwater...good fun.

 

If you're looking to throw other lures on it (other topwater or any, etc.), I'd go with a more generic MH or at most, heavy rod if you already have some good MH rods, with a good all-around reel, because that heavy frog rod with heavy braid isn't as fun with other lures/conditions.  If it doubles for lighter lures always, I might just put 40# braid on a MH and enjoy the versatility of being able to tie on any lure and fish it decently.  I don't enjoy fishing other lures on that heavy combo.  While I love all my (excessive) dedicated combos, I love the MH/nice reel combos the most.  They almost always end up double duty on trips that I only take a few rods, and they never make me feel like I'm giving up much.

 

Best of luck on getting that topwater bite!

[AlTheFisherman313]

On 6/15/2019 at 10:34 PM, Phil77 said:

I use a gen 2 Revo SX on an ugly stick lite pro 7 ft rod with 50lb powerpro for frogs. Laugh all you want but that $35 dollar rod works very well. Most any 7 to 7'3 medium rod paired with the line and reel of your choice will work for top water.  

Trust me, top water takes out a lot of the need for an ultra sensitive rod haha. I mean just watch and depending on the lure either set or pause and set lol. I’m more worried about backbone and lure weight because I like to cover water and bomb casts with frogs or top waters 

 

On 6/16/2019 at 12:28 PM, FishingGeekTX said:

I'm at that point right now as well.  Got back into bass fishing due to a magical one hour of casting a popper and having large bass slam it every other cast.  Some old rod/reel I was just casting at a resort for fun in the evening to get some casts in.  I was like "why haven't I been doing this as a hobby!?!"  Last guided trip the guy said we'll do topwater all morning, I was thrilled!  Caught my PB on that trip, on topwater...good fun.

 

If you're looking to throw other lures on it (other topwater or any, etc.), I'd go with a more generic MH or at most, heavy rod if you already have some good MH rods, with a good all-around reel, because that heavy frog rod with heavy braid isn't as fun with other lures/conditions.  If it doubles for lighter lures always, I might just put 40# braid on a MH and enjoy the versatility of being able to tie on any lure and fish it decently.  I don't enjoy fishing other lures on that heavy combo.  While I love all my (excessive) dedicated combos, I love the MH/nice reel combos the most.  They almost always end up double duty on trips that I only take a few rods, and they never make me feel like I'm giving up much.

 

Best of luck on getting that topwater bite!

I was thinking about that, I’m not sure if I would even need the 50-60 pound braid people use. I don’t ever fish in areas that thick? I live in Michigan so maybe it depends on your area and whatnot. Out bass here are small. I’m on this forum acting as a bass angler, but I’m multi-species haha don’t tell anyone. It’s hard not to be given the lakes we have here. Bass inland or in canals, pike everywhere, panfish, salmon, trout.... I could go on, but I basically target what’s biting good, but often go bass fishing, because of the size of the boat I have access to is small so st Clair has to be flat if we wanna fish real waters lol. You can do it, but on a choppy day no way, or when a freighter passes ?. Up north is a whole other ball game. Musky live in slow running wide rivers up there, you could catch them with an aluminum boat all day no motors or a wide kayak. 

[AlTheFisherman313]

 

Also, with all our species it makes me hesitant than to do more than 200-300 for a combo. To successfully fish our state you would need a room of poles so versatility is a big thing for me. I use unconventional set-ups in the first place. My two main go to rods for the areas I fish due to the prevalence of medium sized pike and minimal weeds are my two medium fast 7 footers with SPINNING reels. 1 with 10 pound braid to a leader the other with 15 or 20 depending on which pole I’m using. They just max out at 1oz lures and about 20 pounds of braid. I have 3 bait casters also, but I used spinners since I was 9-25 and I’m only 29 now. I’m actually just as accurate with both assuming It’s not ridiculously far or skipping under a tree or something I opt for what I feel comfortable with.

 

I just hear the pros talk about this magical medium heavy heavy frog rod, and how they run 40-65 pound braid and they pull hogs from weeds and grass, I’m just not sure what is considered overkill in my area. 

 

I also, got a new musky setup this month so I’m starting to question when would this specific of a rod be needed? Is it a southern lake thing where the beds are that thick? Or am I not throwing my lures into the right areas haha? I catch 12-16 bass all day sometimes 18 inches maybe that’s why I’ll never ever catch a big bass again haha maybe you only get one massive bass in Michigan per lifetime.