Toad hooks

[Drew03cmc]

I am looking for some input on hooks to toss my Horny Toads, Noisy Flappers, Rage Toads, etc on. I was just out with the Ribbit hook, which I keel weighted with lead wire and I caught 1 out of probably 25 to 30 strikes. Some of these were me just missing or striking early. Some had the hook and plenty of time, but did not drive into the fish. How do you rig them? I am using a 7'3 H Ethos with an older Okuma VS200 (new ceramics, carbontex, cleaned and serviced) on it with 50# Berkley X5. 

[rtwvumtneer6]

I throw them on a single swimbait hook with a screw lock.  If you want to stick with heavy gear you might want to look at the owner beast hooks.  

[Drew03cmc]

May try the 4/0 Beast hooks I already have.

[Junger]

46 minutes ago, Drew03cmc said:

May try the 4/0 Beast hooks I already have.

Those will work, I use 4/0 Owner Beast hooks, unweighted.

[OnthePotomac]

I use the double hooks for those baits since they are just like the hooks on the hollow belly frogs.

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/mustad-double-frog-hook

[BassNJake]

I also use the owner beast 4/0 unweighted hooks

[scaleface]

Ive been using the Ribbit too .  I probably have a 40 per cent  hook-up rate . The hooks I have been using  are some heavy flipping hooks and a Parasite clip   , I dont even know what size the hooks are but they were almost too long  . I'm going to try the Owner  screw lock hooks . What size for the standard Ribbit ?  I have heard 4.0 , 5.0 and 6.0 .

[Black Hawk Basser]

I use the Ribbit and just use a regular 4/0 EWG.  I do fine hooking up with that as long as I pause a second before setting.

[Hillbilly Bennett]

I like to use the Stanley Top toad hooks with any toad I throw. They are sharp and the ones with an 1/8 oz weight do really well with keeping the toad from turning over. 

Also, the screw lock is a must for any toad. 

[scaleface]

I have only used the Ribbit three times now but tried rigging it   several ways and styles of hooks . This has been the best way I discovered . I use the small size parasite clip , it works better than the large size   and these weird shaped hooks I bought  a long time ago . The point on them is pointed toward the eye .I dont know the size or manufacturer . 

[moguy1973]

I use a 1/16th or 3/32th weighted VMC 4/0 drop dead hook on mine, with the screw lock.  The weight keeps the toad upright with the hook facing up.  I don't miss many and they are usually hooked right in the top of the mouth.

[scaleface]

1 hour ago, moguy1973 said:

I use a 1/16th or 3/32th weighted VMC 4/0 drop dead hook on mine, with the screw lock.  The weight keeps the toad upright with the hook facing up.  I don't miss many and they are usually hooked right in the top of the mouth.

How does the weighted hook do on mats?

[Drew03cmc]

18 minutes ago, scaleface said:

How does the weighted hook do on mats?

Those weights are very slim and stay close to the hook, so they do great. I have some smaller drop dead hooks.

[FishingGeekTX]

Moguy1973 has the right idea IMO.   Weighted (small weight) screw.  

 

I fished a toad today after watching Glenn's video on toads, and he's correct, my Toad without a weight spun.  All I had was a heavier weight like the beast scre or vmc drop dead, so it was not ideal, but worked.  I opted instead to put the weightless one on, and put a split shot on the hook...ugly but worked.  Caught a nice bass on it today, lost both the split shot and the frog though

 

I would use the lightest weight you can, I don't think it takes much.

 

 

[RealtreeByGod]

I have a pack of Horny Toads I've never used except as chatterbait trailers, partly because my heaviest rods are both medium. Could a medium rod drive an Owner Beast centerlock?

[Junger]

11 minutes ago, RealtreeByGod said:

I have a pack of Horny Toads I've never used except as chatterbait trailers, partly because my heaviest rods are both medium. Could a medium rod drive an Owner Beast centerlock?

Yes, it should be about the same gauge as a chatterbait hook. It's when a fish digs into cover that you may have problems.

[Black Hawk Basser]

I fish Ribbits and other toads regularly with no weight, and they never "spin".  They are upside down often, but I don't see much disadvantage there.

[RealtreeByGod]

11 minutes ago, Junger said:

Yes, it should be about the same gauge as a chatterbait hook. It's when a fish digs into cover that you may have problems.

Chatterbait hooks are at least exposed though. 

[YoTone]

Owner double toad hooks is  what i use.

[Big Rick]

1 hour ago, RealtreeByGod said:

I have a pack of Horny Toads I've never used except as chatterbait trailers, partly because my heaviest rods are both medium. Could a medium rod drive an Owner Beast centerlock?

You really need a stout rod with a lot of backbone to drive those hooks home. Yes they are sharp. However, the diameter of these hooks is where the problem begins. If you don't have enough rod strength to hammer these hooks past the barb you will stick the fish, but only until he jumps and throws it back at you. That's because you don't have enough strength to drive the hook in past the BARB. Driving a hook thru the plastic and past the barb takes some real jacking with a stout rod. Any lesser hook will bend out and you lose the fish anyway. 

[Drew03cmc]

1 hour ago, Pickle_Power said:

I fish Ribbits and other toads regularly with no weight, and they never "spin".  They are upside down often, but I don't see much disadvantage there.

When upside down, they can pull the points out and pull weeds back to you. I don't know if my 3/32oz Twistlock Lights will handle 50lb braid and a Heavy rod. 

[BassNJake]

1 hour ago, FishingGeekTX said:

I would use the lightest weight you can, I don't think it takes much.

 

Only enough to weigh that side of the hook more so than the chunk of plastic on the other side.

 

The angle of retrieve sets the centerline on the bait, if more weight is above the centerline it will flip to the other side.

 

That is why a toad such as the Keitech Noisy flapper is designed so that this occurs less frequently.

It is also designed to accommodate a single or double hook

 

The problem with using a weighted hook is that you have to reel it faster to keep it on top.

I get the most bites when I am crawling the bait across the surface.

 

Now all of the above is just my opinion, however so far this year I have poured and used almost 75 toads.

Since, I began hand pouring my own version of keitech toads they never flip over because all of the weight is on the bottom side and the tops are completely flat because it is a hand pour.

 

The problem with the bait flipping over is when you hook the fish in the tongue it's a death sentence.

I rather gut hook a fish and be able to cut the hook than to hook one in the tongue

 

 

 

[moguy1973]

20 hours ago, scaleface said:

How does the weighted hook do on mats?

Yep, like they said above, it's a very slim small weight.  Just enough to flip the toad over when it lands to keep the hook point up.  The hooks aren't EWG so the weight almost fits up in the slit on the belly of the horny toads and doesn't catch on much if anything at all.

17 hours ago, BassNJake said:

 

The problem with using a weighted hook is that you have to reel it faster to keep it on top.

I get the most bites when I am crawling the bait across the surface.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 1/16thoz VMC drop deads isn't that much more weight and it really doesn't make the horny toads sink that much faster.  I can still reel it pretty slow across the top of the water although I usually use a 7:1 or faster retrieve reel with top water baits.  I really want to try the new Zoom Frogs as they are a lot more buoyant than the horny toads and supposedly a lot more durable. 

[Drew03cmc]

4 hours ago, moguy1973 said:

Yep, like they said above, it's a very slim small weight.  Just enough to flip the toad over when it lands to keep the hook point up.  The hooks aren't EWG so the weight almost fits up in the slit on the belly of the horny toads and doesn't catch on much if anything at all.

The 1/16thoz VMC drop deads isn't that much more weight and it really doesn't make the horny toads sink that much faster.  I can still reel it pretty slow across the top of the water although I usually use a 7:1 or faster retrieve reel with top water baits.  I really want to try the new Zoom Frogs as they are a lot more buoyant than the horny toads and supposedly a lot more durable. 

Jim, Damiki Air Frogs have an air pocket in them so they float and they require a 6/0 Beast. They're massive, but they garner massive strikes. I'd love to see a Meramec smallie engulf one.