Frog blowups, too many misses

[FishingMN]

I have frog fished quite a bit over lillypads in the past and done ok, but on a recent outing I had about 10 missed blowups in a row!  It was sunny and windy and I was fishing in the heavier/denser lillypads.  I had a new lunkerhunter (although i usually use spro) frog on that was smaller, popping, and i had shortened the tail significantly to try to increase hits, but it didn't seem to help. I was moving the frog very slow and pausing for up to 3 seconds in the tiny spaces between pads.  Even odder I could throw back to the same spot and get another blowup or even a 3rd blowup from the same fish!  I tried throwing a texas rigged creature in but they didn't take it. It was to far back and a bit to thick to throw a followup worm I think.

 

What can i do to increase hookup to blow up ratio?  Was it the bright sunlight that caused bad aim?  The blowups weren't small, so i don't think it was just small fish. Were the bass just trying to knock the frog into the water for a second hit?  Did i make it worse by shortening the frog legs?

 

I can't help but imagine how the fishing trip would have been so much better if even 25% of the blowups results in a catch!  How can I convert that interest by the bass into an actual catch??

[MBB Nate]

Take a pair of pliers and bend the hooks out and back just a little bit to open them up a bit.  Dont go too much or you'll start getting hung up.

[Sam]

In addition to the hook trick above, remember you have to allow the bass to put the frog in its mouth which will take about 2 to 3 seconds before setting the hook.

 

Sometimes the bass will hit the frog to try to kill it and not take it in their mouth. When this happens, throw a wacky rigged unweighted Senko to the spot where you have the frog strike. The bass, thinking it injured the frog and if still in the area, may hit the Senko.

[jr231]

Are they taking your frog completely under ? If so then it's a gear issue (line, rod, lure) . Im going to assume they were just smacking your frog... Happens alot. You had the right idea by throwing the creature bait IMO. You located the bass ! That's the hardest part. 

 

Next time try a WEIGHTLESS plastic like a senko or a menace and drag it across the top and let it fall in those pockets. The weight from your T-rig could have been the issue since they were hitting the top water but not when you had the weighted creature. 

 

Edit : Sam beat me to it, but I wouldn't throw the senko wacky since you're fishing over the pads. Weightless T-rig for sure. Doesn't have to be a senko either. ! 

[RichF]

You're up north...a lot of those blow ups are pike or pickeral. I fish frogs a ton in upstate NY and I can tell you, if a bass is 12 inches or bigger and hits my frog, 95 times out of a 100, he eats it.  If I get a blow up that completely misses or doesn't stay buttoned, I immediately check the frog for pike teeth gashes.  95 times out of a 100, my frog is sliced up.

[J Francho]

Years ago, I was fishing a frog in a pond that had some big bass in it.  I was seeing blow ups that were missing by a foot or more.  I couldn't understand it until I saw what was really happening.  My frog was attracting the attention of a ton of sunnies.  They were following the frog, some even nipped at the skirts.  Then I saw it.  A huge bass came flying out from a weed pocket, and ate a distracted sunny.  I started following up with a Mattlures Hardgill, and destroy them on that pond to this day.

[senile1]

10 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Years ago, I was fishing a frog in a pond that had some big bass in it.  I was seeing blow ups that were missing by a foot or more.  I couldn't understand it until I saw what was really happening.  My frog was attracting the attention of a ton of sunnies.  They were following the frog, some even nipped at the skirts.  Then I saw it.  A huge bass came flying out from a weed pocket, and ate a distracted sunny.  I started following up with a Mattlures Hardgill, and destroy them on that pond to this day.

 

That is a good example of how paying close attention to the details can make all the difference in catching or going home with a skunk.