Frogs - setting the hook

[Quarry Man]

For the life of me, I can't  hook a fish on a frog. I've probably went 50/300 in my land to bite ratio. I am using the right tackle, retrieving it the proper way, but every time I get a blow up, I set the hook instantly, letting reaction time control it. I feel unable to consciously think "I need to wait to set the hook"

 

My strategy has been to not pay attention to or look at my frog when its in the water and to go just on feel, but that seems silly

 

need advice on how to fix this...

[GTN-NY]

I always set the hook on frogs the way I do topwater baits. 
wait till you feel weight

[soflabasser]

When frog fishing I set the hook when I see the frog disappear. So far it has worked well for me and I catch most lunker sized bass that hit my frogs. Make sure to have a rod with a good backbone so you can give a good hookset.

[Hammer 4]

7 minutes ago, GTN said:

I always set the hook on frogs the way I do topwater baits. 
wait till you feel weight

Same here. I use wait until the frog disappeared, but sometimes the fish just grabbed the legs and took it underwater. When I waited until I could feel the weight of the fish, is when my hook up ratio improved. 

[sully420]

I definitely like to wait a second before I set the hook. I also like to take a pliers and bend the hooks away from the body of the frog just a mm or 2.

[slonezp]

Count to 3...Hit 1-2-3-Set

[Quarry Man]

I understand that I am supposed to wait to set the hook, I am asking HOW to improve this, I always seem to jerk it away too fast. I like the count method, but it hasn't worked. Might have to spend even more time with it...

[Hammer 4]

I don't think there is a technical term for learning to wait, ya just have to practice it, over and over, kinda like practicing a golf swing..Takes time..

[12poundbass]

6 minutes ago, Quarry Man said:

I understand that I am supposed to wait to set the hook, I am asking HOW to improve this, I always seem to jerk it away too fast. I like the count method, but it hasn't worked. Might have to spend even more time with it...

I absolutely love throwing a frog and have religiously for 13-14 years now. Still to this day when I first start throwing it at about 60 degrees, I set the hook too early and miss quite a few. It quickly comes back to me though. 
 

Three things you can do to help. 
 

1: like @slonezp said count to 3

2: talk to yourself “wait, wait, wait” while you work the frog. (This one can have the opposite effect at times)

3: look away or close your eyes and wait until you feel the fish

 

good luck, there’s nothing better than a frog bite! 

[Quarry Man]

59 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

I absolutely love throwing a frog and have religiously for 13-14 years now. Still to this day when I first start throwing it at about 60 degrees, I set the hook too early and miss quite a few. It quickly comes back to me though. 
 

Three things you can do to help. 
 

1: like @slonezp said count to 3

2: talk to yourself “wait, wait, wait” while you work the frog. (This one can have the opposite effect at times)

3: look away or close your eyes and wait until you feel the fish

 

good luck, there’s nothing better than a frog bite! 

thanks!!!

[walleyecrazy]

I am probably in the minority, but I usually fish my frogs with my rod tip up. This forces me to reel down before setting the hook. I've found that the added time built in having to reel down has improved my hookups. 

[scaleface]

4 hours ago, Quarry Man said:

I set the hook instantly,

Thats the curse of having ultra quick reflexes .

[Dens228]

I was always fairly successful setting the hook on frogs and then all of a sudden last year I couldn't hook one up to save my life.  I switched to a smaller bodied frog, the Jackall Kaera, and my hook up ratio skyrocketed.  Maybe something to try. 

[Quarry Man]

15 minutes ago, Dens228 said:

I was always fairly successful setting the hook on frogs and then all of a sudden last year I couldn't hook one up to save my life.  I switched to a smaller bodied frog, the Jackall Kaera, and my hook up ratio skyrocketed.  Maybe something to try. 

interesting, ill take a look in the box and see what I got...

31 minutes ago, scaleface said:

Thats the curse of having ultra quick reflexes .

haha exactly 

[MIbassyaker]

It took me awhile to get the hang of the frog bite. I'm better at it now, but still have some trouble on occasion.

 

The simple fact is, you will get more strikes than catches. Only when they get it in their mouths will you get a chance at a hook up, and that is not every time.  This bothered me until I just decided to accept it. Then you must set the hook properly to land them. Keeping concentration is key. In this way, frog fishing is not unlike the texas rig or jig. You must pay attention and be ready for the right moment.

 

I don't believe in looking away and going on the basis of feel. For one, I'm fishing braid, which has no "feel" unless pulled taught. I go by vision, but look for one specific thing: The frog must disappear from view. I accept that not every strike will make the frog disappear. But if it does, I must be ready to hit it.  When it does, set the hook, and accept that you will miss some. But others you won't miss. once you get a handful of those, you'll start to get used to it.

 

 

[WRB]

Try not setting the hook by whipping the rod back. Try instead reel setting by cranking the reel then sweeping the rod back. 

Tom

[Bluebasser86]

As soon as my frog disappears, I swing on them. I don't miss many either. Fish don't have hands, if they pull the frog under, not many ways they could have done it. If you wait it just gives them time to bury up further in the grass and make getting a solid hookset even harder. Watch a few pros that like to frog and see how many are counting to 3 before they set the hook, I bet you don't find many that aren't swinging as soon as they see their frog is gone.

[Quarry Man]

7 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Fish don't have hands

Maybe they use their fins?

[txchaser]

The biggest difference-maker for me was getting the slack out of the line.

Just substitute your hook-set instinct for reeling down really fast - it is way easier to replace a habit than to break it.

[bogfrog]

When you get hit on a frog drop your rod tip so you can get a good wind up for the hook set. This isnt necessary, but it gives you something to do while you're waiting to feel the weight on your line.

Softer body frogs will hook fish easier. Scum Frog makes one that will double your hook up rate. Also try bending your hooks out slightly, not much.

Late last summer I bought some cheap Chinese frogs online for a buck a piece to let my so-in-law use so he wasnt using my good frogs. These had a single hook, not a double, in the middle of the back. One day he caught 19 bass on one of these before it was completely destroyed, and put on a new one and caught 3 more. He didnt miss that many either, maybe 30 per cent I'm guessing. Never seen anything like it, and this guy swings for the fences as soon as he sees the first ripple. Based on this one experience I have to say I recommend the cheapest, crappiest frogs on the market. If they dont work for you it will only cost you a buck!

[jbrew73]

6 hours ago, WRB said:

Try not setting the hook by whipping the rod back. Try instead reel setting by cranking the reel then sweeping the rod back. 

Tom

This works really well for me too.

[Jaderose]

11 hours ago, Quarry Man said:

I understand that I am supposed to wait to set the hook, I am asking HOW to improve this, I always seem to jerk it away too fast. I like the count method, but it hasn't worked. Might have to spend even more time with it...

This.  Frogging takes time and practice.  It WILL click.

[frogflogger]

You want a powerful rod with a softer tip - fast action will jerk it away. Love my old Daiwa L&T frog rod.

[Dwight Hottle]

If you can't alter your timing by delaying until the frog disappears try changing your gear. Substitute mono for braid. That will slow your reaction time down. You could also try using a more moderate action rod than you are presently using. It's worth a try if you can't adjust your timing. 

[Quarry Man]

33 minutes ago, Dwight Hottle said:

If you can't alter your timing by delaying until the frog disappears try changing your gear. Substitute mono for braid. That will slow your reaction time down. You could also try using a more moderate action rod than you are presently using. It's worth a try if you can't adjust your timing. 

I currently use braid. Are you saying take the braid off and put mono on? Might be worth a shot, I don't fish ultra heavy cover.