Losing Fish half way back to boat with Frog?

[atp0726]

Been fishing a hollow bodied frog (Booyah pad crasher) lately and it seems like the fish is hooked but I lose it after a short fight or even halfway back to the boat. I can feel the size and the weight of the fish. I can even get a second tug in to try and make sure the hook is set. I think I am doing things right as far as waiting to set the hook until I am sure they have it. A bit perplexed why I keep losing them. I added a trailer hook to the frog and wondering if that is causing the issue? I am using a MH - F action rod with a baitcaster spooled just with 12lb mono for now. A little frustrating since I am waiting for the hook set and think I have it only to lose the fish a little while after. 

[GReb]

Your equipment is not ideal and while it may not be the cause for every loss it certainly is not helping. Ideally you want to use a heavy or extra heavy action rod with at least 50lb braid. Setting two thick hooks with 12 Lb mono is going to result in a lot of weak hooksets. Your current rod may be fine if you just try braid 

[spaghetti_bassin]

+1 @GReb

Make the switch to braid, 50lb braid is likely similar in diameter to the 12lb mono you’re using. You’re likely loosing a lot of penetrating power and allowing the fish to throw the frog due to the line stretching. As a bonus, you will really enjoy the sound of the braid slicing through the vegetation on a hooked fish. 

[fishballer06]

12 lb mono for frogging 

 

 

You're not getting the hooks into the fish. They're coming off because they're simply spitting it out. 

[MN Fisher]

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Ya - you need a stouter rod and braid (at least 40#) to set the hook properly when fishing a frog. My frogging rod is a Heavy/Fast with 50# braid on it.

[Teal]

U can get by with that mh, I suggest a heavy.   But you definitely need to throw some heavier line on it.  If mono, at least 20lb if not 25.  Go with at least 40 -50 lb braid.  I have thrown frogs with 20lb floro in a pinch but would rather have braid.  Mono has alot if stretch, hard to slam those two heavy hooks homenwithn12 lb mono.

[atp0726]

Wow! Ok loud and clear and makes sense. I just got the baitcaster and the mono was just temporary while I learned how to use it. I will plan on getting some braid. 

[J Francho]

I throw Pad Crashers on a 7-3 HXF loaded with 50# braid. I’d say I hook 8-9 of 10 fish that strike the bait. A MH rod and 12# mono is a handicap for sure. Too much give in the system for a reliable hook set. 

[Jonas Staggs]

When they hit the frog, don't set too early right? Best I have gotten are swipes at my frog so far

[Jaderose]

I'll beat that dead horse...if you are hooking up but not boating fish, it sounds like you got your timing down ok.  Gotta get rid of that mono for frogging.

 

[atp0726]

I did go out and get some 50lb braid. Still surprised even after setting the hook a couple times on a retrieve i wasn't able to land a fish. i can see how the double weedless over the back needs a powerful hook set but i have a single trailer too that is the size of a 3/0 - 4/0 hook that still wasnt able to get the job done. 

[txchaser]

49 minutes ago, atp0726 said:

I did go out and get some 50lb braid. Still surprised even after setting the hook a couple times on a retrieve i wasn't able to land a fish. i can see how the double weedless over the back needs a powerful hook set but i have a single trailer too that is the size of a 3/0 - 4/0 hook that still wasnt able to get the job done. 

Just hunch, but now that you have braid, you have a winch that doesn't stretch. You aren't going to break that line, so don't fiddle around with the fish - set the hook and commence skiing that fish towards you as fast as you can. Don't give it an inch of pause or slack.

 

[Luke Barnes]

14 hours ago, txchaser said:

Just hunch, but now that you have braid, you have a winch that doesn't stretch. You aren't going to break that line, so don't fiddle around with the fish - set the hook and commence skiing that fish towards you as fast as you can. Don't give it an inch of pause or slack.

 

I agree. Keep that rod bent and start reeling as fast as you can. That's my my frogging rod has a 8.2-1 reel on it. So I can get it out of the slop and back to shore as fast as I can. Im using a 7'2 H/F rod and 60lb braid so I'm not worried in the least about the line breaking or the rod bending too much and breaking. I just horse the fish in as fast as I can.

[the reel ess]

If you don't want to buy a frog-specific H-F rod, you'll be amazed what just using braid will do for your hooksets. A stiffer rod is of course better, as is a longer rod (huh-huh-huh). Better leverage. But I got by with a 7' MH-MF for a long time. It did triple duty as my jig/T-rig/frog rod by just switching to braid..

[Boomstick]

I generally wouldn't fish a frog with anything but braid. If fishing it in open water with no weeds around, you might be able to get away with it but hooksets will be a little more difficult, and 12lb is way too light, you will want at least 15lbs and I would say 17lbs or 20lbs.

 

I would suggest stepping up to 40lb braid - 40lb braid is a good all around pairing with a MH rod and is the minimum of what I consider truly acceptable line for frogging. You could go even heavier, but I figure if you're using a MH rod and 40lb is not adequate, then I would look at a heavy rod with 50lb or 65lb braid.

[J Francho]

Back in the day of Scum Frogs, 20# Trilene XT worked okay. Braid, paired with a more powerful rod really brought frogs to the forefront. 

[ww2farmer]

Depending on who's MH rod your using, the rod is probably OK. But braid is a must...for two reasons. #1 your trying to drive 2 big hooks into a fish, and #2 if your in any kind of vegetation, on a hook set braid will slice right through it and transfer your swing into the fish with much greater force than mono which will stretch and work against you in grass.

 

Pad Crashers are fairly soft frogs, and have good hook up and landing %. You can even get by with 30lb braid if the cover your fishing isn't super thick, but that mono has to go.

[Catt]

If ya insist on mono ya gonna have to step up to 25-30#