First Frog Fish Tips

[DonnyDinks]

Hey guys I have been working the pads in a local pond to death with frogs of all kind ...but I can’t seem to get any takers. Does anybody have any tips to help get at least some strikes on a frog? (What kind, cadence/retrieve, times and areas to target, etc)

[Sam]

Tips:

1.  Tie line directly to frog, no snaps.

2.  Use mono as the line floats.

3.  Use braid as the line floats but be prepared to lose some as braid has no stretch.

4.  Take two pliers and holding the hooks with one, bend the hook tip outward a little, away from the body. You want to see space between the hook and frog's body.

5.  Cut one leg to be shorter than the other.

6.  Cast, wait for rings to clear out, then bring back in the rhythm of your choice.

7.  Hits will come when frog stops so be ready at any time.

8.  Count to 2 or 3 after frog is hit and then set the hook hard over your head.

9.  A white or black/yellow color is a good color but you use the color you have confidence.

10.  Move the frog like a frog and have move it on top of any pads and let it sit there. A bass may come out of the water to hit it so be ready.

11. Throw everywhere. Even in open water.

12.  Throw onto the bank and then drag into the water, let sit, and then work it back to the boat.

13.  If pond fishing, throw the frog parallel to the bank in both directions from where you are standing, if possible. 

14.  If you can skip the frog using a baitcaster do so under overhanging bushes or trees.

15.  Squeeze the frog after 3 or 4 casts to remove any water that has gotten into the frog.

16.  Read. Yes read. Read, read, and read some more about frog fishing. Try to find them on the Internet.

17.  Check out YouTube for frog fishing: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

18.  Check out some of the pros' web sites to find any of their write-ups about frog fishing. As usual, Ike has a good one noted above but there are others out there.

19.  Google "frog fishing" and note the videos that come up.

20.  Last, don't get frustrated. Your hook up ratio may be 50% which is great. Your landing ratio will be lower. But that's frog fishing!!!!

 

[12poundbass]

Good tips @Sam! 
 

The only thing I’d add to that is have a follow up bait like a craw or worm ready to go after a missed blow up. 

[Sam]

4 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

Good tips @Sam! 
 

The only thing I’d add to that is have a follow up bait like a craw or worm ready to go after a missed blow up. 

A Senko, too!!!

[Teal]

I would use braid.  

[geo g]

Thick everglades grasses I always use 65 pound braid.  Without it I would have lost many big ones in the weeds, while frog fishing!

[roadwarrior]

https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/search/?q=frog fishing&quick=1

 

[DonnyDinks]

Thanks fellas! I got a strike today on a

Z-Man Hardlegs Toad so I’m gonna count it even though it wasn’t my hollow body...5-6lber blew up on it in the pads and I followed it up with a punching rigged rage bug and landed the SOB...Wish I had been able to bring him in on the frog but he missed it. I really appreciate the help guys 

[Sam]

11 hours ago, Teal said:

I would use braid.  

Yep, I agree.

 

But mono is also an option, especially if you are fishing docks and wood.

 

Mono can be best for newbies as braid has no stretch and we all pull the frog out of the bass' mouth too often, even the best of us.

 

And guys, remember Ish Monroe is the BASS frog fisherman. Check out this Ish video:

 

 

 

[Teal]

26 minutes ago, Sam said:

Yep, I agree.

 

But mono is also an option, especially if you are fishing docks and wood.

 

Mono can be best for newbies as braid has no stretch and we all pull the frog out of the bass' mouth too often, even the best of us.

 

And guys, remember Ish Monroe is the BASS frog fisherman. Check out this Ish video:

 

 

 

Excellent video.  Thanks Sam.  

[the reel ess]

nm

[frogflogger]

Get a furbit for breezy days - fish it every where - open water - pads - vegetation - wood.

With any frog try a variety of retrieves, hop, chug, walk - slow - fast - deadstick (28 1/2 lb bag dead sticking)

I don't believe bass think they are eating frogs on most strikes.

For the past 20 yrs I have used 50# braid - sufix performance braid has been my favorite.

This has worked on over 100 -7+lbers, of course it's been a few years since I last caught a 7 due to geographic change in fishing area.

[Shimano_1]

Get a booyah pad crasher, trim the legs down about an inch. Throw it on braid. Make short twitches on slack line and learn how to walk it. Use a 2 soft jerks...pause...3 soft jerks....pause. Get ready and when a fish blows up on it give it a cple of seconds and feel the weight before you swing. Drop the hammer. Works for me around here anyways.  Good luck

[TcRoc]

My best frog hits in my area are first light and close to sunset. Unless it’s a cloud covered day. At least this time of year for me.

[BrianMDTX]

On 9/5/2020 at 7:03 AM, Sam said:

4.  Take two pliers and holding the hooks with one, bend the hook tip outward a little, away from the body. You want to see space between the hook and frog's body.

I see this suggestion from basically everyone with frog-fishing experience. It begs the question: why do makers of topwater frogs not have hooks installed from go with a wider gap? Seems as if everyone has to bend the hooks out for a proper hookset that the manufacturers should take note of that and make a design change. 

[Tracker22]

1 hour ago, BrianMDTX said:

I see this suggestion from basically everyone with frog-fishing experience. It begs the question: why do makers of topwater frogs not have hooks installed from go with a wider gap? Seems as if everyone has to bend the hooks out for a proper hookset that the manufacturers should take note of that and make a design change. 

Some pads and grasses don’t work with the widened gap on the hooks.

[Sam]

4 hours ago, BrianMDTX said:

I see this suggestion from basically everyone with frog-fishing experience. It begs the question: why do makers of topwater frogs not have hooks installed from go with a wider gap? Seems as if everyone has to bend the hooks out for a proper hookset that the manufacturers should take note of that and make a design change. 

Great idea. I totally agree.

[Shimano_1]

6 hours ago, BrianMDTX said:

I see this suggestion from basically everyone with frog-fishing experience. It begs the question: why do makers of topwater frogs not have hooks installed from go with a wider gap? Seems as if everyone has to bend the hooks out for a proper hookset that the manufacturers should take note of that and make a design change. 

I've had to do this with some frogs I've had but I don't touch the hooks on the pad crasher. 

[the reel ess]

On 9/5/2020 at 8:48 PM, DonnyDinks said:

Thanks fellas! I got a strike today on a

Z-Man Hardlegs Toad so I’m gonna count it even though it wasn’t my hollow body...5-6lber blew up on it in the pads and I followed it up with a punching rigged rage bug and landed the SOB...Wish I had been able to bring him in on the frog but he missed it. I really appreciate the help guys 

You'll miss plenty of fish on frogs and maybe more on toads. It's just part of the technique. I lost one today. But sometimes you can get them to go after it twice. After reading a thread about the Johnson Silver Minnow I decided to give it a shot. I rigged it on my frog rod and put a small zoom chunk trailer on it. I got bites on top of the lilies as well as dropping off the outside edge. That bait actually saved my day that trip. I don't normally get bites on the frog once it's off the mat.

[TcRoc]

8 hours ago, Tracker22 said:

Some pads and grasses don’t work with the widened gap on the hooks.

Yup , nothing like tying on the wrong frog and throwing it deep into a massive lily pad field lol.

[YoTone]

my only tip would be ready to set the hook properly. once I see the bass take it I lower the tip of my rod  while cranking  up some slack line and crack him hard and make sure the butt of the rod is under my armpit.