Standard Medium-Heavy setup for Frogs

[ajschn06]

A frog is not something I throw often by any stretch, but there are a few situations where I'd like to have one available.  I'm looking to put together a setup that will serve that purpose when necessary, but also be able to be used for a variety of other purposes.  Moving to a "Heavy" action stick will severely limit what I'm able to use this setup for (1/2 oz jig, Swimbaits, Frog is just about it), so do any of you use a standard Medium Heavy- Fast action stick successfully for frogs? 

 

I am looking at the Daiwa Tatula Bass models to be specific- 6'10" Medium Heavy vs 7'1" Heavy.  Also, the 610 fits in my rod storage on the boat, the 710 does not.

 

Opinions welcome- I'm probably leaning toward the H.  Even if I went with the MH, it's going to have a jig or frog tied on 95% of the time.  I'm just annoyed/worried about the storage/travel aspect.  I only carry a few sticks with me (3-4 max), and none of them are over 7'.

[Valongbeard]

I standard medium heavy expride with 40 lb braid has served me well in open water frogging.  When you get into heavy grass and lilies that’s when a heavy or extra heavy rod is needed.  For open water light wood cover and vegetation any medium heavy rod with a fast tip will definitely work for frogs and it’s an extremely versatile rod.

[Hammer 4]

My only concern with the MH/F is hooksets would be a issue, due to softer tip. I frog with a 7'4" H/XF. If you can go with the H/F that would be better imho.

[MN Fisher]

2 hours ago, ajschn06 said:

Opinions welcome- I'm probably leaning toward the H.  Even if I went with the MH, it's going to have a jig or frog tied on 95% of the time.  I'm just annoyed/worried about the storage/travel aspect.  I only carry a few sticks with me (3-4 max), and none of them are over 7'.

 

Can you fit a 7'0" rod in the boat storage?

 

I would suggest looking at a 7'0" Heavy/Fast at minimum. Dobyns Sierra 705C would fit the bill for frog, jig, flip/pitch.

 

Past several seasons I've been using a 7'0" Diawa Aird-X Heavy/Fast for all that.

[FryDog62]

Best frog rod to me is one with a MH-Fast tip and a Heavy backbone when you need a hoist. And one that will do double duty with other applications like swim jig, whopper ploppers, heavier buzzbaits and texas-rigs. Found all that in an ALX Toadface. Best frog rod I've used to walk the dog but just strong enough to winch the fish out of the slop. Marketed as a Medium Heavy+ Fast action.  Its probably too long for your rod locker, but if its versatile, probably on the deck most of the time IMO. 

[The Baron]

Our frog setup is a 7’ MH/F Duckett, with 40# braid.  We throw around pads and grass - no really heavy mat up here to drag them out of.  I’m quite happy with our setup at MH so I’m setting up another with a St. Croix BassX 7’ MH so my son and I don’t have to fight over the one when we’re on a good frog spot. lol 

[WRB]

Couple of 7’ casting rods available in the Flea Market forum.

Tom

[jimmyjoe]

   Look at the Daiwa Fuego 6'-09" H/F.  I have the 7'-06" brother to it, and I like it. It's not as "heavy" as some other rods, kinda like a real strong MH, which would benefit you in your situation.              jj

[FishTank]

Not sure of the price range but....  G. Loomis IMX 844C and a Shimano Chronarch.  This will do just about whatever you want... Frogs, jigs, topwater, spinnerbaits, and even bladed jigs.  Very versatile set up. 

[r83srock]

I frog a lot with my 7’1” MH St. Croix BASS X, especially more sparse cover situations. I can understand the space issue. I have no experience with the Tatula rods.  If you aren’t fishing matted cover a medium heavy will be fine, and will be more comfortable to throw all day.

[new2BC4bass]

I say give the 6'10" MHF Tatula a try.  Mine hasn't had a reel on it yet, but using the tip to the floor test, I'd say it has some serious power for a MHF.

[Cody28]

I would 110% go heavy for frogs. You are basically setting the hook with 2 beefy flipping hooks. A lot of people go extra heavy even. I used to use my MH and it was a disaster compared to my 7'3" heavy set up I use now. There are plenty 7'0" heavy rods out here and you dont need to go expensive. No sensitivity required to see a fish blow up or slurp down your frog. Most rods set up for dock skipping seem to fit the bill for you. 

[ajschn06]

9 hours ago, Cody28 said:

I would 110% go heavy for frogs. You are basically setting the hook with 2 beefy flipping hooks. A lot of people go extra heavy even. I used to use my MH and it was a disaster compared to my 7'3" heavy set up I use now. There are plenty 7'0" heavy rods out here and you dont need to go expensive. No sensitivity required to see a fish blow up or slurp down your frog. Most rods set up for dock skipping seem to fit the bill for you. 

I need something that's less than 7' though.  The dock skipping rod is a good idea though- I remember seeing a Tatula Elite 6'9" that may work!

16 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

 

Can you fit a 7'0" rod in the boat storage?

 

I would suggest looking at a 7'0" Heavy/Fast at minimum. Dobyns Sierra 705C would fit the bill for frog, jig, flip/pitch.

 

Past several seasons I've been using a 7'0" Diawa Aird-X Heavy/Fast for all that.

No- only carry 6'9" and 6'10".  7' is just a hair to long for the rod storage cabinet.

13 hours ago, jimmyjoe said:

   Look at the Daiwa Fuego 6'-09" H/F.  I have the 7'-06" brother to it, and I like it. It's not as "heavy" as some other rods, kinda like a real strong MH, which would benefit you in your situation.              jj

 

Bought one, sent it back right away.  That thing was terrible- maybe it was just the SUPER short handle on that thing, but it felt really heavy.  The handle was shorter than the 6'6" medium casting rod I have.

[Boomstick]

On 9/21/2021 at 3:32 PM, ajschn06 said:

I am looking at the Daiwa Tatula Bass models to be specific- 6'10" Medium Heavy vs 7'1" Heavy.  Also, the 610 fits in my rod storage on the boat, the 710 does not.

The Tatula 6'10" does not have a whole lot of tip to it. I've used mine with 40# braid in the past for some open water frogging, but the second you come across some lily pads, you'll wish you had the heavy.

 

I owned the 7'1" H/F for a while until I let my kid use it and he dropped it in the water, never to be seen again. It will cast a frog beautifully and can handles some cover. It also casts jigs as light as 3/8oz pretty well.

 

If you decide to go the MH route, something like the St Croix Mojo Bass 6'8" MH/F "Jig-n-worm" rod might be a better bet. That rod has a lot of tip and runs a little heavy but will also fit in your rod locker.

[Fishes in trees]

You can use spinning gear for top water frogs.   I have a Fenwick 7' mh/ ex fast spinning rod and it works great for " Finesse frogging . "  By finesse frogging I mean taking any frog or frog imitator and nose hooking it with an appropriate hook and throwing it to the edge  of the pad line/weedline  - pulling it off the spot and hope.   You can throw regular topwater frogs with the same gear and be more or less hopeful that should you get bit, you'll stick the hook and land the fish.

[Deephaven]

On 9/21/2021 at 8:15 PM, FishTank said:

Not sure of the price range but....  G. Loomis IMX 844C and a Shimano Chronarch.  This will do just about whatever you want... Frogs, jigs, topwater, spinnerbaits, and even bladed jigs.  Very versatile set up. 

 

I have a 7'4" 844C, a 7'10" MH SC VI, and a 7'10" 904 that I have thrown frogs on.  The 904 is a BEAST and overkill for most situations, the 844 too short for most frogging and the MH St Croix has as much back bone as the 844 nearly.  I wouldn't hesitate to use a MH, but be careful which brand.  No way I would choose an 843 for frogging....

[KP Duty]

On 9/21/2021 at 8:15 PM, FishTank said:

Not sure of the price range but....  G. Loomis IMX 844C and a Shimano Chronarch.  This will do just about whatever you want... Frogs, jigs, topwater, spinnerbaits, and even bladed jigs.  Very versatile set up. 

An 844 Loomis in any flavor makes a great frog rod.  Would be my recommendation... 

[Catt]

I own a Tatula TTU711MHXB 7'1" Medium Heavy X-Fast that I throw jigs on.

 

I also have a Tatula TTU731MHFB 7'3" Medium Heavy Fast that I throw frogs on.

 

I have thrown Stanley Rabbits on the 7'1" with zero issues sticking fish.

 

The 6'10" & the 7'1" have the same rating except the 6'10" is fast.

 

Oh by the way Dean Rojas throw Kermit on a Medium Heavy but what does he know about frogs.

[Alpster]

I throw frogs on my Loomis FS904 flippin stick . Its a broom handle, but invincible in heavy grass and pads. I also pitch heavy jigs, punch mats and throw medium sized swimbaits with it.  I actually use it more than I thought I would. With 60lb braid, if you get wrapped up, you can land the tree too. LOL

[fishwizzard]

On 9/24/2021 at 1:17 AM, KP Duty said:

An 844 Loomis in any flavor makes a great frog rod.  Would be my recommendation... 

 

I agree, a Loomis 4-power works great for a lot of frogging and is about as powerful as a lot of other brand's "MH" rods.  I don't catch many bass over 4lbs, but catch plenty of snakeheads in the 4-6lb rang and I have rarely wanted for more power then an 844 or equivalent for most openwater/weedline/closerange frogging.  I do use heavier tackle when I want to fish deep in the pads or when I want to cover water with a toad or paddletail frog.  

[Cody28]

20 hours ago, fishwizzard said:

 

I agree, a Loomis 4-power works great for a lot of frogging and is about as powerful as a lot of other brand's "MH" rods.  I don't catch many bass over 4lbs, but catch plenty of snakeheads in the 4-6lb rang and I have rarely wanted for more power then an 844 or equivalent for most openwater/weedline/closerange frogging.  I do use heavier tackle when I want to fish deep in the pads or when I want to cover water with a toad or paddletail frog.  

Heavy rods are almost never about the size of the fish. It's more about driving home the two giant flipping hooks in an average frog. A medium heavy can be used, but you have to be aware of what size/type of frog you use with it. 

 

[ajschn06]

On 9/21/2021 at 8:47 PM, new2BC4bass said:

I say give the 6'10" MHF Tatula a try.  Mine hasn't had a reel on it yet, but using the tip to the floor test, I'd say it has some serious power for a MHF.

 

Agree- I'd have a hard time calling this one a MHF.  It's got some serious backbone imo...

[J Francho]

On 9/21/2021 at 3:32 PM, ajschn06 said:

so do any of you use a standard Medium Heavy- Fast action stick successfully for frogs?

Not successfully.  There's plenty of "frog rods" that are great at throwing frogs, but only a few that have the power to extract a big fish from the cover that you throw frogs into.  For years, I used my 7-6 XH flipping stick, which was perfect.  Later I switched to a heavy/fast jig and worm rod that was a little shorter at 7-3.  It's a high end rod, and very light and comfortable to use all day.

 

https://www.bassresource.com/fishing_lures/primmus-reel-dhc-7-rod-review.html

 

[new2BC4bass]

I would have like one of those Pinnacle rods, but they were out of my budget.  Wish they were still being produced.  Love my Pinnacle Primmus reel, too.  Enough that I bought 2 more when they were on closeout.  Guess they just weren't popular enough. 

 

Unlike a lot of people, I've never been afraid to try the less traveled road.  I've got very nice reels at very low prices taking that road. 

[J Francho]

2 minutes ago, new2BC4bass said:

Guess they just weren't popular enough. 

I really miss this company's bass products.  They just didn't seem to get a foot hold.  Their stuff was top notch, and they were a classy company to deal with.