Heavy Moderate Rods...explain this

[lunkerboss923]

I'm in the market for a 7' heavy frog rod. I'm looking on a certain brand and their 7' heavy has a moderate action. That would mean it's got a parabolic tip with a heavy backbone. 

 

Is good for frogs? I'm looking for a shorter rod because I missed 7 fish froggin today with an expride 7'3" XHeavy on my kayak. I couldn't  quite get a good swing on the 7'3". I would think a shorter rod might have been the deal. Any help is much appreciated. 

[A-Jay]

If the fish are large enough to get the bait inside their mouth and the hooks are decent, exposed some and sharp and you are missing the hookset;

I would guess it's your 'timing' not your tackle.  Either you're  early , reacting to the splash, or late, asleep at the wheel. Sometimes feeling the weight of the fish before hitting it can help.

Only takes a fraction of a second wait in most cases.

Before you throw money at it, perhaps look at that.

A-Jay

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

I have to agree with AJ and I’ll add that a longer rod moves more line and should get better hooksets. If the frog body is stiff you can slightly bend the points up. Just something else to consider 

[Deephaven]

Agreed.  I use. 7'10" frog rod and it would be longer if I built it now.  My 521 only had 8' rod lockers so I didn't dare go bigger.  Length is your friend on a frog although it can make dialing in your bait action a bit more tricky at first.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

“Parabolic” is misused when discussing Rod actions. A parabolic curve is a horseshoe shape and can’t be more or less, it either is or isn’t. A moderate action will initially load a little further down the rod but that that doesn’t in itself mean the tip is soft. Often just the opposite, a fast tip will have a lower lure weight rating. A moderate or moderate fast action in a really heavy rod helps keep fish pinned when they surge at the boat. 

[casts_by_fly]

19 hours ago, lunkerboss923 said:

I'm in the market for a 7' heavy frog rod. I'm looking on a certain brand and their 7' heavy has a moderate action. That would mean it's got a parabolic tip with a heavy backbone. 

 

Is good for frogs? I'm looking for a shorter rod because I missed 7 fish froggin today with an expride 7'3" XHeavy on my kayak. I couldn't  quite get a good swing on the 7'3". I would think a shorter rod might have been the deal. Any help is much appreciated. 

good info above already. If you decide you want a shorter rod in the end, the falcon eye crosser is a great frog rod. 6’11” 1/2-1 1/2. The eye crosser is the Cara series. There is also the bayou in the expert that is similar. I fish the Cara for frogs primarily but it’s also a great 6” swim bait rod for that 1-1.5 oz range and also a big spinnerbait rod (3/4 oz and up). 

[LionHeart]

Rods are trending to have a more 'moderate' action from many manufacturers these days.  Bass fishing is full of trends, and like most, can swing to far in that direction.

 

Personally, I would not be interested in a heavy/moderate rod for frog fishing.  May be the bomb though

[WRB]

The advantage if a longer frog rod is keeping more line off the water and still be able to cast accurately plus work the frog.

A moderate action rod cast lures easier.

Hook setting at a distance using the rod only doesn’t move as much line as using the reel, combine both for solid hook sets.

Tom

[lunkerboss923]

6 hours ago, WRB said:

The advantage if a longer frog rod is keeping more line off the water and still be able to cast accurately plus work the frog.

A moderate action rod cast lures easier.

Hook setting at a distance using the rod only doesn’t move as much line as using the reel, combine both for solid hook sets.

Tom

Yes, I agree with most, but have you ever set a hook on a fish in a kayak with a longer rod? I nearly fell out of kayak setting hooks the other day. For me I feel like a shorter rod from a kayak makes sense to me and a safety hazard. It's cumbersome with longer rods on a kayak in general. It may be a bad choice, you live and learn. 

[Huckfinn38]

Based on the heavy moderate rods I have built, I wouldnt want to use them for frogs.  I would want at least a moderate fast rod as I would think it would be tougher to bury frog hooks in a fishes mouth with a moderate (softer) rod than it would be to bury frog hooks with something that has a faster action.  I also fish out of a kayak 99% of the time.  I now limit rod lengths to 7'3 as any bigger is tough to manage. 

Also if you are frogging in cover you are going to need something with more power than a moderate rod to get a fish out of the slop.

[GetFishorDieTryin]

I can definitely see a shorter rod for frogs, walking frogs in particular.  I like a 7'3 or 7'4 , but a could see a 7 or 7'1 being useful in yak.  That shorter rear handle works a little better in tight spaces.  I would definitely think a mod fast or slightly longer (7'3,7'4) would help give you a little more power in the hookset when your sitting down.  Thats just me though, im sure there are people who use a H mod for frogs.