Frogs and Braid?

[LooksLikeSinbad]

I have read several posts recently by people who swear by using braid with frogs. This is contrary to everything I've read in the past: braid is bad for top water because it sinks, line with stretch is good because it delays the hookset slightly and waiting with frogs is important, etc.  I'm curious what everyone thinks. I'm assuming the braid users are willing to give up the stretchiness and buoyancy for the improved strength, higher test at a lower diameter, etc.

[captaininsaneo]

uhm... braid floats.  And if you are referring to the post I am thinking of, the person wasn't having problems with setting the hook too early.  If you have that kind of discipline braid is the way to go.

[bassdocktor]

For me it is the cover that I am fishing. The reduced/zero stretch is an advantage. It allows you to cut through the weeds you are fishing. IF you have ever pulled braided line tight you know it can cut through something. Lets face it most people throw frogs around some type of vegitation. Having the added strength of braid allows you to horse the fish out if need be. Plus alot of times people will make very long casts and the low stretch allows you to be able to set the hook more easily.

bassdocktor

[RoLo]

I have read several posts recently by people who swear by using braid with frogs.

I have to agree with you, I've also read conflicting reports about braided line.

This much I know, nothing has improved my hook-sets more than braided line and that applies to topwater, mid-water & on bottom.

Braided polyethylene (PowerPro) "tends" to float, but due to its thin diameter it may begin to sink slightly over time.

Regardless of the line used, when fishing on the surface with hollow frogs, solid toads and poppers

it's usually wise to keep the rod tip HIGH. A high rod-tip keeps the most line off the water, and this gives

the angler two advantages. The action imparted to the lure will be more buoyant and natural looking,

because even floating line dampens lure action. With less line in the water, the hook-sets won't be encumbered

by as much "surface tension". Line doesn't have to sink to present a problem, because water possesses a natural adhesion called "surface tension". Ever notice, when water is poured very slowly into a glass, that the water will actually pile-up

"above" the edge of the glass, before flowing over the side? That's "surface tension".

Without a doubt, the stretch in nylon monofilament is beneficial when using crankbaits, but offers little help with surface lures.

With crankbaits we're only talking about a millisecond, because the strike takes place "after" the fish is felt.

With topwater lures though, we might strike at the sight or sound of the bass, "before" the fish is felt.

There's not enough stretch in nylon monofilament to delay the hook-set a full second. That's the angler's responsibility.

Roger

[Shad_Master]

Now this is interesting -- a couple of years ago I had braided line on all of my reels and had good luck with it -- but started listening to everybody and started using flourocarbon and hybrid lines for most applications.  I still use braid for jigs and chatterbaits (occasionally spinner baits as well).  But my experience has been that the braided line absorbs water which makes it sink more.  I almost exclusively use Power Pro for braided line.  Am I mistaken about it absorbing water?

[cullin8s]

Be more specific about frogs, which type the hollow bodied frogs or the soft plastic frogs?

I use braid for both of them, but with the soft plastic frogs you can get away with big mono or flouro. With the hollow bodied frogs your bite to catch ratio goes way down with mono or flouro, braid is the only way to go.

[rbrick]

Does anyone use braded line with a mono or flouro leader?What knot do you tie?

[SuthernProg]

I only use swimming frogs with the braid because mine are always moving, never giving the braid time to do anything except pull in the fish. Floating frogs should be okay with braid in the slop should you want to stop it alot or for long periods of time. Haven't tried it in open water, I usually use my rod I have Iron Silk on for that. Just the way my combos pan out.

Prog

[RoLo]

Does anyone use braded line with a mono or flouro leader?What knot do you tie?

A while back I used a Trilene Big Game leader with PowerPro braid (I dislike fluoro),

and I joined them using back-to-back 5-twist Uni-Knots (nary a problem).

I've never noticed any difference with or without the leader, so I stopped bothering with the leader.

Roger

[SPAZ]

Interesting.  If I knew for certain that braid works just as good as fleuro or mono I would probably only use that.

[linesider7]

Interesting. If I knew for certain that braid works just as good as fleuro or mono I would probably only use that.

Please elaborate on the term "works".

[Guest avid]

Braid floats.

The terms "frog" and "toad" are 0ften used interchangeably but they are completely different baits.

A hollow body frog lure floats and requires a hook set that is the strongest needed for any technique I can think of.  the lack of stretch in braid and it's strength to diameter ratio, plus it's abiltiy to navigate weeds better make it ideal for froggin.

Toads. like the horney toad, cane toad, etc are solid body soft plastics that sink.  They are typically worked by buzzing.  They need nothing more powerful than the outfit you would use on any bulky soft plastic.

[JigNBig]

I would use some braid with any frogs/toads.  I use a 7 ft MH rod for my toads w/ 30lb power pro and a 7ft H rod for frogs w/ 50 lb power pro line.  

Like above mentioned an extremely powerful hook set is needed for frogs.  I  have found that you can set the hook quicker w/ these baits than you can w/ the plastic toads.  This is because I have caught better quality fish on a frog than I have a toad and your going to really have to turn a big fish when fishing grass.     So,  you might lose some fish ( thats justs topwater fishing) but your going to either miss him or lose him in the grass.  If you miss him, you have another chance.  I would love that second chance plus you will land a lot more quality w/ the frog.

Toads are one of the most fun ways of fishing.  The best toad out there is either a horny toad or a gambler cane toad.  The cane toad displaces more water where as the horny toad is quicker buzzing type of toad.  Be sure to use an Owner Cutting Edge 5/0 hook.

**** luck!

[captaininsaneo]

wow avid, 6000 posts.  you've been doing this for a little while, huh?

[RoLo]

AVID HIT 6000 POSTS TODAY!!

           

Let's hear it for AVID everyone, he's been a tremendous source of great information, and for a long time.

This place would not be the same without him

     

[mike bat]

there are plastic toads and spro type frogs ... i use braid on bolth ,,, due to the cover ..... also when you have to slam that hook home braid is key .....  

[BucketmouthAngler13]

Mono has its ups, and braid has its downs. But for frog fishing braid is a must. I used mono with my Spro frog all last year and never,never hooked up with a fish. I had hundreds of bass take my lure underwater, I would wait a seccond, then set the hook, and a couple secconds later the bass would spit it out. Mono has a ton of strech where braid has none. Mono gets abraided and snaps easier, so braid is ideal for fishing in thick cover, such as lilly pads. Trust me, 20lb power pro will cut right through a lilly pad's stem.

Weedless Frogs + Mono = Missed Fish

Oh, and congrats Avid!  

[Lucky Craft Man]

I used...my Spro frog all last year and never,never hooked up with a fish.

I think the SPRO Frog could be part of the problem as well. I used a black SPRO frog last year, because I heard so much about it and I could not hook a freakin' fish (I was using braid and waiting after the strike). I think the body on that frog is just too dense (I did buy an early version of the frog and have heard the later versions are softer).

As for the original question, I like to use 30lb. braid with frogs, because the thinner diameter really cuts through the weeds (especially lilly pad stems, which seem to be a strong as steel) and I have never had a problem with the line breaking.

[lubina]

Sufix braid 50 lbs floats. I use braid and a 7.0 heavy rod for any kind of frogs, in my waters is a must.

Congrats Avid in your 6000 posts

[The Next KVD]

The places where frogs are fished most using braid is a must!!!!  Braid also skips frogs, jigs, tubes and others under docks and trees alot better than mono.  I use a 7' St. Croix Avid Series in Heavy power matched with a Shimano Curado reel spooled with 50lb Power Pro.  I have never lost a fish with this setup.

[pipho]

I use 65lb Power Pro on a 7 ft medium heavy baitcaster.

[lubina]

Toads. like the horney toad, cane toad, etc are solid body soft plastics that sink. plastic.

Not all of them, Sizmic Pop'N Toad and Propwash float.

[Guest SkyChimp]

I wasn't aware braid was a must when fishing frogs.  I've been using an All Star American Classic 7' medium heavy-fast rod with 20 lb mono in lily pads and lose few fish and hardly ever snag where I can't pull through it.  

I do rig a little differently which has improved my hook-ups.  I use a Matzuo 5/0 long shank worm hook on a Zoom Horny Toad.  I don't hook through the body but rather bring the point up behind the main body between the legs and set the point in the back.   Hookups are much easier and the toad is just a weedless.

[Guest avid]

                                                            AVID HIT 6000 POSTS TODAY!!

                                                                                                                                 

                      Let's hear it for AVID everyone, he's been a tremendous source of great information, and for a long time.

                                                                  This place would not be the same without him

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Golly Gee, thanks guys...........what did I win??????????? 8-)

[cpvenom]

I do rig a little differently which has improved my hook-ups.  I use a Matzuo 5/0 long shank worm hook on a Zoom Horny Toad.  I don't hook through the body but rather bring the point up behind the main body between the legs and set the point in the back.   Hookups are much easier and the toad is just a weedless.

I bring my hook point up behind the body too. Works much better for solid hooksets.