Medium heavy rod OK for frog fishing??

[FR0G]

You guys are blowing this way out of proportion. You acting like I am being racist towards somebody. Why do you think top frog guys like Bobby Barack and Dean Rojas use braid? I don't know anybody that would use a frog in slop with mono. I can understand using mono for open water, but not in slop. But whatever. I rather not take the chance of losing a fish because of my line.

[bmadd]

Frog- I think where the remarks towards you are coming from is where you stated that "you didn't know how many people you had seen lose fish because they were too ignorant to use braid." He's not fishing slop like you are. He stated that the water he fishes has a few weeds but not much of anything. That's why there were so many people saying he could get by with just mono.

I agree with you though, I do almost all of my frog fishing with heavy braid. To each his own. Nobody is trying to attack anyone.

[FR0G]

I didn't see that part. I can understand that though. Even though I would still use braid, I am sure he can get away with heavy mono.

[Micro]

I used co-poly exclusively to fish frogs, and I do better fishing them than most people I personally know.  Here's the "open water" I fish.  

I actually like co-poly better.  It doesn't seem to saw into the water lillies like braid.   I get fewer hangups with copoly than with braid.

[Pigsticker]

The stuff I fish a frog over is very thick

And that's why it's called slop. ...lol The point is that you can find slop in every state... ours is as bad as yours.

Suggesting that all mono users are ignorant goes a shade or two past stating your preferences, don't you think?

People that fish with mono are ignorant ;D

I am with you Frog! Whens the next braid rally

Micro, that is really impressive, I fish very close to you and fish the same cover you do and find that I need heavy braid and at least a 7ft Heavy rod, I much prefer a Xh though ;D

[FR0G]

Thanks for agreeing. These people are missing out on the thrill of getting a bass out of cover in less than 5 seconds, haha.

[The Rooster]

OK, I have a few questions.

First, I'm guessing that a frog rod does NOT need to be especially sensitive so could I get by going fairly cheap on the rod like say $30 or $40 for one, compared to the $100 I'm paying for the Shimano Compre's I like for more sensitive stuff like T-rigs?? I may end up with a 6'6" or 6'10" Compre anyway though, it's a medium heavy with extra fast tip and "seemed" like it might make a good frog rod when I looked at it. They're pretty stiff feeling.  

Second, some say braid, some say copolymer, some say mono. Will braid work for every type of frog fishing, open water or heavy cover?? Will copolymer line do that also?? I'm likely not to use mono in the long run since I've seen that most here use the other types over it instead, but since I already have some on right now then I may try it to see how it is anyway.

Third, are there any other type of baits that a heavy stiff frog rod will work to throw, or is it mostly just a frog rod?? I like my rods to do double duty when I can so I don't have to go out with a dozen combos all over my front deck.

[flechero]

Why do you think top frog guys like Bobby Barack and Dean Rojas use braid?

Do you mean besides the sponsorship dollars?

Frog,

I don't think you are meaning to come across as a arrogant, but you really are. I grew up fishing north and east texas... call it open if you like but I'll bet some serious coin that there is as much slop as anything you fish. Just because I don't use or like braid, doesn't mean my water is any more or less open. ...lol And just because you can't do it without braid, doesn't mean I can't... I have for many years.

[tyrius.]

Braid is mandatory. You don't know how many people I've seen miss fish because they are too ignorant to use braid.

There are only two things that are mandatory in fishing.  A hook and line.  The rest is just making it easier to catch and land fish.  Sure, the fishermen will be more successful if he/she has the proper gear, but that gear is not mandatory.  Also, the increases in success are not linear with the amount and/or expense of one's gear.

People fishing on a budget have to make choices as to where to spend their money.  Their equipment must fit multiple scenarios.  I fish frogs on a 6'6" MH rod with 12lb mono and have fun doing it and when it really comes down to it, that's all that matters to me.

[Micro]

First, I'm guessing that a frog rod does NOT need to be especially sensitive so could I get by going fairly cheap on the rod like say $30 or $40 for one, compared to the $100 I'm paying for the Shimano Compre's I like for more sensitive stuff like T-rigs??

You could.  But you usually get what you pay for.  If you can find a good, stout rod in that price range, great.  

Second, some say braid, some say copolymer, some say mono.  Will braid work for every type of frog fishing, open water or heavy cover??  Will copolymer line do that also??

Yes, either will work in either environment.  I like Yo-Zuri Hybrid.  It's relatively inexpensive - just a wee bit more than mono, and a lot less than braid.  It has next to no stretch.  It has has a higher break strength than its rated test.  For instance, 12# brakes at 19#, 15# breaks at 21#.   Like Roadwarrior, I've never broken off on Yo-Zuri, even when using it with frogs in heavy-duty slop.  

Third, are there any other type of baits that a heavy stiff frog rod will work to throw, or is it mostly just a frog rod?? I like my rods to do double duty when I can so I don't have to go out with a dozen combos all over my front deck.

My frog rod is classed by All Star as a "pitching rod."  I use it for jigs, too.  It would be suitable for just about any technique that requires a stout, heavy rod.  

[The Rooster]

Thank you for that reply, it's informative......as always when I read your replies anyway, you seem to have a knack for this advice giving.  

You like the Yo-zuri Hybrid huh.  I might try some of that then.  I don't fish a lot of slop since my lakes just don't have such stuff that I've seen.  Some grasses and weeds though.  I read that braid helps cut through some of the stuff when a bass buries up in it and thought that might be useful, but I also read that sometimes braid snags up instead.  What are your thoughts on that if you don't mind??

[Bassboss]

I use them and they work fine for froging, and the lake is covered with lilly pads! How ever I do use braid, it cuts through the pads so good, and I would never want to be fishing a frog with out braid, soft, or a hollow body frog like a River2sea or spro.

If I was you, I would take an empty spool, put that on a drill and then spool the line back on the spool and get some 50lb braid and put it one the reel.

Just my preference.  

[Pigsticker]

Why do you think top frog guys like Bobby Barack and Dean Rojas use braid?

Do you mean besides the sponsorship dollars?

Frog,

I don't think you are meaning to come across as a arrogant, but you really are. I grew up fishing north and east texas... call it open if you like but I'll bet some serious coin that there is as much slop as anything you fish. Just because I don't use or like braid, doesn't mean my water is any more or less open. ...lol And just because you can't do it without braid, doesn't mean I can't... I have for many years.

Frog, that's the best part of frog fishing, setting the hook and getting um out of the junk

I do not think Frog is being arrogant at all, braid is mandatory for frogging. He is trying to help guys increase hook up and landing ratios, there is nothing wrong with that.

Rooster, you CAN get a new rod for frogging but you probably do not NEED it right now. If you have a 6'6'' MH or 7' MH buy a pack of soft plastic toads. I would suggest Gambler Cane toads but if not just get a pack of Zoom horny toads. The reason is soft plastic frogs have better hook-up ratios than like a spro frog.

Then using a 5/0 hook(a heavier wire is better) texas rig it weightless. Fish the frog on at least 30lb braid(65 and up is better) on whatever stout rod you have(6'6''MH at the least).

Fish it just like a buzz bait anywhere you would fish a buzzbait but also include heavy cover like lily pads, slop, dense wood etc.

Fish it for awhile or until you at least get some bites. Find out if frog fishing is for you, then you can buy whatever rod you want but I would suggest at least a 7ft Heavy fast/extra fast rod.

[roadwarrior]

Hey guys, c'mon!

This has been a very informative and I think, helpful thread.

We don't have to be unpleasant to disagree. I don't fish braid,

but probably would if I fished more thick vegetation. The ability

of braid to cut through weeds and such is a major selling point.

This is something I rarely encounter and get buy with using my

"normal" baitcasting line. Still, braid is probably the better option.

8-)

[Tin]

open. ...lol And just because you can't do it without braid, doesn't mean I can't... I have for many years.

Another stubborn Team Depends member. $50 says your boy will fish frogs with braid Fletchero.  ;D

[flechero]

open. ...lol And just because you can't do it without braid, doesn't mean I can't... I have for many years.

Another stubborn Team Depends member. $50 says your boy will fish frogs with braid Flechero. ;D

I have no problem with braid, or anyone that uses it... I just don't like it for me.  He might love braid... but he won't find out until he gets a job, earns some money and buys it himself!!   ;D ;D

[Tin]

Just let me know, I will send him is first spool.  ;D

[FR0G]

Its not like braid is the devil, or at least I don't think it is. But, I see flechero you have something against braid, and I'll leave it at that. Yeah, the price is spendy, but to me its worth it. I say go with pigstickers idea. See even frogging is for you before you get a setup specifically for it. If you do like, eventually you'll want to get a setup for just frogging.

I like using a high speed reel, but you can get away with a slower reel. The 7:1's are nice because you can pick up that slack faster and get the bass out of where you are catching them. Right now I am using a Revo SC. I love it because it has the high speed I am looking for, and they have 24lbs of drag. Rods, as you can see, everybody likes different rods. I like the big rods for more leverage, and some like shorter rods. But I think a 7 ft would be the shortest I'd go.

A great frog is snag proofs bobbys perfect frog. Awesome out of the box. But I'd recommend trimming the legs about a inch. They have a rattle, so you can remove it or keep it in. You can also trim one leg a little shorter than the other to enable it to walk a little easier. Frog customization is endless. I got alot of stuff, but I am keeping it to myself, lol.

[flechero]

I really don't have a problem with braid... it's just not for me.  (and I was kidding for tin's response above)  I have recommended it to many people that have asked for help with certain situations.  I see it's value for a number of people, situations and applications...  I just didn't like it.  

When guys (and there have been many)  make the braid is mandatory kind of comments, it bugs me.  Mainly because you don't know how I fish or that I used to use braid.  You assume that I don't have a frog rod or even know the basics of frogging or the mechanics of braided line in vegetation.  Those assumptions are all incorrect.  I do fish frogs pretty regularly, with good success.

By the way, I actually still carry a spare spool of braid with me in the boat... just in case I ever get in a position to need it... I just never needed it.

Again, for clarification, I have no problems with braid, or ANY of you guys...

carry on.

[Micro]

I think braid's biggest advantage is lack of stretch as opposed to its ability to cut through weeds.  My experience in that funky mess in my picture is that braid will cut through lilies.  But just as much, if not more, it willl cut into them when you don't want it to.  Sometimes you can cast and the line will lay across a stalk or leaves just right and it will saw into them just enough that on retrieve you end having to jerk your frog free, often yanking up pieces of vegetation with it.  The line I'm using now does that much less.  Yet it is still plenty strong enough to horse a fish out.  

If I was fishing in pure muck, and not stand-up lilies, I might give brain another try.   But in my current environment, I'm just as successful and much less frustrated than I was with braid.  

[VekolBass]

I just started using frogs last summer, and became addicted to it when a big green head with a gaping mouth erupted from under a grass mat to eat the thing. I spend most of my time on the tidal Potomac, where during August and September there are extensive matted grass beds that stretch for miles from Washington DC southward. To a large degree, if you want to catch bass at these times, you either have to fish over the top of the grass matts, or punch through them--because that is where most of the fish are. Here is what I use:

A medium heavy/fast St. Croix Triumph rod. 7' in length. A Daiwa Rojo reel spooled with 65lb braid. I use the same setup for punching mats too, I like rigs that can multi-task because I'm "thrifty" and I have limited space in my boat, and even less when I'm fishing out of the back of someone elses. This rig isn't perfect for either technique, but it is good enough for both. I almost always use a white Zoom Horny Toad kind of frog. I'm not saying that is what you should use--experiment until you find something you have confidence in. My point is that one thing that is critical  if you fish heavy cover with a frog--and the frog doesn't come with its own pre-rigged hook, is use a heavy hook with a stiff shank. Zoom makes a specific hook for its Horny Toad frogs. I tried using my usual light wire hooks early on, and lost a lot of fish that got down in to the grass. When I tried to horse them out the hook would bend, and the fish popped off. Aside from that, every thing else is to a large degree a matter of preference.

[The Rooster]

Man I'm gettin' some good info.......THANKS!!!

[Tin]

By the way, I actually still carry a spare spool of braid with me in the boat... just in case I ever get in a position to need it... I just never needed it.

x2  I use it to spin the flywheel to start my outboard when I accidently leave the key in the on position.

[flechero]

x2  I use it to spin the flywheel to start my outboard when I accidently leave the key in the on position.

;D  that's classic!

[BARON49_Northern NY]

I am a frog fishing fanantic and have spent way too much money and years in trying to get the best set-up for both buzzing frogs as well as floating frogs.

For now I have found these setups work the best for me.

Heavy slop a 7'6'' American Rodsmiths H, 1 piece Flipping stick, Revo S reel and 65 lb Power Pro line.  This outfit works well so I can get a big fish up and moving out of this thick cover.  I use this mainly for floating frogs, but will throw a Horny toad on it if the fish are active.

Lily pads and floating cover a St. Croix Legends 7'3'' MH, fast action, Revo reel 65 lb Power Pro for floating frogs when casting deep into the backs of the pockets.  For buzz frogs I use the same outfit only with 50 lb Power Pro as I can cast the lighter frogs like a Ribbit a little further.

For open water the same outfit as above with 30 or 50 lb Power Pro for both floating and buzz frogs.

After years of fishing frogs I feel the #1 most important part of the setup is the braided line.  I rarely lose a fish and have caught some monsters in the thick stuff with these outfits using braided line.

Can you get by with a co-poly or mono?  Sure you can, but why would you want too?   With braid you have the advantage of no stretch to get a good hook set and the power to get the fish up and moving out of the cover.  Why would you not want the best shot of catching a big fish by using anything that gives you an advantage.