Frog Frustrations 2024
Alan Reed reply :
I've been trying to fish with a frog and the problem I am having is almost every time a get a fish to react, it isn't taking it under water. It's as if if it hits it and then nothing. I am not feeling it in fast and I have tried letting the fish just sit after that happens and still nothing. No reaction after I twitch it or start moving it again. The other night this happened close to 10 times. So what are the fish trying to tell me?
Bluebasser86 reply :
Maybe they can't locate your frog or can't see it well enough. You might try a different color or adding some BB's for noise and weight.
corn-on-the-rob reply :
Color/Profile is what comes to mind for me. Sometimes they will decide at the last second to not indulge and their momentum will turn into those half-as** blowups. Cadence can also be very important.
It is my humble fishing opinion (anecdotal experience) that the majority of the time a quick, but TIGHT (meaning lots of movement without moving the frog a far distance with each jerk) walk works more often than a cadence with a lot of pausing. While pausing can work exceptionally well at times, keeping the frog moving gives the fish less time to think, less time to get a good look, and gives your frog a "fleeing" appearance, and we know fleeing draws good reactions from bass.
Use less pausing to start, and when a fish misses your frog, keep moving as if it never happened (fleeing) gets me the most re-strikes.
Hope this helps.
Alan Reed reply :
On 7/3/2016 at 1:23 AM, Bluebasser86 said:Maybe they can't locate your frog or can't see it well enough. You might try a different color or adding some BB's for noise and weight.
Colors I have tried yellow, white and black and it makes no difference.
BassB8Caster reply :
I have had this happen alot to me lately. Very frustrating. Great blow ups but they don't take it. Line never gets tight to set the hook. I've gotten to where I rarely use a frog any more. I'm now hooked on Texas rigged soft plastics, whether it be a craw, swimbait, tubes, worm, lizard etc. I fish top, middle bottom with them and hook ups are awesome. Very efficient.
Fun4Me reply :
Would a trailer hook be an option in the cover you fish?
BassB8Caster reply :
I personally do not use trailer hooks. From what I've experienced, the bass inhale these baits when they see them. Even when I may burn or fish one over thick vegetation, they eat the bait. Adding a trailer hook defeats my purpose of Texas rigging them. I want to be weed less so I can fish any where. In more open water a trailer hook is an option. Some people use them all the time. Some do occasionally and some never. I have a few in my tackle box, but I never use them. I should try them on slow days, in case I am missing strikes.
Alan Reed reply :
I don't think a trailer hook would work well for me. Fishing pads and hydrilla that is many times coming up to the water surface.
On 7/3/2016 at 4:32 AM, BassB8Caster said:I have had this happen alot to me lately. Very frustrating. Great blow ups but they don't take it. Line never gets tight to set the hook.
Exactly what I'm talking about.
buzzfrog reply :
Colors, size, add rattles and then sometimes it still happens. Funny I swear everytime I can't seem to get a hookup I switch to the spro Halloween color and they go crazy lol. That color is my game on color on a twilight zone days.
BassB8Caster reply :
I know that lots of times its my fault for getting too excited on a blow up and yank too fast. But I have lots of times where I don't do anything and frog pops back up to surface. Line never goes tight. Perhaps there is something with my frog that they pick up on right when they hit it that tells them it's not real and they spit it right away? Braid would give me a good hook set. I fish a booyah pad crasher popper frog. I did shorten the legs a bit.
ww2farmer reply :
FWIW............Rock bass and Bluegills will blow up on a frog like a 7lb bass..........
frosty reply :
what kind of frog are you using? I was using a lunker hunter the last time out and they would hit it, but I couldn't get them hooked up, I finally got one close enough to see what was going on, they were grabbing it by the legs and pulling it under. I switched to a pad crasher and hooked up 3 in a row.
corn-on-the-rob reply :
if you have gone through the colors, try the junior size frogs.
d-camarena reply :
I dont think anything is wrong with your presentation or colors. I think its simply a phase of time when the bass in your are wont commit to a frog. Try a plastic frog like a ribbit with a treble instead of a worm hook. Or a texas rigged fluke weightless on the surface. Its just a matter of time till they commit or you find something else they will inhale
papajoe222 reply :
IF they are bass, they're telling you that you are doing something right, just not enough to get them to commit. You've tried changing colors and maybe size and possibly adding rattles. I suggest two things; Speed up your retrieve. They will either ignore your bait, or aggressively hit it. Change baits to something similar like a rat or a different brand frog. if you were using a soft plastic frog, switch to paddle feet. Last, but not least, switch to something subsurface
You have figured out the hardest part of the puzzle, finding the fish. Don't give up on them.
beardown34 reply :
given my VAST frogging experience (i started 2 weeks ago), i think it's important to distinguish between a truly missed hookset (ie frog actually getting into the bass's mouth and going underwater), vs a missed strike (bass slapping at it). having seen a ton of missed strikes already in only 2 weeks of frogging, i suspect this happens a ton -- with no intention on the bass's behalf of actually swallowing the frog that time. i agree with papajoe22 -- you're on the fish, now you just have to adjust something to get them to eat it. don't give up (don't ever give up), it's fun!
here's a video i took of what i assume is one single bass, bumping up my pad crasher jr into the air four times in a matter of three consecutive casts. the second one is the best -- the thing goes like a foot into the air!
BOINGGGG (youtube)
Alan Reed reply :
On 7/3/2016 at 8:27 AM, frosty said:what kind of frog are you using? I was using a lunker hunter the last time out and they would hit it, but I couldn't get them hooked up, I finally got one close enough to see what was going on, they were grabbing it by the legs and pulling it under. I switched to a pad crasher and hooked up 3 in a row.
Using Strike King Sexy Frogs.
Fisher-O-men reply :
Yeah, they are likely grabbing the legs and pulling under. Find bigger fish and you're golden.
HoosierMac78 reply :
I fish the same areas, I keep my retrieve fast from bank or boat. Unless it is on-top of matted grass/slop, then I'll do fast retrieve with pauses. I can also vouch for orange bottom (Halloween) frogs when they will not commit(just bumping) to white.
How shallow are the pads you are fishing? If its over bluegill beds, that is probably what is grabbing the legs or bumping the frog. I catch plenty of smaller bass on frogs
beardown34 reply :
oh, just find bigger fish! i should have thought of that!
BassinLou reply :
Frog is not on the menu, but top water still is, if they are missing it. It almost sounds like they are not bass to be missing so many of them. In case they are bass, follow up with a fluke.
the reel ess reply :
On 7/3/2016 at 7:21 AM, ww2farmer said:FWIW............Rock bass and Bluegills will blow up on a frog like a 7lb bass..........
This right here! I had a fish blow up on a frog and take it under three times in the same place before I figured out it was a bluegill. There are BIG bluegill in this place. I've caught one on a Spook.
primetime reply :
Sometimes Big Bass Stun a frog like they do with big shiners and then circle back to take it under...This can take up to 30 seconds as they will examine it, I usually wait if it does not go under and let it sit, then barely shake it like it is hurt, if nothing happens I slowly move it away, kill it, then speed up like it is getting away.
Sometimes they just smack it and that is it, just don't want to commit, Often a smaller frog will work, or a different action, I find if I slow down I get more solid strikes. Rattle vs Non rattle matters as does color...
But be patient, a 50% hook up ratio is about normal, figure you only hook up with 70% of treble hook topwater strikes since many are not bass, or they miss it, or just don't want it but as mentioned, follow up with a soft bait and don't give up on the fish. I rarely throw the frog back if I have a fish miss it or I pull it out of its mouth, I know they will sometimes hit it again but I find that is rare for bigger fish. I follow up with a SK Caffiene Shad Fluke, or a Flipping bait if over grass, but on mats it is different, they probably can't find it and you want to go SLOW and steady, erratic causes them to miss. I find most guys including myself work a frog to fast on top of heavy cover, they will come from far if you work it slow and if they miss, those fish will often hit a flipped creature as soon as it hits the water.
Worst case, mark the spot and come back if it sounded big...You know when it is a big fish, they just use suction to take it under with little splash many times, a Slurp that sounds small is often a big one under a Mat.
dsqui reply :
the legs on the frog probably need trimmed. all frogs come with extra long legs so you can trim them to our liking.
Master Bait'r reply :
Dude. Those are dinks! Short fish swipe at stuff too. If you want to know for sure though, keep a finesse punch rig ready and when they miss it next time put a mendota tube or something right in there... Eventually you'll find out what is slapping your bait around. I'd be willing to bet it's 1lbers or juvie pickerel or something.
everythingthatswims reply :
Throw the frog and when a fish misses it, follow up with a punch bait.
Damn Yankee reply :
Try a popping frog, any color as long as it's black.
hawgenvy reply :
If the bass just slaps at your frog without inhaling it, he's either being ornery or he's trying to stun it before eating it -- let it sit there a good minute to see if he'll sneak back for it. Or, if there is not much cover you could try a treble hook topwater -- even with just an angry slap a bass might stick to it. If there is light to medium cover, you might follow up with a weedless worm or fluke or jig; if it's matted weeds you're frogging, throw a punch.
Catt reply :
I think frogs are frustrating to the bass!
IndianaFinesse reply :
On 7/4/2016 at 12:28 PM, Catt said:I think frogs are frustrating to the bass!
And sometimes the fisherman.
I have very limited experience with frogs, but if I am missing to many bites down sizing often helps them get the whole thing in there mouth. Before ever using a frog the first thing I do is trim the skirts up about an inch, and bend the hooks up and out a little so they aren't angled into the bait. But even with these two modifications my hook up ratio is only about 70%
ClackerBuzz reply :
never go frog fishing w/o a follow up rod i.e. senko or jig rod.
there is no easier bass to catch than one that's given away it's location.
5fishlimit reply :
The best thing to do if you miss a strike on your frog is to follow it up immediately with a senko, or trick worm, in the spot you had the blow up.
fishwizzard reply :
In some of the ponds that I fish, I am starting to suspect that a lot of my missed hits are actually snapping turtles making a grab for my lure. Most ponds around here are full of them and I have even had to land them before to get the hooks out.
joeblowwwww reply :
Happens a lot in pressured lakes and ponds from my experience ... long pauses I find usually attract more strikes but a lot of times they just bump it. snagged frogs on vegetation or the pond scum layer ripped free will give you that big hook up every time but I find it only works once for an area so you have to plan
WIGuide reply :
Sometimes the fish get fickle like that. There's been a lot of good advice posted here already, so I won't add to the broken record, but one thing you might want to evaluate is your hookset. From the sounds of it, you see them blow up and you wait until your line gets tight. That's great if they hit it and swim away from you, but if they're chasing it down and hit it, they may just be putting slack in your line. Go ahead and reel down on them. If they have it your rod should start to load a little and then you can crack them. Otherwise, you may simply be giving them too much time. Give it a try and see if it improves.
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