Basic frog rod setup questions

The Rooster · February 11, 2024, 09:30:36 PM

I'm looking to set up a frog rod for use fishing in the lily pads on a local lake. My basic understanding is that it needs to be pretty stiff to wrestle a bass out of the pads, and have braided line to help cut through the vegetation. Also a fast reel to take up line quickly. Is that about right?

Other questions I have are:

Is a longer rod better? Can I get by with a 6'6" rod (my comfort range) or do I need a 7' or longer?

Besides being stiff for strength, I would think it would also need to be somewhat limber in order to cast a hollow body frog which is pretty light weight. This part I'm confused on. Is a medium heavy/fast good enough? Or a heavy/fast?

And is braided line absolutely necessary? Can just plain mono work?

Besides frogs, what else might this combo work for? I'm imagining this will be stouter (maybe) than anything else I currently have. For comparison, my current heaviest setup is a BPS Fish Eagle rod, 6'6" MH/F, 1/4-1oz lure rating, with 14# copoly line on a 31" IPT reel (7.5:1 ratio). This is my jig/worm rod. It feels pretty stiff but I didn't know if it would be good enough to drag bass out of the pads, especially without braid.

I've fished around the outside edge of these pads for years but never much casted into the thick of them. Occasionally I'd chance a cast out across the pads with a worm, a fluke, or a frog, but haven't ever yet had a hit. I don't do this often though because I figured it was useless unless I had a stouter rod than what I have. I've thought many times about making up a heavier rod just for these pads but never wanted to spend the money on a rod for just one thing at just one lake.

Capt. BassinLou · February 12, 2024, 04:26:46 AM

A frog rod should not be a broom stick. However, the rod should be a at least a MH, with a Fast or XF Tip. Heavy if you are fishing thick cover. Length. Minimum 7 feet. Sweet spot imho, 7ft 3". If you're a long caster and like fishing in the thick stuff like me, then I would say 7ft 6". But most people would just recommend a MH 7' 3".

Fishing line. Non-negotiable: BRAID. 40lb minimum! I personally enjoy 50lb. My recommended rod would be a Dobyns 735. Pick the trim level that suits your budget.

Good luck! Frog fishing is one of the best top water techniques!

The Rooster · February 12, 2024, 05:12:20 AM

Thank you.

If it would be a Dobyns rod, I'd probably just go with the Fury. Why is having just 3 more inches of rod the sweet spot? Maybe for just a little more tip so it loads and casts better? I'd love to compare rods side by side but nobody local sells the Dobyns rods. I'd have to order whatever I got.

Capt. BassinLou · February 12, 2024, 05:41:15 AM

Quote from: The Rooster on February 12, 2024, 05:12:20 AMThank you.

If it would be a Dobyns rod, I'd probably just go with the Fury. Why is having just 3 more inches of rod the sweet spot? Maybe for just a little more tip so it loads and casts better? I'd love to compare rods side by side but nobody local sells the Dobyns rods. I'd have to order whatever I got.

A longer fishing rod will cast better and load better when setting the hook. Several online retailers sell Dobyn rods. Good luck!

J.W. · February 12, 2024, 07:05:50 AM

I built a frog rod recently, but up until then I was using a Dobyns Fury 734c with Spro 65s and the occasional 6th Sense Vega with no problems.

Donald Garner · February 12, 2024, 01:46:10 PM

Most frog setups are Medium Heavy to Heavy Fast Tip Casting Rods. A 7ft rod will work just fine if that is what your comfortable using. Prior to upgrading my rods to Dobyns I was using the Bass Pro Shop Extreme 7ft Casting Rods. My frog setup was the BPS Extreme 7ft (H) Fast Tip casting rod. I had a Abu Garcia Revo SX 6.4:1 Baitcasting reels with 25lb Berkley Big Game Clear Mono spooled on it.

You can use Mono if you want to. The issue with mono in fishing Pads, Reeds stalks etc. is the wear that occurs when the line rubs against the vegetation etc. the line will break at the rub site. I didn't have any issues frog fishing with it. With Mono you'll need to check your line more often than you would using Braided line.

My current frog setup is a Dobyns Fury 735C matched with a ABU Garcia Revo SX baitcasting reel. I have Power Pro 50lb Green Braided line spooled on it.

Like Lou mentioned: A longer fishing rod will cast better and load better when setting the hook. Several online retailers sell Dobyn rods. Good luck!

The Fury 735C can be used for Flipping and Pitching soft plastics and jigs. It can be used also for Small Swimbaits. You could also use it for Spinnerbaits if you wanted too.

ike8120 · February 12, 2024, 05:40:46 PM

My setup is 7'3 fast action... heavy power with 7.4:1 reel with 65# braid. This can also be used for swimbaits.

D.W. Verts · February 13, 2024, 12:19:00 PM

Just sayin'...

Dale

J.W. · February 13, 2024, 08:29:17 PM

Quote from: D.W. Verts on February 13, 2024, 12:19:00 PMJust sayin'...

Dale

I'm gonna have to try that split ring trick, Dale.

I didn't know y'all had that kind of vegetation up that way. If you'd've hung some moss on them trees I'd have sworn you were in Louisiana

D.W. Verts · February 13, 2024, 09:00:41 PM

If we had Spanish Moss (and Gators) my wife wouldn't want to move to Louisiana!

We have Cypress trees and button bushes and Milfoil and Coontail... We even have Cypress swamps in the Bootheel. Thanks for watching.

Dale

Donald Garner · February 14, 2024, 03:30:52 PM

Dale, tks for sharing the Frog Video with us. I felt like I was in the back of the boat fishing with ya

The Rooster · February 15, 2024, 05:12:25 AM

Quote from: D.W. Verts on February 13, 2024, 12:19:00 PMJust sayin'...

Dale

Thanks for "sayin"! Wow! I learned so much from that video! Thank you!

D.W. Verts · February 15, 2024, 12:45:45 PM

Awesome Rooster- that's why I do it.

And Donald, my small bucket list includes spending some time on the water with you for sure. Thanks.

Dale

D.W. Verts · February 15, 2024, 12:47:39 PM

Oh yeah, about your "fast reel". I believe I stated in the video (no I don't go back and watch my own stuff very often) I believe the opposite. I'll take POWER over speed any day.

Dale

Hobious · February 23, 2024, 12:05:08 PM

i like a longer rod with a softer tip. right or wrong i use my Levante Perfect Pitch. the worst thing about that rod is i get to hear by friend tell me my rod is too light. i let him talk because it is his boat.

a longer rod picks up line faster. the equation for arc-length is L=Omega(R). the longer the rod, the radius, the more arc length so on your hook set, you pick up more line quicker.

i am not great at frogs. i have a hair trigger. so a softer rod allows me some hope in not yanking the frog out of the fishes mouth before it has it.

i like a regular 7:1 ratio reel. i use a Daiwa SV TW because it is the only reel i can somewhat skip a bait.

coldfront · February 23, 2024, 01:12:22 PM

Quote from: D.W. Verts on February 15, 2024, 12:47:39 PMOh yeah, about your "fast reel". I believe I stated in the video (no I don't go back and watch my own stuff very often) I believe the opposite. I'll take POWER over speed any day.

Dale

hear you Dale. I want BOTH if I can get them.

the other piece of it? a strong thumb. I clamp down on the spool for drag assist.... and a fast reel lets me take up slack line or that line I need to recover as I drop the rod to pump the fish.

i know we're 'bout to get into differences of strategy and approach... but, BUT... I've never ever 'locked down' my drags. just use my genetically gifted over-sized thumb...

Don: i just can't figure out how to make mono work for frogs. it's not about strength, abrasion. it's all about stretch for me. the 'no/limited' stretch of braid, for me, is critical for getting good percentages of hook ups... now, I DO fish 30lb braid because I can cast further with it than athe 50+ stuff most folks swear by...

D.W. Verts · February 23, 2024, 03:52:38 PM

My gosh, the bass I would have caught years ago while fishing heavy cover with a frog, or my Silver Minnow, if we'd had BRAID. Oh my. Mono SUCKS at this kind of fishing. This kind of fishing WAR.

And Kurt, that locked down drag thing. I just about got pulled in that pond yesterday using my locked-down drag, No time to disengage, and MAN, it just about sucked. Funny?

Dale

Donald Garner · February 23, 2024, 05:03:26 PM

CF; Back in the day when I first started fishing Frogs / Top Water Spooks etc...25-30lb Berkley Big Game Clear line was what I had spooled up. Yep there's that 'Stretch Factor' but we managed to catch some fish. Some made it to the boat and well you know the deal some didn't.

Today if your Frog Fishing etc. especially in pads, grass, reeds, laydowns you had better have some braided line

Hobious · February 25, 2024, 11:56:41 AM

Quote from: D.W. Verts on February 23, 2024, 03:52:38 PMAnd Kurt, that locked down drag thing. I just about got pulled in that pond yesterday using my locked-down drag, No time to disengage, and MAN, it just about sucked. Funny?

Dale

what? I fished Brazil. I locked down my drag on everything. I mean I LEANED into the star-nut. Shimano Curado 150 MGL was the main reel. so locked down as hard as I could, the fish still pulls line. locked down isn't 100%. on that reel it is like 13lbs. a medium sized Peacock (8-9lbs) will get that thing screaming.

punching and frogging, I used 65lb braid, and my drag is winch tight. Mono would stretch way too much. Flouro is no good with the sudden hammer strikes, it snaps.