if you've fished these soft plastic frog baits - or really any topwater slop-type lure - you know that the hook up ratio is kinda bad in comparison with how many hits you get... which can be pretty frustrating!
I have an idea for an alternate rigging style for the open-water/weed edge buzzbait type usage of this lure.
Instead of running the hook about a quarter-inch into the nose, then coming out and hooking it thru like you would a swimbait or tex-posed worm/jerkbait, my idea is to thread the lure farther into the bait and coming out about 1 inch or 1 1/4 inch into the bait, which would drop the hook curve back on the lure, to sit in between the legs, rather than being in the back slot, like it normally would.
normal rigging:
alternate rigging:
It shouldn't interfere at all with the kicking action of the legs, but it SHOULD help with hit:hook ratio by making the hook more exposed.
Obviously, this isn't the rigging to use for throwing into the thick slop though...
I'm gonna test it out tomorrow morning or the the next day - pics to come? *crosses fingers*
I have an idea for an alternate rigging style for the open-water/weed edge buzzbait type usage of this lure.
Instead of running the hook about a quarter-inch into the nose, then coming out and hooking it thru like you would a swimbait or tex-posed worm/jerkbait, my idea is to thread the lure farther into the bait and coming out about 1 inch or 1 1/4 inch into the bait, which would drop the hook curve back on the lure, to sit in between the legs, rather than being in the back slot, like it normally would.
normal rigging:
alternate rigging:
It shouldn't interfere at all with the kicking action of the legs, but it SHOULD help with hit:hook ratio by making the hook more exposed.
Obviously, this isn't the rigging to use for throwing into the thick slop though...
I'm gonna test it out tomorrow morning or the the next day - pics to come? *crosses fingers*
BINGO! Caught this guy on the alternate frog rigging about 7pm on Tuesday, June 8, 2010 at Lake Rico in Massasoit State Park. You can see the lily pads he got me tied up in! I had to give him slack line several times to finally coax him out of the vegetation... he's not a big one, but he had a good attitude! 
Good tip.I wouldn't be afraid to run a trailer hook on that either since you describe an open water situation.I think most of topwater misses are caused by to fast of a hookset more than anything.Its hard not to power a hookset when larry bombs a topwater.If you can resist and mentally pause for a second before ripping it home I think youll see better hookup ratios.Topwater fish are active fish and they commit big time when hitting the surface,IMO two things can go wrong,the fish blasts the lure so hard he pushes it out of his way before he closes his mouth,or you rip it out of his mouth before he closes it.thats been my experience anyway.
My answer: Lazer Trokar surgically sharpened 5/0 ewg mag hook.
I haven't missed ANY bass that haven't struck short and missed my bait. They are expensive, around $10 a pack, but it is worth spending the money to hook the unusually large fish that hit frogs. Plus if you like fishing frogs you might as well spend the money on hooks that allow you to catch more, at least that is what I think.
I haven't missed ANY bass that haven't struck short and missed my bait. They are expensive, around $10 a pack, but it is worth spending the money to hook the unusually large fish that hit frogs. Plus if you like fishing frogs you might as well spend the money on hooks that allow you to catch more, at least that is what I think.
