I have been trying to fish some of the dense lily pads that are abundant on the ponds I have been hitting. I have used a frog, with no luck, and some plastic worms like senko's, with no luck. I fished them slowly and then let them sit in the breaks of the lily pads and let the worm sink a bit. What is your technique or chosen method for fishing on and around lily pads. I was just out fishing on my lunch break for 35 mins and didn't even get a nibble!
I'm with you, still working on froging technique.
The last time I was out, as I practicing working it back, I had a bird actually swoop down and grap the frog and start to fly away with it.
He only got about 3 feet before the line tension fought back and he dropped it.
Of course next cast. Same thing. I cast it out there, start working it back in, and BAM the same bird attacks it again.
So there you go, my running tally of frog fishing is.... Fish - 0 Birds - 2.
The last time I was out, as I practicing working it back, I had a bird actually swoop down and grap the frog and start to fly away with it.
He only got about 3 feet before the line tension fought back and he dropped it.
Of course next cast. Same thing. I cast it out there, start working it back in, and BAM the same bird attacks it again.
So there you go, my running tally of frog fishing is.... Fish - 0 Birds - 2.
With a frog I feel your usually going for a reaction bite. Sound you wanna bring its it at a steady pace. Rod tip high and bouncing it to get your frog to plop as it comes through the water. You wanna point your rod tip at the fish after the bite and give it a one two count then set the hook hard and dont let the pressure drop. Get them on top of the vegetation and keep them there. 50 or 60 lb braid is a must I dropeed to lower for better casting and line management and was rewarded with watching a 5lb fish jump for ten minutes in front of me try to shake my $12 frog from its mouth. 
Frog brand wise I would use the koppers. Ive tried a lot and its simply the best. May be a little more but Ive had frogs tear on good days and the koppers has held up throgh multiple high number and big fish days. I fished the sudbury recently and my friend went through 5 cheaper frogs while the koppers was fine at the end of the day with 80 fish between the two of us. IF you miss them thats when you wanna throw it back and keep still. Jbigun might chime in hes great with a frog and has shown me a lot with it.
Frog brand wise I would use the koppers. Ive tried a lot and its simply the best. May be a little more but Ive had frogs tear on good days and the koppers has held up throgh multiple high number and big fish days. I fished the sudbury recently and my friend went through 5 cheaper frogs while the koppers was fine at the end of the day with 80 fish between the two of us. IF you miss them thats when you wanna throw it back and keep still. Jbigun might chime in hes great with a frog and has shown me a lot with it. 
This is the first year I gave frogs a chance and have had pretty decent luck on them. I have two that I use, a hardbody frog with a rattle in it or something & a livetarget softbody frog.
The hardbody, I would cast parallel to the edge of the lilypads and reel in slowly. While reeling in I would give it a couple quick jerks and then let it sit for a second or two and wait for the ripples to go away, then reel in a bit and then repeat.
The softbody, I would cast into the middle of the pads or same as hardbody and retrieve almost "walk the dog" technique, smae as a spook maybe a little slower.
Just takes a lot of patience, but when they hit it, they hit it. Awesome to see the explosion. When they do hit though, I usually give it a second before trying to set the hook to make sure they got it. I have missed quite a few while learning the frogs from trying to set the hook to soon when they take it.
The hardbody, I would cast parallel to the edge of the lilypads and reel in slowly. While reeling in I would give it a couple quick jerks and then let it sit for a second or two and wait for the ripples to go away, then reel in a bit and then repeat.
The softbody, I would cast into the middle of the pads or same as hardbody and retrieve almost "walk the dog" technique, smae as a spook maybe a little slower.
Just takes a lot of patience, but when they hit it, they hit it. Awesome to see the explosion. When they do hit though, I usually give it a second before trying to set the hook to make sure they got it. I have missed quite a few while learning the frogs from trying to set the hook to soon when they take it.
50-60lb braid? That seems like you would need a rod just for fishing with frogs! I have been using my regular bass set up. 8lb line on a 6' rod. Kinda a newbie to the details of fishing, but I want to learn more. Good thing I haven't hooked any and had to deal with the dissapointment of losing the fish and my frog!
50-60lb braid? That seems like you would need a rod just for fishing with frogs! I have been using my regular bass set up. 8lb line on a 6' rod. Kinda a newbie to the details of fishing, but I want to learn more. Good thing I haven't hooked any and had to deal with the dissapointment of losing the fish and my frog!
Youll be lucky if you get the hooks deep enough to keep them hooked and even more to get them outa the thick stuff.
for fishing dense pads or an matted vegetation try the following:
1. 60lbs braid, stout rod & reel combo.
2. 1 to 1.25 oz. tungsten bullet weight, pegged with bobber stopper (or get some of the Sinista punching weights from Boag Hog Baits)
3. Trokar brand hooks rigged weedless (this hook brand mch stronger than most)
4. Creature bait plastic with some flappin legs like a Berkley Jumbo Craw or a Bush Hog
5. Get some plastic rattle to put on weight (optional but gets more bites)
Flip it into the pads let it sink and shake once or twice... (rinse and repeat)
1. 60lbs braid, stout rod & reel combo.
2. 1 to 1.25 oz. tungsten bullet weight, pegged with bobber stopper (or get some of the Sinista punching weights from Boag Hog Baits)
3. Trokar brand hooks rigged weedless (this hook brand mch stronger than most)
4. Creature bait plastic with some flappin legs like a Berkley Jumbo Craw or a Bush Hog
5. Get some plastic rattle to put on weight (optional but gets more bites)
Flip it into the pads let it sink and shake once or twice... (rinse and repeat)
Anyone ever throw a Flip In the Bird? Just got one today, black with a yellow head. Can't wait to throw it.
Reminds me of this pic:
http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/bass-fishing/2009/06/bass-wins-cock-fight
Anyone ever throw a Flip In the Bird? Just got one today, black with a yellow head. Can't wait to throw it.
Reminds me of this pic:
http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/bass-fishing/2009/06/bass-wins-cock-fight
I have all of the bird lures. I hardly ever throw them. For some reason I didn't have any success with hollow body topwaters this season. I think I fish too fast. So one day on facebook I see a pic of all the birds and I comment "that I hardly ever throw them. I never caught anything with them and about half of them land upside down." A few minutes later I get a PM that says this is Dan the owner of flip in the bird company heres my number please call me so we can get you catching fish with the bird or I'll refund you your money. So I called him. He told me to gain confidence that I should make sure there's a topwater bite with something I already have confidence in like a mouse or frog and then switch to the bird. About the bird landing on it's back he said I should trim the wings a little and I could glue a weight inside it. I was pretty impressed with his service. He stands behind it and I will readily admit that I probably didn't give it enough of a chance. One of these days I will. Good luck with it
