Fishing for Largemouth with live frogs - legal?

[Gort]

Is it legal to fish for largemouth bass with live frogs in the Brainerd area? Thanks.

[Deitz Dittrich]

I would have to read the regs booklet to be sure, but I cant see why not. As far as I know its legal to use live frogs as bait yes. I coudnt find anything in the regs saying that you cant.. Hopefully someone else can help out.

[mechanictim]

Frogs are OK for bait from the Walleye opener till the end of March.The only restriction is frogs must be less than 6" from nose to toes with legs outstreched.

[mamohr686]

yes, it is leagal to use live bait including frogs for bass. Most bass fishermen don't choose to do so because in almost every tournament live bait is prohibited. Most people who fish for bass also release them, the problem with live bait is most people think it is unethical. The reason is bass swallow live bait very fast which leads to a small chance they will survive if released. I suggest sticking to artificial baits for bass, it's more fun and the bass stand a better chance for survival when released.

[Gort]

Yeh, I certainly agree with your point about the fish survival when using live bait and was just curious if it was even legal. I purchased a cabin on a lake last year and am still getting to know the water and have had great success with plastic frogs thus far.

Thanks for your input.

[Cooter]

A good way to reduce gut hooking with frogs is to fish em on a jig - keep the line tight and hit em right away. Have caught dozens on frogs and jigs and not one gut hooked. And talk about a way to catch em when nothing else will! Or fish em weightless on top...kick, kick, boom!!

[DTro]

I've had decent luck using a circle hook, gets em right in the corner of the mouth.

[musky hunter]

With such good rubber frogs, why go with live bait? Just seems a lot less hastle to me. I've never had a bass gut hooked on a rubber frog. Actually, you have to let them take the rubber frog for a few seconds before setting the hook.

[hanson]

Quote:

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Or fish em weightless on top...kick, kick, boom!!

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Cooter- You just brought me back about 15+ years in my life, maybe longer. Dad would tell us we're going fishing and my brother and I would have to run out and catch some frogs. I think we had more fun catching the frogs than anything else.

We'd just hook them through the snoot, cast them out and let them do their thing. It was a dynamite presentation and we had a lot of fun.

[ThunderCat]

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[Huskiedevle]

As a secondary technique, aside from the myriad of lures a guy can use for slop fishing, using live frogs an be effective in heavy cover/slop.I use to use a Mustad hook with a weed guard on it, and that took care of the getting hung up on the weeds most of the time.Mid summer seemed to be the time to get frogs out, when the weather was hot and stable, and the bass were cruising the slop in lower light conditions. I really haven't fished with frogs for quite a while- too many lures to use these days.I will put on a live frog if that what it takes to put a bass in the boat, but not in a tournament, of course.

[Cooter]

Anyone know of a way to trap frogs? I use the old butterfly net and canoe method right now.

[Snag]

Wasn't the Minnesota state record largemouth caught by a teenager using a live frog? I'm not positive, but am pretty sure it was.

[katoguy]

Nope. Lake Tetonka (Waterville) trolling raps late in October close to where the Canon River dumps in.

At least that wast the story they told Denny at the bait store that day.

[EBass]

A tip on the scum frogs. Crimp down the barbs so the dual hooks come out easier from the bass' throat. (You know what I'm talking about) They won't toss it if you keep pressure on them.