Frogging question?

[grab the net]

When you are throwing a scum frog type lure, do you tie directly to the eye or use a snap, or swivel of some kind? Why do you do one or the other? I am just starting to get hooked on these things and am curious.

[big musk411]

I tie directly so that I get less weeds and the frog is more boyant.

[EatSleepFish]

beware of using smaller and cheaper snap swivels with frogs. The metal will bend or break if hauling a big bass or northern out of thick weeds or pads

[Deitz Dittrich]

Tie Direct- its oneless thing to fail and or catch weeds.

[skink]

I have not used a leader or swivel for bass fishing of any kind in a long time. Anyone else the same way? why or why not?

[TurnUpTheFishing]

I dont use leaders or snaps when bass fishing since the added weight/bulk impedes a lure's action.

[delmuts]

i normally tie direct with a braided line.( but i have been known to add a rattle inside the frog, for just that little something extra!)

[BASSproJOE]

it depends on how thick the vegetation is that you are fishing. if i am in a pad field that isnt loaded with pads, i use a snap. it gives the frog much more action. but if i am in the slop i do not use one since snaps have been known to break when you get into bigger fish.

[ikeslayer]

i have not used a snap or a snap swivel in 5 years. i got discourged useing them one day when trout fishing. i was standing next to my buddy in a trout stream and we he was out fishing me 5:1. i asked him what was his secret since we were using the exact same lure. he replied, "YOU GOT THAT STUPID SNAP ON THERE." that has discouraged me ever since. i will also argue that i can probably almost tie a knot as fast as one can work a snap swivel. i don't use them now for the same reason i don't shoot a release while bowhunting and that is that i am tough on equipment and tend to break stuff and i don't need another thing to break. ike

[Flaco651]

I am not a fan of snap swivels either. The only time I use them is when I am fishing a Bill's Scented Lures pre-rigged plastic worm.

[V-12 Merlin]

Even though I generally end up using them, Ike has a good point. Pulling frogs through thick cover doesn't bother me, with or without the snap. But, do the fish know the difference? I've always figured that bass didn't, especially in cover. After reading Ike's comments, I'm revisiting my logic.....

[EBass]

I never use a snap on topwater frogs. 30-50lb power pro and tie direct.

For crankbaits I always have a snap on. Not going for trout though.

[Daze Off]

I was a huge fan of snap swivels until the state bass tournament this past week - I felt like they gave cranks an extra wiggle/wobble potential and made changes easier. Never had a problem with them and never noticed that someone without one was outfishing me.

On the first day of the tournament (last Thursday) I banged a 3-4# bass over a deep weedline on a Zara. It came up and jumped so I could get a good idea of size and then dug down for a fight. After 30 seconds I thought the line snapped as suddenly it was gone - reeled in and the snap had pulled straight. This had never happened to me before even on much larger fish. It was not undersized - best I can figure is that it was defective. Lousy time to loose a fish like that though.

On the second day of the tournament we were running a wind-blown bank with spinnerbaits and the boater I was with sticks a nice 3-pounder which also jumps and runs. He thought his line snapped and he brings it back to discover that his fish had pulled the spinnerbait straight enough to go through the quick clip he was using and the fish was gone with his bait (at least mine floated back to the surface eventually and was recovered). Even if it did not pull the spinnerbait through the quick clip, somehow the clip failed and the lure and fish were gone.

Both of us lost some other good fish but they were more attributable to "operator error" than "Equipment malfunction".

Daze Off

[zepman]

Last week I had two fish (both over 20") straighten my snap swivel. Either would have been the biggest fish of the year with one maybe pushing closer to 22". Both lost right at the boat. Thought the first one was also just a bad snap swivel but after the second one happened I threw every one I had left in the trash when I got home. Should have known better. One on a crank the other a double buzz bait. Live and learn.

[Daze Off]

From here on out I either learn to tie the loop knot or only buy snap swivels with breaking strength listed. Size apparently is not a reliable indicator.

Tried the loop knot on the Zara and, while it worked, the bait did not seem to move as freely. Could it be the slight weight of a swivel altering the action favorably?

Daze Off

[EBass]

Ouch - that would suck. I can't say that I've lost a fish do to a bad snap. I have lost a crankbait on a sunken cable and the snap bent, but I was pulling pretty hard.

I have lost a fish where the split ring came on done and said bass goes away with a treble in it's mouth. That ticked me off more than loosing the fish. It was bout an 18" smallie. Poor guy/gal.

Big Mike and I hit up Tonka and had some success on froggin. Only a handful but one went 18.75" This was last Thus before the cold front came through.

I plan to hit some lake here soon. Maybe tonight

[Daze Off]

Like you I use power pro in the same range - I think mine is 20#.

Getting back to frogs - I have been using the Spro Bronzeyes and have been getting lots of blow-ups but it seems that most are intended to kill rather than eat/swallow. It is almost like the fish are blasting it out of their area rather than consuming it. That said, those that do hit it for food really cream it and nearly swallow the whole bait. Has that been your experience as well?

My retreive has been all over the place - quick short snaps with or without pauses, slow long pulls w/ or w/o pauses, etc. Seems to make no real difference in the results.

Most hits have blasted it on the move rather than at rest.

Daze Off

[st.crioxfishin]

Daze,

I hear ya when it comes to them wanting to eat the bait. I was amazed at how well they would take in the frog. Most of the fish over labor day weekend had the whole frog in their mouth, none were hanging half way out, they had it engulfed.

[ikeslayer]

i heard once from a biologist and from several other bass fisherman. That if a bass comes flying out of the water and just drills the frog but you get no hooks that the fishes intentions were to stun the frog and come back for a second bite in a little bit. There are 2 reasons they do this 1 they couldn't track it very well but they the close to area so they thought they would hit it and then come back for it once it held still. 2 reason is they aren't really that hungry you have just ticked them off enough that they want to kill it and then once it is sitting there dead then they will just eat it for convience sake. I heard this theory and was not sure of the validity of it so i went out and tried it and what i learned is that if you have extreme patience it nearly always works. I went to the local watering hole and started tossing a frog. i had a fish blow up on it and my reaction was to jerk it and of course no fish. The second time it happened the fish came out of the water for it and did not get it. I did not move the frog and after about 4 seconds the fish came back and slurped it off the top and that is when the hook up happened. It has worked several times after that. The problem is that you need to be patient enough not to set the hook or even move the frog after the initial hook set. This has gotten me a lot of hooks on some nice bass give it a try fellas. ike

[Daze Off]

I'll give it a whirl ike -- have done that in the past but apparently not long enough. I have also tried skittering it away like it was scared sh&$((*#&% as well with no results.

I never set the hook on the frog until I feel the weight of the fish (unless I have "bass fever" of course). Thanks for the tip!

Daze Off