Frogs

[mnfisherman]

Do many people use frogs for catfish bait?

Do you prefer them alive or freshly killed?

What king of frog do you use and how do you rig them?

Will only channels go after them or would flatheads also be interested in a frog?

[Canuck]

Yes, frogs at the right time of the year are deadly. When the young leopard frogs (small green ones) start to migrate from the marshes to the river they work by far the best. In Manitoba that usually is the 2nd wk of Aug.

I always use freshly killed frogs. I catch them and put them in the beer fridge so that they go in semi dormant state. When I go fishing take what I need and put them in a ice cream bucket with a slash in the top so that I can stick my hand in. I smack the poor froggie in the head then puncher the stomach to get the juices flowing then hook down through the head and back up through the stomach with the hook out the back near the back legs. I have caught 4 kitties on a single frog. It does not matter how smashed up the frog is on the hook.

I find a live frog may bury itself into the mud or simple crawl under a rock, and I couldn't treat a live creature like that.

[Wiskers]

Frogs have been the hot ticket here also.. hard to find them but you can if you take the time..

we use them alive or dead.. Flats will also eat them if they are alive..

I just used up the last of my frogs this week.. have to go out and have another frog stomp very soon..

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Wiskers Guiding Service
Red River, Red Lake River & Minnesota River,for Channel Cats, Flatheads & Walleyes
Crookston, MN
[email protected]

218-280-0442

[beeflover]

I've had great luck w frogs but I'm certainly not good a catchin them. I used to have some neighbor kids that I'd pay 25 cents a piece for them but they moved

what's the best way for a kinda lazy 51 yr old to get some frogs

baitshops are not reliable I've found

good fishin

[Ed Carlson]

Hire a kid to catch them...if you can.

I have caught 1000's of hoppers for cats....yet the older I get the better the hire a kid option is looking.

But it can be fun to do..."The Ol' Frog Stomp"...right Fishhead, Dark and crew?

I offer advanced class's of Frog Stomping methods 101 in Late August.

LOL!!

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Ed "Backwater Eddy" Carlson

Backwater Guiding
"ED on the RED"
[email protected]
701-640-2796
><,sUMo,>

[Dennis Steele]

The frog stomp is a lot of fun!If you do it like Ed does I can bet you will have no problem doing it clear into your 90's.

Find a frog in the grass.
Get the net ready.
Stomp near the frog.
When the frog jumps net him in the air.
If you can guess where the frog is going to jump, place your net in that area and he might just jump right in the net for you!

I am sure that it might have looked very strange from a distance...A bunch of grown men in some earth cult doing our late summer dances along the ditches in North Dakota!

[French Spaniel]

I've used frogs in a number of ways. In small river's I put them on a hook with a float about 1 foot above them. Then I like to toss them above the ripples and float down to the deeper portion below. Sometimes the cats will grab them in the ripples and others right at the edge.

I've also used them as cut bait in lakes and rivers which works well.

The third way I use them is to use them whole but I cut off the bottom segment of the legs. When I use them whole I let the cats take a long run. Especially in a lake with a lot of room. They will usually take one run...stop ...then take another run. I usually wait until the second run because they take it deeper and you are less likely to miss the fish.

Hope this helps someone. French Spaniel

[Canuck]

BUT if U let them run twice won't the hook be down their gullet and how then do U release them?????????

[CANOPY SAM]

Frogs are possibly the best live bait to use for catching almost all fresh water species of game fish. Pike, walleyes, bass, catfish, even muskies will all grab a frog under the right circumstances.

Last year Fishhead and I were in a late season tournament on a very popular metro Bass fishing lake. By the time our tournament group was assembled on this lake every bass living in these waters had seen virtually every bait known to mankind, due to the constant parade of tournament anglers that frequented this body of water.

Dennis and I tried a couple of "sure fire" presentations with little success. Luckily, he had brought along a bucket of "catfish" bait just in case. Prefishing the lake we discovered a few fish would aggressively strike live frogs just lazily kicking accross the surface of heavy weed patches. Long story short, we ended up in the money with a nice bunch of fish come game day, and I beleive all of them were taken on live frogs.

Pike love em' any time of the year. Bass wack em' almost any chance they get when presented under the right circumstances. Muskies have been known to explode on a large live frog dragged accross a deep cabbage weedline. As for catfish, they'll eat em' live or dead. Many times "Canuck" is right. A good "smashing" is just what they need. Other times a fresh, lively big "hopper" will get their attention right now. I even witnessed Dennis catch a really nice Flathead on a truly Bull sized frog last year in heavy current, late at night.

If you've got a productive little frog honey hole, I'd keep it quiet. They are a valuable weapon in your arsenal. Remember too, only take as many as your going to need. It doesn't take long to clean out your favorite frog spot, and if you visit em' too often, they start to get really "smart" - and hard to catch.

[French Spaniel]

Canuck,
It has been a while since my catfish days. I don't live in a real catfish location right now.

Believe the sad story or not... but we grew up poor with a very, very large family. When my Dad took us out it was as much to feed the family and it was to fish for sport. Dad taught us to catch and eat. Waiting for the second run was a way to ensure the catch.

Now that I'm well along in years I still like to eat a mess of fish but I don't have to try to feed my family off them like my Dad did. Different ideals for different times.

[fiskyknut]

Yum....Catfish fried up nice, some tators, coleslaw, and hushpuppies!!! No need to explain it so don't sweat it!

I for one appreciate your posting on this forum. Thanks.

Regards.....Fisky

[This message has been edited by fiskyknut (edited 06-14-2004).]

[psegriz]

How to make a frog trap. Take a posthole digger and dig a hole 2 1/2 to 3' deep put a piece of pvc pipe in that's the same depth. The pvc is to make sure the frogs don't jump out. I tried just digging a hole and thay hold onto the dirt and get out. Got to make sure your in good frog country though.

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GRIZ