Frogs and Cats

[Muskie456]

So a guy at work has a frog problem in his pool after it rains. I said I would be more than happy to help him in the relocation of these frogs and hopefully that is in a channel cats mouth. Do you kill them before you hook them on? Is it cut bait? If left alive do you hook them in the mouth? Any response will be appreciated

Thanks

[fiskyknut]

I usually euthanize them first as they're so darn cute! I then chop their legs at the knee as little fish like to tug at them. Poke em thru the belly a couple times with the knife to get some juices flowing, and then lip hook them upward thru both jaws on a Kahle hook.

Tic toc tic toc, August is almost here, and it's soon time for me to get a coupla three fish on that KOTC board!!!

fiskyknut

[HuskerBen]

I've always used them live. If it's in current, I hook them through the lip. If it's in slack water, I hook either through the back or through one of the back legs. It lets 'em kick and thrash around a little more.

[CatfishBanker]

I do as HuskerBen does. Frogs are the best channel cat bait I know of. I built a special tool to catch them. I put a pool skimmer net on the end of a dowell and bent it 45 degrees, it works great. If only I could find some this year.

[crazyice]

If you hook them alive, wouldn't they eventually die anyway as they do need to breath air...

[DTro]

If you need assistance "relocating" let me know

[HuskerBen]

If you hook them alive, wouldn't they eventually die anyway as they do need to breath air...

Yes, they do die. But you'll often get hit within a few minutes, and it becomes a non-issue. They are good dead, but I prefer to start them off alive.

I would also be willing to lend assistance in relocating a few frogs.

[ec30_06]

I have been seeing plenty of little frogs, but no bigger ones yet.

[FishNovice101]

Hey CrazyIce ~ been out fishing lately? Or working too hard?

[mplspug]

I usually euthanize them first as they're so darn cute!

You sound like me, but I don't think I could use them as bait. Call me a Nancy if you must. I saw a couple of leopards on my way to a spot the other day and didn't even think about it.

[polarsusd81]

I posted this over in the bass forum, but I like to do a little frog hunting when I am down south. My dad is pictured in the second shot.

Just for fun, here are a couple pics of a frog we found hibernating down in Arkansas during January in the duck swamp. This is just the average size bull frog down there.

Ready to jump...err just sit there.

Stretched out, sorry bout the heater.

And no, frog legs don't taste like chicken. But they are darn tasty.

[mplspug]

I have to admit, frogs legs are tasty.

[joeyquicksand*]

You don't need to apologise for the heater... its a free country right?... wait, i mean it USED to be a free country... are you smoking within 20 feet of a building?

[polarsusd81]

Its my dad, and in Arkansas, you can still smoke in most buildings. Things are a lot less "tight" down there.

[Sandmannd]

Dang thats a huge frog. Think of the flatties you'd be catching with those. And the legs are dang tastey.

[mplspug]

Its my dad, and in Arkansas, you can still smoke in most buildings. Things are a lot less "tight" down there.

YOu mean the government doesn't know what is best for me?

[crazyice]

Hey CrazyIce ~ been out fishing lately? Or working too hard?

Was out flattin on saturday night into sunday morning. Planning on doing some channel cat fishing tomorrow morning before work. Gotta get it while I can yet, going in for shoulder surgery on tuesday.

[jjz]

dead or alive I usually hook frogs through the top of the nose and bring it under the belly and pop the hook through just above the pelvis. they are the best channel bait I have ever used. when I am in a hurry to rustle up a bunch of leopard frogs I use a red ryder bb gun, quickest way I have found to catch enough for a days fishin in less than 1 hour.

[Shack]

The kids had some massive frog almost the size of the one above the other week. They where like normal frogs, but huge.

I will have to ask where they got them from As a matter of fact they might still have some back at their fort in the woods.

Frog legs are great. Their used to be a place behind the Mermaid in Mounds View years back that had all you can eat frog legs on Friday night (I forget the name of the place). They where very good

[HuskerBen]

when I am in a hurry to rustle up a bunch of leopard frogs I use a red ryder bb gun, quickest way I have found to catch enough for a days fishin in less than 1 hour.

When I was a kid, that's how we rounded up bait. Grandpa sent us out to shoot a bunch of sand toads and leopard frogs with a Crosman 760. Doesn't seem to go over too well here in the city, though.

[Ed Carlson]

I'll clue ya in on another semi-secret bait for big cats. It's waterdogs...AKA the gilled stage of the Tiger Salamander...AKA Mud Puppy's.

Mid summer and into fall big cats SMASH them, they love them when the stumble across one. Big walleye do too, especially in rivers. Deep water Lindy rigging waterdogs catch many wall hanger eyes every year, but they just don't get the press.

I'm working on getting them in at our Fargo GM Baitshop. They may be in this week? They should run about what a frog would for cost.

[crazyice]

We have talked about that possibility before while sturgeon fishing on the st. croix. We catch plenty of them, only they usually end up deep hooked.

[Ed Carlson]

You Flatty hunters need to try them big WaterDogs once.

Just think about it, use them as big as you want, 12" is doable (No 10" Bully rule to worry about)...they never drown...live a long time on a hook, easy to keep alive. They Kick up a holy fuss if anything gets even close to them. Cats just CRUSH them...THUD!!

During spawn cats kill them on sight because they rob nests. So I speculate...this continues well after spawn, but now there are lunch.

The Giant Waterdogs are generally not too desirable to bait dealers so they will not break the bank buying them. The big pike hunters love them so they will be your biggest competitor for them as bait.

Granted, I do not have a history of hunting Flattys with them...but if I had Flattys close at hand..and post spawn...I sure would give it a go.

What I do know is Big channels and walleye sure do love them.

[mplspug]

I'd give'em a try if I could ever catch one. And thnks for giving us permission to use a 10" bully.

[Ed Carlson]

OK..ok..ok, I was not paying attention....refresh my failing memory? What is the cut off size limit again for Bullheads in MN?