The right hook set when bass fishing with frogs

Tournament angler Tyler Temple knows plastic frogs are a big-bass bait, which he proved with this lunker he caught at Neshoba Lake.

“There’s a lot of frogs on the market today but the texture of the Scum Frog is so simple if one hits it you can catch them,” said Gibson. “Once you get that strike the biggest thing is proper hook-setting technique. You’ve got to stick that fish good to get him.”

That’s easier said than done to many people, especially someone just getting started. Setting a hook on a frog bite is different than almost any other strike.

“You’ve got to develop a feel for setting the hook when fishing a frog,” Gibson said. “Normally you hit that fish the minute they strike your bait, but you can’t do that on a frog. If you do you’ll go home empty handed. You’ve got to give them a split second to eat it before striking.

“Even with the Scum Frog, and other new frogs, you can still miss a lot of fish. During one of my tournament wins in the days before braided line, I caught bass all day on the frogs while my partner never could set the hook on one bass. He was so frustrated that he quit fishing and said he was done for the day. Back then it was tough to connect on one out of two or three hits, but braided line has helped that average go up.”

The newer, softer frogs give anglers more chances on a hook up as the hooks are sharper and the soft plastic enables hooks to penetrate easier as the plastic compresses on the strike.

About Michael O. Giles 411 Articles
Mike Giles of Meridian has been hunting and fishing Mississippi since 1965. He is an award-winning wildlife photographer, writer, seminar speaker and guide.

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