Do you really need a Frog Rod for frogs?

[ohg9530]

My question is although there are several nice frog rods on the market, Steez SVF-XBD, G. Loomis TWFR854C, MB Black Jungle Frog Game Special F6-70XBJ to name a few, do they really perform any better than a good all purpose stout rod? Won't a good all purpose rod, say MH with a fast taper in a 6ft 8in to 7ft 1in rated up to 1oz do the job just fine? Most of us aren't getting 8lb plus bass.

[grantman83]

Probably not. Many guys double heavy punching/flipping rods with braid and use them for frogs also. In open water, a MH will do just fine and if you have a jig rod with braid, you can prolly just double that up as well. I don't have a rod specifically for frogs, but frogs are what I primarily use them for (if that makes sense). I'm waiting to try my new Dx 746. Before, I used a 736 in heavy pads and a dx 704 for open water and buzzing frogs. Both those rods are used for other stuff also

[ohg9530]

That's what I figured as well. Not to say I won't be telling the little lady that a new rod is necessary...

Thanks!

[JigSlinger]

I have st.croix LT in the slop-n-frog 7'4"H. That rod is one of my favorites. It can really handle them in the nasty stuff. I find it to also be an excellent bladed jig/big swimjig rod. I fish all of my 1/2 or bigger stuff on that. Now if I am fishing frogs in more open areas like maybe lighter or just emerging pads you can get away with one of these big rods. Not a necessity and can be handle on a lighter powered rod. In reality you can fish frogs on whatever you are comfortable with. Anything can get the job done some rods just make the job a little easier.

[JigSlinger]

I have st.croix LT in the slop-n-frog 7'4"H. That rod is one of my favorites. It can really handle them in the nasty stuff. I find it to also be an excellent bladed jig/big swimjig rod. I fish all of my 1/2 or bigger stuff on that. Now if I am fishing frogs in more open areas like maybe lighter or just emerging pads you can get away with one of these big rods. Not a necessity and can be handle on a lighter powered rod. In reality you can fish frogs on whatever you are comfortable with. Anything can get the job done some rods just make the job a little easier.

Before I got this SCLT I fished all my frogs on a 7'6" MH light flip stick. It got the job done fine but I can say this it will never have another frog tied on it while I own it. It did a decent enough job just not the animal the slop-n-frog is. Much easier and more enjoyable for me to fish the SCLT slop-n-frog.

[smalljaw]

I was using a flipping stick but when I got a rod for fishing Biffle Hard heads I decided to try it for frogs and I love it. So my new frog rod is 6'10" H-F and it is a short broomstick but the grass I'm fishing isn't extensive so I don't have the need for super long cast and since the rod is short I don't need a soft tip to make it walk, the rod length makes walking very easy. I've looked at some frog rods and they all seem to have the same type of tip on them with the biggest difference is how much tip each has but if you have a rod heavy enough for it and you can work the frog with it, then no, you don't really need a frog rod but, if I fished frogs a lot I would probably have a frog specific rod.

[MTBF]

Too short, Use to use a 7'4H Fast now am using a 7'5 Ex-Heavy Ex-Fast. I'm using the NRX895 JWR it's going to cast 5/8oz froggy's and 60lb braid fine. I might flip a little with it but this is a dedicated setup.

IMO Frogging calls for the heaviest equipment next to a XH Punching Rod. When your looking at 150ft of slop and a 4+ comes up through it you need lot's of power and line movement, longer rods in the Heavy to Ex Heavy power range are ideal.

[Finnz922]

I used the Daiwa S-7'6"MH flippin stick, then the Daiwa Iaconelli-7'2"H pitchin/skippin, then the SC Mojo-7'H slop n frog, and now the Megabass X4-7'2" Destruction. I think the 7'2"/3" rods are the best for me the longer flipping rods never felt quite right and I felt the 7' and shorter rods weren't for me either. Heavy for sure while I like a soft tip and a lot of backbone. The Destruction is right for me.

To answer your question. No. Just find one that allows you to fish the way you want to fish. You will probably go through a few before you find "The One".

[USA-RET]

My question is although there are several nice frog rods on the market, Steez SVF-XBD, G. Loomis TWFR854C, MB Black Jungle Frog Game Special F6-70XBJ to name a few, do they really perform any better than a good all purpose stout rod?

No

Won't a good all purpose rod, say MH with a fast taper in a 6ft 8in to 7ft 1in rated up to 1oz do the job just fine?

Yes, Although given a choice, I'd opt for a rod 7'+ just to be able to snap up more line quickly on a hook-set.
My dedicated frog rod is a 7'6" MH Omen. Rod is a "beast" for a MH (fishes closer to a Heavy IMO). Inexpensive enough to leave a frog tied to it continuously, but capable of doing a number of other things well.

Their 7'11" Omen (using it as a dedicated punching/flipping stick) could probably fit the "frogging" bill but seems like overkill (that rod is a stump puller)


Most of us aren't getting 8lb plus bass.

[ohg9530]

Wow, a lot of really good comments. I appreciate the thoughts as well as some suggestions on specific rods to be looking at. I love this forum!

[Big Al]

I don't fish many places with thick heavy cover like many of you guys have so I use an older Castaway Spinnerbait SB4 rod for frogs. It's only a 6'9" rod with a mod fast tip but it has the backbone of a tree limb. The only problem I have is the bass crashing through the pads a foot away from my lure!

[Revofisher]

yeah i wouldnt buy into the frog rod concept so much because there are a lot of good options. i usually let the cover dictate the rod i use. i have used dx 745 and dobyns champ 734 in more moderate cover and have never had a problem. i really like the 734 in open water because it has a nice tip for walking the frog. If i was fishing heavy slop i would go with a flipping stick or some rod of that nature where your goal is getting the fish back to the boat with the extra 5lbs of weeds thats going to come with it.

[civicrr]

As you can see, frog fishing is different things for different people. The easy answer is, no, you don't 'need' a frog specific rod. For a while I used a St Croix 7' MH Fast.

The long answer is too much work to type on my phone. Haha. Bottom line, If you select a frog rod that is designed for your fishing conditions, it will be more pleasant & effective.

[John Puckett]

I'm somewhat the opposite of most of the posters here so far. I think getting the "right" frog rod was the single biggest key to my success with this technique. I've fished quite a few different rods with frogs and as the others guys pointed out there are plenty to pick from that will get the job done I just don't feel like you're getting the best performance that you could be.

I've been fishing a Powell Max 735 frog rod for some years now and I absolutely love the thing. Frogs, by the way, are my favorite way to catch bass so I fish them a ton. I know it's not the fancy expensive glamorous rod that say a NRX or Mega Bass is but I'll tell you it will flat put fish in the boat. I fish all my frog and toad baits on this rod in any type cover from the heaviest of slop to open water.

Maybe it's the fact that I've fished with this rod so much that I just adapted to it but it seems like the perfect answer to me for any frogging situation. I'll say this, I have two different fishing buddies that love to fish frogs as well and every year I always come out on top of the most fish caught on a frog. One of these guys has a technique specific frog rod but the other doesn't, the guy without seems to always lose a few more than us. I'm just saying I think it makes a difference.

Just my opinion hope it helps you.

[hotdogin]

I am actually curious as to why frog rods are specifically rated to braided line?