MrFrost

The local pond that I frequent three to four times a week, used to be a great place to fish, rarely if ever did I experience days where I couldn't get bit on something. I noticed the fishing getting worse and worse and just chalked it up to high heat, and bright sun. But last week I started to notice the lillypads right on the bank were turning brown, and shriveling up. I thought it was odd, as it's too early for the fall covnersion, and the lillypads off the bank seemed to be doing just fine. I was talking to a guy that lives on the pond and he said the HOA sprayed the lillypads that were reachable from the bank (between 0-10 feet) to kill them probably two to three weeks ago. I've only been fishing since the end of May, so I'm not sure what affects killing the pads will have, but I am starting to think that the fish are nowhere near the bank anymore, which is where they'd normally be stacked. Any idea how long this will hurt the fishing here? Just wondering if I need to cross this place off my list of ponds to hit.

Although I think Dink Whisperer's truck is the definition of perfect, in my personal opinion, my own truck is nothing close to it, lol. It's what I want, and would love, but not what I need. I added a toolbox in my bed, as I lost all interior storage under the rear seats, where I used to keep the essentials. I put in a sound system and needed the storage, so a toolbox was the next best option. So the sound system is essentially my only upgrade at all, as I only care about my comfort while in the truck. It's utilitarian, and I don't flinch when I scratch it. Doesn't mean I don't love my truck, because I certainly do, but I also use it. Having had both universal fit, and specific fit, I could not recomment covers that are specific to your Year/Make/Model. The universal fit may look and feel good, but there is no comparison to covers designed to fit your seats perfectly.

Where I do most of my fishing, especially my frogging, I found that the Live Target Light Green matches up to the majority of the frogs that are in and around that pond.

I've been fishing since the end of May, so I am still VERY new to this, and to be honest, due to my inexperience I have allowed myself to focus on topwater, as it was how I caught my first ever fish, so it became my confidence technique and all I ever use. Well I decided to challenge myself, since the topwater bite at my local pond is horrible lately. So I tied on a Texas Rig setup and told myself I couldn't throw anything else until I caught a fish on the T-Rig. Well I wasn't having any luck whatsoever, and I started paying attention to my bait. And I soon realized that I wasn't penetrating the grass in my local pond at all, and my 1/32nd ounce bullet weight wasn't cutting it. So I grabbed some 1/4th ounce bullet weights and a pack of Zoom Brush Hogs in green pumpkin and tried again yesterday, after my full time job and before my part time job, and sure enough, this guy hit my Texas Rig so hard, the brush hog was nowhere to be found! Felt good to finally scrape the bottom and come up with a fish!

Sometimes, they don't even get hooked, they just hug the crap outta my frog and ride it to the bank! I wish the bass bite was as strong as a bull frog hug, lol.

I don't understand your post?

Not the same, but I have attempted to set the hook on a blow up on my hollow body frog before, that was missed and knocked about a foot in the air, and my hook set was so strong that the bait flew right at me. Only to learn by recasting into the blow up spot that it was a d**n frog attempting to get my bait!

In that price range, my only experience is with Dawai, but in that respect, in that price range I think all four brands offerings are probably very good.

I fish a pond that is over run with frogs. When you walk the bank they're jumping in the water about every fifteen feet or so. I still do relatively well with the hollow body frog. The pond goes through phases. But the live frogs are always present. I caught my current PB after watching a huge bull frog barely escape the mouth of a fish as it exploded out of the water chasing the bull frog. I casted right over the blow up spot and the largie took my hollow body frog hard.

Thank you!!!

Where did you get those plastic treble hook covers? I'd love to grab some!

Careful...top water is addictive! At least it was for me, and now it's my favorite method. More specifically, frogging. Glad to hear you've found some good patterns!

I would suggest you focus on the one setup for now, and as you fish it more and more with different style baits, determine what you like to throw/what works best where you fish, then when budget allows you to start to build style specific setups, you can start with your most used methods first.

Don't limit yourself just because you're bank fishing. I did at first and I began to realize I would procrastinate tying a different lure on because of it. I've slowly began to get purpose built set ups and find it much more convenient. But if it's a budget thing, or just a personal preference thing, like mentioned above, 7' MH/F would probably be the closest thing to most versatile you could have.

I tried this guy... Cheap Amazon Scale This one has a lot of awesome reviews, and I think for the most part, it's probably a great scale. I had mine quit on me after a fish that did not want to be weighed apparently would not stop shaking. Couldn't get the weight to lock in, and as I was about to take him off, he stopped moving and I noticed the scale was off, and would not turn back on. Tried new batteries on my way home, and couldn't get it to turn back on. I think based on the reviews, I just got a dud, as most people don't have any issues. So now I have this one. Rapala High Contrast Digital Scale It weighs fish, and it's super convenient that it uses a gripper. I much prefer that method.

Just gonna add a couple photos to support the quoted post...

I should edit my post, to be more specific, lmao.

*****(Edited to be more specific, lol)***** It's hard to call the Googan Squad or similiar fishermen on YouTube "dumb" when they have built a channel with such a strong following behind it. I know I have previously stated in this thread why I like some of the channels I like, many of the channels some people are slamming, but I realized another reason I like some of these channels so much. If you were to watch just the old school cats or shows on television, much like I first did, it is intimidating. These guys are always landing the fish over and over and over, and they're using techniques that they are well beyond comfortable with, trying to win whatever tournament they are fishing. That made me opt out of learning. Then I found the Googans and the like. They no longer claim to be educational, but they honestly are. I know some of their challenges are silly and considered dumb to a lot of people who have fished for a long time, but for someone like me, who before May, had never caught a single fish in my 35 years of existence, they showed the real simplicity of catching fish when you target the right water at the right time. They also show you that they don't always catch fish. And that's real. Take APbassin or Flair, who some, myself included, would label as the silliest/most non-conventional of the YouTube fishermen, they catch fish, but they don't ever claim to be pro's or better than anyone, and actually lose a lot of the challenges they do on their own channels. But they do a very good job explaining what they're doing and why. That's the key. Remove 12 minutes of entertaining silly stuff, and you usually can find a good 30 seconds or minute of them actually explaining something useful while showing how it can be simple if done right. They own boats, either sponsor donated or self bought, but will still bank fish. As a 100% bank fisher, I can appreciate that a lot.

I am the same exact way, but with a good Heavy rod, and braid, there is almost no give and on several occasions, the fish simply taking the bait underwater set the hook if there was no slack in my line!

I use that exact rod, and 65lb braid, and the combination almost ensure a good hook set as long as the fish is able to get the frog in it's mouth. Nothing will guarantee a hookup, but the right setup makes it easier.

The triangle box, as mentioned above by a previous poster is common practice and a lot of well known and reputable brands ship to stores the same exact way. I currently work for an outdoor chain and we receive a large portion of our rods direct from the manufacturer just like that.

The rod will help more with the hook set. A nice, stiff Heavy rod and braid on the reel you have will definitely help set the hook. Cabela's has a nice 7'3'' frog rod in your price range, the Tournament ZX Bass rod... Frog Rod

I feel like everyone is different. If you notice that you're setting the hook and your frog is flying back towards you, your reaction times are probably on the fast side, and you would benefit from slowing yourself down slightly and allowing a pause long enough for the fish to close it's mouth so you can set your hook. If you find that you go to set your hook and there is no resistance, well then your reaction is too slow, and the fish has already spit your bait. You'd benefit from speeding up your reaction by setting your hook more immediate. Even if you get your reaction times dialed in perfect, you will still have some missed blow ups for any number of reasons, but that's part of the thrill of the hunt.

Yup! I have seen them jump on top of the frogs back and hold on and them actually try and eat my frog!

I have frogs attack my frog a lot. Lol.