Recently picked up a *** pocket frog for finicky frog fish.  Tried throwing it on my frog rod with 50# braid and it went about 10 feet.  Any suggestions for throwing this guy around heavy pads?  Spinning/casting and braid?

You can do it with either setup

I bought a pocket frog to try and used my 7' MHF spinning rod with 20lb braid. No way I could use my frog rod with that. With heavy pads you might want to up the line size though. 

If really going small, I'd use a spinning setup w/ 14lb Fireline rather than baitcasters with heavier braid.

I use a medium spinning rod with 15lb braid for the pocket frog and can get it to go a good distance (for what it weighs). I try and make sure the lure is half way down the length of the pole before I cast. 

I've done a ton of research and testing with the tiny finesse frogs...  Spinning or casting will work, but it had better be a finesse casting reel if you want to really chuck a 1/4oz frog.  It also will REALLY help if you put in bigger hooks- the lighter line and rod needed to cast the lighter baits make stock hooksets pretty much a luck scenario.  

 

Here is a link to the thread I made on it a while back.  Definitely some decent info on finesse froggin.  

 

I use a 6' 6" MH/F Avid X casting rod, a Pflueger Supreme XT, with 30lb braid.