Through my research a frogging setup sounds VERY close to a jig or bigger swimbaits setup. If it's multi purpose I can justify it. Within my budget I picked out a Lews Speed Spool LFS in 7.4:1 ratio paired with a Daiwa 7' Airdx H rod. 

 

But...... For $100 Bass Pro has thr Shryock Abu Garcia combo for $100. Its got a Revo X feel in 7.3:1 with a 7'3 MH rod. Any will have 50lb braid. Whats everyone's thoughts? I have the money to buy a $300 set up but I refuse because this is a hobby and I got laid off 1 week ago (thanks oil industry). So budget absolutely can not exceed $150. No wait and save up, no for $20 more. $150 max or I'll ask you to buy food and diapers for my 2 kids. 

 

Thanks!!

7 minutes ago, Luke Barnes said:

No wait and save up, no for $20 more. $150 max or I'll ask you to buy food and diapers for my 2 kids. 

 

I wouldn't buy anything fishing if that is the case.

1 hour ago, jbsoonerfan said:

I wouldn't buy anything fishing if that is the case.

I got a severance that I worked hard to earn. Some of it is going to me. But I set a cap on it. So if anyone else has any contributions i would be glad to hear. 

4 hours ago, Luke Barnes said:

So budget absolutely can not exceed $150. No wait and save up, no for $20 more. $150 max or I'll ask you to buy food and diapers for my 2 kids. 

Lew's Carbon Fire Speed Stick 7'3"H casting Rod. $49 on sale at DSG. Great frog rod and doubles as a good medium swimbait stick. I have and use one alot.

https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/lews-carbon-fire-speed-stick-casting-rod-19lewu7crbnfrspdsrod/19lewu7crbnfrspdsrod?sku=20270001&camp=CSE:DSG_92700048924971584_pla_aud-878140242411:pla-362413401277&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-_j1BRDkARIsAJcfmTFdwBNqmj6D9L8P0i-UQeM404U1uWfTbmjvpVUivY3WPrMlTROMB4UaAv0wEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

Quantum ICON PT. I have one and so does my brother. On that rod it'll bomb a frog into the next county. Rock solid gear train. Double bearing supported pinion. Double bearing driveshaft plus the ARB. Brass gears. Externally adjustable centrifugal brakes. No opening a side plate to adjust brake blocks. Aluminum frame. On sale at DSG for $69, but brick and mortar stores like Simmons have them up on the auction site. We won ours for $39. $53 tax and shipping. They close between that price and $50 typically. MSRP $159 before it was discontinued and replaced by the Vapor.. I have a few more on the way. An excellent rock solid sleeper workhorse reel for that price.

 

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2386202.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.A0.H1.TRS2&_nkw=QUANTUM+PT+ICON&_sacat=0

It'll catch you fish. It's not the "right tool for the job", but as you said, it's a hobby. Losing fish isn't going to keep food off your table, so it's up to you how much you want to invest in a hobby.

 

I'm not implying you need an expensive set up to frog. But I can't see one of Abu's cheaper combos, especially in MH surviving too much of that kind of fishing. 

1 hour ago, Smalls said:

It's not the "right tool for the job"

 

I laugh everytime I read someone using that statement.

 

1 hour ago, Smalls said:

I'm not implying you need an expensive set up to frog

 

That's exactly what you're saying!

 

@Luke Barnes I have a son who frog fishes with a Berkley Lighting Rod Shock & a Garcia Black Max...it's his 5 th year.

Another vote for PhishLI's recommendation. That carbon fire is a heck of a rod for fifty bucks. I have a couple of them, one for frogs, one for swimbaits, (and a few of the spinning rods too) that I bought two years ago for $39.99. 

Mine has a Silver Max reel that I got at Cabela's using rewards points. 

I don't throw frogs a ton- just in the pads for largemouth in our milfoil choked ponds. To me, the rod doesn't have to be super sensitive and the reel just needs to have a good drag.

Ask Bluebasser.....I think he uses an Academy rod and has raved about it as a frog rod.  Froggin is my favorite way to fish and my set up is a little pricier than you want to go but that has more to do with how much I use it.  You could stick a reel and some guides on a broom handle and have a decent frog rod

I use my 7' Aird-X H/F teamed with a Fuego CT-XS as my frog rod. While I haven't caught any with frogs yet, the rig does well by me...good casting distance even with 3/8oz frogs.

 

That rig is also my pitch/flip/punch rig - so multipurpose.

 

Using Amazon - you can find the reel for around $80 - so $135 or so for the whole rig.

3 hours ago, Catt said:

That's exactly what you're saying!

"Expensive" is subjective, I guess. But I really don't think you need an expensive rod to frog. More money  typically gets you lighter and more sensitive rods. Weight is again,  subjective, and you really don't need a sensitive rod. 

 

A good tip for launching frogs and a decent enough quality rod that can handle the heavy cover and heavy hooksets. 

 

But like I said, it's a hobby and he can choose to put in as much info it as he wants. At the end of the day it's just bass fishing. 

10 hours ago, jbsoonerfan said:

I wouldn't buy anything fishing if that is the case.

 

Maybe I wouldn't go as extreme as saying not to buy anything fishing at all, but try to not taking immediate return to work as a given. No one knows how long the effects of the pandemic will last.

 

With that said, I would suggest the combo below. Purchase all of them for the lowest used price (theyll still contain the same text). 

 

 

 

Again, I'm not trying to preach or pass judgement. All I know is the time I spent on unemployment 5 years ago was one of the most difficult times of my life and these books helped me get started on a new career path. The world around us is changing and I anticipate things will only get more competitive after COVID-19 is gone.

 

Best of luck!

Frog rod>children and essentials 

 

 

Swipe away!

To clarify more, I'll get unemployment and I get disability from the VA every month that covers 85% of my bills. So I can swing $150. Why I capped it there is I wont always frog fish. I wont always be in a place where it would be good to whip out the frog. I'll still use my 7' MH and 6'6 M for the majority of my fishing. But my thinking about the Abu combo is I'm basically buying a Revo X and getting a free rod. So if I dont like how the MH handles fish I can get a cheap H rod. I agree sensitivity is not needed and I'm a fairly big guy so weight is a non issue. If I'm going to buy a setup I dont want cheap garbage stuff that works ok. The Diawa AirdX and Lews Speed Spool LFS would be my choice if buying seperate. Just seeing if in that price range anyone has had good luck with other rods and reels that maybe I should consider.

 

Like the Lews Carbon Fire. I'm going to look into one of those for sure!

I think you can get away with a heavy action rod in the 50 to 80 range... your not looking for a super sensitive rod, just a heavy rod with good guides and will flex enough in the tip that you can toss a frog.  When in doubt, look at daiwas and shimanos offerings at your price point.  I'm sorry your having a tough time, I'm sure if you go on sportsmans you can find a good 7footer heavy and reel to go with it under the 150 budget. 

Or clearance page on tw

Abu Vendetta 7'6" heavy with a Daiwa fuego. 50lb power pro.  That combo will pull a car through 50 yards of milfoil mats.

7 hours ago, Catt said:

 

I laugh everytime I read someone using that statement.

 

 

That's exactly what you're saying!

 

@Luke Barnes I have a son who frog fishes with a Berkley Lighting Rod Shock & a Garcia Black Max...it's his 5 th year.

Catt, I agree. There's lots of tools to get the job done. I havnt bought a dedicated frog rod yet. I'm using my old Fenwick flipping stick. It's heavy and not perfect, but stout and has plenty of power to pull a bass out of thick stuff with a frog

 

Here ya go buddy.  Did a little digging.  I think this would be a quality set up that almost anyone would proudly use.  It fits the purpose for you budget and it is a fogging specific rod backed with a 5 year warranty.

Note: that rod runs 120 reg price and I think the cr80 runs 80 bucks.     That's a good combo that you could also use for alot of other stuff.  

14 minutes ago, Teal said:

Here ya go buddy.  Did a little digging.  I think this would be a quality set up that almost anyone would proudly use.  It fits the purpose for you budget and it is a fogging specific rod backed with a 5 year warranty.

Note: that rod runs 120 reg price and I think the cr80 runs 80 bucks.     That's a good combo that you could also use for alot of other stuff.  

You didn't tell him where that was at. 

Falcon HD 7’ H for $69 and a Daiwa Fuego on sale should get you in around 150.

Sportsmansoutfitters

And I made the budget within 2 cents.  They didnt charge me tax or shipping on my last order

 

30 minutes ago, BaitFinesse said:

This is meant to be a joke right?  The "look at me I posted the horrible plastic linear mag brake non-daiwa daiwa CR80 instead of a Fuego" joke?  We ALL know by now to avoid those reels and how they are not really Daiwas, right?  

Ya, at go with the CA-80 at minimum...that one at least has an aluminum frame even if the brakes are still not Magforce-Z

@BaitFinesse sorry bro... I didnt know that reel was less than desirable.  I dont own one. I just saw a dawia at a good price forthe mans budget.  I probably shoulda looked closely at it.  Really didnt see any lews or other reels at the 60 price point I knew of or would reccomend. I made the mistake of assuming that it was a good product.  

 

Back to the drawing board I guess.  That xt  frog rod for 89 is ? tho.

ARK lancer pro in whatever specs you like. For a frog rod I prefer heavy but with a little more tip to help walk them. These rods are $99 and fish well above there price point. Light weight well balanced sensitive and I believe 5 year warranty. I have some very high end rods and as I replace rods they are all getting switched to ARK. If you want to go up to a little higher price point they have the tharp series at 129 and the invoker at 150. I just  ordered an invoker to replace a daiwa tatula flipping rod

19 minutes ago, BaitFinesse said:

Those SLX combos do sound like solid deals.

Yes, except for the reel going geary way too quickly. Yukking a bass out of lily pads or grass will only speed that up. My brother's has gone to poop in just over a year. It's not an isolated thing either.

29 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

Yes, except for the reel going geary way too quickly. Yukking a bass out of lily pads or grass will only speed that up. My brother's has gone to poop in just over a year. It's not an isolated thing either.

Just about any cheap reel isn't going to handle heavy braid and pads very well.