Hawg on a Frog (Delta in July, week two, part 1)

I went out yesterday and today in the morning for more of that topwater bass bite in the delta. 

In short: yesterday I stunk, today was better.  Topwater bite was good, but short-lived due to low tides.

Yesterday was a rough day for me.  Just about every fish came of the hook, no matter what I threw: poppers, buzzbait, or senko.  I was trying to throw-in tight to cover and managed to ruin most of the nice pockets by hooking tules and having to go in and get it.  I managed two bass, neither of which broke a pound.  I did find schools of small, very small stripers feasting on bass fry.  I caught a lot of those for fun, most under 7 inches except this one which was about 10 inches (pic 1).

Today, I didn't have a single fish come off.  I caught several small one to two pound bass and this (pic 2) three and a half pounder on the popper.  As the low tide came through and the sun rose, the bite turned off.  I took out my frog rod and started tossing it on the mats.  I caught this frog on my frog (pic 3).  They are very predatory creatures for sure.

A bit later, I got my one and only blow-up on a mat.  It just crushed it right through the slop.  I knew it was big when I saw the tail flip as she tried to get deeper in the cover.  Set the hook good on this one and it didn't get off.  Weighed in at 8 pounds 1 ounce (pic 4). 

That's all for today...I'll be back at it again tomorrow and the rest of the week.

HobieBlue

NICE fish.  Pretty good frog, too!  That's the only thing I've caught with my frogs.

Dang, that's a nice bass.  Thanks.

Nice fish on the Frog!!  That makes any day a good day.......

Norm

Nice Fish!

I have a few days off next week, might have to try for a day hunting bass!  Mostly headed to flyfish, but might show one day on the salt, too.

Rick

Wow! Nice fish.  Where do you launch when you throw the frog?

Great job, Bryan!  You're king of the big bass I'd say.  Thanks for the report.   

He's no doubt king of the bass. I say HB should change his name to HobieBass. Seriously man, you put on a clinic almost every report we get, and there's a lot of them!! Question HB: Did you ever fish out of a tube and if so, why the switch to the yak?

Z

HobieBass it is!.....you are the HogHook'r!   
Very impressive!!  patience perseverance is your STRONG POINT!
...Z if you seen the slough he fishes in, you'd wonder How the Hell he does it?!  it's choked full!!....i don't have that kinda skillz.

Thanks for the pats on the back everyone.  I'm just lucky and been puttin' in the time on the water.

Don't know about my skills though:  I missed another giant bass today.  He swooshed and sucked down my popper.  I waited a second for the pressure to set the hook, but he wasn't there.  My popper was still 4 feet under when I jerked it again.  A split-second later he taged it hard.  The fish jumped and was well over 22 inches.  When I had it at the boat and reached for the net, he gave a hard head shake and was gone.  HEARTBREAK.

Bennettdanville: I launch from Kings Marina, usually.

Zeelander and FisHunter:  I'll stick with HobieBlue, but thanks anyway.  Z--I never fished from a tube.  I have a lot of experience from a bass boat though. 

HobieBlue

If you are getting into em, you have the skills....

No shame in missing a big one like that.  Sometimes there's just nothing you can do.

What a thrill that must have been!!!