Bass fishing!

I'm trying to turn over a new leaf - more for getting my boy on a fish than AOTY points, but I'll take the points if I can get 'em!   

Collin and I hit my buddy's pond for a while before sunset the other night.  I bought two frogs at a local tackle shop and we pulled them off the weed mats for half a dozen blow-ups but none hooked.  What a blast to have those fish attack the frog.   

I was told that after getting a blow-up with the frog I should grab the second rod and drop something else on that hole.  I don't know what to use.  Can I get some suggestions?  I also saw lots of fish hitting the surface for bugs.  Short of flyfishing what would work for that action?  A little spinner?

Thanks for any suggestions that come my way.  I have about 2 drops of experience with this kind of fishing.   

Eric and Collin - the Loleta Fishing Team

Way to go Abking!  Most people throw senko's (maybe a 4 inch green/white senko on a 3/0 EWG hook) after a missed blow-up with topwater.  The slow sinking action is perfect for follow-up hits.  Poppers are also a great topwater bait and are easy for little guys to work with because they can see the lure.  Use smaller poppers (Rebel Pop-R) on lite spinning gear (6-8lb. test) to imitate those bugs.  Also if you bend the hooks out a bit on the frogs you may get more hook-ups.

Good luck with it--I'd love to see a video of the topwater action!

HobieBlue

Way to go Abking!  Most people throw senko's (maybe a 4 inch green/white senko on a 3/0 EWG hook) after a missed blow-up with topwater.  The slow sinking action is perfect for follow-up hits.  Poppers are also a great topwater bait and are easy for little guys to work with because they can see the lure.  Use smaller poppers (Rebel Pop-R) on lite spinning gear (6-8lb. test) to imitate those bugs.  Also if you bend the hooks out a bit on the frogs you may get more hook-ups.

Good luck with it--I'd love to see a video of the topwater action!

HobieBlue

Thanks, Bryan!  I figured I could count on you and a couple other usual suspects to give me some good advice.  I'll give it a shot, and hopefully you'll get to see that topwater video before too long.   

I agree.  A weightless senko would be ideal for tossing back at a missed blowup.  A texas-rigged creature bait might also be good.

That's a very nice little piece of water.
I admire little pocket lakes like that.

Judd

Hey Eric, nice pics.

I agree that the senko is a good option for the missed blow ups.  If the growth is too heavy for the senko to penetrate, I'd suggest a brush hog or some other creature bait as Sumo said.  Try pegging a 3/8 or 1/2 ounce worm weight in front of the bait with a tooth pick to keep it from sliding.  This will punch through the thicker vegetation and get down to where the fish are.  I'd suggest using a conventional reel for this, for both control and feel, as many of the bites will come on the drop.  Heavier line or  braid helps as well to get the fish out of the salad.  Good luck,

Norm

You can also drop shot through the salad and jig it. You can work a variety of depths this way. Just think of it as the ocean. 

Eric
Im with the herd on this one. I follow all miss hits with slow falling plastics, not just topwater.
I think I might be able to help out a little so you dont have to go to the back up though.
The bucketmouth attacks surface baits in a few different ways and one of those is by creating a hydraulic underneath the bait that sucks it down below the surface. Then they flare that maw and "inhale" it.  If you are focusing on the surface "blow up" for the hook set, alot of times you just end up with a frog coming at you at warp factor7, but if you wait and focus on the "load up" you will take more victims with the frog, fluke, or other topwater lures.
hope that helps

I'm with Spiderman on the topwater strike. Most are missed because of too quick of a hookset. It's a contrary reaction so it takes some getting used to. When you feel some weight then swing for the stars.

Great advice, guys - thank you!   

It makes total sense to wait for the load-up vs. trying to hook on blow-up.  I missed all of them due to that.  The hard part will be teaching the 5 year old to wait!   

If I had a Pond like that in my Backyard...

  I'd never leave........

if you throw a green frog throw a senko as close in color to the frog you got the blow up on!! ohh yea and the only important color on a frog is the underside, all the fancy markings and eyes the fish can't see!!! best tip of advice i've ever recieved for frog fishing is once you see the blow up drop your rod tip wait 2-3 seconds or till you feel the fish then set the hook!! this one tip has made a huge differance in frog fishin for me! for your son i would recomend a blank in blank color  i'll pm you!and wish you and your son the best of luck in landing some big mouths!!

   Those small backyard ponds are the best. There was  a small  vineyard pond full of monster bass and bluegill in my neighborhood in Graton that was a blast to fish. In the spring I would  fly fish the pond (most success I ever had)  and in the fall I would toss frogs on the carpet of moss for huge blowups.  Unfortunately they put a bike/walking path next to it and soon the pond was overrun with trash. The final straw was someone tossing hundreds of vineyard stakes in  the water and thus spawned a new fence and no trespass signs. Ahh the memories.

Hey Abking, sorry no advice for you here but I must say that you have a good
looking boy there. Nice to introduce him at an early age.

Jedmo