Posted by Sean H on 07-27-2003 10:40 AM:

Scum Rats/Frogs

I have always considered these kinda gimmicky little gizmos to make a few bucks of us fisherman. well what I say is Nothing works and Everything works.

Well I have fished with 3 people this season who said they love fishing these. I must admit watching a Rat or Frog get hit is fun!!!

What is the general concensus out there about these baits??
What gear is being used?? Are some types of "scum" better than others??

IT looks like alot of fun and Im eager to learn more about this form of fishing.

Posted by basseracci on 07-27-2003 11:26 AM:

There are lots of good frogs and rats out there but I like the Snag Proof Tournament Frogs best...The Tournament series are a cut above their regular line of frogs and rats...Look at the Sumo frogs by BOZE...They look great and have a lot of colors to choose from...

I use a variety of colors just as I would with other soft plastics according to water clarity, sky conditions, etc...However, most often, I throw some variation of black...Sometimes I just throw a real pork uncle josh pig trailer with a weedless double hook...

As far as gear...I throw them on spinning gear, but BC gear would be preferred...I use a 6' Fenwick HCG MH action rod...Very stout, very boss rod...It will haul any, and all fish into the boat...There are advantages to having a long rod, but I prefer to work tighter to my body and to the boat when i'm in the slop...I use this rod with a Stradic or Catalyst spooled with braided line like Spiderwire 6/30 Original Braid or Stealth 6/20 or 8/30...

That's about it...Just cast it, move it, pause it in the openings, and hold on...

P.s. Add rattles

Mark

Posted by Mark G on 07-27-2003 12:36 PM:

Sean, EW posted a great scumfrog article in the Worm Hole a while back. It may be in the archives now as it was written before the last site changeover.

Rat/Frogging is definitely not a gimmick. It is a bonafide pattern that will be your best bet on certain lakes at certain times. I agree with Basserachi on those Snag Proof tourney frongs. They are excellent. If you plan to fish this way, braided line is almost a must. As is a stout rod. You need to haul those bass out of the pads, lillypads, muck and all. Light tackle just won't cut it...

Mark

Posted by Pete L on 07-27-2003 05:58 PM:

If you fish Muscoot , like I do , you learn to fish frogs/rats or you don`t fish!!!!!! Tried the new KIng Rat from strike King this year. So far I like it. Best lure overall for me is the Moss Boss.
Not a rat or a frog.

Pete

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Posted by Bulletweight on 07-28-2003 07:44 AM:

Great bait, if the conditions are right. I switched to a Mann’s Pfat rat last year, and feel the treble hook increases hook-up. The places I use a rat demand some of the heaviest fresh water tackle you can imagine for catching bass. 7 ½ foot flipping stick, 50 lb spiderwire, baitcasting reel with a modified lock-up drag. Sounds extreme, but water chestnuts demand it.

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Posted by MikeM on 07-28-2003 08:54 AM:

Another good bait to try is the Salad Spoon by Lunker City. It cast well,has a body shaped like a frog and has a big thick wavy tail that gives great action on top of the moss, it can also be dropped into open pockets as it will slowly sink.

MikeM

Posted by Wild Bill on 07-29-2003 12:15 AM:

Is adrenaline pumping, heart stopping excitment your gig??

Well froggin is the way to get a "fix" for you then....
ah, I suffer from Froggie Fever bad.........but it ain't no gimmick !!!
I throw the Snag Proof Pro Tournement Frog series.....heck, I even designed a color pattern for them which is hitting the markets and was featured at the ICAST show in Las Vegas just recently...called the "Wild Bull" Frog....{It sports a owner Double 6/0 cutting Point hook and a glass worm rattle jammed into the cavity to add to the ruckuss it creates].
A topwater blowup...hard to beat in my book !!!!!!
Ribbit , ribbit......
No time for "namby-pamby fairy wand" sticks...need a stout rod with backbone to pull em out of the slop.

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Posted by Sean H on 07-29-2003 04:40 PM:

I can understand a good stout stick...but what kindof reels are you guys setting up for froggin???

Posted by Bob Monetti on 07-29-2003 09:32 PM:

I will echo Mike M on the Salad Spoon. I love this bait. It will run through all sorts of garbage. I also like that it is a plastic bait which I can rig with a big 4/0 hook. I have had good luck on the Diiachi Copper hook hooks which screw into the bait and keeps it from sliding and tearing around the hook eye. I also like the T-Frogs as well, but the hooksets are a lot tougher.

Posted by bald eagle on 07-30-2003 12:57 PM:

So Sean, did I peak your interest with the Rat? Come on down, I will be happy to take you Rat Fishing some more. I will even let you do all the casting and retrieving of the Rat. I will just throw a worm or Jig behind all of your misses...LOL

Seriously, I love Rat fishing...my favorite is when you kind of fall asleep (no strikes for a while) and all of a sudden you get that huge blow up...

I like the Mann's Phat Rat except that they need to improve the hooks on that thing. I can cast that thing half a mile. I have however lost a number of fish because the hooks dont penetrate enough. That may also be a function of the rod. I throw a 6'6" MH BPS Rod with 17 lb line.

I have hooked a very large portion of fish quite a ways away from the boat and that does make a difference.

Bald Eagle

Posted by bigredfishing on 07-30-2003 03:57 PM:

damnit bulletweight! are you the one that has been sticking all of my fish in the 'nut that usually slam topwater??

LOL

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Posted by Charlie on 07-31-2003 09:07 AM:

Many of the readers on this site have seen me use rats, frogs, mice and even baby duckling lures to catch bass in thick heavy cover.

Since the introduction of the G.Loomis "Frog Rod" , my top water creature fishing hooks ups have increased dramatically.

There is no doubt that at certain times of the year, this method is deadly.

If I had to point a finger at a lure that I have the most confidence in, it would be the white Moss Mouse and the grey Manns Phat Rats with it's treble hook set up!

Tight Lines!
Charlie

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Posted by Bulletweight on 07-31-2003 09:51 AM:

Sean,
I defiantly would use baitcasting reels for froggin’ in the real heavy stuff. I mean a solid mat, not scattered weeds; there are better techniques for that (IMHO). It’s important to get the fish up on top as quick as possible, but you do that with the rod. Reel down, then lift the rod. Kinda’ like fightin’ a Marlin! That’s one reason why I use a 7 ½ footer. When it comes to features I don’t think gear ratio is overly important, but drag is. I use an Abu Garcia Ambassadeur with a drag I modified with parts from an old Quantum. I can completely lock it out, and believe me, that can be very handy. Beats trying to hold the spool with your thumb.

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Posted by earthworm77 on 08-04-2003 02:50 PM:

I like the Tournament Frog by Snag Proof. Good heavy bait, good Owner hooks

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Posted by Wild Bill on 08-04-2003 05:30 PM:

Allow me to clarify a poimt.....

Snag Proof makes the Moss Master Tournement Frog[which sports Mustad Hooks} and also the Pro Series Tournement Frog{which sports the Owner 6/0 cutting Point double hook and the glass worm rattle]. For the little difference in price, get the Pro Series, as the hooks are far superior on these.
As you can see, both are called tournement frogs, so I wanted to alert you to the differences in them

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Posted by Jofish on 08-04-2003 07:48 PM:

Re: Scum Rats/Frogs

I never did use em but in our culb tx on Champlain I took 1st by using a scum frog I bought it that week just in case. I asked my boater what's up for the day he said the slop I started with a Mann's frog and got many blow ups but no takers he told me that it was the legs so I switched to the Scum frog using 30lb power pro with a med rod it worked but med\hvy and up will be my next level. The no give on that line and watching the fish come from nowhere was a blast.

Posted by SMOKE? on 08-04-2003 11:21 PM:

Like BULLET WEIGHT SAID the Manns Rat has worked for me this year over the chestnuts weeds.A rattle is a plus but not needed,and at nite i throw a glow lite inside.Although i use a 1 pc,7ft ugly stik casting graphite rod,ABU gARCIA ANTI BACKLASH reel and spider line supermomo 17lb test.NOTHING GETS AWAY