Frogging issues

I took my little lad frogging today - we had a laugh got soaked and had a few hits but failed to put a single fish on the bank.

It was certainly thought provoking :

I couldnot get a single take from the larger area where there were large clear spots between the weed - why it's still very weedy and normally full of fish . I felt the frog looked good bobbing between the weed pontoons but never moved a fish.

The narrower part of the venue had a real carpet of weed - at times it felt like I was dragging the frog over the lounge carpet - but here the takes came. Trouble is the weed was so thick - surely the pike couldn't help but grab a whole mouthful of weed with the frog - if so this would explain why I couldn't hook anything. I waited for the feel of the pike rather than hit the visual signs - but to no avail - I dragged acouple of fish around but not one was hooked.

What are your frogging thoughts - similar experiences - or solutions?

I was keen to get one for the lad - but not to be!


Healdy

The problem with frogging is that it attracts fish of all sizes and pike are also rubbish at hitting surface baits, I have had fish 10ft from me in clear water go for the lure 4-5 times and miss it every single time, I have also seen fish nail it on the first attempt so sometimes its not the fact that you can't hook the fish its that fact that they are not taking the lure properly. Another problem with frogs is the double hook itself, they are retry heavy gauge so maybe try a different type of surface lure like a Zara spook or a crazy crawler, you can't use them through the weed but in open water they are mu h better at hooking fish  

I'm no frogging expert but your set up needs to be to suit also. What's the rod you are using, does it have enough back bone to set the hooks?

i know where you are fishing mate and i had a look the other day too, its really too weedy at moment for my liking, the carpet stuff you talk about is really thick and i doubt you would have had much fun getting a fish in if you had managed a hook up. i too struggled in the clearer bit, i just feel the fish are under the thick stuff for cover from the hot sun and birds as the water is really clear.
i have had some surface action on other clear spots with poppers this year. the duck weed is the stuff we want but i think we have missed the chance, all we can hope is this rain breaks it up a bit and thins it out.

Totally agree Neil. Even if I had hooked up you would just be dragging in weed.
I noticed some duckweed in the edge and the venue would be perfect if covered in that stuff.

My rod is a mick brown spin stick matched with a fixed spool and 30lb braid - I have also used my jerkbait rod as its not too stiff - medium power mesh. I am pretty happy the gear is appropriate.

I did try a couple of crawlers on the main lake where it was less weedy but couldn't raise a fish.

M

just to add to this theres a couple of frogs available which are the soft weedless type but also incorparate a popper mouth. this means you can fish them over the heavy weed cover but also in open water you can increase the power of your jerks and it will make that great popping sound the pike seem to love. ive had some success with these this year as ive had to look for some different venues to fish surfac baits.