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Fishing report/BLOG |
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| 6/26/10
This is not just any FROG. This is a "very special" FROG. This is a registered Signature Series FROG #24. She is a southern "belle" Leopard FROG, a one-of-a-kind Original. But more than that --- she is the star of the legendary adventures of Ole Swamp Fart & Lillyfudder. There have been two episodes of this continuing saga published to date. A third, is due to be broadcast soon.
Lillyfudder, the star of Ole SwampFart & Lilyfudder, will be the first FROG inducted into the Designer Bass FROG Hall of Fame Ole SwampFart, the legend, has died. At least, we think so. He has "disappeared" in the Swamp. That's why we can now tell his legendary adventures with Lillyfudder. She loves to talk --- all the time ! She also wears her heart on her tympanic membrane(frog ear drum), and she might even give a kiss with those big, red, puckered lips. Don't let her pretty looks fool you ! She's a KILLER ! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 6/16/10 We have been getting incredibly hot weather with temperatures regularly hitting 97 degrees & higher in some areas and heat indexes hitting105, but if you can catch a rainstorm or cloudy weather between rainstorms, you can still have some exciting action on the FROGs. In the last few weeks. I have caught a couple big ones and missed a couple big ones. One of them whipped my butt real good and got himself on camera doing it, just before he got away next to the kayak. Video to follow soon. The bass below was also a beautiful video, crashing through the pads to gobble up that light golden southern leopard with the rain pouring down. It was so hot that I didn't bother with the rain gear ! If you go out on the water in the rainy weather --- plan for a hasty exit strategy, especially if there is any chance of lightening. Play it safe !
We'll post some big bass photos from earlier in the season & some more videos as soon as we can, especially some of the photos sent in by the FROGmen. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 5/30/10 We are sill waiting on the Clone Series of Designer Bass FROGs. But, we are expecting them within the next week or two. We have been waiting for the manufacturer to provide a stronger hook that compares to the custom hooks that come with the Original & Replicant Series of handmade FROGs. I know you are going to need the strong hook. In the meantime, I finally got one of the videos completed from earlier in the season. It demonstrates the effectiveness of "Finesse FROG Fishing" and stealth in extremely shallow, calm water. You don't want to try this from a bass boat or with your buddy paddling and casting next to you. er"> Many more exciting videos to come when I get a chance to edit them. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 4/29/10 Sorry, once again for not getting reports posted more often , but we have been very busy trying to get the Clone Series of Designer Bass FROGs ready for market. We had to start a new company Designer Fishing Lures LLC. I will not be selling the Clone Series retail here on this website. I will be wholesaling them to other dealers. But, I will post a List of Dealers where you can buy them. I will continue making & selling the Original & Replicant Series of FROGs here. Meanwhile, check out this email from Rebecca Bailley in Tennessee - - - -
Fare well.................. Lee-Roy ! He went down like a real Designer Bass FROG - - - with his Legs on and Kicking ! A Hero . In the meantime, here's another first time user with a different outcome.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3/25/10 Finally! The weather has gotten up to its seasonal normal temperatures. The constant subnormal temperatures of this past winter have broken their pattern. There's plenty of good topwater FROG fishing available. Unfortunately, the spawning season is nearing it's end, but there will be a few weeks left, and some aggressive fish will be still guarding fry. So, there's still some vicious strikes waiting out there with warmer temperatures to help them happen. And going forward, we have a bunch of hungry bass that will have to be fed after a long cold spawning season. So, I think the outlook for topwater FROG fishing is very good for late spring to early summer. In addition, the water level is up everywwhere in the lakes & ponds. So, there is much more flooded acreage & the bass will have to work harder for their food. We will also have to work harder to find them, but they will provide some entertaining attacks on the FROGs to secure their meals before they get away in the vegetation.
Caught by CaptKen on 3/18/2010 at Lake George ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2/24/10 This has been the coldest winter in Florida that I can remember. In 1984, the bitter cold killed off many orange groves, but it was not that consistently cold through the winter like this year has been since Christmas. But I have caught a lot of bigger bass on soft plastic worms. First, by concentrating on the spring fed areas of rivers & lakes where the constant 70 degree water warms the environment. And later, in spawning areas where the fish are trying to move onto the beds. Some even have eggs to guard and remain there through the cold weather. On the few warmer days, they do even strike the surface for a few hours during the warmest part of the day. But most of the time, this year, you'll get more fish by letting a plastic worm drop down near their bedding areas. But I will trade five big bass on a plastic worm for one big bass on a FROG any day. Usually for good FROG action, you want at least 3 days in a row over 70 degrees. I think we've only had one time where we had two days in a row over 70 degrees this season.
Big Bass stalks the FROG Then Attacks on the second presentation Warm fronts have only been in the 60's and most often its been in the 40's & 50's for daytime highs. Nevertheless, I got a lot of bigger bass on plastic worms since Christmas. I haven't had chance to post any yet, in part, because I would rather be FROG fishing. I will post some of those worm bass on the Recent Kayak Fishing Link on the Left Border if you want to see them (when I get a chance). Most of the fish were caught on 4-6 lb line. I think you will find some of the rainstorms I've paddled through just as entertaining as the fishing. There is no drought in Florida this year ! And even with all of the cold and excuses, if you are tougher than me, you can stick it out with the FROG and catch a big one on the FROG like I did this week in the video above. But timing is everything ! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2/20/10 I am very excited to tell you that we have a new FROGman who is going to share his experiences and knowledge gained fishing the FROGs in ---------- South Africa !
Photo on the left : Francois Malan's Honey Hole in South Africa Photo on the Top right: "SIR LANdS-ALOT" Francois' registered : [ Signature Series FROG #4 Original Light Green Pickerel FROG #0001 ] Bottom right: SIR LANdS-ALOT's deadly asistant "Rufis" ---- a Light Golden Leopard FROG I, for one, would like to know what happens next, and I sure would like to swim a few FROGs through that environment. Keep an eye on the FROGmen Page to see the continuing adventures of FROGman Francois in South Africa ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2/4/10 I would like to announce a new Series of FROGs. At many customers' request, we have started the Signature Series Designer Bass FROGs. We have many customers who are collectors of the FROGs, and I have beenn asked to sign and date the FROGs. So, to make them even more valuable as a collectors item, I have started a database for this Series of FROGs. They will be signed and dated, but they will also be registered in a database and recorded as to FROG # ,species, species # , ownner, creation date, Name of FROG, and in the case of repititious names --- the names will be numbered also. These will be my highest quality FROGs available. The work on the "eyes" will be especially notable, as they will be better quality than I did in my taxidermy business for 25 years. But don't worry --- these FROGs will still be very tough and fully fishable --- but painful to lose ! You will cry like a baby !
Florida water temperatures are improving. You can hit fish on plastic worms, but the topwater strikes are a little lame. There have been some FROG short strikes in the lakes outside the 70 degree springwater rivers, but not serious enough to get hooked yet. All we need is a couple days in a row of daytime highs over 70 degrees without a coldfront. I may be addicted to the "Skitter Legs," and I may not be fishing slow enough. It takes discipline sometimes.
Fortunately, Israel Maldonado in California still has my back covered. He nailed another Big Bass on another of his FROGs. This time he hit on his Replicant Series Brown Pickerel FROG. Israel was using the standard "Kicking" Legs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1/29/10 Sorry for the lack of updates. But it has been too cold for FROG fishing in Florida so far. Its been so consistently cold since Christmas that I have been fishing Spring Creeks on my day off with small slider worms. I have had some great fishing due to the constant 70 degrees in the spring water. Theres been a lot of nice fish up to 6 pounds which is a tremendous experience in a small clear creek where you can see everything. In many cases, you can sight fish and spot your fish before casting as the fish hold in feeding lanes in the current --- just like trout in a stream. But, I am anxious to get back to business with the big fish on FROGs. Fortunately, I've had some FROGmen now to back me up while I wait on warmer weather. Israel Maldonado is one of those FROGmen backing me up. He was extremely anxious to get his FROGs. As just about all of you have been, but he went right out and caught this beautiful bass immediately after receiving it. I can't wait to see what he catches next ! Great job Israel !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 12/18/09 The bass below would have been the biggest bass I've caught on the Skitter Legs". Although I didn't get him, I did get a great battle on video. And I got something I've been trying to show the FROG Folks for a long time --- a very, very big bass jumping completely out of the water to grab a FROG lure. It is what really keeps me FROG fishing. It was a disappointing loss because I think the bass was in the teens & may even be my biggest bass on a FROG lure. The video does not do the bass's size justice. But even though the bass got off on a jump, there was a great victory in capturing on video what a big bass will sometimes do to get one of these FROGs.
Video Capture photo: Big bass hitting FROG with "Skitter" Legs before getting hooked.
Video Capture photo: Same fish after getting hooked and shortly before saying goodbye ! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 12/9/09 The bass have slowed down the FROG bite a little due to much cooler water temperatures now as some winter coldfronts are setting in regularly. But although there are not so many bass striking throughout the day, you can still catch a big one on a FROG during the smaller windows of feeding behaviour during the day. The big bass below was caught when I noticed several bass in a row following FROGs with the "Skitter Legs" in clear water. I quickly switched back to the standard Detailed Natural kicking legs and worked the the FROG fast & noisey over top of the clear water & dollar pads, making a lot of commotion on the wind blown surface. This bass struck the FROG in the middle of the day out in the warm sunshine shortly after switching the legs. He struck right next to the kayak, and we had a close quarters battle on a short line due to a lot of hydrilla & eel grass jungle just below the surface. I got the whole thing on video, and we will be adding it to our new instructional video series The Bass FROG Video Chronicles which will be a new addition to this website and our new website for the FROGs ------ www.Bass-FROG.com
Video Capture Photo: Bass caught 12/9/09 Original Series: Light Golden Southern Leopard with Detailed Natural Legs ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 12/1/09 Many folks who have orderd an Original Series - Dark Articulated Bull FROG will recognize the one below on the right from our Hatchery. It was the original. It went out to FROGman - Chad Hoover. Chad was one of the first FROGmen. In his first season, Chad had caught hundreds of bass on it, including the monster below in Virginia. Chad is one of us --- a FROG Fishing Fanatic !! Now that Chad's new book has been released, his photos are available to share with us.
I used to say that there was no shortcut to fishing success. I was wrong. Chad has done an outstanding job of laying out the sport forr those who are new to bass, new to kayaking, or new to both. I never fish without a "plan". This book will help you to formulate your plan --- right the first time. That's a shortcut. Start here. You can also get help from Chad & his friends at KayakBassFishing.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 11/18/09 Sorry we are a little late with the updates. We have been very busy getting the packaging for the Clone Series perfected. Also we've been working on some new leg designs for the FROGs. The new "SKITTER Legs" were responsible for the bass caught in the photo on 11/2/09 and also the bass in the photo below caught on Lake George on the St John's River on 11/18/09. The legs are not actually "new" to me anyway. But, I have hesitated to share them in the past because the standard "kicking legs" will catch you bigger fish. But if you want to "buzz" your FROG, and catch "lots of bass" of all sizes, this style of legs will allow you to really cover a lot of water. You can fish them at any speed, and they are effective on bass of all sizes when fished still, twitching, diving, and "buzzing" . They will allow you to FROG fish even when you need to cover a lot of water fast.
Video Capture Photo: Bass caught 11/18/09 on Clone Series: FROG #3 with "Skitter Legs". I actually shot some nice video demonstrations of the legs in action, including the bass from the photos on 11/2/09 amd 11/18/09 --- and many others. I will make those videos available online as soon as I can. The "Skitter Legs" will be available in several "actions". You can get them now for Original & Replicant Series, and we are also having them developed specificly for the Clone Series also. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 11/2/09The heat of summer has finally ended, and the fish are really responding, especially in the rivers like the St. John's and Lake George (2nd biggest lake in Florida) connected to the River. The vegetation is also back in good condition, and the bass are grabbing FROGs fished fast across the top of any matted type of plant material. It should be great fishing on the warm fronts until the real cold weather gets here after Christmas. This is a chance to catch lots of qualiity fish on topwater FROGs, and maybe even a trophy.
Video Capture Photo: Bass caught 11/2/09 on Original Series: Pickerel FROG with "Skitter Legs". ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 10/31/09 Our congratulations go out to one of our top FROGmen who is now on the Pro Staff at Malibu Kayaks www.malibukayaks.com Chris is also now on the Pro Staff at Kayak Bass Fishing.com All I can say is - - - we spotted him first ! He's been murdering big bass on our FROGs in Maryland since we started offering them for sale. Chris is also a guide. So, you too can benefit from from his knowledge and experience at both FROG fishing and kayak fishing. If I were you, I would book early for next season. Find out why we are all addicted to catching big bass by kayak with a FROG. His email address is---- Chris Burke <cburke602@gmail.com
Caught 9/29/09 on a Golden Pickerel FROG by Chris Burke in a Maryland State Park. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ read more Archive BLOG 4/29/2010 Back to 6/14/2007 (Check out more recent big 'uns in Recent Kayak Fishing Catches) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
2007