Weedless Frog

[Paul Arden]

https://www.sexyloops.com/index.php/ps/ ... ed-barrier

Hey Andy,

This is not my design and it’s the first I’ve tried tying it. I have an original in the boat. I can’t remember who gave it to me. It might be from Japan.

The original has rubber legs.

Cheers, Paul

[Paul Arden]

Yours doesn’t have to look this good.

[Will]

These look good. Think the hook patterns are critical.

W.

[Paul Arden]

Excellent flies from Rob Meade there. I've seen many of those Down Under. I could very well be where my frog came from, although its a different tying for sure. I'll dig out the original when I get a chance.

Cheers, Paul

[Will]

I tried his Gutless Frog for pike.

I had lots of takes, but none stuck. I was just using straight shank hooks, and suspect that some kind of keel hook design may have worked better. In the end I switched over to standard mouse/gurgler patterns, and got much better hook-ups.

[Mangrove Cuckoo]

Hi Andy,

Sorry to hear about Hydrilla getting over to your home waters. It has been in Florida for so long I thought it was native. Municipalities spend significant $$$ to control it - much like grass cutting crews for the waterways. The best control has been biological: hybrid "grass carp"... but a manatee is better. Of course, you are not allowed to capture/relocate/confine a manatee.

As for a fly:

I have had good luck with an articulated pencil popper. Insert a tube fly tube through the foam, thread your leader through, then tie on a split ring aft. The split ring has two "hooks": one is only the shank with a clump of bucktail tied to it; the other hook is just plain. The hardware is on the ring so that the hook point faces the bucktail. I find Gamakatsu Mosquito style to work well.

When cast, the bucktail tends to float and the hook then rides below and point up. The fly will track very erratically. Fish (snook, tarpon, bass) all seem to like it and the hookup percentage is as good or better than that of a standard popper.

If the above is not clear I will photo and post.

[Graeme H]

Please post that photo: it sounds like an interesting fly.

Cheers,
Graeme

[Paul Arden]

Of course, you are not allowed to capture/relocate/confine a manatee.

You’d also need a bigger tackle box.

[Nick]

I have had a lot of success with the gutless frog, or a version of it at least. The hook pattern is key, when tied on a plastic worm hook it’s totally weedless and has a reasonable hookup ratio. This is the hook. (https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Gamakat ... GOSWG.html)

I also use a deer hair frog tied on a similar style of hook which works well. Basically all the hair is trimmed off the bottom so that it rides point up.

The problem is that once you have hooked your fish deep in the weeds, it’s almost impossible to get it out with a fly rod.

[flickingfeathers]

Here's one I do quite well on.
just change the colour for froggyness