After 2 weeks of dry hooks I finally got a chance to go fishing this past saturday. I was thinking of going to the unlucky location, but its been so long since i have gone fishing that i wanted to go somewhere that I knew I would catch something. So I called up my neighbor and we went to my favorite little spot. After getting in the jon boat, i realize that my neighbor is twice as loud as my 4 year old when it comes to fishing in an aluminum boat. I pick up the horny toad, make a few casts and get a boil. The bass missed and I came up empty. I turned and threw to the opposite bank, and the water boiled right when the frog hit the water. Unfortunately, I was in the process of switching the rod from one hand to the other, because I cast with my right hand and then reel with my right hand. I struggled trying to get the hook set but couldnt make it happen while trying to figure out what to do and with which hand to do it with. Ive now had two strikes on the horny toad, one hit, one miss, and one empty stringer to show for it all. I paddle around for a little while letting my neghbor hit the sweet spots, but he comes up empty handed. Its getting late and I hate to go home without catching anything, so I bring out old faithful (rebel minnow F49) which I havent fished with in two months. I ALWAYS catch something with this lure, so if the going gets tough, I reach for the minnow. I make a few casts and in short order i get a hit and reel in a fish. Turns out to be a 6 inch baby bass with a little pot belly. After not fishing for a while, 2 strikes and one catch in an hour and a half is more than enough to make me smile.
Gangly...I fish the spinning reel the same way..When I use the Horny Toad,,and get a boil or hit..I DO NOTHING but watch my line..The boil/set is just the bass picking it up..I watch the line when it is pulling away and statight I set the hok..or sometimes she's simply sitting there with it..rarely do they spit it out,,,So if nothing is happening I'll slowly reel the slack out of the line to find my toad..generally the line is a little to the right or left..I then quickly wind out all o f the slack ....rod tip pointed toward fish ..and....SET THE Hook ..this of course is done in 2 -4 seconds...depending on situation.
Once I casted out about 15 yds..squish squish pause then..POP /Boil..my friend is with me..I was demonstrating..{ -: line went slack...I said shoot..must have missed him but I reel in the slack..and "Where's the toad at?" I reeled...and reeled and whoa..10yds to the left and nearly at the boat..HUH..you see..they treat it like a rubber worm..I quickly reeled in the slack and SET the hook on a 4 .2 bass..She bust through the soup and the fight was on..and she was boated..
Good luck Aaron.
C7
You know, ive had that happen to me many times Chuck, the lure hits the water and the surface instantly bulges. Im in the middle of swapping hands and get too excited, causing myself to make a mistake, lol. I never even thought to hold on a few seconds after the cast, but I will definately be trying it out now. Thanks for the advice.
As far as swapping hands..Aaron I've been fishing like that for years..before my toad hits the water..I've already swapped hands..I make very long cast to advoid spookng the fish...since the toad wants to sink it's imperative that I'm actually turing the crank at the same instance the toad hits the water..that way I don't waste 10 foot of water getting the toad surfaced and upright..
For me..it's LONG Casssst { change hands } watch toad just hit and crank with my 6.4 ratio real to squish squish..pause..then I actually start fishing the toad.BUT it's very good getting that intial good presentation..I usally drop that baby one inch from the shore's edge..just when she hits..click goes the reel and squish goes the toad..Yeah!! I'm going fising tomorrow..that;s it.
I use a baitcaster for my toads so I can't switch hands mid cast, haha. Maybe that spincaster can be redone with heavier line and I can toss a toad with that.
Dry Spell is over
