Custom Baits - Forum
Soft Plastic Bait Making => Getting Started / Customer Support => Topic started by: kipbass on 01/06/12 20:36 UTC
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Just got some Big Foot Toad molds...How is everyone hanging them after dipping?
Jason, will you tell me the different ways this toad can be fished, or how you fished them so far? Which method produced the best results for catching fish? Of course anyone can offer up advice, I just specified Jason cause I know he has a few techniques.
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Don't fish them like Andrew has been fishing his -- "top water baits" -- :D.
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HEY...... :o.....I actually found some open water at lunch time today and threw some swim shads for a half hour or so. It was a balmy 48 degrees so I just had to get out!
48 degrees in Minnesota on January 6th....the world is coming to an end!
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You can fish them on top weightless. You can fish them as a jig trailer (my favorite). You can C-Rig, T-Rig, Flip. This bait is very versatile.
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Sweet! I'll post a pic as soon as their cured..It's close to 70 here in Louisiana, and a full moon is coming...There might be some bass foolish enough to come in and start fanning a bed!
Still need to know how to hang em' onced dipped.
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Kip- one idea is right after you dip them, throw them in a bucket of water nearby. (away from the hot plastic of course) The clear dip will harden right away and you can do a bunch at once then lay them out.
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Thanks Super..That's so obvious, I must be stupid ??? With the croaker, it had paddle feet to hold in the hanger, I was at a loss. LOL ;D
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We just use the same frog hanger we use on the Croakers. The Toads are actually easier to hang (the feet will hook on just about anything). I think we hanger that uses dowels would be even easier.
Jason
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I've been dropping mine into water ...and then onto plexiglass to cure.
I was fishing the bigest toad (the samples I got...I didn't get the mold until Xmas) this fall on a swim jig...without the skirt. I wanted a jig head that would go through the weeds...and a 4/0 hook. I would crank it like a buzz bait when it first hit the water...then let it drop and then fish it back subsurface. The bass and northerns really seem to like to hit it as it started back up from the drop. And I agree with Jason's post...when they hit this thing....the EAT it! No doubt you have a hit!
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Kip... this might not be in agreement with everyone else BUT i have found that using water is a bad idea. I will NOT use it.
What water does is exactly what everyone says.. cools it FAST. The problem with that though is that clear layer does NOT bond to the bait.. it coats over it but it doesn't bond to it. Anytime after that you can just peel that clear coat of like a jacket. It will peel right off and alot of times all in one piece! Its crazy. Also, the same effect can happen if you did them in cold weather... 60* or below.. because it's the reverse effect. Now when you dip, it doesn't bond because the temp of the frog cools the plastic so fast it doesn't bond, same concept.
Moral of the story.. Dont use water to cool the plastic and dont dip cold frogs. Living in chicago sometimes makes it difficult for me but it is what i have figured out.
Here is a pic of one of my racks... it doesnt have the new toads on it but just "hook" the feet around the dowel rods, Jason is exactly right. This pic was taken a while ago
Hope all this Helps! ;D
(http://i790.photobucket.com/albums/yy190/bsouz/IMG00019-20110428-2214.jpg)
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Yum Yum - Frog Legs for Supper.
Seriously; that is a rack of really nice looking frogs. Are those painted dowels ? How long are the dowels?
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I was afraid the toad would slip off being just wrapped around and ruin the bait after being freshly dipped, so I didn't try it. I did do the water thing last night, I really didn't care for it.
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Yum Yum - Frog Legs for Supper.
Seriously; that is a rack of really nice looking frogs. Are those painted dowels ? How long are the dowels?
I can get measurements but its double sided! I love them! I can get about 200 frogs on each rack! ;D
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That rack is money. They won't slip off and will make it super fast and easy.
As far as fishing the Toads...
I honestly think it is the most versatile bait I have fished. Even more important than the versatility is how well it excels in each area. I am not trying to "hop" the toad up, but I would honestly consider it a go to bait in each of these areas:
1) Top Water Buzz Frog: rig like any other buzz frog and fish on top. Only drawback in this area is extreme surface vegetation (the Croaker will come through this cleaner).
2) Top Water Frog Popper: Same as #1 but adding foam. This allows the toad to float in place and really aggravate the Bass.
3) Flipping Bait: Use an appropriate worm weight and flip it like any other creature bait. Using it this way it is basically a twin tail flipping bait with the profile of an adolescent Bluegill. It has a real upside beyond the initial flip (covered under Swim Toad below).
4) Swim Toad: I normally use 1/4 oz worm weight because it is still light enough to work on top, but also heavy enough to work subsurface. This is my favorite way to fish it because it gets totally jacked on the strike, and my hookup ratio is really high. Think of this technique like a swim jig. You can work it so many ways under water, just let the fish tell you what they want.
a) Constant retrieve (fast or slow), maybe drop your tip from time to time. Just like a Swim Bait.
b) Retrieve / Pause: Reel a few cranks and let it die and just sit there for a few seconds. PAY ATTENTION - if there is a fish around you will get bit on a regular basis when it is just sitting there. This technique obviously is imitating something the Bass really T-off on because it is very effective.
c) Almost like a regular jig / craw setup. Basically dragging it, or just getting it a touch off the bottom. Pausing from time to time. This is a slow presentation.
This is a bait you would want to take out and fish exclusively for periods of time to force yourself to learn all it can do. It's absolutely worth the on the water time investment.
I know this is a very biased review. I try to leave the reviews to the community and normally wouldn't be so vocal about a particular bait because there's not a lot of upside for me if you don't experience the same success. Translation: you respecting my opinion is worth more to me than hyping a bait. With that said, as a fishermen, I can't emphasize enough how much I love fishing the toad.
Jason
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I took it down to the creek to watch it swim, if I reeled fast enough for the legs to kick, the bait turned on it's left side(underwater). I slowed down the retrieve but the legs quit kicking and the bait didn't roll. It did fine on top of the water. I was using the bait keeper and the 28 degree hook 5.0 ewg. Any suggestions Jason?
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I took it down to the creek to watch it swim, if I reeled fast enough for the legs to kick, the bait turned on it's left side(underwater). I slowed down the retrieve but the legs quit kicking and the bait didn't roll. It did fine on top of the water. I was using the bait keeper and the 28 degree hook 5.0 ewg. Any suggestions Jason?
1) Top Water Buzz Frog: rig like any other buzz frog and fish on top. Only drawback in this area is extreme surface vegetation (the Croaker will come through this cleaner).
This is how you had it rigged and how you reported it fishing well.
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If you want to fish it as a Swim Toad you need to make changes (here are a couple possibilities I use - you may like something different):
4) Swim Toad: I normally use 1/4 oz worm weight because it is still light enough to work on top, but also heavy enough to work subsurface. This is my favorite way to fish it because it gets totally jacked on the strike, and my hookup ratio is really high. Think of this technique like a swim jig. You can work it so many ways under water, just let the fish tell you what they want.
a) Constant retrieve (fast or slow), maybe drop your tip from time to time. Just like a Swim Bait.
b) Retrieve / Pause: Reel a few cranks and let it die and just sit there for a few seconds. PAY ATTENTION - if there is a fish around you will get bit on a regular basis when it is just sitting there. This technique obviously is imitating something the Bass really T-off on because it is very effective.
c) Almost like a regular jig / craw setup. Basically dragging it, or just getting it a touch off the bottom. Pausing from time to time. This is a slow presentation.
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Remember, you are the bait maker / manufacturer of the bait. You have extreme influence over the action by how you make it (plastic, colorant, salt, powders, hard, soft, glitter - all impact the elasticity). As an angler you have an equal influence over rigging and presentation. This can range from line type, diameter, knot, hook (size / eye alignment), weights, retrieve, etc.
This is a bait you would want to take out and fish exclusively for periods of time to force yourself to learn all it can do. It's absolutely worth the on the water time investment.
I assure you it will do what you are asking it to do (start video at 3:45): http://youtu.be/XlKr3I4AQhA (http://youtu.be/XlKr3I4AQhA)
The ways I proposed doing it were based on how I like to fish. One consideration I didn't mention that would negate some of the technical aspects when swimming it would be to just use a weighted Swim Bait or Frog / Toad hook. Using a hook with a belly weight removes a ton of variables and may be something worth considering.
Tight lines!
Jason
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I had that same experience on my first pour and trial run. I forget exactly what I do different now but I can throw the bait and run it across the top weightless with no problem. A couple of things to look for:
1. Is the bait fully formed - no air pockets, ect. I remember having some air pockets in the beginning.
2. Centering the hook is important on this bait
Also, try pouring the bait with some softener. Not sure which brand you are using but I always pour using the CC soft formula and sometimes add softener to that mix. It is still plenty durable for my taste. I always choose action over durability unless I can get both but that is my preference.
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Ditto on the softer plastic. That is the key! The dip will make the body firm enough but keep the feet flexible enough to swim.
Rather have a torn up soft bait and a full livewell than the same bait, untouched, on the end of my rod when I come in!!!! :D :D :D
Jim
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Something you mentioned about the croaker was the point of the hook laid on the back. If I swim the toad, does the hook point need to be embedded? What size hook do you recommend for swimming ? Thanks.
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Yea i agree, all the pointers have been good points and take those into action... Make sure it is rigged center, it will help alot with the rolling!
As a top water frog it works great with no weight... if you want to swim subsurface, and not have it roll over, then you need to add some weight to it like a tx rig. Just as Jason mentioned I agree.. the weight makes a big difference. Also, if you want to get really into it... get the belly weighted hooks for swimbaits... i promise you it wont roll then!
Just like swimbaits with a big paddle tail you CANT throw then w/o a weight and have them roll bc they have so much action in the back it rolls them over... same goes for the big foot SUBSURFACE. It works great! Just needs to be rigged properly!
Its a great bait and I love it!!
Brian
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Something you mentioned about the croaker was the point of the hook laid on the back. If I swim the toad, 1.does the hook point need to be embedded? 2.What size hook do you recommend for swimming ? Thanks.
1. it all depends on the type of fishing you are doing... are you fishing sparse cover or heavy cover? Are you using it on the surface or swimming it? I would always just skin hook it a little, if im in open water then no i do not
2. hook size would depend on which size mold you have...
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For the 4.5 Big Foot I use a 5/0 Mustad 28 Degree with a screw lock . You could use a 3/0 or 4/0 and be fine too. I use the 5/0 because there are other baits I throw on the same set up and I can keep from re-tying when I want to switch it up.
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Thanks all. I didn't realize the toad needed weighting for swimming. I'll give that a shot when I can. I was letting it sink under its own weight.
Thanks Jason, I copied and pasted your instructions into word to print out as a reference. I think i'll have time this weekend to give it another go.
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Still need to know how to hang em' onced dipped.
Heres a pic with the big foots on there to answer your question.. hope that helps ;D
Sorry the pic sucks and is small it was taken with a phone :-X
(http://i790.photobucket.com/albums/yy190/bsouz/tn.jpg)