It seems like every time I hear a fisherman talk about using topwater frogs I hear the same complaint: I miss too many fish. In many cases though, missing fish is probably due more to the anticipation and reaction to a bite, rather than the actual design of the frog itself. This brings us to frog trailer hook. Let me preface this by saying in no way do I think that a frog trailer hook is a bad idea. It fits a need for an increased hook ratio while using frogs. That being said if you have a decent hook up ratio, you’d probably be better off without a trailer hook. A frog trailer hook is a last resort for fisherman who can’t seem to hook a fish on a frog, but still for some reason want to use one.
If you’ve ever used a frog then you know that an exposed hook would be disastrous in many fishing spots. Using a trailer hook is going to cut down your options on where you can throw your frog and even how you present it. In the description for the Lake Fork Frog Trail Hook it does say that it still keeps your frog weedless. Weedless is all well and good once your frog is in the water, but what about on casts? One presentation that is a favorite of most frog fisherman is the bank presentation. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this presentation, it consists of casting your frog onto a bank and working it into the water from there. This presentation would be much more difficult with a trailer hook. I don’t know about you, but I’ve also wrapped plenty of frogs around sticks and branches while casting to spots. Adding a trailer hook to the mix would make an already tough situation even tougher.
One good alternative to a trailer hook would be to simply shorten up the legs on your frog. A bass will follow a frog from behind in order to ambush it. Shortening up the legs will create a smaller target for the bass to hit, thus increasing the chance for a hook set. Also keep in mind that bass may just want to stun your frog before eating it. A bass may grab a real frogs legs and take it under, but not get it in its mouth. Throwing your frog in the same spot after a hit will recreate a stunned frog and increase you chances for a second hit.
