FrogAddict

Up here in the North we say Uffda (pronounced ooff duh) which means many things but mostly it's an exclamation. Like if you just got done walking across a cold parking lot you may come in the door stamp your feet and say "Uffda, it's cold out der den (same as there, then)." You can also expound on Uffda by saying "Uffda be golly dontcha know." Also we ask if you want to come with. For example, "Hey der I'm gonna go and get some dinner, wanna come with?"

I'm just looking for a straight weedless popper so we'll see.

New frog idea below. One single hook that sets into a mister twister twin tail soft plastic. I’m thinking 1 to 1.5 inches round body that is max 2 inches long for the hard part of the lure. Spring in the back to hold plastic. Popper mouth.

How about applying the technique folks use when making a sign for the lake place? First they stain the wood sign and then they router out the parts they want to look lighter. Or they do the opposite and router first, stain and then sand the whole surface.You could use a Dremel and engrave as well. That's what I used in the pic below for the loon. Note, this pic was taken during the process. Final picture is on my other computer.

I posted a pic of the new frog I built to the gallery. The dimensions are the same as a Koppers 65. I'm not sure about the hooks I'm using.They are a bit on the light side. I'm thinking I'll switch to punching hooks so when I set the hook they don't bend. Those are Cabelas brand fat grubs for the legs. I tried worms but they seemed too long. I did have an epic fail this weekend. I carved a frog out of PVC, installed a frog hook in a recessed channel at the top of the body using a small screw and washer through the hook eye but no matter what I tried weight wise it wouldn't right itself in the water and wanted to go upside down. Since I epoxied over the screw into the frog body and over the top of the hook groove, it's a total lose. The only up side is I did learn what doesn't work! Pic below.

Just a thought here. Why not just allow gravity and the natural magnetic force to reseat the hooks? I can see the spring catching weeds and impeding the weedless nature of the lure. Mark, when you tested the lure did the hooks have a tendency to want to separate from the magnets? I wonder if the simpler option would be to employ stronger magnets if needed? If something is needed to "push" the hooks back in place, why not a small piece of closed foam that wouldn't snag weeds as easily? Really I just want to be involved somehow in this cool idea!!!!

Here's another link to an interesting design with the loose hooks on the rear of the lure. http://forums.basspro.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=029910

Captaing I'm in ND as well and I can attest to the wind today!!

I caught a 39 inch Northern last summer while drop shotting with 8 lb test and a 3 inch soft plastic minnow so I agree that small can get it done as well.

How about that Aphrodities method someone much smarter than I posted (its really the Archimedes method do a search on it and you'll find what I'm talking about). Seriously though, it's a test and retest sort of deal. What do you want the bait to do float, sink suspend etc. How do you want it to sit in the water? What will the weight do to your desired action? That's the main reason I'm switching to PVC. I can tank test that much earlier in the process. I have spent too many hours working on a lure just to find out it doesn't sit the way I want it to and this is with a stinking top water lure! But I am the newbie of all newbies. I'd just listen to the guys that have been on here and made the mistakes and are nice enough to share them with us. I wish I could carve that well!!

Reminds me of the time the guy at the pizza shop asked me if I wanted my pizza cut into 4 pieces or eight pieces. I told him I wasn't that hungry so just cut it into 4 pieces.......

Mark, It looks great. Did you just slide in the skirt or did you use a bit of epoxy or superglue to keep it there? Oh, please check out the Spittin King popper copy picture I posted to the gallery. I'd appreciate any feedback since I'm really new to all this. Note: I'm now a PVC convert!

Do you suppose if I twisted .041 wire I could use it for a muskie lure? I'm just trying to avoid another McMaster order

Mark, I like it! Please update us on it's effectiveness with bucket mouths.

I'm in the middle of building a PVC frog and I love that I can tank test it right away. I know it's not as critical as a crank bait but I still want the frog to sit butt down in the water and when I'm building a frog to walk, it still has a keel that needs to sit correctly. I think I'm going to continue building with PVC although the PVC I bought at the big box store did have some voids that I had to fill with epoxy putty. I have to get some Azek soon I just haven't had time to run over to the local supplier.

I think Mark Paulson said he seals with superglue when he builds PVC baits. He said something about the PVC gassing off and creating bubbles on the "end grain."

I've searched and only found one reference to sealing PVC. Do you guys seal PVC and if so what do you use? I'm thinking about gst since that's what I'm using for my topcoat.

Yeah Mark I think I'd turn the hooks out as well. I think I'm going to build one using PVC can you tell me what you use to fill in ballast holes in PVC?

I get you. The top of the frog is for the fisherman anyway. The fish only sees the belly anyway. That way a person doesn't have to worry to much about ballast but I do have a question regarding ballast. What do you use to fill in the hole on a pvc bait?

I bought some tulle and I found that the mesh was far to fine but I liked the pattern so I sprayed it with some rattle can primer. It works much better now. The lines are a bit thicker. I wonder if that would help. Or maybe if you "stacked" some tulle on top of itself, you may get enough "side wall" to spray a shadow at an angle. Just throwing out some ideas,. I'm still trying to understand all this stuff but man it's fun!

I just got some PVC at the local box store and I'll be carving another frogas well. I ended up getting some quarter round and I'll be attaching 4 pieces together to make one round body, then carve from there I know azek is the preferred pvc I just didn't have time to run across town to the local dealer.. That type of frog style seems pretty simple to make and I like that you can swap out the hooks so I'm gonna try it out.