On September 7th the second annually Spro frog tournament will be back on the water at Goosepond, it will be bigger and better than the 1st with expected teams of fisherman to be well in the mid 100’s. With that in mind, I thought I would help you prepare, as being rigged and ready to go is a big part of catching that winning sack!
There are to me a few things that are just “musts” when it comes to preparation, first and foremost is your rod, reel and line selection. The one thing I consistently hear from fisherman preparing to fish this tournament is “they miss a lot of fish,” I believe it is because of poor equipment. If you’re going to catch the bites you get you must first of all have the correct rod to get a good hook-set. To me that means at least a 7 ft. 6 in. heavy to extra heavy rod like the Duckett Micro-magic guide frog rod; not only is it strong but the micro guides help give you casting distance and great sensitivity to feel the weakest of bites. Please visit www.duckettfishing.com for your selection.
It is equally as important for each fisherman to make long casts and be able to set the hook from far away! This to me means a couple of things, you must also have the correct reel to accomplish this; not only is the reel important but so is the line. As you start to choose your reel let me give you my number one requirement for a reel; that being the breaking system, as we get into the fall we see a lot of wind and without a very good breaking system you can spend the entire day pulling out back lashes especially if your new to tournament fishing. The Lew’s selection of reels has the best breaking system in the industry; their reels can be easily thrown a long distance by an inexperienced angler. When the wind is howling into your face, you want your Spro frog to get to the visual spot you are throwing too as frog fishing can be very spot related over a grass mat. Please visit www.lews.com for the many selections of reels to choose from. As the reel goes so does the line, this selection process is about a major player in the line business, Vicious is a leader in braid technology and their braid is only way to go when fishing a frog. The one thing I will tell you is you need to re-spool your reels the day before the tournament, because like any other “a typical’ line, braid can break down in the heat and sunshine especially here in the south. I suggest you fish with 65 ib. braid, Vicious-line being my suggestion. It is strong, easy to cast and flexible enough to get great hook-ups into the wind. Please visit www.vicious-fishing.com to make your choice of line.
Lastly but certainly not least, this is a Spro tournament where you must fish their frog, there is a actually a better reason to fish Spro frogs; it is by far the most well balanced frog in the industry; when you launch a Spro frog it will land hooks up and ready to set the hook. Another note on Spro frogs is they use Gamakatsu hooks and they are the sharpest hook available, they don’t break or bend and they are deadly catching machines. Start to purchase your selection by visiting www.spro.com; I like a white or a black frog it is for me the best colors for frog fishing without a doubt.
While visiting Scottsboro for the Spro Tournament the Comfort Inn in Scottsboro is sponsoring the tournament and is an excellent choice for your night stay, they are also offering a reduced rate for the fisherman participating in the event. They have great parking and boat hook-ups for keeping your batteries charged. It also goes without saying that the Goosepond Tackle and Grill hosting the tournament is a great place to purchase your equipment needs for the tournament. Remember “luck” is when preparation meets opportunity, if you’re prepared with proper equipment you will have a great chance to win!
Fish Lake Guntersville Guide Service
www.fishlakeguntersvilleguideservice.com
www.facebook.com/FishGuntersville
Phone: 256 759 2270
Email: bassguide@comcast.net
Captain Mike Gerry