Frogs

[john conway]

Whilst fishing a local lodge in Accrington the other day, I noticed several frogs mating, some on the bottom with several males in attendance and one or two swimming piggyback across my swim. This and the fact that I blanked that day brought back memories of another pond I use to fish regularly where the same thing happened at this time of the year, except that this event was very spectacular. Both frogs and toads in there thousands came to mate and completely took over the pond. It was so spectacular that I took the wife and kids. During this mating frenzy the fishing was completely dead. This happened every year for over ten years, then for whatever reason I stopped going. Once they had finished mucking about it was back to normal, nice Tench to 4lb and the odd Perch to 1-1/2lb. Has anyone else experienced this and did the mating kill the fishing.
By the way as a kid I use to catch some smashing Perch with tadpoles.

 

[Stewart Bloor]

Can't answer your question John about frogs and fish feeding...but I have seen the same thing myself. I think it's the appreciation of nature as a whole that makes fishing such an interesting thing to be involved in.
I once saw a grass snake with a frog in its throat (no pun intended). I read about it afterwards, but they dislocate their jaw so that they can swallow their food, because it's so much bigger than their mouth allows naturally.
When we watch nature programmes, people put in hundrds of hours to capture things like this on film, yet as anglers we have the privilege of being there and witnessing these things.
Brilliant !!

 

[Rob Brownfield]

John, my local carp pond here in bonny scotland has a huge head of frogs. When they are spawning, the fishing does indeed die. The reason, I think, is because you can see the carp sucking in frog spawn as if its oysters on a plate. They love the stuff. They must be stuffed to the gills with the stuff. I have seen tench do this too.
What do u think?

 

[Steve Baker]

A randy male frog or toad will also try to mate with a fish by grasping its back and hanging on. So this may also contribute to the lack of fish around this time.

 

[Paul Williams]

It's a good job they don't grow as big as dogs then.....or there wouldn't be many anglers around either!!!!!

 

[john conway]

Rob I’ve often wonder what other fish might take advantage of the frogspawn, never though about carp, as a lad I only read about carp. Perhaps there’s an opening for someone to design a new frogspawn boillie?

 

[Steve Baker]

Please dont use real spawn though as the common frog is not so common nowadays so they need all the help they can get.

 

[keith miller]

Frog populations have declined in recent years in part due to an ailment known as red leg disease.

 

[GrahamM]

Does it affect parsons? Because if it does we have the answer to many strange questions.

 

[Paul Williams]

HAHAHAHAHA....red leg disease!! you saw Sedge's kit Kieth!!!! LOL