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Thread: Frogging

  1. #1
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    Frogging

    How do you catch frogs using an airboat?
    We use jon boats with a outboard.
    one person drives the boat in the back and one in front holds the light and grabs frogs.
    We easily get the limit every night.
    I'd much rather use a airboat.

  2. #2
    Senior Geezer buster's Avatar
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    I never did any froggin myself, but my last airboat used to have a trolling motor mounted on the front. Seems to me that would be ideal for even one guy alone to use for froggin???

    Dave
    IF YOU WON'T STAND BEHIND OUR TROOPS, THEN JUST STAND IN FRONT OF THEM!

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    Good idea! mini spear gun Hawaiian Sling or mini crossbow with a laser are possibilities I'd really like to have an electric fan for trolling.
    The places where I frog hunt seriously aren't water prop friendly "weeds,moss,stick etc"

    Quote Originally Posted by buster View Post
    I never did any froggin myself, but my last airboat used to have a trolling motor mounted on the front. Seems to me that would be ideal for even one guy alone to use for froggin???

    Dave

  4. #4
    KWAZY old Southerner... Duane Scarborough's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Zion View Post
    Good idea! mini spear gun Hawaiian Sling or mini crossbow with a laser are possibilities I'd really like to have an electric fan for trolling.
    The places where I frog hunt seriously aren't water prop friendly "weeds,moss,stick etc"
    Zion,

    I've never gone frogging myself. I've had frog legs a few times though. They're good, but not at the top of my list. The best ones I've ever had were served at a small restaurant in Cape Girardeu, MO, called "Jeremiahs". Ironically, they were imported from Bangledesh.

    Most guys down here in the South use "gigs" for frogging. Goggle "Frog Gigs" and you'll find everything from simple to fancy.

    As I understand it, what works best for frogging from an airboat involves moving slowly, at idle speed, or slightly above, but using the main engine.

    At first, an electric fan SOUNDS like a good idea, but I don't think it'd be practical. It'd take a BIG electric motor to make it work. You'd need a huge battery bank, or a generator to make it work.

    Many of the Bowfishing guys use a fan drive, but they use a small gas motor. Those fan drives also go from simple to fancy. Goggle "Bow Fishing Fan Drive".

    Duane
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    Quote Originally Posted by Duane Scarborough View Post
    Zion,
    Most guys down here in the South use "gigs" for frogging. Goggle "Frog Gigs" and you'll find everything from simple to fancy.
    Duane
    There are a few reasons gigs aren't used here.
    Only hand grabbing is allowed on the national refuges.
    The limit is 25 frogs a night. That's 25-50 or 75 frogs a night with 3 people in the boat.
    Gigs not only miss about 1/3 but kills em. I am really good at catching them. I caught 52 one night only missing 2.
    In the morning after coffee they are alive and fresh.
    We throw away the dead ones.
    I can get .50c a frog fast as I can catch them.
    I love to build gadgets and I bow hunt deer and turkey a lot.
    I'm about to start making sling bows with a laser for hunting.
    Using a barbed arrow and string them frogs wont get lost.
    An electric trolling fan would be nice. Reverse,remote control, stealth.
    But your right about the weight.
    The only way I can think that's even practical would be a hybrid drive.
    That's a redrive using a centrifugal clutch and an electric motor from a electric bike kit using lithium ion batteries.
    That's a $1000.00 Experiment .
    LI-ion batteries are lighter but expensive
    LiFePO4 batteries are even better at @$800 Ouch.
    Oh well back to the drawing board.
    I have a new Lifan 16hp with electric start and a 3amp alternator.
    Its a direct drive with a 3-blade arrow prop.
    Next year I'm going to wont more power. Instead of upgrading to a 35hp kohler or briggs,
    I can just add another 16hp with a redrive using either elec or centri. clutches.
    There are some benefits to the twin engine setup.
    I keep the prop and cage. The engines are completely independent and self contained with fuel tank starter and are very light.
    Also going with another 16hp instead of the more expensive 35hp would save enough to pay for the redive + clutches with some left over
    For trolling I could start just one engine.
    I could also add a mechanical remote to run the motor and rudder from the front.
    No reverse but its the only practical and economic way I can think of.
    I have a year to work on it. I'll think of something.
    Last edited by Zion; 06-16-2011 at 12:40 PM.

  6. #6
    Senior Geezer buster's Avatar
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    When you read my next suggestion, just keep in mind my forum title, "Senior Geezer", and take it for whatever you think it's worth.
    I hate to over simplify things, but may I assume that you have considered using "POLES"?
    They are cost effective, and although manually operated, they are fully steerable, and come with forward, neutral, and reverse built right in? Just a thought!

    However you end up doing it, You will probably need to spend a lot of nights "froggin" in order to pay for your equipment. It's a good thing you enjoy it.

    Dave
    Last edited by buster; 06-16-2011 at 01:40 PM.

  7. #7
    KWAZY old Southerner... Duane Scarborough's Avatar
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    Zion,

    Well you've sure got some "different" ideas. I ain't saying they're BAD ideas, but they sure are "different" from the norm.

    But, if folks had NOT had different ideas 100 years ago, we'd all still be riding horses, wouldn't we?

    I'm not sure that I follow your ideas though. And I don't really NEED to. YOU are the inventor, not me.

    So, I'm not saying NAY to your ideas, OK? But I do find myself saying HUH?

    Good luck with it. Let us know how it goes.

    Duane
    A KWAZY old Southerner... and darn PROUD of it.

    Airboat Pros MiniPro 116 / Frog Spit
    SS rigging - with side by side seating
    Teledyne 4A084-4 engine
    Solex H30/31 Carb
    Arrow Prop 1.73:1 reduction
    67" Whirlwind 2 blade Mini Prop

    under construction

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    I am an inventor. Thinking bout having a heavy duty centrifugal clutch custom made so I can connect them inline 1,2 or3 motors front to back.
    48hp is all I'd ever want.
    My build is for fishing and hunting only not going the fastest or showing off.
    If I make it more than 60" wide it wont go some places I want to.
    Ive decided to build adaptive headlights like a BMW has.
    They well be simple and light though. They will be mounted on the cage.
    They will tun with the rudder only opposite direction and will turn at different ratios..
    U'll just use a single push/pull cable $5.00.
    If I over build it it won't do what I need it to.
    I may not even won't 3 engines.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Zion View Post
    I am an inventor. Thinking bout having a heavy duty centrifugal clutch custom made so I can connect them inline 1,2 or3 motors front to back.
    I theenk I follow what you're sayin here, I'm reminded of the unlimited classes in tractor pulling where they sometimes mount the engines inline with the crank on the front engine coupled to the front snout of the rear engine type thing.... I think what you need is an overrunning sprag clutch, that way the rear engine can run with the front off, and the shaft would simply freewheel in the sprag when the rear engine runs, that way you wouldn't spin both engines, one live and one dead, like you would if they were coupled direct, then if you wanted more power( POWA!! MO POWAAAA!!!) you fire up the front engine too and the sprags would lock up, thus transmitting the front engine's power to the rear and eventually the prop. So long as there wasn't any major misalignment, I think the extra power through the rear crank wouldn't be a problem!

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    Quote Originally Posted by buster View Post
    :
    I hate to over simplify things, but may I assume that you have considered using "POLES"?
    Dave
    I use poles .
    WE generally use them when we get stuck on a stump in weed and what not.
    Oars will work also. I'll probably just build a mechanical remote control for the very front that's connect to the main controls.
    It may be nothing more than a starter switch, a kill switch and a simple method to steer. The throttle will be at the lowest possible idle.
    I'll keep it as simple as possible and carry a push pole too.
    No one around here knows anything about stuff like frog spit and related products.
    That alone will make a huge difference

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2006rubicon View Post
    I think what you need is an overrunning sprag clutch,
    That's exactly what I'm talking about.
    Alignment is no problem. I'm presently searching the web for them.
    Do you know a source for these clutches?
    Thanks
    Don

  12. #12
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    I've been finding a lot of them on amazon for cheap, Like 25 bucks! I know Reynold is one manufacturer of them. You can try www.millerbearings.com, They have a ton of goodies there.

  13. #13
    Senior Geezer buster's Avatar
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    Zion,

    I just wanted to pass on something I heard that you may want to consider. I never put lights on an airboat, but I understand the cage is not the best place to mount them. They tend to illuminate the boat itself, but not much else.

    I have seen pictures of airboats with the lights on the front, and it seems to me they would work good up there.

    Good Luck,
    Dave

  14. #14
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    Good point buster and it will be just as easy to put them up front.

  15. #15
    Administrator Papee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by buster View Post
    When you read my next suggestion, just keep in mind my forum title, "Senior Geezer", and take it for whatever you think it's worth.
    I hate to over simplify things, but may I assume that you have considered using "POLES"?
    They are cost effective, and although manually operated, they are fully steerable, and come with forward, neutral, and reverse built right in? Just a thought!

    However you end up doing it, You will probably need to spend a lot of nights "froggin" in order to pay for your equipment. It's a good thing you enjoy it.

    Dave
    When I was young I wasn't allowed a motor on my boat. All I had was a pole, the river is to shallow in some areas for oars to do any good. I spent a lot of time on the river during summer vacation from school poling around the river. Some days I would cover 20+ miles.

    I don't know about frogs but I've taken my trolling motor off my boat. Idling the motor scares the fish less than having a prop in the water, I've had fish swim along with the boat when idling along.

    As for lights, Buster has it right, they suck when on the cage. They light up the boat fine but you can't see worth %^&*^ with them. Any lights other than the navigation lights on a boat while under way are not legal. The exception to this is "docking lights" on the bow but can only be used when docking the boat. I've found that using no light is best allowing your eyes to get adjusted to the darkness. I use a spotlight sparingly because every time you use it, it takes a while for your eyes to adjust again. Running the river here for 40+ years also helps a bit knowing where the rocks are and the deeper channels for safe running at night. The winter ice does move some of the rocks around tho.
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