Teckel Sprinkler Frog - Test Drive (pre-release)

I was honoured and privileged to get my hands on a pre-release version of Teckel's all new Sprinkler frog, a bait that may just prove to bring your frog fishing in 2017 to a whole new level!

You know those times when you hit the lake and the conditions are just perfect for top water, but you're just not sure if you should throw a frog, a buzz bait or maybe even a whopper plopper? That's the exact time you should pick up a Sprinkler frog, here's why:

Off the Shelf

Being that this frog is not yet available I cant really tell you what its shelf presence was like. I can tell you that videos speak louder then images.. meaning that watching this frog in action sold me quicker then any other frog I've purchased. (and you know Ive got a tackle junkie in me)

I  use Teckel baits on a fairly regular basis, so I knew what to expect quality and material wise. The body and hooks are top notch and the sprinkler foot is also more robust then I expected. I'm fearing a pike attack, but other then that this frog should hold up well.

My main concern here is the ability to replace the foot when it becomes damaged or completely ripped off the bait. Sure I could Frankenstein something up, but once you see this frog swim you are going to want to keep the same action with a replacement foot. At this time I cant confirm or deny if Teckel will be offering replacement feet. (please do!)

Teckel has always offered a wide selection of colour options for each of their frogs, I would expect the Sprinkler to be no different. You can see some of the colour options on their Facebook page (HERE) where they have been sneak peeking the frog since late 2016. The Video at the end of this article also shows off the 8 color choices that should be available at launch.

On The Water

It been awhile since I was as impressed with a frogs on the water performance as I was with the Sprinkler frog. From the very first cast I saw incredible potential in this bait and it has officially made it into my #1 Frog box for the 2017 season.

As an angler that loves to frog fish but is not a huge fan of popper frogs, I'm always looking for that perfect crossover bait that can bring the noise in calm and windy situations alike. The Sprinkler Frog is that bait. If you love the noise and the look of a whopper plopper coming your way, this is frog is for you!

It's important to me that you can work a frog at various speeds and that it still performs, the Sprinkler frog runs straight and true, when run at high speeds it  kicks up a rooster tail like the ones you see at tournament blast off and at slower speeds you get that sweet, sweet gurgle of the perfect buzz bait.

Unlike a traditional buzz bait or the Whopper Plopper the Sprinkler frog can be fished in pretty much any situation, meaning it be climbed over structure, and that it glides over pads, and any loose debris in the water that would consistently foul up a treble hooks ruining your retrieve. Unlike other Buzz-Frogs the use of a kicker foot in place of a blade ensures it fishes like a frog in the areas you actually want to throw a frog.

Although I stressed it above, I will do so again, anytime you add a soft plastic appendage to a bait there is the chance (a good one) that the soft plastic will get ripped up, or ripped off. At this time I don't know if Teckel plans to offer replacement Sprinkler feet, and if they don't this could be a short lived frog.

The Sprinkler frog pairs well with a Dobyns Sierra Series 735 which provides enough tip to make accurate casts all while still having the backbone needed to haul fish out of the nastiest of cover. As always I paired it with a Daiwa Tatula, this time a CT model.

At first glance you way want to write this frog off as gimmicky or a novelty item. Do you self a favor and don't let your first impressions fool you, this frog is legit,

Check out BassJunkies Frog Pond for a full review HERE

Whats in the Box? My 2017 Frog Box

From time to time I get asked the the question made famous by Brad Pitt in the movie Seven.. "What's in the Box!" so before we officially kick off the 2017 review year, I though I would give you a peak into my standard everyday frog box, and maybe, just maybe a little insight into why each frog made the cut.

Gene Larew 3-Legged Toad

The the 3-Legged toad is the only soft plastic toad to make the final frog box cut. Its the ultimate "all situations" frog  that offers up a soft churn perfect for early morning and the evening bite. 

The body of the frog is made of a nearly marshmallow like foam that floats, and hold up fairly well fish after fish. The third leg works to add to the frogs wake, but also prolongs the frogs life, as even when the bait looses that one inevitable limb, it still has two more to fish with.

This is one of the first frogs I reviewed on the Frog Pond back in 2012 and it is still in my box today.

When to Use: Medium to Sparse cover when trying to cover water quickly. Great to bounce over cover and fish around submerged timber.

Frog Pond Review: 7.8

Tackle USA - Choker

The Gene Larew 3-Legged Toad may be the longest standing member of my Frog Box, but on the other end of the spectrum the Tackle USA Choker is one of if not thee newest!

The Choker saw some serious time on the water last season and even went a 3 week period as the only frog I tied on. The Choker offers up the classic profile made famous by the Reaction Innovation Swamp Donkey with one major improvement.. flashing for legs. This common fly tying material works incredibly well on the back of a frog, they fan out easily and offer up some crazy flash and shine as they spread out on the pause.

The body of the frog is soft yet durable and it moves well on or around pads and other structure. This is my everyday frog and is a good bet to the my opening day starter.

When to Use: This is an all around frog that can be used in heavy cover to open water. I vary the retrieve to help identify what the fish are looking for on any given day. 

Frog Pond Review: 7.8

SnagProof - GuntersVille Frog

Sometimes less is more, and when I'm reaching for a frog to crash the pads, the Guntersville frog from Snag Proof is at the top of the list. This compact yet beefy frog has rattles for legs and was built to "sit"more then it was built to "swim". So if you are planing to fish medium to sparse cover this may not be the frog to you, but, when fishing a thick mess of pads or slop this frog will call the fish in and make sure it  gets noticed and more importantly EATEN!.

Best fished slowly with slight pulls or an intermittent retrieve the Guntersville frog fills a void that not many other frogs can. The only real downfall to this bait is that its easy to loose a rattle. Even more so if you are prone to bouncing it over the various structures you can run into in shallow pad filled water... This reminds me, I need to buy another one. 

When to Use: Heavy Cover Period! slow pulls over and around pads.

Frog Pond Review: 8.0

SPRO - Bronzeye Shad

You can't call it a Frog Box if it doesn't have at least one SPRO frog inside (google it if your dont believe me)... or in this case a SPRO Shad? The Bronzeye Shad offers a great profile, with even better dance moves. Its horse like tails give some sway to the back end and helps this frog/shad walk in and out of tight situations. For a longer bait it really does have some great moves and I often tie one on when fishing sparser cover or even open water (though I tend to throw a popping frog in open water situations)

When the pads start to choke out the water I usually put this guy away. It does not sit well on pads and kinda flops from side to side. 

When to Use: Sparse cover to Open Water, when a stealth presentation is called for. Can be used to cover water quickly or times when cover is spread out and your working long distances between. 

Frog Pond Review: 9.0

SnagProof - Popping Phattie

I've fished this frog so long it use to have another name! Remember when these were the Ish Poppin Phatties? well sometimes sponsorships change but one thing is for certain, if Ish still isn't fishing this frog he is seriously missing out! 

I actually carry the classic Phat Frog (see below) as well as the Popping Phattie in the #1 Frog box, but of the two the popping phattie sees way more time on the water. It is a great all around frog that fishes best in open water to sparse cover conditions where I can fully take advantage of its popping ability. Not a proper fan? thats ok, slow down and the popping Phattie can also be walked, which is a big plus as it avoids switching back and forth as the conditions and structure changes. 

I don't throw a lot of popping frogs, but its important to carry at least one in your box for the times when you really need to let the fish know your there... ring that dinner bell.

When to Use: Sparse cover to Open Water, when a louder presentation is called for. This could also be considered a crossover frog, ease up on the retrieve to walk and no pop this popping frog. Saves your time and line when not having to retie. 

Frog Pond Review: 8.8

SnagProof - Phat Frog

The Phat Frog is definitely a special teams player, and usually only gets the nod to play when the area I'm fishing is loaded with slop!. Its unique body design moves well over the nastiest of slop and rarely if ever comes back with salad. Unlike some of the other "all around" frogs in my box, this one was really designed to fish any situation. It just so happens that it ain't pretty, so it often get the dirty jobs, but hey someone has to do it! This frog has all the same perks as the above Popping Phattie so i won't go into great detail here, just use it!

Slop calls for a nice flat bottomed bait that won't catch or roll as it moves, this is that frog!

When to Use: Heavy to Medium cover and slop! 

Frog Pond Review: 8.7

Deps - Slither K

Although some situations call for noise, other call for stealth, that's where the Deps Slither K comes into the mix. This frog is a high end low profile version of a scum frog, it can be cast (quietly) into any hole or target, and its fur tail will drive the fish crazy even on a prolonged pause. 

Don't get me wrong, this bait looks sexy when killed, but moves even better when twitched. I work the Slither K one of two ways depending on the bite. First is a fast erratic walk, with the bait coming slowly to the boat but moving rapidly back and forth. The second is slow twitches, walking the frog home an inch at a time. The fur tail does a lot of the work for you here, so let it!

The Slither K is one of two bite size frogs I carry at all times. I find them best utilized in medium sparse cover or when working the edges. Cast them 1-2 feet in and work it along the edge, I guarantee there will be a bass following. 

When to Use: Medium to Sparse Cover and Edges, slower presentation. The ultimate pocket jumper, be sure to let this frog sit in every pocket and let the fish get a look at it.

Frog Pond Review: 8.4

EverGreen - Kicker Frog

This little guy often finds himself playing second fiddle to the Deps Slither K, they both get used in similar situations but the Slither K takes more patience then I have on some days, so enter the Kicker frog. 

EverGreen makes a nice bite sized frog with a seriously sharp single hook. This frog is always swallowed whole and that hook never seems to miss on the hookset. You don't need to work the Kicker frog as much or as slowly,as the Slither K but I often use it to fish the edges of the pads or sparser pockets. This frog is well built and has a very soft flexible body and has held up season after season and fish after fish. 

I have a feeling this frog may get bumped from the front lines in the coming seasons, but for now I like to have a variety of sizes available and the Kicker frog suits me just fine. Also being that its an import and $$$$ I like to get my moneys worth. 

When to Use: Medium to Sparse Cover and Edges, faster presentation. I use this frog when smaller profiles are needed but also when speed is my friend.

Frog Pond Review: 8.5

Tru Tungsten - Mad Maxx

Some will consider this a cheat, as the True Tungsten Mad Maxx frog has been discontinued for years . But I loaded up on them prior to TT going under and I'm glad I did. The Mad Maxx frog takes what SPRO started and ups the game, if has a similar body profile and angry look, but the body material is lighter and collapses as quickly and easily as a scum frog.

I call this my "confidence frog" if I'm going through a stretch with limited to no blow-ups or worse if Ive missed repeated fish I will often tie the Mad Maxx on to boost my confidence. 

I don't often push replicas but since TruTungsten is no more, I don't feel as bad sending you to the Castaic Boyd Bucket frog or the Blitz Frog both of these frogs use the same mold and if not the same, a nearly identical body material. I own one of each and I just close my eyes and pretend they are Mad Maxx's.

When to Use: This is an All Situations frog that can be used in medium/heavy to sparse cover. It will not see much time in heavy cover or open water due to is light weight frame. These frogs work well when walked and paused in a more continuous retrieve. 

Frog Pond Review: 7.4

Terminator - Walking Frog 

With one season under its belt the Terminator Walking frog will start 2017 in the main frog box, but it may see some time in triple-A as some of the newer frogs start to make an appearance. The Terminator Walking frog has a unique body that is built to fish and be seen in any type of situation. It's larger bulkier frame makes it sit well on pads, while its narrower ass-end gives it a nice look when paused over pockets. It also lives up to its name, and walks like a champ over and around cover and even in open water.

I wish I was able to give the Walking frog more time on the water, its nothing personal against the frog as it has been one of my favourite newcomers these past few years, it all comes down to  preference and for me the bulkier body and size are not what I'm normally looking for in a frog and I often reach for less hearty frogs.

When to Use: This is an all situations frog that does its best work in heavy to sparse cover. Like the Slither K this is a "pocket-jumper" a frog that I try to place and pause in each and every pocket in a given pad section.

Frog Pond Review: 9.2



There you have it, the secret is out, as an angler that has tried and tested nearly 130 frogs over the past 5 seasons, these 10 are the ones I trust day in and day out when I'm on the water. So, whats in your box!

Test Drive - Live Target Hollow Body Sunfish

I don't tend to review or test drive too many frogs on this site, that's what the Frog Pond is for, but when a bait has a much hype behind it as the Live Target Hollow Body Sunfish does.. it's worth a second look. 

Off the Shelf

Live Target makes pretty baits, its what they do, but the Hollow Body Sunfish seems to have a little more bling in it then the rest of their hollow body line-up. This is a good looking bait and many anglers will be sold before they even  handle one. 

As for sizing, I find the two size options to be a little deceiving, the smaller size looked "ok" to me on the shelf but once out of the box it was small, so back I went to add the larger model. I was surprised to hear from one tackle that they would only be stocking the one size, but I guess with 12 color options this could get out of control quickly. Not many stored have room for 24 options of one product..My advice.. go big., don't worry about colour.

When first handling the frog.. er fish, it has all the traits you love from other Live Target lures, high quality imagery and hooks, along with an ultra soft body for improved hooksets.

Sticker shock may be an issue for Canadian Anglers, with the drop in CAD/USD exchange this bait was retailing for as high as $18.99CAD and on average ranged from $14.99 to $16.99. I picked up mine at an early season show and paid $13.99. Again this is an exchange rate issue more then a pricing issue. 

On the Water

By now you have all seen the countless videos of this bait doing its thing in open water and sparse cover situations. There is no denying that this bait walks, swims, and flutters incredibly well, when working in these situations you can pretty much make this bait do whatever you want it to do.. as long as you have the right rod that is.

When fishing in heavier cover situations I found the bait fished a bit dead. You might think that's a good thing considering it is suppose to imitate a dying or injured bait fish, but in this case I'm using the term dead to signify its complete lack of action and even feel. When pulling the Sunfish over pads and structure it has no real action and just kind of bumps along . when paused there are no legs to flair and if your fishing the smaller size the profile is almost non existent. 

Casting this bait on a calm day is a dream, but if you are dealing with even a breeze this bait quickly turns into an R.A Dickey Knuckle ball and neither you nor the catcher know where it will end up. Its crescent or moon shape makes it susceptible to knuckling or curving in the wind. Keep that in mind if you are a target oriented fishing hoping to drop this bait on a dime.

Now, while casting can be a bitch, landing is another story. I love the gentle "thwack" the sunfish makes when it hits the water. its really sounds like a fish breaking the surface and if they were not already paying attention they are now!

If you read the frog pond review (HERE) you know whats coming next. The hollow body Sunfish takes on water... fast. I found myself emptying on nearly every retrieve which after awhile gets pretty old. I'm not sure why this is an issue in the Sunfish as it is not an issue I had with other live target hollow body baits. I do know that when speaking to other anglers this topic seems to be hit and miss, Ive had a few guys tell me they did not experience this issue while other did. Lets hope it was an early production run issue and chalk it up to that. 

The Results

I have and I will continued to fish the Live Target Hollow body Sunfish, but it has become more of an condition specific bait then  an all around frog. To continue with my baseball analogy above, this bait is like the middle relief pitcher, once I get into a situation that I know it can excel in, I pick up the phone and call the bull pen. But it;s never going to be a starter, its just doesn't have the talent.

All testing was done on a Dobyns DX746 paired with a Daiwa Tatula HD reel. The DX746 is an amazing frog rod in situations in which you could use a little more tip. It imparts great action to frogs that do a ton of walking and it improves you short distance and skipping accuracy when casting. The Tatula HD is a beast of a reel and I never leave home without it.

Frog Fishing with the Dobyns DX746c

The Dobyns DX746 was introduced to the fishing world at large late in 2013.. long after my season had closed. But while I awaited the end of one of the brutalist winters in recent years, there it was, the light at the end of the tunnel, my new frog rod awaiting its inaugural trip.

The DX746 is touted for not only the power it offers, but also it's sensitivity. This rod offers frog anglers the ability to cast small, medium and large frogs accurately for great distances, the finesse to walk them back to the boat, and the power to battle fish in the nastiest of cover.. Thats what I read.. here is what I found:

Casting:

I was blown away by the casting ability of this rod, and found that on average I was able to cast mid to lite weight frogs for even greater distances then with my 736c. I guess I should specify here that distance was never really a big issue, but more distance and accuracy combined. When sizing down to a smaller or finesse weighted frog I would often down size rods to get that extra bit of tip for greater accuracy. The DX746 offers both the power  needed and just enough tip to help place your frog exactly were you want it.


Walking & Popping:

What makes a rod a good walking rod, does not always make for a good popping rod. There is always that fine line between length and tip, that you need to take into consideration while attempting to work each specific style of frog. The DX746 offers you a nice stout rod with the ability to pop and chug a frog with the best of them, all the while its softer tip (for a frog rod) also gives you the ability to walk even the most frustratinig of baits back to the boat while driving fish crazy.

Power:

I do a lot of shoreline frog fishing (daily actually), so a rods ability to fight fish at a great distance and over heavy cover is very important to me. Coming in at 7'4 and touting Heavy action, the DX746 gives me the confidence I need when deciding to throw my frog into spots most anglers would fear. I can use its extra length and power to quickly get leverage on a fish, and have it moving forward long before it knows whats even happening. This is a key when frog fishing and a lesser rod will have you loosing fish in such situations.


If you are in the market for a new frog rod for the 2015 season, do yourself a favour and ges your hands on a Dobyns DX746. Like all Dobyns rods, its weight, balance and sensitivity will be immediately evident, but this rods exells on the water, and should be a must have in any frog fisherman's arsenal.

Live Target Field Mouse.. Bigger and Better for 2013

The Live Target field mouse was a "must have bait" back in 2012. When launched it was unlike any current offerings on the market and like with every thing that Live Target touches it quickly turned to gold.

I too was on the band-wagon and quickly snapped up both sizes (see review HERE). Once home and out of the package, buyers remorse started to set in, as I was  immediately unimpressed by the sizes that Live Target choose to introduce this bait in.. sizes I will simply call: small and smaller

Once on the water I started to get a bit more comfortable with the Field mouse, it moves very well, and has an almost walk & roll cadence not offered by many hollow body baits. The long dangly tail (although fragile) offers up a worm like presentation when paused, that hags down in the water driving fish crazy.

Still even with all it's "pros" the size continues to bothered me, so I decided to voice my concern, and I was not the only one, as time after time I saw this comment pop up on various fishing boards as well as in conversations on the water. 

Skipping ahead to 2013, while taking in a local Fishing and Sports show, I noticed an unusually large Live Target package hanging on the wall and low and behold it encased a thing of beauty, the new larger sized Live Target Field Mouse..  the MHB90T is what I feel could be thee perfect sized mouse bait, coming in a 3.5 inches long and 1oz in weight, it dwarfs it's little brothers, but still keeps the it's profile, swimming action and overall quality we have come to expect from the original

I for one am really looking forward to giving this bait a real world test drive, and fingers crossed I may just have a new favourite mouse bait

They are not widely available as of yet, but If you want to get your hands on one you can find them at: Tackle Warehouse 

Booyah Keeps things Crashing in 2013 with the Pad Crasher Jr and Poppin Pad Crasher

It has been about 2 years since Booyah came crashing into the hollow body frog scene with their "Pad Crasher" frog, a super soft yet durable frog that rivals any other currently being produced. This year, they have added two new frogs to their line-up, including the Pad Crasher Jr. and the Poppin Pad Crasher

In their first go-round in the frog market, Booyah did everything right, they designed a hollow body frog that collapses incredibly well, yet is tuff enough to take the abuse that both the angler and the fish will  throw at it. Furthermore they met the "realistic"standards set by their closest competitor (Live Target) and then proceeded to destroy them on pricing (a quality hollow body frog under $10!). I have said it before and Ill say it again, the Booyah Pad Crasher is the best dollar for dollar frog on the market today

The Pad Crasher Jr.

One of the fastest growing trends in the hollow-body frog market is what I call "froglets", these baby, Jr or mini versions of a standard hollow-body frog drive early and late season bass crazy. They offer a snack sized meal for fish looking for an easy bite. They also allow the fish to get more of the frog in its mouth, thus providing a better and higher hook-up ratio.

The Pad Crasher Jr, takes everything that was right about the original Pad Crasher and downsizes it.  It's smaller 2" frame still provides the classic frog profile, yet causes less commotion when the bite gets tough. Weighing in a 1/4 oz, the Pad Crasher Jr is half the weight of its bigger brother but will still give you the ability to cast it with ease on bait-casting or spinning gear (for the weak at heart). 

I have been using small to medium sized frogs for a few seasons now, and they have been producing extremely well for me. I have already made room in my primary frog box for the Pad Crasher Jr, as I know it will be getting a serious workout this season.

Poppin Pad Crasher

As an avid hollow body fisherman it took me some time to get into the popping hollow body craze, "I'm a traditionalist" I told myself, but what it really boils down to is that I'm stubborn and picky. (most fisherman are). What I wanted and was not able to find in most popping baits was the ability to move, walk,slide and glide like a traditional hollow-body and then make it "pop" on demand.

The first thing I noticed about the Booyah Poppin Pad Crasher  was that the mouth was slightly raised so it does not sit flush on the water. If I want to "walk it", keeping the rod tip up I should be able to move this frog with ease. Then when it's time to "pop-it", a quick rod jerk will drive the frogs mouth down into the water and give you that loud  "pop and spit" action that was promised.

 The Poppin Pad Crasher simply put is the traditional Pad Crasher with a nose job. It comes in at the same 1/2oz of weight allowing for great casting distance in most if not all conditions. Unlike the Pad Crasher Jr, that quiets things down, the Popping pad crasher was designed to liven things up, and make as much commotion as possible.. objective complete

The colour choices for the entire line of Pad Crasher is pretty impressive. I really like the addition of the two shad colours for the Poppin Pad Crasher, as nothing says says "busting shad" like a nice shiny popper.

I cant wait to get both of these new frogs on the water this season, if you want to get your hands on one early (like I did) you may want to head on over to Lurenet to check out the full collection. 

Site News: The Frog Pond hits 10,000 Views

This past February I decided I didn't have enough on my plate, between work, tournament fishing, and writing the Bass Junkies blog, so I decided to added another task into the mix.. Bass Junkies Frog pond (review blog).. yes my love for frog fishing got the best of me and over the past 10 months I have reviewed 40 frogs currently available to anglers.  (as well as a few frog fishing specific items like line, hooks and so on)

Yes it is hard work to keep two blogs up and running, but I feel my hard work has paid off, and I'm proud to say that the Frog pond has reached it's first milestone.. 10,000 site views. The timing couldn't be better, as the Frog Pond is set to close for the season in the coming weeks. Unlike BJFA the frog pond will be only be open from March thru November. With ice on the lakes it becomes harder and harder to review new frogs (except on how well they bounce).

Don't fret, during the off season there will continue to be site updates, and you always have this blog to fall back on. I have some good things cooking for 2013, so stay tuned frog lovers

In the meantime be sure to check out the latest frog reviews.. still a few more to come as well as a year in review!

The Rant: The Frog Clone Wars

I work in an industry in which "imitation" is not seen as flattery, but instead as a way to cheat and steel from another company. So when I started to notice this trend creeping further and further into the fishing industry, I could not keep my mouth shut.. and thus a Rant was imminent

This is not new, and as mentioned above it is not limited to the Fishing industry. One can look back at the introduction of the Senko worm years ago, and the lengths at which bait companies have gone to copy its success, and still do to this day. That being said the copying of baits was really limited to worms for the most part, but over the years it has started to spread into other areas of the bait market and this year the frog market has seen an influx of "knock-off" baits. Some coming from small companies and hand pourers making their own bait mould and some knock-offs are coming from over-seas from the same factory or plant that the original bait comes from!

Live Target is a great example of this. I dont know about you, but I have seen a remarkable amount of knock-off Live Target frogs on the market. I actual a angler who told me that he could order me "copy" Live Target baits from China for pennies on the dollar, all he had to do was get a 500 piece order together, and the company would ship him these frogs. I was annoyed by this and I tried to explain to him that by buying these baits, not only is he taking money out of the pocket of the company that paid for the development and production of that product, but he is taking money out of the register of local bait shots, and down the road, this will take money from the pocket of every angler that buys Live Target products.. When people rip off their baits before they can recoup the cost of development companies are forced to do one of two things.. raise their prices, or stop developing new products, and in the case of Live Target, this truly would be a shame as they are responsible for some of the coolest bait designs on the market today

Ok, so that covers off the bigger companies getting ripped off by bigger companies.. now lets look at the small guy, who at times, is doing just as much damage

I recently placed an order for various soft plastic frogs from various companies. I will not list them here, but as you can see from the images I was not super happy to see that two of the frogs I ordered were clones, they are the exact same frog, other then colour options and price.  I dont pretend to know how or why this happens, maybe one company created a knock-off of the other companies product or maybe one company sold the moulds to the other company. All I do know is as a consumer I feel a little ripped off. I bought these fogs to test and review them for the Frog Pond, but really I could have saved myself some money and just ordered one, and then switched the names.. thats kinda what bait maker has done? 

Why do companies do this? The baits a company produces directly reflect how that company is seen in the industry, so why let someone else make or break your reputation for you? why create brand confusion? If you have a new idea for a great frog design, then created it, if not, don't add a frog clone to your product line.. and if you are going to use a clone mould, then try to switch up the materials, the plastic, the scent, something that tells me as a consumer that you improved this bait in some way, that you care about your products.. Innovation over Imitation is how to grow this industry


Rant Over!

(P.S: In no way am i suggesting the companies listed or pictured above have "knocked or Ripped off" another company. As stated they may have purchased the moulds or rights legally to these baits)

Test Drive: Snag Proof's Ish Phat Frog

For those of you who read this blog on a regular basis (or the Frog Pond for that matter) you know that Im not a huge fan of Snag Proof products. For the most part they look unfinished and lacking in some of the major advances currently available on the market today. But with that in mind I have recently been spending some time test driving the Snag Proof Ish Phat frog, and I think I may have made a new friend!

Below is a brief recap of my experience so far, and as a reminder this is just a "Test Drive" a complete review will be done and submitted on the Frog Pond (soon)

Conditions: Heavy Pads, sparse Timber, Open water

Fishing Time: 3hrs 

Blow-Ups: 7

Fish Hooked: 5

Fish Landed: 4

Hook-up Ratio: 70%

Pros: 

There are many Pro's to this frog but I will focus on what I feel are the two most important ones. First and foremost we need to talk about the 2 air chambers. The Phat frog was designed to be "unsinkable" Snag Proof accomplished this by adding a second "sealed" air chamber in the body of the frog. Unlike most frogs that will fill up with water due to an opening (usually around the hooks) the Phat frog has added an internal air pocket that is sealed and thus will not fill up with water, but still compresses when struck. The second chamber  is more like the one seen in all other frogs on the market and may pick up some water that will need to be expelled, but this will not effect the frogs performance or sink this battleship. 

Pro #2 is the new and improved stance, no, not the long slender body profile (but I do love that too), but the actual legs themselves. The Ish Phat frog improves on what has been one of my long time complaints about other Snag Proof products. By taking the legs from the side of the frog and placing them on the ass end, it gives the frog less drag when pulled over structure and it makes sure the legs are 

out of the way of the hooks, and your hook sets. This is a huge plus in my books

Cons:

There is not much that I can complain about when it comes to the Ish Phat frog, as mentioned above the frog is extremely well designed and moves very well in the water. If I was to focus on a couple areas of improvement I would have to say that the body is firmer then most high end frogs on the market today and this may effect your overall hook-up ratio. I believe they could produce a softer shell that would still allow this frog to do what it does best.

 It can also be priced a little on the high side, yes this is a good frog, but I don't believe it should be priced over $10 and compete with some of the designer frogs (can I use that term?). If you find it under the $10 mark you are doing well. 

the Breakdown

I was very impressed with the Ish Phat frog and after spending a few hours with it I was comfortable enough to use it in a tournament a week or so back (and it resulted in a few fish in the boat). This frog is the cream of the Snag Proof crop and should not be overlooked. I will be spending some more time with it over the next few weeks to ensure no annoyances creep up, but at this time Im happy to report that the Ish Phat frog will be a standard in my frog fishing arsenal for the foreseeable future.

Equipment:

Rod: Dobyns 736c

Reel: Daiwa Advantage

Line: SunLine FX2 Frog Line

Test Drive: Jackall Lures Iobee Frog

Please dont mistake this for a full blown review of the Jackall Iobee frog (all full reviews will be posted on the Frog Pond),  I have been asked about it a few times recently so these are just some initial comments I have after giving the Iobee a test drive last night.

I had some time to kill after work and thought I would head over to a local froggin' hot spot to break in my Iobee frog. I have been very excited to get it a test drive since buying it in the off season, and so far I have to say it has lived up to expectations. Here is a little pro/con list after 2 hours of throwing it exclusively.

Conditions: Thick slop and sparse pads

Fishing Time: 2hrs 05mins

Blow-Ups: 6

Fish Hooked: 3

Fish Landed: 2

Hook-up Ratio: 33%

Pros: 

Man, I will start of by saying, this frogs moves better then any frog I have used to date, it walks extremely well, and can almost be given a seizure if twitched fast. It moves well in super thick slop and can be pulled or dragged of pads with ease. Although I did not get a chance to use it much in open water, when I did I was impressed by the fluid movement and the erratic action.

It casts well, and seems to land belly down religiously and the odd time that it did land hooks down, I was able to roll it back over fairly quickly. I really like the way the Iobee sits when paused, and feel it was designed well for all aspects of frog fishing

Cons:

there were a couple things that at this time I will say are "minor annoyances". I will start off with the legs, the rubber strands are very thin, and continuously get bunched up around the hooks. Often they looked like a birds-nest at the back of the frog which in turn means they were not doing their job in the water. I had to fix them after every couple casts

the barb on the hooks is also fairly large, and will not fit in the hook keeper on my Dobyns rod. I dont know if this will be an issue with many other rods as it will depend on how they design their hook keeper. If you are a Dobyns user, beware that this is a pain

the Breakdown

I had a blast throwing the Iobee frog and I cant wait to give it some further testing this coming weekend. After just a couple hours on the water I was very impressed with the action of the frog and it seemed to have the fishes attention as well.  Above I listed the blow-ups as 6, these are direct hits and do not include the 4 blow ups that happened 2ft or more in front or behind the frog. 

As you can see above, my initial hook-up ratio was not great, but Im going to chalk that up to the angler and lay the blame on the frog itself. I will mention that that I did have a couple fish come off, one fish I lost as I was pulling him out the slop and one fish that I landed came unstuck as soon as I had him on shore. Again I will continue to monitor this, but as of right now Im not confident in stating that the frog has a "hook" issue.

Equipment:

Rod: Dobyns 736c

Reel: Daiwa Advantage

Line: SunLine FX2 Frog Line

Lake Fork tackles a Frog trailer hook.. The Frog Tail Hook

If you read this blog on any regular basis you know that I strive to find and test new gear.. more importantly new Frog gear. Well this past weekend while in Gagnons sports in Oshawa I finally got my hands on the new Lake Fork Frog Tail Hook, and I could not wait to get back here to show it off to you all.

I have been eying this baby up since it's introduction into the market place last season and I was happy to finally see one up close and personal. The Tail hook is made up of a 2/0 Gamakatus wide gap hooks attached to a pair of spring like eyelets. The eyelets allow you to slide the hook over most Hollow bodied frog hooks and they act very similar to a spinnerbait trailer hook. This third hook hangs back from the frogs body staying clear of the frogs original double hook and it gives you some added length/security for days when the fish are just slapping at your frog and not inhaling it.

After a brief once over this appears to be a quality product, and it slides off and on most frogs very easily.. yes you will need to move the legs strands around a bit, but overall this is pretty painless. The hook stands out from the body (on some frogs it will hang down slightly) and it sits perfectly straight staying above the water/weed line. Dont get me wrong. this will effect how weedless your frog runs, as you now have a 3rd hook point with no protection from the body of the frog, if you frog lands up side down or catches a raised edge, you may get hung up.. but thats the price you pay when adding an extra hook point.
Once the season gets going here I will provide you a full review of this product on the Frog Pond, but for for now, just wanted to show off this cool little add on that really should help you improve your hook-up ration when frog fishing.
If you want to get your hands on one for a test drive, you can find these babies on-line direct from Lake Fork Tackle as well as my personal fav site.. Land Big Fish. I bought mine locally and paid the price for sure. Local shop sold them for $8.99 (2 pack) thats at least $3 higher then on-line retailers)

In case your interested in seeing if these hooks will work with your favorite frog, Here is the short list of frogs that I personally apply it to


Worked:

Booyah Pad Crasher
Deps (Slither K)*
Evolve Nervous Walker
Jackall Iobee
LiveTarget Hollow Body (55T)
Scum Frog (Original Series)
Snag Proof (Pro Series)
Strike King KVD Sexy Frog

Would Not Fit:

Live Target (65T)
Snag Proof (Ish)
Spro (Bronze eye Jr.)
Optimum Furbit


* Although the hook fit on the Deps Slither frog it may effect the frogs motion in the water

Frog Fishing Line Choices.. Braid, Braid or Braid?

When it comes to throwing frogs (hollow body of soft plastic) you really only have three line options to choose from.. Braid, Braid or Braid?... I dont know about you, but Im going with Braid!

Yes, I may be slightly sarcastic in that opening paragraph, but really, is there any other line option out there that excels in all areas of frog fishing as much as braided line? What other lines on the market offer you superior strength and small line diameters? if you are stumped, dont worry, we all are.

I dont really want to get into a debate here on what brand of line is the best, because as in all things fishing, we all have a personally preference.. Me I have been using PowerPro for years, but that has not stopped me from trying nearly every new braided Line that hits the market. Last year it was the rise of Suffix 832.. followed quickly by the fall of Suffix 832. This year I have my eye on three new braided Lines, and Im going to spend a moment giving you the low down on each.

Daiwa Samurai

this is a line I have been avoiding for a bit, as the price tag is higher on average then what I like to spend on a spool of braid. Coming in at around $27 this line can really make you flinch. That being said, once you get it on a spool, you quickly see what all the hype is about. 

Without a doubt Samurai is the smoothest line I have even put my hands on, it honestly feels like a very smooth silky piece of thread, and it moves like one too. Even at the 30lb mark this line falls like a limp noodle yet feels strong.  

I could spend the next three paragraphs repeating all the perks and claims that Daiwa has been promoting, but all you need to know is that this is a "super braid" an ultra thin, ultra strong line that will allow you to launch frogs a mile, and still pull hawgs out of thick cover.. any questions?

For frog fisherman this line is available in 30,40,55 and 70lb weights, you could get away with as low as 30 when throwing soft plastic swim frogs, but I would recommend the 40 and probably even the 50lb line when throwing hollow bodies. 

SunLine FX2

What? a line actually designed for frog fishing? You know a trend has hit its peek when rod, reel and line companies start to develop product specifically for that technique... watch for Berkley's new Umbrella Rig line, coming soon to a dealer near you!.. But in all seriousness, SunLine is a brand that has been slowly building a nice little following, and with the launch of their FX2 line back in 2011,  (backed by Dean Rojas) there is no where to go but up.

So, what makes FX2 the best line for frog fishing? Durability, castability and strength.. that was the focus. And I think they have achieved what they set out to accomplish. No FX2 does not have the silky smooth softness of Daiwa Samurai or Power Pro Super 8 Slick, honestly this line is more "rope" like then "thread" like, but I think that was part of the plan. This line instills confidence when used for power techniques, it looks, feels and acts tuff. Yet, due to it's tight weave and round shape, this line casts fairly well. 

Is this line perfect for all frog applications..No.. for me personally FX2 is a hollow body frog line. I bought two spools to test out this season, and was going to rig up both my hollow body rod as well as my swim  frog rod, but as soon as I felt the line, I knew it was not what I wanted when throwing swim/buzz frogs, I need a bit softer of a line, as these are the "finesse" baits in a frog fisherman's world

SunLine FX2 is a power line, and is only available in 50lb and 60lb weights. It is not readily available in all markets but I expect to see that change over the next couple seasons. If you have not yet had the change to give SunLine FX2 a try, I recommend you do

Power Pro Super 8 Slick

Now on to old faithful. Yes, like all lines Power Pro has it's supporters and those that despise it, but to this day I have not yet found a braid I was more happy with in various applications then Power Pro. They seem to have found the perfect balance between strength and softness. And with the launch of Super 8 Slick, they have taken it to the next level.

Although not as soft as Daiwa Samuarai, there is a noticeable difference between the S8S and standard Power Pro line. It has a softer silkier feel, yet still has the strength that Power Pro is known for. For frog fishing applications S8S is available in 30-65lb weights, and I think this line would excel for both hollow body and swim frogs, but If I was asked to choose one application, I believe this line would be best suited for swim/buzz frogs. 

A Pet Peeve of mine, is the constant change to color options, this  gets on my nerves a bit, as with most anglers, when I find something I like, i want to stick with it. Power Pro likes to add and remove colors on a fairly constant basis, and the introduction of S8S is no different, gone is the standard Green that Power Pro and lets face it, every-other Braid company is known for, in it's place a high vis green, along with the timber brown, a color similar to one that was discontinued a few years back. I would expect to see some changes to this but the 2013 season, as the standard green option will be missed.

The Break Down

So there you have it, three new(er) braids that you really need to check out... When my season kicks off  this year, I will be rigged up with (40lb) Power Pro Super Slick 8 on my swim & buzz frog rods, and with (50lb) SunLine FX2 on my hollow body rod... lets see if they are still there by seasons end!

P.S Although I like what I saw from the Samurai braid I found it to be the less useful of the three when it comes to frog fishing. If you are dead set on using Samurai I believe it would be of more use pitching t-rig baits or flipping tubes around docks. 

The Ish Frog by Snag Proof.. Are You High ?

I must admit, when I first started to look at the Ish series frog by Snag Proof, I got a bit of a kick out of his naming choices, but then it started me to wondering? how many companies would let a high profile sponsored angler name a bunch of their products after the various types or street names for marijuana? .. not many I would guess.

well Snag Proof is showing that they are hip, cool and down with the times (insert sarcastic tone here), by letting their top tier pro angler Ish Monroe name his series of frogs whatever he likes.. even if those names can be directly linked to common drug references.. so if you have ever wondered about some of the crazy names for the frogs in the Ish signature series,, here is the low down.. with a little help from the "Urban Dictionary" and MarijuanaStrain.com

Chronic: 

1. Very potent, high-grade marijuana. Typically categorized by it's lack of seeds (sensimilia) and high concentrations of white or opaque crystals (trichromes)

Sticky Green: 

Another word for weed. Sticky Green is used by Biggie Smalls (in one of his songs, Going Back to Cali), Devin the Dude, The Smugglaz, and other hood rats

Purple Kush: 

Purple Kush is one of the 10 most powerful ganja strains in the world. It originated on the Northwest coast region of the U.S. Mainly in Humboldt county. California and Portland, Oregon. And up until the last 3 years it could mainly only be found in the region covering the southern cal up through Oregon,washington, and B.C.

Crystyl (or Crystal)

Crystal Marijuana is White widow crossed with Northern lights. You get a bushy plant with large sticky buds. The Crystal bud smell is a candy sweet aroma which adds to the good cerebral high. As the name suggests the buds are covered in THC glands. This gives an unusually clear buzz and a slightly delayed effect

Please dont get me wrong I'm not trying to start a battle or heated discussion about the use of drugs references in products, Im just having a little fun. I recently purchased an Ish Signature series frog and the names brought a smile to my face and made me laugh a bit.. ahh.. old high school memories. Overall I was just surprised that Snagg Proof approved the names, or maybe they just didnt catch on, or clue into some of the double or triple meanings. When all is said and done all that really matters is that this is a quality frog bait, and the names are not really hurting anyone... I just wouldn't recommend trying to smoke one of these frogs, plastic does not go down well at all 

P.S: and in case you still dont get that Im just joking around here, here is a disclaimer.. Not all Frogs in the Ish series are named after types of marijuana, some are named after terms that simply mean "getting drunk" or to be "flush with money, fame, power or girls, and some are just random song lyrics that mean little to nothing ( I dont know if this is helping or not).. but if you get a moment of free time, have some fun and play the "Ish Name game" and see if you can find the double and triple meanings behind some of these frogs names.. I bet Snag Proof couldnt