Gambler Cane Toad Review

                        Cane Toad:       Colors: 14        Size: 4"         Pack Count:  5

     

                                                 Leg Style: Buzz           Scent: Garlic

Intro:

Quite often I get guys dropping me a line asking if I have tried a specific frog, and or letting me know about a Frog they found and love. The Gambler Cane toad fits into the second of these categories. Twice last season I received emails from guys wanting to know if I had ever tried the Gambler Cane toad.. the answer is yes.. and here is what I think about it 

Overall Rating:  7.6/10

Each frog is rated on the following criteria: Quality, Castability, Presentation, Hook-up Ratio Available Options, Product Availability & Price

Quality: 4/5

like with all Gambler baits the Cane toad is quality product. Designed to be a "buzz frog" the Cane Toad has a thick ribbed body with durable legs, it is very heavy footed and can withstand some very violent strikes

Castability: 3.5/5

This little guy casts like a bullet.. come to think about it, minus the legs the Cane Toad kinda looks like a bullet. The rounded flat body and heavier/denser material allow you to get some decent distance. It lands flat and sits down really well. the wide flat base is hard to knock over or upside down

Presentation: 3.5/5

The Cane toad does what it was designed to do, and does it extremely well, this bait  churns up some serious water no matter the retrieve speed. The Reverse ribs and larger feet beat the hell out of the water and make sure any fish in the vicinity knows its coming.

The Cane toad was designed to be a buzz frog, and although it is highly successful as a buzz frog, it imparts little to no motion on the pause.  It is hard to call this a fault as the Cane Toad works exactly as it was intended to, but personally for me to give a frog a perfect score in presentation, what it does when it is not moving is just as important as the frogs action when in motion

Hook-Up Ratio: 4/5

The slim and rounded bullet shape design of the Gambler Cane Toad ensure a decent hook-up ratio. It has a flat bottom and slender profile, and when a fish wants it, it cane swallow it whole with ease. The ribs can act as a point guard for your hook, just don't bury it too deep or you could miss fish.

Availability: 3.5/5

Gambler baits are readily available from many on-line Retailers, and why shouldn't they be? they have a proven track record with Pro's and Amateurs alike. Locally it is another story, unless buying from one of the big dogs (Bass Pro) it is hard to find Gambler baits in most mom and pop shops. If you do happen to come across a local retailer, be sure to check out other products in the Gambler line including the Otter series

Options & Price: 4/5

The Gambler Cane toad is only available in one size, but does come in 14 colors. There is a great mix of natural colors as well as some high vis colors for longer casts or thicker structure. Competitively priced at an average of $3.97 a pack they can be found as low as $3.49. With 5 count bags this places the price per bait at $0.70 (great value!)

Where to Find:

In case you are having a hard time finding these locally, here are some reliable options for you.

Gambler ($4.69)

Tackle Warehouse ($3.49)

Bass Pro Shop  ($4.29)

The Hook Up ($3.89) 

Bass Tackle Depot ($3.49) 

The only supplier I found other then Gambler that carries all 14 colors is Bass Tackle Depot. The Bass Pro Shop and Tackle Warehouse both carry over 10 colors but not the complete selection. Pricing is pretty constant but for overall lowest price and the best selection, check out Bass Tackle Depot

* Canadian anglers watch the shipping costs associated with BTD, they can get out of hand quickly

Videos:

A new category to this every changing blog is this video portion. Why not share with you guys a little frog porn so you can see the frogs in action. I plan to film some personally this summer, but for now I will dig in the depths of You tube and share with you some great videos from other sources

Gambler Feat: Chris Lane (informational)

Equipment:

I think I need to start expanding out this equipment section to include my color/size choices as well as hook selection, so here goes..

I have three colors I really love in the Cane toad series, first one is a standard mat black, this works well in clear water and of sunny days giving the frog a nice silhouette. The Pepper Grass is also one I would call a fan fav, along with "Bull Frog" a mix of Brown and green that adds a bit more visibility. All Cane Toads are garlic scented for that little bit extra attraction

Hook selection for the cane toad is as follows. If you have not yet tried the Zoom Horny toad hooks, then you are missing out, the Cane toad is designed perfectly for use with these hooks and can be fitting with the 4/0 model. You could go as high as 5/0 but I try to avoid using 5/0 and would rather down size to the 3/0 model if a 4 is not available. Standard EWG hooks can also be used in the 3/0 to 5/0 range

When it comes to rod choice I go back and forth a bit but usually land on a Dobyns

Im not alone when I sing the praises of the Gambler Cane toad, it is a durable soft plastic frog with a very unique action. If you are looking for a buzz frog to add to your arsenal you can really go wrong with a Cane Toad, just ask Bass Master Champion Chris Lane