Optimum Baits: The Furbit Frog Review

      Furbit Frog:   Colors: 12        Size: 3.25"        Weight: 5/8oz      Pack Count:  1

      

Intro:

I like it when companies think out side the box... The current frog market is filled with twin or look-a-like frogs that are being designed to look like the current cool kid on the block. But not Optimum, they backed up and said "lets try something different" and the Furbit is just that, a quality hollow body frog.. but different. 

Overall Rating:  8.0/10

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

Quality: 4/5

The furbit is a quality built frog from head to toe. The choice of body material gives it a thicker skin then many frogs on the market, this skin stands up better to the abuse you will put it through day in and day out on the water, while still being soft enough to easily collapse when a fish strikes. 

Unlike standard hollow body frogs the Furbit utilizes rabbit fur for the legs" this not only imparts the killer action the Furbit is known for, but the leathery texture on the under side of the legs will make this product hold up really well. 

Capping it off with a 6/0 Owner hook and an external belly weight, there is not much you can complain about

Castability: 3.5/5

Slightly tapered at both ends, and back weighted the Furbit cast extremely well. With the exposed belly weight and Colorado blade this frog is known to land a bit hard, but to me that just helps draw in a little added attention

Presentation: 5/5

this is not your average everyday frog, the rabbit fur legs and the addition of a small #3 colorado blade really give this frog a unique look while in the water. Fur legs not only provide a very nice fluid "s" motion when walked, but they also impart a nice subtle motion on the pause.

The Colorado blade gives the frog a bit more flash and splash and makes sure it is seen from below. I have a pair of these frogs and I  removed the blade from one of them (see image). It is not always needed and can at times get in the way. (loose small particles of slop can catch it). When Fishing the Furbit I will usually start with the bladed version and move away from it if the fish are looking for a faster presentation or if Im having a hard time hooking up (some times small changes can be confidence boosters. 

Hook-Up Ratio: 4/5

I have a fairly high hook-up ratio when fishing with a Furbit. The slender/narrow back end and the fact that the fur lays flatter then rubber legs means that the fish can get more of the frog in his mouth. The body of the Furbit is a bit denser then other frogs currently available, but this has not effected my fishing or hook-ups. Body density does play a role in a frogs overall hook-up ratio and thats why I mention it here.

Although I like the blade for presentation purposes, anytime anything is added to the tail end of a frog I have a hard time giving it a perfect rating. I feel any object at the backend of a frog can effect your hook-up ratio by simply getting in the way of the hooks.

Again I believe this frog fishes better with the blade, but if you are having issues with hook-ups, dont be afraid to remove the blade.

Availability: 3.5/5

The Optimum Furbit Frog is widely available on-line from Optimum and other major retailers. In the Canadian market place it is not as readily available at local shops. I hope this improves as this is a good product and deserves to be seen by more anglers

Options & Price: 4/5

Coming in around the $10 mark, which appears to be the new standard for hollow body frogs, the Furbit will not do too much damage to your wallet. As for options, the Furbit is currently only available in 1 size but does does come in 12 color options, some of which are very unique.

A Popper model of the Furbit is also available, I prefer to non popper hollow bodies, but I do own a Popper version of the Furbit and will be reviewing it separately on a future date

Where to Find:

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

Optimum Baits ($11.99)

Tackle Warehouse ($10.99)

Land Big Fish  ($10.99)

The Hook Up ($9.99) 

Bass Tackle Depot ($10.99) 

For the price savvy customer "the Hook-up" is the place to go, but I will warn you they have the worst selection of this group with only about 4 color choices of the 12. The only company listed above with all 12 colors is Optimum (including some newer colors). Both Land Big Fish and Tackle Warehouse have 11 of the 12

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

ICAST 2010 Video (Bill Lowen) (informational)

Equipment:

This one is pretty straight forward, like with all hollow body frogs my weapon of choice is a Dobyns 736c, this stick was built for frog fishing and will not let you down no matter the situation. As mentioned above I find the Furbit to fish a little heavy but the 736c was designed with the tip you need to throw it with ease.

I like to pair my hollow body frogs with a Diawa Advantage reel. This is an extremely tuff reel that sits just a little larger in your hand then your standard low profile reel. I dont know about you, but at times that extra weight and size adds confidence when hollow body fishing and I want my equipment to feel like it can handle anything, but still be comfortable.. this pair does just that.

As for line, like always I recommend 40-60lb braid. I have been a huge PowerPro supporter over the years, but this season Im trying out a few new lines, like SunLine braid as well as Daiwa Samurai

Believe me, you will have fun fishing the Furbit. I've said it 100 times now, but lets make it 101.. "it is not your average hollow body frog".  Is it perfect? no, but is any product really perfect? I really like fishing with this frog and the success I have had makes me want to keep fishing it... I recommend picking one up to give it a test drive.. hell if you dont like it, you can always hang it from  your car mirror and use it as a lucky rabbits foot.