Venom Lures: Bully Frog Review

                                Bully Frog:   Colors: 12    Size: 4"    Pack Count: 5 (or 50) 

                               Leg Style: Swim           Scent: MegaStrike

Intro:

When you name a product "Bully", you really need to make sure it has some toughness behind it, and unlike the tubes in Venom's line-up this frog just does not stand up to the bully name. I think it is more apt  to run away then stand up and fight. The Bully  frog is designed for finesse and can swim with the best of them, but if you are looking for a frog to takes some licks and keep on ticking,  your search rages on                  

                

Overall Rating: 6.0/10

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

Quality: 3.0/5

When it comes to overall quality I think there are some pro's and cons associated with the Bully Frog, this body of the bait is very soft, yet I found it held up fairly well when fighting fish. The legs on the other hand do not hold up so well, i have had baits rip both at the "toes and at the narrow spot in with the leg meets the body.

The frog is salted and MegaStrike enhanced, both of which I would consider a plus

Castability: 3.0/5

With a narrow profile and soft yet dense body the Bully frog casts fairly well, but Im not a huge fan of how it sits on the water after it lands. that being said I do believe that if you are looking for a frog to skip under overhanging trees or docks, this would be a great option

Presentation: 2.5/5

Although the Bully Frog is your typical swim frog (thats my kinda frog) Im not overly fond of it's motion in the water. it has longer flat profile and the legs come straight off the back of the frog, allowing the frog to swim fairly straight. it has a nice balance and you should have no issues keeping it running upright. I find this frog is mostly successful when used on a fast retrieve, you really need to keep it moving, as this frog has little to no presence when paused.

Hook-Up Ratio: 3.0/5

This frog will give you a pretty solid hook-up ratio, it has an ultra soft body, that compacts easily when a fish strikes.

Availability: 3.0/5

I have seen Venom products in my local shop for years now, but I dont think they have the same on-line presence as some other companies their size. You can find Venom bully frogs if you look, but dont expect to see them in all your favorite retailers. It is also equipped with a belly slot to allow the hook greater penetration on a hookset.

Options & Price: 3.5/5

I like when a company gives me options, and Venom always does. The Bully frog is available in a great mix of 12 colors covering "natural" to "high vis". Although not something I will use every day, i do like to carry a few frogs with high vis legs on a natural body (see above)

Pricing is pretty good coming in on average at $0.96 a bait. As you will see below if you love these frogs you will save some serious cash buying in bulk

Where to Find:

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

Venom Lures ($4.98)

Fish307 ($4.79)

Land Big Fish ($4.69)

Project Tackle ($4.79)

I stuck with the 5 pack pricing below, but many retailers offer a 50 count bag as well, for significant savings. For Example Fish307 sell the 5 pack for $4.79 or $0.96 a frog, If you buy the 50 count bag the price is $17.99 or $0.36 a frog.. now that is a crazy deal

Equipment:

If I found myself out on the water today with the Bully frog, I would rig it up on my Dobyns DX744, and a Daiwa T3 Ballistic reel. I want a bit of a softer combo that can handle "finesse Frog fishing" and bring the bully back to the boat at a fairly quick pace. You could get away with downsizing to 20lb braid from the typical 40lb if you plan to fish this frog in more open conditions.

Hook size can range from 3/0 to 5/0 and the head of this frog holds up ok to screw in hooks like the Zoom Horny toad hook. 

(Leg Shot)