Horny Toad: Colors: 20 Size: 4.25" Weight: 1/8oz Pack Count: 5
Leg Style: Swim Scent: N/A
Intro:
The Zoom horny toad is one of the most popular soft body frogs on the market today, they have been around for awhile now, yet never seem to go away. This is a go-to frog for many anglers, and I will admit I usually keep at least one pack with me while out on the water
Overall Rating: 8.5/10
Each frog is rated on the following criteria: Quality, Castability, Presentation, Hook-up Ratio Available Options, Product Availability & Price
Quality: 4.0/5
It has a great overall design and swims with the best of em'... more on that below
Castability: 4.0/5
You can pretty much place this frog any where you want with ease. I think it is weighted just right and should give you no problems when casting... novice and pro anglers alike
Presentation: 4.0/5
This is a straight up swim frog, it moves extremely well in the water and offers up a soft churn that will draw fish in, without all that commotion caused by heavier buzz frogs. The wider body offers up a decent profile and the narrow legs rarely get caught up when crawling in and around cover.
I have no real complaints on the Horny toads performance. It has some great features including a deep belly slot that ensures good hook placement so the frog runs true.
Hook-Up Ratio: 4.0/5
As you will see at the very bottom of this post, there are some complaints from anglers in regards to the hook-up ration of this frog. These complaints are based solely on the thicker body that can get in the way when you set the hook. I have not experienced this issue, and find that although the body of the Horny toad is firm you can easily get good hook penetration.
If you are in the category of angler that has had issues with this frog, check the bottom of this article for a tip on how to alter the frog to improve your hook-up ratio
As you will see at the very bottom of this post, there are some complaints from anglers in regards to the hook-up ration of this frog. These complaints are based solely on the thicker body that can get in the way when you set the hook. I have not experienced this issue, and find that although the body of the Horny toad is firm you can easily get good hook penetration.
If you are in the category of angler that has had issues with this frog, check the bottom of this article for a tip on how to alter the frog to improve your hook-up ratio
Availability: 4.5/5
As one of the longest serving soft plastic frogs on the market today the Horny Toad is a breeze to find. It is very common and can usually be found in big box stores and mom & pop shops alike. With 20 color options available don't expect to find them all, but on average I can usually find 5 or more in most retailers
Options & Price: 5/5
As mentioned above, there is no shortage of color options available. Like with most frogs I throw, I like to carry them in natural colors as well as darker (good profile) colors. "Tree Frog" (pictured above) is a personal fav, a great mix of high vis and natural colors.
coming in at an average price of $3.90 a pack, these frogs will cost you on average $0.78 a piece. If you purchase from LBF or TW you will be getting them for a steal at $0.69 a piece
coming in at an average price of $3.90 a pack, these frogs will cost you on average $0.78 a piece. If you purchase from LBF or TW you will be getting them for a steal at $0.69 a piece
Where to Find:
In case you are having a hard time finding these locally, here are some reliable options for you.
Land Big Fish ($3.89)
Tackle Warehouse ($3.49)
You cannot buy directly from Zoom, but if you go to their site (found here) they do list a few options. If you notice the only shop on their list not included here is Simmons, I checked out the site and get a "page not found" message when looking for the horny toad.
Interesting note, LBF has 20 colors listed and shown on their site, but Zoom only shows 18, so Im not sure thats up, but due to selection alone I would check out LBF (it's worth the extra $0.40)
Interesting note, LBF has 20 colors listed and shown on their site, but Zoom only shows 18, so Im not sure thats up, but due to selection alone I would check out LBF (it's worth the extra $0.40)
Equipment:
This frog excels on the Dobyns 735c, and I will also be fishing it on the DX744 this season. It moves well in the water, but needs support from the rod, so dont go using a pool cue. Obviously the hook of choice is the Zoom Horny toad hook, it was made to be used with this frog and is a quality product.
For your line choices, you can get away with as low as 20lb braid if you are fishing this frog in open water area, but I still prefer to stick with the 30 or 40lb versions. Why go lower if you dont have to.
Tip: I have heard some guys complain about the density of the Horny toads body and that they have a hard time getting hooked up because there is too muck rubber in the way. One simple way to get around this is to cut a slit in the back end of the Horny Toad allowing your hook to sit comfortably between the legs of the frog instead of being pierced through the body. This ensures there is less plastic in the way when you set the hook. To keep the bait weedless and to make sure the hook stays put, you will still want to skin hook the point in the frogs back
I have played with this method a few times, and I like the results.
I like the action on this and didn't have a problem with hook-ups, though I think if you rig it properly on a hook so it doesn't stretch as it slides down the bend, the slot in the bottom should give enough point and hookup exposure. The complaint I had with the ones I bought was that the feet ripped off pretty easily. The remaining part of the legs still made a commotion, but not quite the same. Don't be afraid to keep using it if you only lose one foot, though. That can give it a walk-the-dog action that can draw interest if the fish aren't interested in the faster retrieve.
ReplyDeleteI've found that using the 4/0 Stanley Ribbit Double Take frog hook is the way to go with this frog for the highest hook up percentage you can get.
ReplyDelete