Frogs Addicts, formerly known as the The Frog pond is dedicated to bring you reviews of new and classic frogs as well as inside info on some of the newest innovations in frog fishing
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
The Frog Pond is Closed for the Season: See you in 2013
The main objective of the Frog Pond is to provide you with accurate on-water reviews of Frogs and Frog related products. With the closing of Bass Season on November 30th we have lost the ability to test run any new Frogs and thus have shut'er down for the season.
Rest assured come the spring we will be back at it, providing you with weekly Frog reviews of Hot new products as well as good old classics
We spent the off season stock piling frogs from the coming season, if you have any recommendations for products you would like to see reviewed in 2013 please let us know
Monday, December 10, 2012
Top Frogs Awards 2012: Soft Body Toads
Intro:
Last week we awarded TOP Frog Rankings to a selection of Hollow Body frogs, so this week it's time for the soft body frogs (or toads) to shine.
The Same rules apply: Top Frog awards are given to products that came out on top, not only in their overall rating, but also in each of the categories I review.. kinda like the Oscars, you may not win best picture, but you still have the chance to win for cinematography.. here we go
The Same rules apply: Top Frog awards are given to products that came out on top, not only in their overall rating, but also in each of the categories I review.. kinda like the Oscars, you may not win best picture, but you still have the chance to win for cinematography.. here we go
Quality: Stanley "Ribbit"
This is a well designed frog and deserved of it Rank as Top Frog: Quality
click Here to see the full review
Castability: Kicker X Fish "Xplodin Toad"
As an angler that prefers to work with swim frogs over buzz frogs I was pleasantly surprised by the Kicker X Fish Xplodin Toad. It's fishes very well at various speeds and casts like a bullet. A very aerodynamic body made of a firm dense rubber/plastic is the key behind this baits casting ability. If you are looking for a frog that you can cast into tight spots or on windy days, look no further then the Xplodin Toad
click Here to see the full review
Presentation: Gene Larew "Three Legged Toad"
Some may say I'm bias here, as the Gene Larew Three Legged Toad is one of my all time favourite frogs, That being said, I'm awarding it the Top Frog award for Presentation, not based on on my bias but based on how well this frog fishes, and that fact that it flat out catches bass.
the Three Legged Toad is designed well using two kind of plastic/rubber. The body is super soft and marshmallow like, and the legs are a more tradition plastic that give off the subtle churn I like to see when fishing a swim frog.
Hook-Up Ratio: Gene Larew "Three Legged Toad"
The soft squishy body of the Gene Larew three legged toad is what provides it with it's superior hook-up ratio. It holds your hook firm when retrieved, but any pressure from a fish will loosen it and the body collapses as it is was a hollow body frog. I think you would have a hard time finding a frog with a better hook-up ratio in the market today
click Here to see the full review
Availability: Zoom "Horny Toad"
The Zoom Horny toad has been on the market for years now, and continues to impress anglers with its durability, presentation and it's ability to catch fish. This frog is in most anglers tackle bags, and Ill tell you why.. it's because it is priced right and can be found on the shelves of most tackle stores from coast to coast.
click Here to see the full review
Options & Price: Outdoor Advantage "Boss Frog"
This is one of the more recent frogs I have reviewed, and the timing could not be better, as I cant think of another frog that so easily won it's category. Outdoor Advantage's "Boss Frog" clearly takes the cake when it comes to available options... 35 Colours, 8 scents
match that with a price point of $4.50 a pack or $0.64 a frog and you can see why the Boss Frog gets the Top Frog Award for Options and Price
click Here to see the full review
Highest Overall Rating: Stanley Ribbit
Each frog is rated on the following criteria: Quality, Castability, Presentation, Hook-up Ratio Available Options, Product Availability & Price
This years Top Frog award goes to the Stanley Ribbit, with perfect or near perfect scores in categories like Quality, Castability and presentation, there was not frog that could touch it for "best overall score".
This was my first season fishing with the Ribbit and I was impressed with it's action on the water and how well it help up fish after fish, as noted many times, I'm not much of a "buzz frog" guy, but the Ribbit helped open my eyes to a wide selection of buzz frogs.
Congrats to Stanley for banging out a Top Frog
Best Places to Frog Shop:
When if comes to service, price, shipping and availability, here are the 3 best places to build your frog arsenal
The Hook-Up
* For you Canadian shoppers, LBF is your best bet, they ship USPS and you will avoid all those messy brokerage fees that UPS charges. Tackle Warehouse is quick, but since they Ship UPS, you can expect a minimum $20 plus duty and taxes on any order over $19.99
Frog Equipment:
* For you Canadian shoppers, LBF is your best bet, they ship USPS and you will avoid all those messy brokerage fees that UPS charges. Tackle Warehouse is quick, but since they Ship UPS, you can expect a minimum $20 plus duty and taxes on any order over $19.99
Frog Equipment:
When it comes to soft body frog (or toad) fishing there is no better rod on the market then the Dobyns 735c, I always have one rigged up and ready for battler no matter the conditions.
When it comes to line choice, Sunline FX2 is really up for the challenge that is frog fishing. It's tuff, yet smooth, and holds up well under the stress a frog line can be put under. This was my first season using it, and I could not be happier. When Toad fishing I usually drop down to 40lb or lighter, no need for 60/80lb line
When it comes to line choice, Sunline FX2 is really up for the challenge that is frog fishing. It's tuff, yet smooth, and holds up well under the stress a frog line can be put under. This was my first season using it, and I could not be happier. When Toad fishing I usually drop down to 40lb or lighter, no need for 60/80lb line
Monday, December 3, 2012
Top Frog Awards 2012: Best Hollow Body Frogs
Intro:
Alright, another Bass season has come and gone, and during that time I had the pleasure to review 41 different frog baits. Each frog was rated on Quality, Castability, Presentation, Hook-Up, Availability, Options & Price. Below is a list of the best of the best for each category and of course the overall Highest rated frog (reviewed this year).. This is kinda like the Oscars, you may not win best picture, but you still have the chance to win for cinematography.. so here we go
Quality: Booyah Pad Crasher
The Booyah Pad Crasher has quite a few things going for it, and was in the running for Top rated frog of 2012. But the team at Booyah will have to console themselves with the award for 'Quality" as the PadCrasher frog is as good as it gets when it comes to the durability of the body, hooks and overall package.
For the Full Review click HERE
For the Full Review click HERE
Castability: Ish Phat Frog
For me, the Ish Phat frog redeemed Snag Proof's entire family of frogs. I had long since moved on from the Pro series or Bobby's perfect, finding them behind the times and not able to keep up with all the advancements made by other companies. Then came the Ish Phat Frog, and everything changed, yes it still looks kinda ugly, but hey, it fishes with the best of them and casts like a dream. This year the IPF takes top prize when it comes to "cast ability" of a hollow body frog. Its hefty body gives you the perfect weight for casting for distance in any weather and it's flat bottom makes it one of the best "skipping" frog on the market today. If you are like me and wrote this guy off as "just another snag proof" frog, then you need to take the time to see what your missing.
For the Full Review click HERE
For the Full Review click HERE
Presentation: Deps Slither K
The Deps Slither K has to be the best frog I fished with this season and if it was not for my passion to test and review baits I probably would not have thrown any other frogs.
Yes, it is designed well, yes it has a great hook-up ration, but all in all, the best thing about the Slither K is how it moves in the water.. it slithers, crawls and skates across any form of structure or open water. This thing was build to move, and move it does
Yes, it is designed well, yes it has a great hook-up ration, but all in all, the best thing about the Slither K is how it moves in the water.. it slithers, crawls and skates across any form of structure or open water. This thing was build to move, and move it does
For the Full Review click HERE
Hook-Up Ratio: Deps Slither K
Between the test drive, the original review, and the above statement, there is not much more I can say about the Deps Slither K. It has been awarded top prize for "Hook-Up ratio" based on the fact that no frog I have ever purchased produced right out of the gate as well as the Slither K. Blow-up after Blow-up the hooks of the Slither K constantly found their home and fish were boated.. nuff saidFor the Full Review click HERE
Availability: Live Target
The saying goes "they multiply like Rabbits" but whoever coined the phrased obviously did not know about Live Target frogs, because if they did the term would now be "multiply like frogs"
These things are everywhere. I cant remember the last time I walked into a Tackle shop that did not carry Live Target products, and even more specifically frogs.
For the Full Review click HERE
These things are everywhere. I cant remember the last time I walked into a Tackle shop that did not carry Live Target products, and even more specifically frogs.
For the Full Review click HERE
Options & Price: Scum Frog (Original)
One of the frogs that got me hooked on frog fishing is still one of the best products on the market today. These lightweight beauties cast well and their hooks always find a home. But where they truly excel is in the sheer range of selection available. The below 8 are colors I carry and are by no means the entire list of options. When it comes to price, the Scum Frog is also hard to top and often can be found in around the $3 mark.. Try one, they are worth 10x's what you pay for 'em
For the Full Review click HERE
For the Full Review click HERE
Highest Overall Rating: Live Target Hollow Belly
Each frog is rated on the following criteria: Quality, Castability, Presentation, Hook-up Ratio Available Options, Product Availability & Price
It should come to no surprise that this years top overall rating was awarded to Koppers Live Target. This frog set the gold standard in quality, presentation, hook-up ratio, and availability. The Live Target Hollow belly really blew the competition out of the water ( 2 years ago) and started what has now become the evolution of the frog market.. they set the bar, and it will only get better from here
congrats for banging out a great frog
Best Places to Frog Shop:
When if comes to service, price, shipping and availability, here are the 3 best places to build your frog arsenal
The Hook-Up
* For you Canadian shoppers, LBF is your best bet, they ship USPS and you will avoid all those messy brokerage fees that UPS charges. Tackle Warehouse is quick, but since they Ship UPS, you can expect a minimum $20 plus duty and taxes on any order over $19.99
Frog Equipment:
* For you Canadian shoppers, LBF is your best bet, they ship USPS and you will avoid all those messy brokerage fees that UPS charges. Tackle Warehouse is quick, but since they Ship UPS, you can expect a minimum $20 plus duty and taxes on any order over $19.99
Frog Equipment:
When it comes to hollow belly frog fishing there is no better rod on the market then the Dobyns 736c. On my boat it is used exclusively for hollow belly fishing and always has a frog tied on and ready to go. http://dobynsrods.com/champion-series
When it comes to line choice, Sunline FX2 is really up for the challenge that is frog fishing. It's tuff, yet smooth, and holds up well under the stress a frog line can be put under. This was my first season using it, and I could not be happier.
When it comes to line choice, Sunline FX2 is really up for the challenge that is frog fishing. It's tuff, yet smooth, and holds up well under the stress a frog line can be put under. This was my first season using it, and I could not be happier.