Nories NF60 Frog Review

BronzeEye Shad  : Colors: 12   Length: 2 1/2"  inch Weight: 0.6oz  Pack Count: 1

Intro:

I am now and always have been a huge fan of the original ScumFrog, its basic designed and increible hook-up ratio is that turned me into a frog fisherman and if you look really closely at the Nories NF60 you will see that they took that basic scum frog design and improved it making their frog the ultimate bait.. nearly perfect

Overall Rating: 8.6/10

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

Quality & Durability: 5.0/5

What Nories did (in my opinion) is took everything that worked well in a scum frog and beefed it up for todays high powered angler. The body design is similar but it has a tuffer skin that still collapses very easily when pressure is applied. So far this season I'm at close to 20 fish on this one bait, and it shows absolutely no sign of wear.

Castability: 5.0/5

Coming in at around 1/2 ounce it has the added weight and castability that you don't get with a ScumFrog.. sure they cast well for their size, but I also felt they need that little extra bit of weight.. the difference between Nories at .6 or 3/5oz and a scum frog at  5/16oz is very noticeable even more so in any wind or weather conditions. This frog both casts and skips like a dream

Presentation: 4.5/5

The Nories NF60's body also reminders me of a scum frog, again just a bit beefier. The rugged back protects the hook points and the tapered nose and rear pointed legs really help this bait slide well over cover and walk nicely in medium cover and open water

Hook-up Ratio: 5.0/5

Soft pliable body material, thin narrow design and rear facing legs.. Nories did everything right to ensure this bait offers up a very high hook-up ratio.. Again they took what ScumFrog did well and improved it slightly. The added weigh again helps to allow the fish to get more of this bait in its month before you set the hook.

Fish eat this bait whole, and don't let go

Availability: 3.0/5

this is where the Nories starts to loose steam. As an import bait is it hard to find. Tackle Warehouse
stockes them as well as a few other high end or specialty stores. The selection varies so check them all out

Options & Price: 3.5/5

If it wasn't for the fact that Nories offers this bait in 10 colours its score here would be dramatically lower. With a price tag of $15 they are really pricing themselves out of the weekend warriors and with their basic design even more advances anglers questions what they are getting.. with that said the Nories NF60 is a fish catching machine

Where to Find:

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

Tackle Warehouse ($15.99)

Lees Global Tackle ($15.99)

Monster ($14.99)

Equipment:

All  testing was done on a  Dobyns DX746 this is a new rod in their line-up and like the Nories has quickly has become a fav in my frog arsenal. As for reels, the Daiwa Lexa pairs well with this rod and gives you a nice over sized spool for that added distance and power. Line choice was SunLIne FX2

Field Test Report Card:

Open Water (Sparse Pads): B+

Pads (Medium Cover): A+

Slop & Grass (Heavy Cover): A

Walk the Dog: N/A

Popping Action: N/A

Sit/Pause: A+

MegaBass Pony Gabot Frog

Pony Gabot Frog  : Colors: 6   Length: 2 1/2"  inch Weight: 3/8oz  Pack Count: 1

Intro:

They say never write a review when your angry, and it they don't say it, they really should. I test drove this frog a few weeks back and let the review sit for awhile as I was pretty pissed about being conned into buying yet another sinking frog from the team at MegaBass.. you know the guys who brought you the Titanic!

Overall Rating: 6.6/10

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

Quality & Durability: 3.5/5

The most annoying thing about MegaBass is that they have the ability to crank out really great products, and at times it just seems they choose not to.. this is the case with both the original Pony Frog as well as the Pony Gabot, they both look great and have killer ascetics and Finnish, but once in the water they sink like stones.

I really had to force myself to fish this bait longer then I wanted to, after a few casts it was all I could do not to cut it off the line and throw it in the lake.

Castability: 4.5/5

The saving grace on this frog is its cast ability.. like a rocket, the only problem is the further you cast the more chance your frog is going to sink on retrieve.. remember this is a short distance frog only, after that its pretty mush a crank bait

a very well casting crankabait

Presentation: 3.0/5

Ok, here is a secret for you, if you want this frog to stay afloat don't cast it into the water.. but seriously now.. shorter casts and as little chugging/popping as possible and you can keep this frog on top of the water. It's not ideal, but when fishing this way the Pony Gabot does have a really nice walk that is super easy to achieve, but once you start applying pressure to the bait, with a faster retrieve or popping action the thing takes on water like a sponge.

Hook-up Ratio: 3.5/5

Not much to complain about here a nice soft pliable body and legs that shoot straight back staying out of your way both add to the Pony Gabot's good hook up ratio. That being said it is much harder to fish this bait and get a good hook-up when your frog is underwater.. did I mention it sinks?

Availability: 2.5/5

This is another one of those import frogs that is not widely available.. actually I can only find it at two on-line retailers and their big ones, so your getting off light on this one MegaBass

Options & Price: 3.0/5

With a price tag hovering around the $15+ mark you knew this frog was not going to get a great score here. And at this price they could at least offer us some selection? Nope, one size and  6 colours.. don't hurt yourself getting creative here MegaBass (ok fine some of the colours are pretty cool)

Where to Find:

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

Tackle Warehouse ($15.99)

Land Big Fish ($15.99)

Equipment:

I'm pretty much fishing all my frogs this season on a   Dobyns DX746 this rod is stellar, handling big and small frogs with ease and even working well on soft body frogs and toads. Reel size and line strength should be matched to the conditions you are fishing, for me a Lexa 100 series reel was good in the sparse cover as well as Daiwa Samurai 30lb braid

Field Test Report Card:

Open Water (Sparse Pads): C+

Pads (Medium Cover): B

Slop & Grass (Heavy Cover): D+

Walk the Dog: B+

Popping Action: D

Sit/Pause: C

Teckel USA Whacker Frog Review

TECKEL WHACKER  : Colors: 16   Length: 2 3/4"  inch Weight: 1/2oz  Pack Count: 1

Intro:

If your a frog fisherman then you may remember those almost mythical stories about the now retired "Swamp Donkey" frog from reaction innovations. Another in a long line of baits that were gone before their time… not any more, the Teckel Tackle Whacker.. yeah I said it, was created and designed in the image of the classic Swamp Donkey, and when it first hit the north American shores, there was a huge sigh of relief.. but is the Teckel Whacker a new contender? or simply another knock-off.. you be the judge 

Overall Rating: 7.3/10

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

Quality & Durability: 4.5/5

this frog is built tough, almost too tough. The body is a firm dense plastic that takes a serious beating while still keeping the water out. The hooks and strong and sharp and the paint job although not "realistic" is very well done and makes these a unique looking bait.

I found not issues with the all around quality of this bait, and I bet if I could have caught more then a few fish with it, then it would have still help up well.

Castability: 4.5/5

It seems like the majority of the newer frogs hitting the market are all coming in at that sweet spot of around 1/2oz and the Whacker is no exception. It casts extremely well and lands with a nice whack.. but that being said if a frogs best feature is how well is casts, its time to find another frog

Presentation: 3.5/5

When it comes to presentation I really don't know what all the hype was about. I found this frogs ability  to swim and or walk was average at best.. and often I opted to give it short pulls and have it move more up and down like a "rocking horse". The shorter the distance the frog is from the rod tip the better your ability to make it walk, but the body material at times moves like it's made of tire rubber with winter treads! (for all you southerners this simply means it has too much traction)

One thing I will give the team at Teckel is that this frog sits very well, ass down and legs flaring out.. this will drive fish nuts, but not being able to hook them will drive you nuts...

Hook-up Ratio: 3.0/5

Built for durability it is also like its ability to hook-up was an afterthought. The Whacker has a very dense body that gives off two much resistance when trying to drive the hooks home. The below image shows how little of the hook is exposed when pressure is applied to the back of the frog. The hooks on the Whacker are tucked in behind a bulge on the baits side, the dense body can and will get in the way of these hooks also hampering your hook-up ability.

I will be honest here and tell you that i missed 4 consecutive fish on this bait. I simply could not hook up, and at times when I did, the fish would come unstuck on it's way back to the boat.. I'm not one to place the blame on a bait for when i have a bad day, so I will also say that I switched up frogs to see if it was me or the bait, and quickly hooked into the next two fish that  hammered my frog

Availability: 2.5/5

I think I'm being generous by giving the Whacker a 2.5 for availability, currently I believe only one North American company is carrying this bait, but since it is Tackle Warehouse you should have no issues getting your hands on one.

Options & Price: 4.0/5

With 16 colours options available the team at Teckel are not playing around. I opted for the classic "black bird" but could have easily chosen 8 or 9 other colours that I really liked.  They also offer this same frog design with blade like feet instead of silicone called the "Honker" I believe by adding blades you are drastically changing the frog and thus I will be reviewing it separately.

Where to Find:

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

Tackle Warehouse ($9.49)

Equipment:

I found the Teckel to fish fairly heavy, and although I used my new  Dobyns DX746 for the majority of the testing, I think I could just as easily have used the 736C.  Bigger reels are also a plus, the Daiwa Lexa pairs well with these rods and gives you a nice over sized spool for that added distance and power. Line choice was SunLIne FX2

Field Test Report Card:

Open Water (Sparse Pads): C+

Pads (Medium Cover): A

Slop & Grass (Heavy Cover): C+

Walk the Dog: B

Popping Action: N/A

Sit/Pause: A

Spro Bronzeye Shad Review

BronzeEye Shad  : Colors: 7   Length: 2 1/2"  inch Weight: 1/2oz  Pack Count: 1

Intro:

If you know me, you know that I'm not the biggest Spro fan in the world, I found early models of their frogs to be a bit cumbersome and the thicker skin gave me an average hook-up ratio at best. With that said they were first to market with frogs as we see them today, and each year they don't rest on past success but instead continue to improve and innovate.. with that in mind, I'm pleased to introduce you to the Spro Bronzeye Shad

Overall Rating: 9.0/10

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

Quality & Durability: 4.0/5

The Bronzeye Shad has the same level of quality and durability you have grown to expect from Spro. The body material is much more pliable then earlier models and yet still holds up well fish after fish.

This frog was very close to getting a perfect score for quality but I did have some issues with water getting into the cavity. It would not completely sink the frog but would partially submerge and effect your retrieve. Be sure to give this frog/shad  a squeeze after each cast in order to empty out any water

Castability: 4.5/5

with its 1/2oz weight and aerodynamic body shape, this bait casts like a dream and lands fairly well. because of the deep hull or "v" shape on the belly it will often land on its side but is easily righted.

It does not skip as well as other frogs, again due to the belly shape, but all in all you will be able to get this frog into areas not reachable by other fisherman

Presentation: 4.5/5

the Spro Bronzeye Shad walks incredibly well and can be fished fast slow and anywhere in-between. At higher speeds you will have to watch for it slightly submerging and turning into more of a wake bait, this can also be caused by too much water in the belly of the bait.

The twin tails in place of legs, is one of my favourite features of this bait, they stay out of your way but still impart great action on both the retrieve as well as the pause.

I don't know that Spro did to the belly of this bait, but it's ability to be pulled over pads and climb over other forms of floating structure is amazing. it is nearly effortless, this frog moves like it is greased up like a pro wrestler.

Hook-up Ratio: 5.0/5

Soft pliable body material, thin narrow design and a tail in place of legs.. Spro did absolutely everything right to ensure this bait offers up a very high hook-up ratio.

So far during testing fish have been trying to swallow this bait whole often getting both hooks in the top portion of their mouth.

Availability: 5.0/5

Come on, do you really need to ask.. Spro frogs are so widely available I'm surprised you can't buy them from your local grocery store. If you can't find them locally it is time to move

Options & Price: 4.0/5

As mentioned in the introduction Spro has set the standard that all of today's hollow body frogs follow.. unfortunately they also set the price. Coming in on average at $10 a piece these frogs continue to be at the top of the "non-import" price range. In all honesty after fishing the Bronzeye Shad I have to say it is worth every penny. (though I would still like to spend less pennies on one)

Where to Find:

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

SPRO ($10.47)

Tackle Warehouse ($9.99)

Bass Pro Shop ($10.99)

SAIL ($8.99)*

Equipment:

All Bronzeye Shad testing was done on a  Dobyns DX746 this is a new rod in their line-up and quickly has become my favourite frog rod. As for reels, the Daiwa Lexa pairs well with this rod and gives you a nice over sized spool for that added distance and power. Line choice was SunLIne FX2

Field Test Report Card:

Open Water (Sparse Pads): A

Pads (Medium Cover): A+

Slop & Grass (Heavy Cover): B

Walk the Dog: B+

Popping Action: N/A

Sit/Pause: A