Monday, August 25, 2014

Vagabond Bush Z Frog Review


Bush Z  : Colors: 7  Length: 2 1/2"  inch Weight: 1/2oz  Pack Count: 1

Intro:

The Vagabond Bush Z is a very mouse like frog in almost every aspect.. it has a long slender nose and a single tail instead of twin silicone legs, it moves well in the water, but has a tendency sin.. a problem that seems to be popping up more and more each season


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

There is no real issues with this baits overall quality and/or durability. The body is flexible but tough and the hooks are strong and sharp. My concerns are more with the overall design and the fact that  the nose ring is way too big (and collects debris) and the for some strange reason this bait takes on water like submarine with a screen door (yes that was is very old, very bad joke)



Castability: 3.5/5


The Bush Z's castability is average at best, and for a bait that is is well weighted and fairly aerodynamic I expected to be a little more impressed. With that said there are no issues with its castability or how it lands. This frog is an above average skipping frog as long as you don't rig up a blade to the belly ring

Presentation: 2.5/5

This is where it gets dicey, and the faults mentioned previously in this review come back to haunt the Bush Z. Its hard to review a frogs presentation when you spend more time pulling it up from the depths then actually fishing with it… yes this bait is a sinker

The body design is mouse like, it is small, compact and the long narrow nose make it easy to walk. Just watch your speed and/or the amount of pressure you put on the bait, or it will sink.

If you like to add some flash to your frogs, the Bush Z is equipped with a belly ring that allows blades or a hook to be attached. I'm not one to do this, but to each his own.

Hook-up Ratio: 4.5/5

If its presentation is its downfall, then the Hook-Up ratio is its saviour. The Bush Z was clearly designed with a solid hook-up ratio in mind.. its slender body with a tail in place of legs allow fish to get more of it in their mouths with little to no material preventing the hook from being driven home.

The body material is also nice and soft, and easily compresses given the hooks plenty of room to do their job.


Availability: 3.0/5

This bait is not that easy to find unless you shop at one of the two on-line retailers that carry Vagabond products. Luckily those two retailers are big boys who do a great job taking care of anglers in both the US and Canada.. Tackle Warehouse and Land Big Fish

Options & Price: 3.0/5

The Bush Z is available in one size and 7 pretty cool colour options. I find it to fish a bit small, but the weigh still allows it to cast well. Pricing is higher then I would like, and I don't value this bait at any more then $6.99-$8.99



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


Tackle Warehouse ($12.99)

Land Big Fish ($12.99)


Equipment:

All  testing was done on a  Dobyns DX746 this is a new rod in their line-up that handles both hollow and soft plastic baits alike. 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): C

Walk the Dog: B
Popping Action: N/A
Sit/Pause: B






No comments:

Post a Comment