Gary Yamamoto Yamma Frog Review

Yamma Frog:      Colours:13   Size: 3.75"     Pack Count: 5     

             Leg Style: Swim               Weight: N/A

Intro:

Its about damn time Gary and the Yamamoto Baits team started to pay attention to us frog fisherman.

Yamamoto baits has been an industry leader in soft plastic for as long as I can remember, so long their website is actually www.baits.com! and although that have sat back and reaped the glory of their senko baits, the all new Yamma frog is a true contender in the soft plastic toad market, and makes this frog fishing very happy.

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: 3.5/5

When it comes to a quality soft plastic bait Yamamoto has it down, their soft plastics are incredibly soft, and agile in the water, however it is they mix up their plastics, they seem to have found the right blend of plastic, salt and flake that provides anglers with a very life like on water performance

Durability on the other hand seems to always be an issue, and again it comes down to the same blend I just praise in the last paragraph. It seem its hard to get the best of both worlds when it comes to performance vs. durability, and in this case, I'm happy with the trade off. 

Castability: 4.5/5

Although I don't know the exact weight of this frog, the Yamamoto store will have you believe it is just under 1oz (over 3/4 but under 1). It does not feel that heavy on the rod, but this beefy little dude casts very well.

It can be bombed or skipped with ease, but I will recommended you watch your skipping action as the nose of the frog can get beat up and this will effect how long it lasts. I use a screw-on hook to ensure less trauma to the head of the bait

Presentation: 5.05

Not since the launch the Gene Larews Three Legged Toad have I been as impressed with the performance of a soft bodied toad on the water. The Yamma frog has a nice wide stance that moves across the water very easily. The thick legs allow you to achieve a soft churn/swim motion during slower retrieves as well as tearing up the water of faster retrieves. This bait also has a nice kill action with the legs twitching/fluttering on the fall.

I would say that this bait is a cross between Gamblers can toad and a Mann's swim toad. Taking the best qualities from each and improving them. If only this bait had a harder nose, it would truly be a beast to reckon with.

Hook-Up Ratio: 4.5/5

With a very deep belly slow and soft skin the Yamma frogs allows you to hide even the largest of EWG hooks. There is a lot of plastic on this bait, and as you know Im prone to knocking off points for this, but due to the baits incredible flexibility and softness even plastic that gets in the way should not hinder your hook-up ratio.

Availability & Price:3.5/5

You can walk into a bait shop without seeing some Gary Yamamoto product, but with that said the Yamma frog does not have the same market penetration as the Senk or Kreature lines, but it is still relatively easy to find. As for price, its a Yamamoto bait, so its expensive. These run about $7.00 a pack or $1.40 a bait.. not exactly ideal, but again a price I'm willing to pay.

Options: 5.0/5

Although there is only the one size option (the perfect size) the Yamma frog comes in 13 natural colors. Im not stoked on the color I purchased, but will try out a few more colors when its time to re-order.

Where to Find:

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

Tackle Warehouse ($7.19)

Land Big Fish ($7.19)

Pro Tackle Solutions ($6.49)

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Equipment:

I completed all my Yamma frog testing with a Dobyns 735c paired with a Daiwa Tatula HD.  This frog is heavy duty but still needs a soft tip to help finesse it around. Feel free to beef up or down, depending on your taste.