Trophy Series: Colors: 11 Length: 2.75" Weight: 1/2oz Pack Count: 1
Trophy Series: Colors: 11 Length: 2.75" Weight: 5/8oz Pack Count: 1
Intro:
Why mess with the good thing? On one hand I give credit to the crew at the Southern Lure company for not resting on their laurels and instead continuing to strive to offer us up new frog baits.. but we know the original is the best? you can add bells and whistles (and up the price) but when Im looking for a scum frog I'm grabbing the original, how about you?
Overall Rating: 7.5/10
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 often an argument to be had when talking quality and durability of a scum frog, this is mostly due to the fact that these things are the pre-school art class version of a frog and a built just touch enough to get you through a few fish.
The body of this frog is made of the same material used on all makes and model of scum frog which as you know is great for hook-ups but no so great for longevity (even more so if your lakes have toothy fishy mixed in with the bass. Other problems you will spot on this frog are the large glued on eyes that peel off after an outing to two as well as a large cavity near the rear weight which can and will take on water during the retrieve
Castability: 4.0/5
High marks here, as this rear weighted versions of a scum frog will get your the distance you sorely miss while fishing with its smaller and lighter weight brothers. Its long body has a flat belly that lands with just the right authority. The rear weigh sticks out like an outie belly button and can effect the frogs ability to be skipped,
Presentation: 3.5/5
For me Scum Frogs where never really about presentation as much as they were about being int he right place at the right time. They sit high in the water coloum and move with ease over the thickest of pads and other structures.
The trophy series is a great "heavy cover" frog as its heavy rear weigh keeps it hugging the pads and ensures any fish below hears it coming.
In open water this frog moves fairly well, but don't expect it to dance.
Hook-Up Ratio: 3.5/5
Quality Owner round bend hooks are this frogs saving grace when it comes to the hook-up ratio. Things it does not have going for it are the rear weight and heavy legs that stick out and give it a wider bite. None of these are major faults and don't bring down the score a tone. Standard Scum frogs are nearly swallowed whole each and every time, so its a lot for the Trophy series to live up to.
Innovation & Design: 3.5/5
Giving credit where credit is due, the innovation and design here are not about bringing something new to the industry but in fact just bringing something new to their already tried and true design. Scum Frog is like McDonalds, they offer a cheaply priced product that people love, sure they keep trying to tempt up with new cool features and menu items, but its MCdondalds, just let me have my cheeseburger and ill be happy.. In other words, props to Scum frog for constantly offering up new models and features, but Ill stick with the original.
Availability, Options & Price: 4.5/5
If you can't find the Scum frog line of baits at your local tackle shop its time to move. They offer the perfect entry level frog and price that most shops and anglers eat up. with that said at time specialty frogs are not as common, of that's the case check out one of the below online retailers.
Where to Find:
In case you are having a hard time finding these locally, here are some reliable options for you.
Tackle Warehouse ($5.49)
Equipment:
The Trophy series fishes well on the Dobyns 735c which provides enough tip to make accurate casts all while still having the backbone needed to haul fish out of the nastiest of cover.
As with any hollow-body bait, this frog should be worked on 40lb-60lb braid line.
As with any hollow-body bait, this frog should be worked on 40lb-60lb braid line.
Field Test Report Card:
Open Water (Sparse Pads): C+
Pads (Medium Cover): B-
Slop & Grass (Heavy Cover): A-
Walk the Dog: C
Popping Action: N/A
Sit/Pause: C+
