Eco Pro Tungsten Eco Toad Review

Eco Toad:   Colors: 9     Length: 2.5"     Weight: 2/3oz   Pack Count: 1

Intro:

Any frog that lands me a fish on my first cast gets bonus points.. not really, but they should right? The Eco Toad by Eco Pro Tungsten achieved this feat earlier this week when I opened the packaged tied it on, made a long cast and almost immediately set the hook. Both hooks in the top of the mouth.. sold

The Eco Toad is flying under the radar this season, with a few larger companies launching new frogs this one quietly went unnoticed.. but not for long, once Anglers start getting some time on the water with these beauties I expect they will fly off the shelves (Update: At time of writing Tackle Warehouse is currently sold out of all colors.. 06/28/2017))

Overall Rating: 8.3/10

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

Quality & Durability: 3.5/5

As you can see from the overall raring and the below scores, I really like this frog, and i wish I could give it an even higher score then i did, but a few issues plaque this bait in the early going and I'm afraid it will get worse the more I fish the Eco Toad, and I plan on fishing it allot.

The quality is top notch, lets remember this frog is built with tungsten weights and  Trokar hooks. The baits design is nearly perfect making the Eco Toad an incredible swimmer while still offering up the perfect bite sized snack.

Whats the problem you may ask? The issues I ran into (on the durability side) are that the ultra soft body material wears quickly. My frog is wearing around head of the bait, and after my first day on the water the material around the nose of the bait was loosening around the eyelet allowing water to seep in. This turned the Eco toad into a sinker that had to be drained every few casts. I'm already contemplating super gluing the nose to stop the damage from spreading.

Castability: 5.0/5

With a nice aerodynamic shape and a healthy Weight (2/3oz) you can pitch, flip, skip and long bomb this sucker.  It travels and lands well, making it great for distance or target specific fishing. I don't think the Eco Toad landed on on back once and if and when it does happen the narrow body and deep V should make it roll over like a well trained dog.

Presentation: 4.5/5

This baby is a champion swimmer and can cover water fast or slow without rolling. it's narrow head and hips make it easy to walk all while giving off a nice profile on the pause.

The Eco Toad has a unique yet familiar look to it, the body is a similar length to what you are use to fishing but the nose is narrower and the belly has a  deep narrow keel, which seems to help it move over structure and pads (less belly drag).

Moving down the bait the Eco Toads belly slightly swells to help protect the trokar hook points and then thins out again similarly to the Terminator frog. The narrow ass makes for easy eating and is one reason my hook up ration was so high.. speaking of:

Hook-Up Ratio: 5.0/5

Eco Pro Tungsten did a few things very right when it came to ensuring that the fish eat this frog and get pinned while doing so. We have covered a couple of these perks above, but we will touch on them again just so we are all on the same page.. Sharp well placed Trokar hooks, super soft body material and thin Olsen twin sized hips.. that's just for starters, another trait this bait has that I feel improves its hook-up ratio is the body material itself. As you can see from the images the Eco Toads back  is covered in bumpy warts, these act like a tread that give the fish a little something extra to hold while giving the bait a more life like feel. like studded winter tires

Innovation & Design: 4.0/5

Eco Pro took a basic frog design and improved it, and they did so without hurting my wallet. They slimmed down their frog in the nose to improve it's walk, they slimmed down its legs to improve hook-up ratio. They created a deeper steeper keel to improve motion in the water an on the pads, and they made sure it looks good to both the fisherman and the fish. Nice job, I can see why Tackle Warehouse is completely sold out (at time of writing)

Availability, Options & Price: 3.0/5

I love the color mix and had a hard time choosing just one. I will be picking up the Bluegill option on my next Tackle Warehouse order for sure.

As for price it is surprising low for a bait with a nice set of features and a beautiful finish.  Lets not forget this frog is weighted with tungsten.

The downfall here is that the frog is hard to find.. currently on-line I could only find it at Tackle Warehouse, no other Eco Pro retailers have it listed, and as I mentioned above.. at time to writing TW is completely sold out!

Situations for Success:

The Eco Toad is an all around frog that can be fished in any cover and any situation. I love it's versatility and the fact that I can fish it at any speed until i find what the fish are looking for. I recommend starting out with a medium fast retrieve pausing over edges and pockets. Look for movement under the pads and slow down and take your time if you think or see that your being followed. This bait looks great, so don't be afraid to let it be seen, long pauses or twitching it in place will also go along way.

If you don't want to constantly retie or you just have room in your box for one frog.. make it this one.

Where to Find:

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

Tackle Warehouse ($8.49)

Equipment:

The Reaction frog fishes well on the Dobyns 735c or 736c 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. 

Field Test Report Card:

Open Water (Sparse Pads): B+

Pads (Medium Cover): A

Slop & Grass (Heavy Cover): B+

Walk the Dog: A+

Popping Action: N/A

Sit/Pause: A-