Gavacho Frog: Colors: 6 Length: 2.75" Weight: 2/3oz Pack Count: 1
Intro:
Jackall fooled me once before with a frog bait, so I'm kind of hesitant to give another one of their frogs high marks out of the gate. We all remember when they launched the Iobee frog back in 2011/2012 and of course the industry went nuts for it. I myself enjoyed some success with the Iobee straight out of the package but it quickly worked its way back down to the minors with its incredible ability to sink.. how will the Gavacho frog hold up?
Overall Rating: 8.1/10
Each frog is rated on the following criteria: Quality, Castability, Presentation, Hook-up Ratio Available Options, Product Availability & Price
Quality & Durability: 4.5/5
I like the feel of this bait, the body is soft yet durable and its held up well for multiple fish (though I am sad to say I have since lost it to a bowfin). The hooks are sharp and well placed.
The big question with any frog and even more so with a popper frog is does it sink? and unlike the Iobee this frog appears to be a champ when it comes to floating. I'm happy to report that even with aggressive popping I have been unable to sink this frog.
Castability: 4.5/5
The Gavacho frog casts well and lands well. The 3-legged shirt gives off a nice profile and the frogs body is in fighting position right after hitting the water.
Coming in at 2/3 of an oz, the Gavacho could be considered a hefty frog yet it still can be skipped, flipped, pitched or bombed.
Presentation: 4.5/5
Knowing full well that I'm not much of a popper guy I was quite happy with the Gavacho's ability to pop and walk. This is one loud bait that works well both aggressively popping, gently spitting or simply walked. Try mixing all three of these retrieves up and see what drives the first to attack.
I like the Gavacho's profile but will admit I had minimal success on the pause. This could have been situational but it also effected my confidence during the retrieve (or should I say pause) which is a big part of my frog fishing technique. Beacuse if this I often kept the bait moving in pockets, small twitches allowed me to walk the dog while still in one place. Not all frogs can pull this off and its a large perk to those that can.
Hook-Up Ratio: 3.5/5
The Gavacho is equipped with two well placed (turned up) hooks that are pretty much wrapped up in the frogs body. Jackall calls this its 3-dimensional contour a design that is great for keeping the bait snag free, unless you of course are trying to snag into a hungry basses mouth.
As you can see from the above image and even more so in the lead image, the hook points are well below the frogs back and still don't fully expose when pressure is placed on the bait. This can and has cost me a fish or two.
Innovation & Design: 4.0/5
2 thumbs up for innovation and trying something new. Jackall took what they learned from the Iobee and designed a popper that stays a float better then most frogs in this category. I also like that they took license with the body and leg shape as well as building a mouth that works great spitting or popping.
Being that it's Jackall we are talking about you know they also released this bait in some funky which also gives the Gavacho a unique look on the water... Now if we could only do something about that name
Being that it's Jackall we are talking about you know they also released this bait in some funky which also gives the Gavacho a unique look on the water... Now if we could only do something about that name
Availability, Options & Price: 3.5/5
Jackall baits are getting easier and easier to get your hands on, this once import only is now becoming the north American standard (much like their parent company Shimano). With that said the Gavacho is not are readily available as many other Jackall baits, I'm not sure if it was the poor sales of the Iobee (a quick to clearance frog) or if the strange look and still higher end price tag chased some would be buyers.
Options for the Gavacho are slim, one size and 6 color choices are all you get. But, as mentioned above this is Jackall so the 6 colors choices aren't your standard black, white and leopard.
Options for the Gavacho are slim, one size and 6 color choices are all you get. But, as mentioned above this is Jackall so the 6 colors choices aren't your standard black, white and leopard.
(the color I chose was a take on blue gill)
Situations for Success:
Like with most poppers the Gavacho is going to be at its best in medium to sparse cover, and even when there is no cover at all. It works great in stained water where its larger profile can still be seen.
I recommend using a more subtle spit in between bursts of walking. As mentioned above i had little success in the pockets when paused and would also attempt to keep the Gavacho moving whenever I could.
Situations for Success:
Like with most poppers the Gavacho is going to be at its best in medium to sparse cover, and even when there is no cover at all. It works great in stained water where its larger profile can still be seen.
I recommend using a more subtle spit in between bursts of walking. As mentioned above i had little success in the pockets when paused and would also attempt to keep the Gavacho moving whenever I could.
Where to Find:
In case you are having a hard time finding these locally, here are some reliable options for you.
Tackle Warehouse ($9.99)
Reaction Strike ($9.99)
Equipment:
The Gavacho fishes well on the Dobyns 735c or 736c which provides enough tip to make accurate casts and to induce a nice soft popping action.
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.
Open Water (Sparse Pads): B+
Pads (Medium Cover): B-
Slop & Grass (Heavy Cover): C
Walk the Dog: B+
Popping Action: A
Sit/Pause: B+
