Bayou Bullfrog: Colors: 8 Length: 3.75" Weight:N/A Pack Count: 5
Intro:
If you previously read my review on the V&M Cyclone Buzz frog then you already know that Im not a huge fan of the Bayou Bullfrog as a stand alone bait. With that said the team at V&M did some interesting things design wise that I couldn't over look while scoring the frog.
Manufactures Description:
"V&M's Bayou Bullfrog is a soft plastic frog packed full of action. It's boot style feet kick aggressively drawing bass out of heavy cover or from long distances in open water. The belly is designed with a tunnel shape to prevent the frog from rolling over upon being retrieved. Rig the Bayou Bullfrog up with a V&M Frog Hook and heavy braid and HANG ON!"
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
If I'm being honest here I have to admit that I don't like the overall look of the Bayou BullFrog, I feel the mold used is pretty basic and the frog looks cheap almost like it came out of someones basement.
As for the overall durability the Bayou Bullfrog does have a beefy body that holds up well for multiple fish, and the legs are fairly steady. The only real issue I had was the belly slot ripping up and making it hard to re seat the hook for more fish.
Castability: 4.0/5
The Bayou Bullfrog is a beefy bait for a a soft plastic toad and offers up good casting distance. It also has a fairly flat belly and skips well making it a good choice for fishing under overhangs. With that said I prefer to fish this bait close to home (shorter casts) in order to improve its presentation. Keep in mind that this frog needs to swim "nose up" which is much easier to achieve on shorter target casts.
Presentation: 3.5/5
I covered this a little bit in the casting portion of the review. Overall the baits swims well and the legs do offer up a nice loud buzz or churn on the retrieve. With that said you need to work this bait in a way that keep the frogs nose out of the water. Its odd shaped head and pronounced nose can dive a bit if you let it, so work this bait on shorter casts and keep your rod tip up. Once moving the Bayou Bullfrogs kicking action will call all the hawgs to the yard.
Since I haven't mentioned it already the nose of this frog holds a screw lock which is my preferred method of fishing soft plastic toads. This type of rigging not only helps ensure your frog runs straight but also keeps the frog in place on this missed strikes.
Hook-Up Ratio: 3.5/5
The Bayou BullFrog offers up an average to slightly above average hook up ratio based on a nice deep belly slot. This is a must in frogs that have a body as thick as the Bayou's or else most fish would just be sucking on a balled up piece of plastic.
Note: This frog was built to take a single hook, so if you usually prefer a double hook on your frogs, you may want to skip the Bayou Bullfrog.
Innovation & Design: 4.0/5
Give credit where credit is due, V&M looked at some real world issues and attempted to address them. The main feature that I haven't touched on yet is the way the edges or sides of the frog sit higher then it's back. What this means is that your hook-point when exposed sits lower then the edge of the bait, offering clearance If and when you run your frog under logs, pads or other cover. This added protection is a great feature that I would love to see on other baits.
Availability, Options & Price: 3.5/5
V&M has a pretty impressive lineup of dealers and this bait should be pretty easy to find. If you are an on-line shopper like I am than your best bet is to check them out at Tackle Warehouse or LandBigFish. Both offer the bait for $3.99 a pack. That works out to nearly $0.80 a frog (I can live with that)
Situations for Success:
As mentioned above the Bayou Bullfrog fishes best when using short targeted casts to shallow water structure. It handles a medium to fast retrieve well, but remember to keep your rod tip up in order to keep this frog on top of the water and buzzing.
Where to Find:
In case you are having a hard time finding these locally, here are some reliable options for you.
Tackle Warehouse ($3.99)
Land Big Fish ($3.99)
Equipment:
Like with most soft plastic toads I tend to use a Dobyns 734c or 735c depending on cover. With this frog the 734c gets the job done. Reel of choice is a Daiwa Tatula in a 6.3:1 or 7.1 ratio.
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