Big Bite Baits Buzzing Warmouth Review

Buzzing Warmouth:      Colours: 8   Size: 4"     Pack Count:  4     

                            Leg Style: Buzz            Scent: N/A

Intro:

Big Bite Baits continue in their attempt to expand frog fishing to the flipping and pitching market. First they introduced the Fighting frog (which i loved) and now they have the Buzzing Warmouth, a bait that is much better suited as a flipping bait, but since they insist on marketing it as a frog I was  obliged to  review it

Overall Rating: 6.6/10

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

Quality & Durability: 4.0/5

The body and legs of the Buzzing Warmouth are tough and should hold up to multiple fish. I pretty was impressed with the leg action, even more so when flipping this bait rather then buzzing it. If you are an angler that likes to use screw in frog hooks I will warn you that the nose of this bait is a bit thinner then most and you may tear up some baits easier then if using a traditional hook.

 

Castability: 3.5/5

The Buzzing Warmouth is one of the flattest baits I have ever tied on which is one of the reasons it casts and skips like a dream. The only reasons would be its large profile, and the increased body weigh from the traditional warmouth.

Presentation: 3.0/5

This is another one of those baits that does a few things well, but none of those things are what I personally look for in a frog bait. To me, this is a wide body flipping bait with paddle legs instead of arms.. but since Big Bite baits already have a flipping bait that they call a frog (Fighting Frog) I'm not to sure what they were going for here.

Hook-Up Ratio: 3.0/5

Looking at how flat this bait is, you would think that it would give you a very high hook-up ratio, but I have to tell you that it has a lot of features that get in the way rather then help, things like a very wide body, long thick rubber/plastic legs as well as the fact that to keep this bait weedless you will want to bury the hook point in it's side, which is a tougher material then many other frogs on the market today. Sure a flatter bait may look like an anglers dream, but not this angler

I found the Warmouth to be an odd size for hook matching. You are going to want to use an EWG 3/0 or 4/0  hook. The 3/0 is a better fit, but I feel it can be kind of small for some frog fishing (and when flipping)

Availability: 3.5/5

The Buzzing Warmouth is pretty easy to find. I have come across it both locally as well as on various big and small on-line retailers, but if you can't find it, check out the below links

Options & Price: 3.0/5

The price point on this bait is fairly hefty at on average $5.50 for a 4-pack or over $1.35 a bait

The colour and size options won't really blow you away either. The Buzzing Warmouth is only available in one size (4") and 8 colours. I will admit the colors they do have are pretty sweet, but this baits performance does not justify the price

Where to Find:

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

Big Bite Baits ($5.99)

Tackle Warehouse  ($4.99)

Land Big Fish ($5.29)

Gander Mountain ($5.99)

Equipment:

The Buzzing Warmouth requires some dexterity and a good rod tip. It fishes fairly lite and the flat body can easily plane if you your not careful, so I fished this bait on both a Dobyns 735c and a 734c. If Flipping the bait feel free to go heavier.

Big Bite Baits Top Toad Review

Top Toad:      Colours: 10   Size: 3.5"     Pack Count:  4     

                            Leg Style: Buzz            Scent: Salt

Intro:

This is the second frog I have reviewed this season with the name "Top Toad" and to be honest of the two, the Big Bite Baits Top Toad comes in a distant second place..heres why

Overall Rating: 6.6/10

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

Quality & Durability: 4.0/5

The Top Toad is another one of those baits that is built out of a very dense rubber/plastic that makes the product very durable, but at the same time can hinder it's presentation as well as it's hook-up ratio. But you wont have to worry about durability as these frogs are tuff

Castability: 3.5/5

The Big Bites Baits Top Toad is what I would consider to be a "beefy" frog. What this means is that it casts like a shot, and is good for some serious distance in pretty much any weather condition. It also has a flat belly that allows you to skip it fairly well.

Presentation: 3.5/5

This frog has a very interesting swim, that is owed mainly to the wide body and stance. it allows you to keep its head up high and its ass down low. The Legs are tick/dense and can take some speed before you are able to get them really moving, but once moving they give off a nice buzz

The Floating model out performs the standard Top Toad, it's soft almost marshmallowy body reminds me of the Gene Larew three legged toad (a personal fav). The softer body keeps this frog on top of the water in a better strike position on the pause.

Hook-Up Ratio: 3.0/5

As mentioned above the standard version of the Top toad has a wide body made of very dense material. Both of these really hinder it's hook-up ratio. The floating model has a softer body that slightly improves the hook-up ratio but not enough to score the Top Toad with more then a 3/5

I love the idea of the "V" shaped hook keeper on the back of this frog. It allows you to protect the hook point without having to bury it in the fog. I did at times slightly skinhook the point for added protection. This not only helps keep debris off the hook, but it also gives you a target to ensure you have the hook centred and the frog running true

Availability: 3.0/5

Unless you are buying direct from BBB, or Tackle Warehouse you may have a hard time finding this bait. I have some local shops that carry BBB products none of which seem to have the Top Toad.

Options & Price: 3.0/5

The price point on this bait is fairly decent, if you do your homework.. on average they retail for around the $4.00 mark (or $1 a bait) but if you check out Tackle Warehouse you will save yourself a $1 a pack.

When it comes to options,  you have a decent selection, 1 size, 10 colour options and a floating model. As stated above I personally prefer the floating model, it sits better and has a better hook-up ratio then the non-floating model.

Where to Find:

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

Big Bite Baits ($4.79)

Tackle Warehouse  ($2.99)

Coosa Tackle ($3.99)

Fishing Discount Direct ($4.09)

Equipment:

This Top Toad by Bog Bites Baits is a heavy duty soft body frog and can be fished on heavier rods like a Dobyns 736c. You don't really need much tip to run or cast this bait, so why not go big and be sure you can keep yourself out of trouble. 

Big Bite Baits Rojas Fighting Frog

Fighting Frog:      Colours: 18   Size: 3.5" and 4"     Pack Count:  7 &10     

 Leg Style: Punch            Scent: N/A

Intro:

Ok, Ok, I get it, I knew I was going to take some flack for this one, but hey.. Big Bite Baits calls this a frog bait, so who am I to dispute them (or Dean Rojas). So here it is, the first every review of a "flipping frog"

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: 3.0/5

There are times in which I had seperated Quality and Durability, because not all high quality baits are durable, and not all durable baits are quality.. this is one of those instances

there is no doubt that he Big Bite Baits Rojas Fighting frog is a  quality bait, it was designed extremely well, and has more bells and whistles then any flipping bait should, yet all of them play a roll in it's success.. that being said it is not a durable bait and you can expect to burn through that 7-10 count pack if the bite is on

The issue lies with the body cavity of the bait, there is so much going on that the area that holds the hook is very thin and gets torn up during the fight. They must have known this may be an issue, as in this instance the price and the pack count offset the amount of baits you will use

Castability: 4.0/5

When it comes to pitching/flipping baits you not only need to consider it's castability but also it's ability to easily slide through cover. The Fishing Frog offers you both of these perks yet still have enough limbs and appendages to offer a nice presentation on the fall

Presentation: 5.0/5

This bait is slick, I dont know about you, but Im constantly looking for a slender profile flipping bait that still flaps and flails up a storm, and the fighting frog achieves this. I personally prefer the 4" model and rig it both on l1/4 to 5/16oz weights all the way up to 1/2oz when flipping heavy cover.

The Fighting Frog is the perfect bait to have rigged up as a frog fishing follow-up bait.. if you miss that big blow up, just flip this baby in the gaping hole and hold on tight

Hook-Up Ratio: 4.5/5

With a slim hook slot on its back (see above) and a deeper well on it's belly (see below) the Fighting frog makes sure your hook is always in position to hit home with little to no plastic in the way. it is so deadly accurate I have yet to miss a fish on one, but at the same time theses qualities that make it a killer hook-up bait are the same qualities that cause it to be so weak and you will quickly burn through a pack if the bite is hot

Availability: 3.5/5

Bite Big Baits are getting more and more popular, and are available in a wider selection of shops each season. Personally I have some driving to do when I want to purchase them and I often resort to ordering them on-line (shipping is cheaper then gas money)

Options & Price: 5.0/5

Big Bite Baits offer a killer selection, the Fighting frog is currently available in 2 sizes (3.5" and 4") and 18 colour options. I like the bigger size and usually fish the 4" on a 5/16 oz weight so it keeps some of its flutter. My colour choices are the Okeechobee Craw and the Junebug.

Where to Find:

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

Big Bite Baits ($4.69- $5.49)

TackleWarehouse ($3.49 - $3.99)

Land Big Fish ($3.49-$3.99)

Equipment:

Since this is a flipping frog, I prefer to fish it on the Dobyns DX795. This rod is bit and beefy yet very light weight and of course well balanced. My reel of choice is the Daiwa Lexa 300

I though I would include the below pic of a crappie I picked up on the Fighting Frog while flipping docks. I think he must have got the surprise of his life when he gave it a tug and received my big bass hook set in return