Evergreen SS77 Soft Shell Frog Rev

SS77 SOFT SHELL:   Colors: 9     Length: 3"     Weight: 11/16oz   Pack Count: 1

Intro:

If you have never splurged on one of EverGreen's frogs in the past, then you may not understand how happy I was to see them release a new one. High quality, uniquely designed fish catching machines is what Evergrfnn is known for, but these machines come at a price. Is it worth it? read on...


Manufactures Description :

The compact profile bait which comes in six distinctive color patterns is versatile and can be walked on top, popped or splashed. The six, clean, color finishes mimic an assortment of looks or forage items. One of the most effective baits around thick vegetation, the top water frog has long held an important role in every bass anglers arsenal. The new Evergreen Showerblows Softshell SS-77 has redefined what a soft body frog is all about.

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: 4.55

Evergreen makes high quality baits PERIOD. From the super soft yet durable body material, to the stout sticky sharp hooks to the leather striped fur tail you will be hard pressed to fish a bait with so many quality components.

Attention to detail is key, check out the fur tail and how the leather strip is up with all the fur facing down (in the water). Not all fur-using frogs have been designed this way and it is somthing I have complained about in the past. Sure it is not as appealing to the anglers eye, but more importantly it is more attractive to the fish. Nice work Evergreen

Castability: 4.05

The SS77 has a sleek aerodynamic body that casts and lands really well.  Its flat bottom gives the frog a nice skip if and when you need to work under cover and its weight is evenly distributed  which provides a softer landing on longer casts. I had no issue keeping this frog upright and Im very happy with its overall performance.

Presentation: 4.5/5

Add another one to the list, the 2018 season is loaded with Frogs that are fun to fish, and mark my words the EverGreen SS77 is fun and easy to fish.

the SS77 walks incredibly well and can be walked with a wide wobble or shorter more erratic twitches. The cupped mouth is a great replacement for a popper mouth and allows you to decide when, how often and how much water you want to displace. This key when navigating various types of structure and the fishes mood.

There isn't a time when the SS77 isn't moving, even on the longest pause that fur tail breaths in the water making it look more alive then most other baits you could through. Silicone often clumps and clings, while fur is constantly moving.. did I mention how much I love fur trimmed baits?

Hook-Up Ratio: 4.5/5

The Shoft Sell frog really lives up to its name and has an incredibly soft body and mashed down well when a fish strikes it. The fur tail almost breaths in the water giving the fish a nice target.

The body of the SS77 is a large and the hooks are slightly small in comparison. I would like to see these cover a bot more of the frog but all in all they are in a good position and with a slight tilt upwards you will be happy with this frogs performance in the hook-set portion of your game.

Innovation & Design: 4.5/5

I love the look of this frog, and I love that they are bringing back fur . For too long Fur has been ignored by most companies when designing new frogs and there is not a material out their that breaths on the pause quite like Fur. Just ask Optimum who haven't changed their best selling frog in years.

minus the Fur the SS77 could be considered a knock off bait.. lucky for EverGreen they knocked off their own bait bringing some of the features of their popular Shower Blow top water popper to this frog, a genius idea that works. I dont often fish popping frogs as I prefer the versatility of walking frogs, the SS77 combines the best of both worlds.

Availability, Options & Price: 3.0/5

The SS77 is a Japanese import so you know the price is going to hurt, and at $15.99USD it really does. Anytime a frog is over the $9.99-$12.99 range I have to really think about adding it to my arsenal and by the time it hits $15.99 I really have to think about it.

Options vary depending on where you buy your baits. Tackle Warehouse has 6 colors listed but I have seen as many as 9 color options on other sites. Due to the price these are not common, even more so at smaller local shops so you will probably have to order one.

Situations for Success:

The Evergreen SS frog is at its best when the fish get a chance to see it perform. Focus on medium to long casts over medium/sparse  cover or open water. Longer casts give the fish a chance to be driven crazy by the Soft Shells walk and spit and after awhile they just won't be able to take it anymore and NEED to slaughter it. I've had some pretty aggressive blow-ups on this frog both on the walk and on the pause when that fur tail does what it was design to do... breath in the water.




Looking Back:

Just a few weeks ago we filmed an unboxing of the SS Soft Shell and gave a short review of our first impressions. If you haven't already give the video a watch and see how many of those initial thoughts still ring true  HERE

Where to Find:

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

Tackle Warehouse  ($15.99)

Japan Lure Shop ($11.74)

Equipment:

I fished the SS Soft Shell on a Dobyns 736c which is my go to power rod when frog fishing heavy cover. I Paired it with a Daiwa Tatula 150 reel with a 7.3:1 gear ratio, these new reels are powerful, lightweight and look awesome.

Field Test Report Card:

Open Water (Sparse Pads): A

Pads (Medium Cover): A+

Slop & Grass (Heavy Cover): B-

Walk the Dog: A+

Popping Action: NA

Sit/Pause: B

EverGreen Darter Frog Review

EverGreen Darter : Colors: Unknown   Length: 2.6 inch Weight: 1/2oz Pack Count: 1

Intro:

Japanese imports are flooding the North American fishing market, and for good reason, they are high quality baits known for their fish catching ability. The Evergreen Darter frog meets both the above criteria and adds some deeper versatility to your frog arsenal.. deeper being the key word. The Darter frog  is the first frog in my collection that actually walks better under the water then above it.. but is that a good thing? that's your call

Overall Rating: 7.6/10

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

Quality & Durability: 4.5/5

It there is one thing (other then price) that Evergreen is know for, its the quality and durability of their baits, and the Darter frog is no exception. Not only is it equipped with the quality components I have come to expect from Evergreen but it also has a thicker more durable body then the kicker frog I reviewed last season (HERE)

Castability: 4.0/5

Casting will not be an issues with this bigger, bulkier Evergreen frog. It has a nice long slender stature making for great castability. The 1/2 weight does not hurt this frog either.

I will caution against long casts when you first starting fishing the darter frog. Give is a short flip and check out it's action upon retrieve. You really should see this frogs action up close prior to working it long distance

Presentation: 4.0/5

I had a hard time ranking this frog's overall presentation. It is a darter frog, and the idea behind it is that it darted and slashes just beneath the waters surface.. and believe me, it does this very well.. But I don't want a frog to do this, and that is where my bias comes into play.

So if you are looking for a frog that will slip under the water during your retrieve and that will give you an erratic walk the dog (under water) action, then this frog will blow you mind. But.. if you are looking for a traditional frog to drag over mats or slop then this is not the frog your looking for

Hook-up Ratio: 4.5/5

Although not as impressed with the Darter frog as I was with the Kicker frog, it still has an above average hook-up ratio. The body material is soft but not as collapsible as many other high end frogs (though it would probably be more durable). The hooks are Sharpe and look to be quality, I had no issues hooking-up and staying hooked up

Availability: 3.0/5

I can't find this frog on the shelf of any of the bait/tackle shops in my region. But with some simple searches you will easily find one on-line. E-Bay is your best bet for pricing and selection, but check the shipping rates from the sell prior to making a purchase, that $11.99 frog may quickly become a $25.99 frog if your not careful

Options & Price: 3.0/5

There are some very cool color options available for the Darter frog, but as always the price of this import has brought the O&P rating down to a 3 out of 5. Many guys will find it hard to justify dropping $20 on this frog, and after fishing it, I personally would not spend that much on a second frog. Yes it meets all the same high standards of other Evergreen Japanese import frogs, but the action was just not for me.

Where to Find:

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

Lee's Global Tackle ($21.99)

E-Bay ($11.99 - 16.99)

Equipment:

Light weight and known more for action in open water then in heavy cover you can get away with fishing the Evergreen Darter on lighter gear. I started out using a Dobyns 736c but quickly dropped down to the 735c. This year I plan to give it a go on the all new DX746 a rod Im very excited about fishing in 2014. Daiwa Lexa 100 will get you buy with ease, great casting distance and still all the strength and drag of larger sized reels

Line of choice was Toray Finesse braid from Blackwater fishing line, it is a nice round braid with super thin diameter options

Field Test Report Card:

Open Water (Sparse Pads): A-

Pads (Medium Cover): C

Slop & Grass (Heavy Cover): D

Walk the Dog: B

Popping Action: B

Sit/Pause: B+

EverGreen Kicker Frog Review

Kicker Fish:   Colors: 8     Length: 2 3/8 inch    Weight: 1/2oz   Pack Count: 1

Intro:

This is a frog came to my attention through the emails of multiple "Frog Pond" readers. I was quickly impressed with what I saw and began the process of tracking one down. They are not the easiest to get your hands one, but when you do, you'll quickly realize they worth the wait.. and the price 

Overall Rating: 8.5/10

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

Quality & Durability: 5.0/5

Like many of the Japanese baits that are currently flooding the north american market, the Evergreen Kicker frog is a high quality bait that comes at a high price point. They are equipped with a heavy duty single hook, and give you the option to add a blade or a stinger hook on the rear eyelet.

The body material is super soft but fairly durable, I have used one frog for multiple fish on multiple outing without concern. If one thing is going to go wrong it is the external weight/eyelet on the rear, if it comes loose this frog is going to sink and quick

Castability: 4.5/5

Dont let its small appearance fool ya, the Kicker frog weighs in at 1/2 ounce and casts like a dream. Its flat bottom also makes it the perfect frog for skipping up under structure.

I have used it in all kinds on conditions and cant find a single casting fault

Presentation: 4.5/5

The Kicker fish has a pretty impressive walking action when twitched . You can pretty much walk it on the sport with tight short jerks that will drive fish crazy  or slither it back to the boat in that hypnotic "s' we all dream of achieving.

If fishing the Kicker frog in heavier cover you can take advantage of the runners covering the bottom of the frog  that help it slide over pads and other structure, and it's shorter then average silicone legs always flare out the sides improving its profile on the pause

Hook-up Ratio: 5.0/5

When I first got a look at the Kicker Frog I was intrigued but unsure on how much I would like the single hook concept, but it quickly proved a winner. Placed in the center of the forgs back it stays out of the way until needed but still easily finds a home when a fish strikes.

The hook is just part of what makes the Kicker fish a great hook-up bait, the body material is highly durable yet very soft and collapses easily. I was really impress how well this bite sized frog gets eaten and holds on

Availability: 3.0/5

Evergreen frogs are available but you will have to look for them. Evergreen sells them driect and a few of the small to medium on-line retailers carry them as well. I find it odd that larger retailers like Tackle Warehouse and LBF carry some Evergreen products but not this line of frogs. To be honest Ebay is your best bet for selection and pricing.. but they are shipping from overseas so you will have a bit of a wait on your hands. In North American "The Hook-Up Tackle" stocks them, but as a Canadian buyer I try to avoid them due to unreasonable shipping rates

Options & Price: 3.5/5

Like with many of the Japanese frog imports the price on this frog can be scary I have seen it as high as $19.99 and at it's lowest $13.00. But I will say the quality is there and I have no qualms about paying the price for this bait

For options, there is only one size currently available but 8 pretty cool colour options, including one that looks like a mouse. You may not call these  options "realistic" but they are unique and cover the spectrum of flashy, shiny, brights and darks

Where to Find:

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

EverGreen  (N/A) 

The Hook-Up Tackle ($15.52)

Ebay (various)

Field Test Report Card: 

Open Water (Sparse Pads):  A+

Pads (Medium Cover):  A

Slop & Grass (Heavy Cover):  B+

Walk the Dog:  A+

Popping Action: N/A

Sit/Pause: A

Equipment:

This frog may look slight in stature but it still packs a 1/2 punch and thus it can handle a beefier rod. I fished this frog with Dobyns 736c and Daiwa Lexa 300 series reel. You can go lighter depending on the water your fishing, but the above combo really does this frog justice.