Kahara Diving Frog Review

Kahara Diving Frog  : Colors: 8  Length: 2 1/3"  inch Weight: 2/3oz  Pack Count: 1

Intro:

Yet another of the early adopters when it comes to frogs with legs vs. silicone strands. And what do early adopters often have it common? a product not fully flushed out that still has some serious work to do prior to it becoming a contender

Overall Rating: 6.3/10

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

Quality & Durability: 3.0/5

Don't get me wrong, Kahara makes a nice product, using quality material and attention to detail. I just don't think the nailed it when it comes to making a kicking leg that lasts. These legs get pulled off or out and often have to be adjusted and tweaked cast after cast.

Is this bait a dud? no, it just has some work to do.

Castability: 3.5/5

The Kahara diving frog has a good amount of weight to it and casts fairly well, its the baits landing that could use some work. I'm not sure if its the long legs or slender body but this bait does some acrobatics in the air and often times needs a jerk to be righted after it lands.

Presentation: 3.0/5

To this day I have not been blown away by any legged frog baits, and this is no exception. Sure the legs kick and move and at time they even pull back up close to the body, and although this may look frog like it sure does not fish like a frog and it often throws me off my technique as i try to make it do things, instead of it actually just doing things.

Hook-up Ratio: 3.0/5

Nice strong sharp hooks at the back of this bait are a big plus, but thick bulky legs and easily get in the way of them actually finding a home in the roof of the fishes mouth.

Availability: 3.0/5

Not widely available but not exactly hard to find either, the kahara diving frog can be yours if you purchase from the likes of Tackle Warehouse or Optimum baits ( like I do!). I give Optimum the nudge here since they are prone to provide free samples and stickers with most orders

Options & Price: 3.5/5

Only available in one size with 6 (or more) color options with bait does not exactly offer you a world of choice. With that said the important thing here is that Kahara offers replacement legs.. because you will need them

Where to Find:

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

Tackle Warehouse ($10.99)

Optimum Baits ($10.99)

Outdoor Pro Shop/Monster ($10.99)


Equipment:

All  testing was done on a  Dobyns DX746 it is my goto rod and handles both hollow and soft plastic baits alike. As for reels, the Daiwa Lexa pairs well with this rod and gives you a nice over sized spool for that added distance and power. Line choice was SunLIne FX2

Field Test Report Card:

Open Water (Sparse Pads): C+

Pads (Medium Cover): C+

Slop & Grass (Heavy Cover): D-

Walk the Dog: C

Popping Action: N/A

Sit/Pause: B+

Nories Ebigaeru Popper Frog Review

Ebigaeru  : Colors: 10  Length: 3"  inch Weight: 1/2oz  Pack Count: 1

Intro:

Not really a frog, not really a popper. The Nories Ebigaeru was designed to mimic a top water popper yet offer the angler the weedless performance of a frog. Overall it achieved this goal but this crossover bait does not fit perfectly in either category meaning there are very few times I would choose this frog over a standard hollow body or a traditional popper, here's why...

Overall Rating: 6.3/10

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

Quality & Durability: 4.0/5

Nories makes a quality bait. As you know their NF60 is one of (if not) my favourite frog bait currently available on the market. They use soft pliable body material that holds up well to the abuse all frog baits are put through, and it comes equipped with a strong hook specially designed for this bait .

I did have some sinking issues when fishing the Ebigaeur that brought down this score a bit (as it should)

Castability: 4.0/5

With it's bullet shape, the Ebigaeru is as arrow dynamic as them come, which means casting for distance is a breeze. Maybe if this frog didn't take on water during the course or my retrieve I would have taken more advantage of its distance 

Presentation: 3.5/5

The Ebigaeru moves like a standard top water popper. It walks the dog with ease and pops pretty damn well. Again if it did not take on water like a submarine with a screen door, this may be a whole different conversation and review.

The one area in which this bait would shine would be in short distance targeted fishing. If you have an area with a bunch of holes and spots and you want to drop a bait for a few quick twitches (or pops) then pull it back, this frog would excel at that.

Hook-up Ratio: 3.5/5

Overall I have no concerns with the Ebigaeru's hook-up ratio, the hooks are strong and sharp but slightly narrower then i would like. The hooks were specifically designed for this bait, and although I appreciate the effort, a standard wider hook would be my personally preference.

Availability: 2.0/5

Ouch, I guess I should have published this review last season when I bought and tested the bait. Since that time it has become hard to find and appears to be discontinued by major retailers like Tackle Warehouse. Currently your best bet may be to order on EBay, they have the largest selection and various price points.

Options & Price: 2.0/5

When first available the Ebigaeru came in one size but 10 colour options. I really like the crayfish designs they went with, though I'm not sure how many crayfish spend their time swimming along the top of the water column for any distance..oh, I guess they do have something in common!

Where to Find:

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

Tackle Warehouse ($10.49)

Nories (NA)

Samurai Tackle ($13.31)

Equipment:

All  testing was done on a  Dobyns DX746 this is my go to rod  for hollow and soft plastic baits alike. As for reels, the Daiwa Lexa pairs well with this rod and gives you a nice over sized spool for that added distance and power. Line choice was SunLIne FX2

Field Test Report Card:

Open Water (Sparse Pads): B

Pads (Medium Cover): C+

Slop & Grass (Heavy Cover): D

Walk the Dog: B

Popping Action: B

Sit/Pause: B+

The Frog Pond is now Closed for 2014.. See ya next spring

As you know the objective of the Frog Pond is to provide you with accurate on-water reviews of Frogs and Frog related products. With the cooler temps moving in and the fish moving out, the frog bite is no more.. so it's time for the Frog Pond to go into it's winter hibernation.

Rest assured come the spring we will be back at it, providing you with weekly Frog reviews of Hot
new products as well as good old classics




 We spent the off season stock piling frogs from the coming season, if you have any recommendations for products you would like to see reviewed in 2015 please let us know

To get your frog fix in the winter months follow us on Facebook were we will be posting all year long

Fog Pond Facebook Page

2014 Top Frog Awards - Best Hollow Body Frogs

Intro:

So thats that, another Frog review season has officially come and gone, and during the (way to short) 2014season  I published 20  frog reviews, as always each frog was rated on Quality, Castability, Presentation, Hook-Up, Availability, Options & Price. Below is a list of the best of the best  for each category and of course the overall Highest rated frog (reviewed this year)..  This is kinda like the Oscars, you may not win best picture, but you still have the chance to win for cinematography.. so here we go….

PS. For the first time, I have decided to list ties when applicable, its not for me to pick the winner

Quality Award: Nories

The Nories NF60, takes home this and many other awards for 2014. In all honesty if was my favourite frog I fished with in 2014 and easily could have swept this competition.

with a thick durable body, smaller silicone tail (?) and quality hooks, there is very few frogs that will be able to compete with this frogs durability.

For the Full Review click HERE

Hook-up Ratio Award: 2 Way tie

Nories NF60

Spro Bronzeye Shad

These two baits easily ran away with the award for best hook-up ratio. Both proved to be highly editable, and made frog fishing nearly fill proof. If I was forced into picking only one, I would give the edge to the Spro Bronzeye Shad, it has a narrower body and softer body material leading to a slightly better hook-up ratio then that of the Nories NF60 (that being said I prefer the Nories overall)


For the Full Reviews click HERE and HERE

Castability Award: Nories

Yeah, yeah I know, this is getting a bit repetitive, but out of the 20 frogs I reviewed in 2014 none cast better then the Nories NF60. This frog can be cast for miles in all conditions, and still land with grace. It also has the ability to skipped when required.. in short it has it all.

For the Full Review click HERE

Presentation Award: 3-way tie

What a year when it comes to frogs that perform at a high level. I tested 3 frogs that all received a 4.5 out of 5 when it comes to their performance on the water.

Nories NF60
Spro Bronzeye Shad
River2Sea Spittin Wa

Again if I had to chose just one, I would have to give the title to the Spro Bronzeye Shad, it walked better then the other two, and can be used an high, medium and slow retrieves. The Spittin Wa is also a beast but since I prefer walkers over poppers, I think my bias showed through here.. sorry R2S

For the Full Review click HERE, HERE and HERE

Availability Award : SPRO Bronzeye Shad

There are only 3 companies that can get a perfect or nearly perfect score when it comes to availability.. SPRO, Live Target and Booyah. For the baits I reviewed this season there was none that came close to the ease of purchase as the Spro Bronzeye Shad, this thing was absolutely everywhere.

For the Full Review click HERE

 Options & Price Award: Teckel

Here we go, a new frog to talk about. The Teckel Whacker scored a very respectable 7.3 overall score, but when it comes to colour options it was no contest. The Whacker is available in 16 pretty cool colour options and two leg options. Priced at under $10 a frog also makes it easy to crown this bait the winner of the Option/Price award


For the Full Review click HERE

Highest Overall Rating:  Spro Bronzeye Shad

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

Congrats to the team at Spro this is their first win for best overall frog. The Bronzeye Shad truly performers on a high level, ,giving anglers improved castabiliy, hook-up and one of the best walks I have fished. If you have not given this frog.. er.. shad a try, Im not sure what your waiting for.. get one.

For the Full Review click HERE

Best Places to Frog Shop:

When if comes to service, price, shipping and availability, here are the 2 best places to build your frog arsenal

LandBigFish (*)

Tackle Warehouse

* For you Canadian shoppers, LBF is your best bet, they ship USPS and you will avoid all those messy brokerage fees that UPS charges. Tackle Warehouse is quick, but since they Ship UPS, you can expect a minimum $20 plus duty and taxes on any order over $19.99

Frog Equipment:

When it comes to hollow belly frog fishing there is no better rod on the market then the Dobyns 736c. On my boat it is used exclusively for hollow belly fishing and always has a frog tied on and ready to go. But in 2014 we saw the introduction of the Dobyns DX746 which gives you a bit more versatility in your frog fishing including the ability to fish larger frogs and froglets on the same rod.

Daiwa's Tatula series reel is the new standard in my arsenal, no matter if I'm frog fishing, jigging or finesse fishing the tatula will get the job done


When it comes to line choice, Sunline FX2 is really up for the challenge that is frog fishing. It's tuff, yet smooth, and holds up well under the stress a frog line can be put under. This was my 3rd season using it, and it still hasn't been topped

Snag Proof "Frogzilla" Review

 Bush Z  : Colors: 6  Length: 6" inch  Weight: 3/4oz  Pack Count: 1

Intro:

Just as I was getting on roll and rating Snag Proof frogs up almost some of the best frog on the market, I come across one I don't love.. not that I don't like.. I just don't love it.. here's why:

Overall Rating: 7.0/10

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 standard Snag Proof body material and large 7/0 hook will make the majority of this bait as long lasting as they come. But thin little add on legs won't do the trick while battling big fish in heavy cover.. I can see some replacement legs in my future

Castability: 4.0/5

if you read checked out the size and weight listing above, then you know the Frogzilla really lives up to its name. Coming in at 3/4 oz there are few frogs on the market that have more meat on their bones and believe me when I tell you, this added weigh makes this frog cast a county mile.

Now it stealth is in order, your going to want to down size to another Snag Proof frog as this one isn't exactly sneaky. It hits the water with a loud slap and can often spook fish in shallow water conditions

Presentation: 3.0/5

Frogs this size often have an issue with mobility, and although the Frogzilla can be walked it is not exactly graceful in its presentation and the swim legs do nothing for me, and in all honesty I would have preferred if they stuck with silicone strands.

Again, I don't believe this frog was designed to be used as a finesse bait so I find it hard to knock it. Its was designed to sit well on heavier cover and for its large profile to give off a big shadow and/or target to the fish below. In both these cases this frog is a success.

Hook-up Ratio: 3.5/5

You know my rules.. big bodied bait (strike 1) rubber legs instead of strands (strike 2) and single hook instead of double hook (stoke 3).. so yes this frog hits on 3 of my pet peeves when it comes to hook-up ratio, yet I have little issue hammering this frog home even on smaller fish, hence the 3.5 rating.

In my experience the sharp hook and light weight body material make up for some of the above missteps (or strikes) and I have to also go with real world success over personal pet peeves.

Availability: 3.0/5

Snag Proof baits are one of the most common frogs available on the market today and although this frog is very common it all my local haunts, it is not as widely available on-line. Truthfully there are only two retails I found that I would trust my business with. (see below)

Options & Price: 3.5/5

Only available in one size and with only 6 colour options the Frogzilla  pretty much falls in line with the rest of the Snag Proof family of frogs (no surprises here). As for pricing it kinda sits somewhere in the middle. It is more expensive then SnagProofs standard line but cheaper then their specialty frogs such as the ISH or Guntersville and Buzz lines.

Where to Find:

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

Tackle Warehouse ($7.99)

Snag Proof ($10.00)




Equipment:

All  testing was done on a  Dobyns DX746 this is a new rod in their line-up that handles both hollow and soft plastic baits alike. As for reels, the Daiwa Lexa pairs well with this rod and gives you a nice over sized spool for that added distance and power. Line choice was SunLIne FX2

Field Test Report Card:

Open Water (Sparse Pads): C+

Pads (Medium Cover): A

Slop & Grass (Heavy Cover): B

Walk the Dog: B

Popping Action: N/A

Sit/Pause: C

IMA DaBeat Frog Review

Da Beat  : Colors: 5  Length: 1.8"  inch Weight: 1/4oz  Pack Count: 1

Intro:

I have been fishing with IMA's Da Beat frog for two seasons now, and Im not sure why its taken me so long to get around to actually reviewing it. I really like this little morsel of a frog, and although it does have some issues, it is a blast to fish with, and Bass eat this sucker up

Overall Rating: 7.2/10

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

Quality & Durability: 4.0/5

if you have ever fished an IMA bait you already know that they make a quality product, from head to toe their baits are made with love and to meant to last. After two seasons on the water my Da Beat frog has held up really well, and landed me some monster fish.

Castability: 3.0/5

Obviously casting distance is always going to be an issue when fishing with baits this size.. and on top of that the Da Beat is a popper and thus its mouth adds even more drag. In order to get around this I opt to use a rods with a bit more whip in the tip.. a Dobyns 734c is ideal for this frog and will get you some good distance without sacrificing accuracy. Again don't expect to launch this bait miles, unless you have the perfect conditions and the right, rod, reel, and line combo

Presentation: 4.0/5

This frog walks with ease and its little  mouth gives off some surprisingly big sound. I was really impressed with who well the Da Beat twitches in place, I caught the majority of my fish in open water situations while just twitching the bait in place. It drove bass crazy and they came running for the dinner bell.

Hook-up Ratio: 4.0/5

The fact that this frog is nearly always swallowed whole, means that more often then not you are not going to have an issue getting your fish back to the boat. But on the off chance you swing and miss, and the bite is short, you may have greater issues drilling home these small hooks.

With very tight placement to the baits body and being that the hooks are slightly turned-inward I would have rated a larger frog mush lower in this category, but with that said, this one-bite candy has been a dream to fish with.

Availability: 3.5/5

The DaBeat frog is not widely available, but the fact that it is carried by two of the largest and best (in my opinion) on-line retailers tells me that if you really wanted to get your hands on this frog then you easily could. I purchased direct from Optimum, they are great to deal with and always provide free stickers ( and I love me some free stickers)

Options & Price: 3.5/5

Only available in one size and with only 5 colour options the DaBeat does not really push the envelope when it comes to choices. I purchased the white and dark green colours and was happy with both.

I would be interested in seeing this frog available in a bit larger of a size. If they are able to replicate the action in a slightly larger/heavier frog i think they would have a real winner on their hands

Where to Find:

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

Tackle Warehouse ($10.99)

Land Big Fish ($10.99)

Optimum Baits ($11.99)


Equipment:

All  testing was done on a  Dobyns DX746 & 734C the lighter rod allowed for better casting accuracy and distance. The Daiwa Lexa pairs well with both these rods and gives you a nice over sized spool for that added distance and power. Line choice was Daiwa Samurai for its casting ability. The fact that this frog will be fished in open to medium cover also allows you to get away with using lighter powered line (20-30lb)

Field Test Report Card:

Open Water (Sparse Pads): A

Pads (Medium Cover): B+

Slop & Grass (Heavy Cover): C-

Walk the Dog: B

Popping Action: B

Sit/Pause: B

Molix Frog Review

Molix Frog  : Colors: 7  Length: 2 1/2"  inch Weight: 3/4oz  Pack Count: 1

Intro:

It appears the trend towards "realistic" legs over silicone legs is alive and well. Since the launch of the LunkerHunt Frog we have seen more and more companies trying a versions of this frog.. and yet it is still along way from perfect.

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: 3.0/5

First things first, Molix makes great looking baits that hook me long befor they hook a fish on the end of my line. Once out of the package they have a great look and feel, and everything about them screams that they will be fishing catching machines.. but then you get them on the water

The Legs on this bait appear to be strong, but being removable means that they can and will get ripped off during a battle. It happen to mine on the 6th fish I caught on my first trip, with the bait.. but to be honest they were not all the impressive anyways, so I will continue to fish this frog with the provided back-up skirt (although its a bit dumpy looking to me)

I do really love how Molix puts all this effort into pushing that the legs are reinforced for strength and durability.. maybe they should have spent more time on the  tiny plastic clip used to hold them in place

Castability: 3.5/5

casting distance with the Molix frog is about average, you can easily short to mid range targets but will need to put your back into it if you want to get any distance. Im not sure if the legs are causing some drag but I thought for the size if this frog I should have been getting more distance on the cast

Presentation: 3.0/5

As mentioned earlier Ive yet to find a realistic legged frog that blows me away with its presentation, and all in all Im not convinced that this style of leg is any better then the silicone legs being used on 90% of the frogs on the market today.

The Molix frogs biggest presentation issue stems from the body design. If you look at the top image in this review you will notice that the nose the bait is slightly pointed down, meaning that on each and every pull the frog does a slight dive and the more you pull the further it dives. This makes it harder to work the bait in heavier cover of slop, but still makes it a winner in open water or medium cover

Hook-up Ratio: 4.0/5

Surprisingly enough I achieved a pretty decent hook-up ration with this bait, the legs (while still attached) did not get in the way and most fish ate the Molix frog whole and would not let go.

With that said my legs did not last all that long so its hard for me to give full points here. Like with all legged baits the legs are thick and may hinder your ability to hook-up from time to time.. again that was not my experience, just a warning.

Availability: 3.0/5

Not widely available you may need to hunt this frog down on-line. Both TakleWarehouse and LandBig fish currently stock this bait, so you if you want to give it a try, go-ahead and check them out

Options & Price: 3.5/5

Although the Molix frog is only available in one size, they do offer 7 colour options the give the angler a mix of the traditional and funky. Each from comes with a pair of legs as well as a matching skirt that clip on and off

Pricing is not bad at $9.99, but is at the top of what I would expect to pay for this bait

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)

Land Big Fish ($9.99)


Equipment:

All  testing was done on a  Dobyns DX746 this is a new rod in their line-up that handles both hollow and soft plastic baits alike. As for reels, the Daiwa Lexa pairs well with this rod and gives you a nice over sized spool for that added distance and power. Line choice was SunLIne FX2

Field Test Report Card:

Open Water (Sparse Pads): B

Pads (Medium Cover): B

Slop & Grass (Heavy Cover): C+

Walk the Dog: N/A

Popping Action: N/A

Sit/Pause: B