Daimiki Air Frog Review

Air Frog:      Colours: 6   Size: 4"     Pack Count: 4     

             Leg Style: Buzz               Weight: 1oz

Intro:

The Damiki Air frog is one of the more unique frog baits to hit the market over the past few years, and it immediately caught my attention when launched at ICAST back in 2013. Equipped with two air chambers on either side of the bait the Air Frog  easily stays afloat while presenting a large bulky profile to hungry bass.

Overall Rating: 6.5/10

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

Quality & Durability: 3.5/5

There is a hell of a lot of plastic put into this frog, and both the legs and body were definitely built to last. The biggest area of concern I have is with the nose end of the bait that seems to tear up easily even while fitting the hook. After my first blow-up the screw ripped out of the nose making it awkward to get the bait rigged back up properly and running straight. Although there is a foam insert in the nose that was designed to help hold a screw in-place but it is still hit or miss and you can tear up baits easily if not rigged properly.

I like Damiki baits but I think some more thought needed to be put into how this bait needs to be rigged vs fished. It fishes well, but on top of the nose issue addressed above I also found it hard to properly size the hook with most hooks currently in my arsenal being to large or too small requiring some tweaking. Double hooks where places through the legs (see above) and single hooks I slide into the ass end of the bait (see below)

Castability: 3.5/5

This is a heavy frog, and it casts like a shot. It lands fairly well but depending on how your rig the bait you may have a hard time getting it to flip over if by chance it lands belly up, the wide body stance covers a lot of surface so its not as easy to flip over (its built like a Hummer)

The belly is conducive for skipping but again the weight means you may need to get in some practise in order to nail the perfect skip. Watch the below video to see whats capable once you get your technique down pat.

Presentation: 4.0/5

Once you get this bait in the water it kicks up a storm, I really like the way it swims and displaces water driving fish nutty. If rigged right (under the chin) the Air frog keeps its nose above water giving it a slightly submerged look while the large legs stir up a commotion out back.

This is a floating frog, and will stay above the water if rigged and fished properly. Watch the air bladders as the more abuse they take the harder it will be to keep the bait upright. I have tried to show a few rigging options in this review but really this bait is meant to be fished using a screw-in frog hook.

Hook-Up Ratio: 3.0/5

A combination of its odd rigging along with its large bulky body means that this frog has a slightly lower then average hook-up ratio. If it wasn't for the soft supple plastic used by Damiki this rating would be even lower.

Availability: 3.0/5

Not widely available he Air Frog can be found at a few of the larger retailers that seem to have become the standard here on the frog pond. If TackleWarehouse and/or LandBigFish don't carry a bait.. consider it hard to find

Options & Price: 3.0/5

The baits themselves come 4 to a pack and on average they will cost your $7.99 a pack or $1.99 a frog. This is slightly painful, even more so if they only hold up for a single fish.


The 6 colour options are an interesting mix of light (white) Dark (black) and the usually suspects like pumpkin and watermelon. The frog you see pictured here is the Moebi colour (I also bought black)

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)

Land Big Fish ($7.99)

The Hook Up ($7.99)

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Equipment:

I completed all my Air Frog testing with a Dobyns 736c paired with a Daiwa Tatula.  This frogs size demands a beefier rod, hence the reason I stepped up from the 735c that i usually throw soft plastic toads on. Larger spool reels will also help you with getting additional distance, frogs like the Air frog excel when you allow the fish to follow the bait for awhile prior to attacking it

Worlds Best Bass Frog (Clone Series)

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

Intro:

I have been sitting on this review for awhile now, and was never sure if I would actually post it. This frog is hand made and I have been weary of knocking a product that someone has obviously been putting a lot of time and effort into. The Worlds Best Bass Frog made its mark with a series of videos showing the creator hauling in massive fish from his canoe. Personally my experience was not quite so dramatic but then again my reviews are not based on the size of the fish I caught, but more the quantity the quality of the bait and how much fun I had throwing it.. 3 strikes in this instance

Overall Rating: 4.9/10

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

Quality & Durability: 3.0/5

2 out of 3 components of this frog are not exactly built to last. Those being the foam body and the Hook/insert at the nose of the bait. Both are easily abused and pulled apart (even more so if you happen to hook into a fish with some teeth.

The only durable part are the legs, but with that said If the hook pulls out it doesn't matter how durable the legs were since they will be floating down the lake (been there done that)

Castability: 3.0/5

this bait has a large profile body constructed of a light weight foam, it can be hard to cast without doing some serious break adjustments and things can get harry if the wind picks up.

Presentation: 2.5/5

I don't care who you are, you won't get more then a push and pull motion out of this frog. The foam will keep it afloat and the legs always get back in position but hell I could do the same with some cork and pipe cleaner.

Hook-up Ratio: 2.5/5

I think I'm being generous here, any frog with this much bulk and rubber behind the hook will give you fits when it comes to hook-up ratio, especially when the fish are short striking.  On top of this the weed-guard is a short elastic band that comes out of place quite easily making the hook pick up slop and salad on the retrieve. Unless the fish are taking this from in fully, good luck driving the hook home (oh yeah did I mention it was a single hook)

Availability: 2.0/5

As far as I can tell this bait is only available at one on-line website and that is creator owned/operated website. The people selling the bait were very nice and great to work with. I bought a pair of frogs off them and the experience was great.

Options & Price: 2.0/5

Watch out for this one. I bought the clone series as it was the only affordable option for this frog. You can buy the original series for $50 a frog and the Replicant series for $35, I see why they are so expensive as they are pieces of art and not really baits. I couldn't image fishing with one of these, but they sure are pretty

Where to Find:

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

Bass Frog.Com ($9.99)

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: C

Popping Action: N/A

Sit/Pause: C

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