Monday, December 10, 2012

Top Frogs Awards 2012: Soft Body Toads





Intro:

Last week we awarded TOP Frog Rankings to a selection of Hollow Body frogs, so this week it's time for the soft body frogs (or toads) to shine.

The Same rules apply: Top Frog awards are given to  products that came out on top, not only in their overall rating, but also in each of the categories I review.. kinda like the Oscars, you may not win best picture, but you still have the chance to win for cinematography.. here we go


Quality: Stanley "Ribbit"

there are not many frogs on the market today that are built as tough as the Stanley Ribbit. The quality of plastic/rubber used is soft enough to impart the action required in a buzz frog, yet firm enough to do battle with a Pike and live to cast again.

This is a well designed frog and deserved of it Rank as Top Frog: Quality

click Here to see the full review



Castability: Kicker X Fish "Xplodin Toad"

As an angler that prefers to work with swim frogs over buzz frogs I was pleasantly surprised by the Kicker X Fish Xplodin Toad.  It's fishes very well at various speeds and casts like a bullet. A very aerodynamic body made of a firm dense rubber/plastic is the key behind this baits casting ability. If you are looking for a frog that you can cast into tight spots or on windy days, look no further then the Xplodin Toad

click Here to see the full review




Presentation: Gene Larew "Three Legged Toad"

Some may say I'm bias here, as the Gene Larew Three Legged Toad is one of my all time favourite frogs, That being said, I'm awarding it the Top Frog award for Presentation, not based on on my bias but based on how well this frog fishes, and that fact that it flat out catches bass.

the Three Legged Toad is designed well using two kind of plastic/rubber.  The body is super soft and marshmallow like, and the legs are a more tradition plastic that give off the subtle churn I like to see when fishing a swim frog. 


Hook-Up Ratio: Gene Larew "Three Legged Toad"


The soft squishy body of the Gene Larew three legged toad is what provides it with it's superior hook-up ratio. It holds your hook firm when retrieved, but any pressure from a fish will loosen it and the body collapses as it is was a hollow body frog. I think you would have a hard time finding a frog with a better hook-up ratio in the market today

click Here to see the full review





Availability: Zoom "Horny Toad"


The Zoom Horny toad has been on the market for years now, and continues to impress anglers with its durability, presentation and it's ability to catch fish. This frog is in most anglers tackle bags, and Ill tell you why.. it's because it is priced right and can be found on the shelves of most tackle stores from coast to coast. 

click Here to see the full review


Options & Price: Outdoor Advantage "Boss Frog"

This is one of the more recent frogs I have reviewed, and the timing could not be better, as I cant think of another frog that so easily won it's category. Outdoor Advantage's "Boss Frog" clearly takes the cake when it comes to available options... 35 Colours, 8 scents

match that with a price point of $4.50 a pack or $0.64 a frog and you can see why the Boss Frog gets the Top Frog Award for Options and Price 

click Here to see the full review




Highest Overall Rating: Stanley Ribbit

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

This years Top Frog award goes to the Stanley Ribbit, with perfect or near perfect scores in categories like Quality, Castability and presentation, there was not frog that could touch it for "best overall score".

This was my first season fishing with the Ribbit and I was impressed with it's action on the water and how well it help up fish after fish, as noted many times, I'm not much of a "buzz frog" guy, but the Ribbit helped open my eyes to a wide selection of buzz frogs.

Congrats to Stanley for banging out a Top Frog

click Here to see the full review


Best Places to Frog Shop:

When if comes to service, price, shipping and availability, here are the 3 best places to build your frog arsenal


The Hook-Up

* 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 soft body frog (or toad) fishing there is no better rod on the market then the Dobyns 735c, I always have one rigged up and ready for battler no matter the conditions.

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 first season using it, and I could not be happier. When Toad fishing I usually drop down to 40lb or lighter, no need for 60/80lb line

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