Monday, June 8, 2015

River2Sea Step Wa Frog Review - RETIRED

Step Wa  : Colors: 4  Length: 2.75"  inch Weight: 7/8oz  Pack Count: 1

Intro:

The Step Wa is another unique frog bait from the River2Sea team, who are consistently launching new products in an attempt to stretch the limits of what we as fisherman call a frog bait.. some times they succeed, and sometimes they fail.. this time......


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: 3.5/5

River2Sea makes a quality bait and I never hesitate to pick up a new product in their line. They use high quality components and aren't afraid to try something new.. case in point the Step Wa Frog.  Some people (not me) call this a popping bait and will tell you the large mouth/lips were designed to push more water. I disagree and believe this bait was created in the image of the all time classic Jitterbug lure, giving you the opportunity to fish like a jitterbug but in the hairiest of cover.

Smartly the lips of the bait are not a hard plastic add on, but instead are part of the soft plastic body mold meaning that will last forever and there is no chance of leaks coming in from add-ons.


Castability: 3.5/5


River2Sea frog are well designed meaning all aspects of fishing are considered in the final design. This includes casting distance and accuracy, the Step Wa is no exception, but, the large rubber lip at the front of the bait does cause some rag and can catch the wind veering the bait slightly off course. Both of these are minor things that only slightly effect the castabiliy of this frog.




Presentation: 3.5/5

This is an area I have a hard time providing a solid rating for.. mainly due to the fact that this bait was designed to move differently then any other frog on the market, and it does this very well. Equipped with wide soft rubber jitterbug lips this frog provides a  wide crazy wobble never seen on a frog style bait.. is this something you want to use every day? No, and that's why I'm torn. The Step Wa moves as it was designed to move and will allow you to fish in the classic jitterbug style but in situations you never thought you would be able to.. but with that said.. I don't want to. its not my style and all in all I will get little use from this frog, even thought it is quality from top to bottom.

Hook-up Ratio: 4.0/5

River2Sea baits all provide you with an above average Hook-Up ratio. They seem to do everything right by making their baits with strong quality hooks and making sure there are no appendages to get in your way. In all honesty this frog felt like its body was slightly more dense then the other frogs in their line-up but that may have been all in my head.


Availability: N/A

This retired frog can still be found but is not exactly widely available. Most retailers have made room on their shelves for younger more popular River2Sea frogs like the BullyWa 2 and the Spittin Wa, that's not to say this was not a good frog, its was just a different approach that didn't really catch on.



Options & Price: 3.5/5

Only available in one size and with limited colours still available the options are not exactly endless. But with that said, in its prime this frog boasted a nice array of colours that River2Sea was known for (still only one size)



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

Bass Tackle Depot ($8.99)

Outdoor Pro Shop/Monster ($8.99)


Equipment:

All  testing was done on a  Dobyns DX746 it is my go to rod and handles both hollow and soft plastic baits alike. As for reels, the Daiwa Tatula 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: A-
Popping Action: B
Sit/Pause: B


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