Monday, July 6, 2015

Daiwa D-Frog Review

D-Frog: Colors: 4  Length: 2 5/8"  inch Weight:  2/3oz  Pack Count: 1

Intro:

One of the rarest frogs Ive reviewed to-date the D-Frog by Daiwa was requested by a reader. I'm not sure why this frog is not more widely available as it fishes extremely well and is built like truck. Como Daiwa get this frog into North America


Overall Rating: 7.3/10
Each frog is rated on the following criteria: Quality, Castability, Presentation, Hook-up Ratio Available Options, Product Availability & Price


Quality & Durability: 4.5/5

The body of the D-frog is made of a soft pliable plastic and is equipped with an air chamber that is that is sealed air tight.This frog is nearly unsinkable and in all honesty it is so tight its almost a fault. (it takes forever to fill back up with air).

The hooks are strong and sharp and mold well to the frogs body. The D-Frog has a somewhat strange body shape that can take a little getting use to but after a few casts you will be able to walk the dog or even force it into a popping stance (even though it is not equipped with a mouth)


Castability: 4.0/5

The D-Frog gets decent distance but its light weight balloon of a body does need you to put a little extra muscle in each cast. The best casting feature of this frog is how always (yes always) rolls over onto it's belly. I was blown away by how quickly and easily the D-frog gets into fighting position once it hits the water.




Presentation: 4.0/5

There are two pros and one con to the D-Frog when it comes to presentation. On the pro side it walks the dog well, but better at low speeds or twitches. If you start to speed it up the D-Frog almost begins to pop, even without a mouth it moves water well and gives you an unexpected popping action.

The con here is that the body is too tight, anytime you put pressure on it, it collapses but takes minuted to return to form.. and thats time wasted.

Hook-up Ratio: 3.5/5

The D-Frog provides you with a slightly better then average hook-up ratio. The hoots are sharp, strong and well positioned. The only thing preventing this frog from getting a higher rating is the fact that the body stays collapsed after a strike, thus if you miss the fish on the initial blow-up you don't often get a second chance as the now exposed hooks collect debris on the lake.


Availability: 2.5

This is going to hurt the D-Frogs overall score, with the frog not being available in North America your only real chance at landing one is on E-bay which can come with a hefty shipping charge



Options & Price: 3.0/5

Only available in one size and 4 colours the D-Frog isn't exactly blowing you away with options.But the color selection is good and should have something for everyone. As for price, this is where it gets tricky, the only place I could find the frog was on Ebay which means the price will vary, but you can expect to pay between $12-$16 after shipping





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

Ebay (???)



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 HD 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): A
Slop & Grass (Heavy Cover): B

Walk the Dog: B
Popping Action: N/A
Sit/Pause: B





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