Two of the most exciting occurrences in bass fishing are topwater frog blowups and buzzbait strikes. Snag Proof provided us with a Snag Proof Bobby’s Perfect Buzz Frog and I’ve found it to be an excellent hybrid of the two techniques.
When I first got my hands on this bait, I thought it would primarily be an effective pond fishing bait. After much success on big water, however, it has proven me very wrong and turned my skepticism into belief. There are 4 characteristics that have really impressed me.
- Comes through cover very well
- Unique action
- Very durable
- Good hookup ratio
Consider it a 4-wheel drive bait
One of the common frustrations with buzzbait-style topwater lures is the high number of annoying hang-ups””especially when using a trailer hook. Whether I’m fishing sparse grass, thick vegetation or gnarly wood, the Snag Proof Bobby’s Perfect Buzz Frog comes through cover extremely well.
The double hooks protruding from the back of the frog enable the Perfect Buzz Frog to make its way through wood very well. When the blades of many traditional buzzbaits hit a piece of wood cover, the bait will turn on its side and expose the hooks to unwanted snags. Fortunately, this isn’t a problem with the Perfect Buzz Frog. I’ve fished it in the middle of thick blowdowns and it tends to “crawl” over obstacles rather than collide with them.
I’ve been especially impressed by the Perfect Buzz Frog’s ability to come through grass cover. Initially, I was a little hesitant to throw it into the thick stuff, but when you hold your rod tip at the 9 o’clock position, slightly raising the blade, the blade clears a perfect path for the body of the bait. I’ve used it in several different types of vegetation and it’s been phenomenal and totally hassle-free.
Awesome action
Snag Proof combined the noise making features of a buzzbait and the compact, snag free profile of a topwater frog into one bait. The high-quality, lightweight aluminum blade makes a ton of racket on the water, but you’ll also notice a slight “squeak” with a slow and steady retrieve speed. It’s very difficult to find a buzzbait blade with this unique sound, but it’s very important. Throughout the spring when bass are bombarded daily with buzzbaits, the small squeaking sound is just enough to differentiate your offering from others.
The Perfect Buzz Frog also features paddle feet that operate flawlessly in the water. They don’t make a ton of commotion, but just enough to turn short-striking fish into choking fish.
Very durable after a lot of fish catches
I’ve fished with many different models of topwater frogs and many of them get ripped up and stripped of their paint very easily””sometimes after just one solid day of frog fishing. Not only is it irritating, but that gets really expensive very quickly.
The Perfect Buzz Frog has proven to be very durable. This isn’t a bait you fish in open water””you want to slam it deep into overhangs, under docks and into nasty blowdowns. As a result, it needs to be able to take a lot of punishment””and it does.
The plastic body of the frog won’t ride up your line or tear after fish catches and the components hold up well after wrenching on 5-pounders with 65-pound braid. I’ve purposely tried to break this rig and I haven’t succeeded yet.
Surprisingly good hookup ratio
I was a little concerned about the lack of trailer hook on the Perfect Buzz Frog at first. After using it for a couple of afternoons and missing numerous fish, I realized it wasn’t the bait’s fault””it was mine.
If you wait at least one full second from the time the bite occurs until you set the hook, you’ll catch a ton of fish on the Perfect Buzz Frog. If you fish it like a buzzbait and follow strikes with an immediate hookset, you’ll lose plenty of fish. It’s really that simple. If you make a concerted effort to learn the proper hookset with the Perfect Buzz Frog, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how well the 4/0 Gamakatsu EWG Double Hooks hang on to the fish.
I get pretty excited when I talk about frog fishing””maybe a little too excited. Either way, I think you’re going to have a blast fishing with the Bobby’s Perfect Buzz Frog. Priced at $9.99, it may be a little different than what you’re used to, but it will definitely catch plenty of bass.
The Snag Proof Bobby’s Perfect Buzz Frog is available at TackleWarehouse.com.
