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In Depth:

Manufacturer: Mr Blitz (link)
Size: 4/0 and 5/0
Weight: 1/32 oz. and 1/8 oz.
Type: Weighted Frog Hook
Cost: $3.59 to $3.99 per 4

Retailers:
Mr. Blitz - Call
Kicker Fish Co. (direct link) - $3.59
Land Big Fish - $3.99

The frog craze. It's here. Over the past few years frog fishing has been an effective way to put fish in the boat. Guys such as Dean Rojas have made a career out of fishing frogs. It seems that every company has caught on and invented their own version of the plastic frog. One thing that they all share is that they require a hook to meet the needs of fishing a frog. Companies such as Zoom, Sizmic, and V&M all make frog hooks. The problem if you've ever fished a frog bait is that they tend to roll, or won't land correctly after the initial cast. The Mr Blitz Toad Toter has solved this.

Mr Blitz is a company based out of Texas and is the brainchild of Mike Hollomon. He has invented many great fishing products over the years that solve the headaches of fishing plastics. His Toad Toter is no exception. It is available in 2 hook sizes and colors, as well as 2 different keel weights. To keep the frog in place, it uses a patented Peli-Lock system.

Value: The weighted hooks come 4 per package and are available in red, or nickle. This equates to about 75 cents per hook and weight combo. The hooks are mega bite Mustad needlepoint hook, and they are super sharp. These hooks penetrate! The hook (keel) weight is available in 1/8oz and 1/32oz. The ones we fished with are the 1/8oz.

Rigged on a Stanley Ribbit frog.

Lastly, the patented Peli-Lock keeper is what Mike invented to keep the head of the frog from moving. The best thing about the Peli-Lock is it has 2 hooks to keep the head in place, and it takes a pro wrestler to get the head loose, unlike other systems on the market, this thing is staying put.

Durability/Strength: Even after numerous hooksets, the Peli-Lock system allows you to keep using the same frog. I noticed that I averaged about 3 bass before having to replace the frog, in this case, the Stanley Ribbit.

The Peli-Lock is what makes this work so well.

The durability of the hook is spectacular. I noticed that it stayed sharp after catching bass after bass. The hook is also thick enough to not bend at all, but at the same time, not too thick where it cant penetrate.

Performance: How many times have you thrown a frog, just to have the line get twisted, or the bait would not land correctly? The weight solves this. It allows the bait to sink through the heaviest of grass, land in the water, and give those bass a chance to chow down!

Tip: Although it is temping to jerk the rod when you see a fish hit the frog, wait until the fish has had a second to swim with the bait, and then set the hook. This minimizes in misses caused by an early hookset. Some anglers like to use a "1, 2, set the hook" count.

Frog fishing can be an exciting way to fish because the bite is instant, and explosive. Ive caught some of my biggest fish this way. Morning and sunset I found are some of the best times for this technique.

Application: Grass, weeds, thick green! Those are going to be the key areas where the hook and frog combo will excel. I found that the hook does not get snagged in the grass, and the weight is the key.

The wake it leaves, coming through vegitation.

The one drawback to throwing a weighted hook into the thick stuff is that it can become gunked up around matted vegetation. Other than mats, everywhere else is free reign. We found some nice spots where lily pads were concealing bass underneath. This provided a great ambush spot for bass, and a natural area for frogs.

Nose up, the combo leaves an appealing trail.

Paired with a great frog, it wont spook those bass that would be normally intimidated by a loud buzzbait, but wants something more than a worm.