The Smashmouth Frog is Snag Proof’s newly released popping style frog from ICAST this past July.
The frog features all the popular elements of their proven Bobby’s Perfect Frog, such as its unique body shape that will slide with ease over thick mats, a water evacuation system so the frog stays afloat, and some of the most detailed and intricate paint jobs that are on any topwater hollow-bodied frog on the market.
Here's a closer look at the Smashmouth...
What makes the Smashmouth Different?
Hook: One item that in my-opinion that set’s the Smashmouth apart from other popping style frogs, is the hook point angle. The Smashmouth hook has been engineered for maximum hook ups. This feature coupled with a spool of 65-pound-test Seaguar Smackdown Braid means that when a big largemouth blows up on the frog in the thick stuff, you’ll be able to hook them and keep that bass buttoned all the way to the boat.
Frog Face: What differentiates the Smashmouth frog from Snag Proof's Bobby’s Perfect or Phat Frog is its cupped face. The Smashmouth face shape allows the frog to cause more commotion and action on top of the water. he cupping also helps the frog track better across the top of the water when worked faster when going across open water pockets, or sparse vegetation.
This makes the Smashmouth ideal when there is a slight breeze causing ripples atop the water, and more action is needed for a bass to get clued into your bait.
Tip: If bass are actively chasing baitfish or bluegills in the vegetation and you need to mimic their activity level.
Smashmouth Targets
Rock Dwellers: One way to garner the attention of dock dwelling bass is to show them something different than a jig, Texas-rig, or ChatterBait and a topwater frog will do that.
Working the Smashmouth Frog parallel to the dock will not only catch bass that are outside of the dock hanging in the shade of it, or on the adjacent cover, but with the popping action, it will call bass out from underneath the dock.
Being that the Smashmouth is snag proof, it can be skipped into the dock openings. Now if you want a rush, just wait until you can’t see your frog and just hear a complete explosion on it while it’s out of sight underneath a boat dock.
Scattered Vegetation: I also like to use the Smashmouth when I’m fishing scattered vegetation and brush along the bank, especially in the spring when bass are on beds, or feeding on bluegill beds. The extra action and splash from the popping frog will excite, aggravate, or straight up pi** off a bass on its own bed, or emulate a bluegill fleeing off it’s bed as a bass is in hot pursuit.
This is also a prime “junk fishing” area, as you can be working along a bank, and make casts over matted vegetation, along emergent grass, over a laydown, under a dock, or just right up to the bank.
Tip: The ability to alter your retrieve with the Smashmouth Frog, from a quick popping action, to a slow and methodically pop and pause, or the common walk-the-dog cadence, allows you to keep one rod in your hand, so you can cover water and quickly determine what the preferred pattern is for those bass on that given day.
Smashmouth Colors - When / Why
The Smashmouth's release came in a dozen color options. These are three of my favoriteand when I use them.
Alabaster: This white frog is ideal when bass are pushing shad, or other baitfish along vegetation such as an eel grass line. The white color and the splashing action from the frog mimics the baitfish that the bass are feeding on.
New Bullfrog: I’m a very big believer k a natural-colored frog, as it can represent several things that a bass may be eating. It is the color option that I typically choose. From a bluegill to, as the name suggests, a bullfrog, the Smashmouth in New Bullfrog features a paint job of hues of brown, orange and white - all of which are life-like colors.
Along with mimicking the forage the bass are eating, a natural-colored frog does well when the bass are pressured, or the water is clear, and a natural looking frog will keep a bass from getting spooked off.
Midnight: Having a dark colored frog in the tackle box is important, especially on cloudy days, or when a storm front is about to move in. I have also found it useful when the water is very dark and tannic like. This Midnight Smashmouth is a dark blue/back color.
Note: The second Smashmouth in the photo above has a modification of trimmed legs.
The Smashmouth Frog is available in 12 colors and has an MSRP of $10.99.
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