Internet tackle buyers
may have noticed a new look to the Snag Proof website; but that is not the only
change for the company that makes the original, hollow-bodied frog. The toad
that's tempted bass for over half a century is making a big leap from Ohio and
landing in California. The company's ownership has changed hands as Connie Fuller
and her family pass their toad torch to Delta local Nathan Chandler of
Toads Only guide service.
For those worried that
the amphibian handoff will somehow alter the aesthetic, function or customer service
that anglers have become accustomed to - rest assured, all is well on the Snag
Proof front. "Manufacturing has already moved," said Chandler.
"Everything picked up exactly where it left off. Snag Proof has not
skipped a beat in the transition."
Like Connie and her family, the
Chandlers have a longstanding family biz. Calling Fremont, Calif. its home,
Henry Plastic Molding was started in the early '70s by Nathan Chandler's
grandfather and rated a "World Class" plastic injection molding
vender - a perfect match for the Perfect Frog maker.
What does it mean to
the everyday angler? For the most part, there will be no difference.
There are no changes to
the pro signature lineup representation. Frog Master Bobby Barrack and
Bassmaster Elite Series pros Ish Monroe and Chris Lane still have their Snag
Proofs tied on and the face behind the scenes at the company Connie Fuller has
not jumped out of the picture. "Connie and the old owners are part of the
new team," said Chandler. "The Snag Proof Opens will continue as
scheduled and you will still even see Connie at the events."
Chandler's chief
objectives in the toad takeover were to keep Snag Proof's manufacturing in the
United States and maintain the lure within a company that will recognize the
frog as its primary player. "I didn't want the Snag Proof frog to be
swallowed up in part of a larger product line in a larger company," said
Chandler. "We are not a lure company that has frogs as a secondary item. Snag
Proof frogs were and still are going to be made by a 'frog-making' company."
Although the
manufacturing site and ownership has changed, the Snag Proof customer won't
notice a difference. For the future, Chandler does have aspirations for a frog
revolution and hopes to bring that to fruition by helping every angler gain
confidence in the frog as a staple not a specialty. "Right now, people
look at the lure like they do a swimbait or a summertime bait," he
explained. "We're going to make it as common on the deck of every boat as
a jig or a dropshot. We want every angler, everywhere to always have one tied
on and ready to fish. We will take frog fishing to the next generation."
Although his background
is in injection molding, Chandler is no stranger to a bass boat. He grew up fishing
the California Delta and currently is the Toads Only, Inc guide for the tidal
water fishery. "I am an avid big fish fisherman," he stated. "My
passion for bass fishing is due to Bobby Barrack taking me under his wing as a
fishing partner for tournaments and a fishing friend for recreational times.
The dedication that I have seen in Bobby and Snag Proof has shown me the kind
of frog that this company makes. I have never thrown another frog in my life.
When I heard that the company was being sold and it might go somewhere else - to a company that may not care about the Snag
Proof name or (even worse leave the country) - I had to put a stop to it."
To check out the
website revamp featuring a new shopping cart, frog tips, a YouTube video
gallery and more, go to SnagProof.com.
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