Fishing a topwater frog is one of my favorite things to do, so I always jump at the opportunity to test new models. I had never used a River2Sea frog in the past, so I really had no preconceived notions when I got to try the new Bully Wa 2. I had no idea what to expect.
I’ve been testing this frog for quite some time and it accounted for some nice fish catches. I even caught some in 54-degree water. If you’re a fellow frogger, there are some things I think you should know about this particular model.
Outstanding castability
I’m pretty critical of topwater frogs, especially when it comes to castability. Not only it is important to make long casts, but easily skipping them underneath overhanging cover is also essential if you want to maximize your number of bites.
The River2Sea Bully Wa 2 sincerely impressed me in this regard. The 55 size measures 2 1/4 inches and the 65 size measures 2 5/8 inches. I was blown away by how well each size casts.
It’s not uncommon at all to cast all the way to your backing with both sizes, so make sure you have plenty of braided line on your reel. With a simple overhand cast I was able to cover vast expanses of water easily and efficiently. The added weight of the Bully Wa 2 also increased my accuracy quite a bit. Whether I was fan casting a big grass bed or pitching it to isolated cover, it seemed as if I was always landing it incredibly close to my desired target.
This frog is also excellent for skipping underneath cover. Frogging underneath boat docks is a big deal in my neck of the woods and the Bully Wa 2 provided seamless skips in some pretty hard-to-reach places. As long as I had a few inches of clearance underneath a dock, I could get it in there with the accuracy of a skipping jig. It doesn’t catch a bunch of water, so in addition to being accurate, it’s also quite stealthy as it skips across the water.
Easy to walk
Walking a topwater frog gets a bunch of bites, but some certainly walk better than others. I like to fish quickly, so I tend to use frogs that don’t require a slow, methodical retrieve.
The Bully Wa 2 walks very easily, regardless of the size you choose. It doesn’t require a bunch of concentration, which is a big deal to me. While I’m walking this frog, I can keep my head on a swivel and scan the surrounding area in order to plan my next cast.
This also allows it to stay in small strike zones for a longer period of time. When you find a small hole in vegetation, you can usually twitch it three or four times to grab the attention of nearby bass. It’s one of the easier-to-walk frogs I’ve had an opportunity to test.
No delay needed
I often advise anglers to wait roughly a half-second before setting the hook on a topwater frog. This ensures that the fish get the whole lure in their mouths so you can execute a powerful hookset.
Much to my surprise, I had a much better hookup ratio when setting the hook quickly with the Bully Wa 2. It took a while to get used to it because old habits die hard, but I can’t tell you the last time I’ve missed a fish on this frog.
I contribute this unusually high hookup ratio to two primary factors: Collapsibility and hook size. This is a very soft frog, but not too soft. The body still protects the hook points when coming through thick cover to avoid any unwanted snags, but it collapses easily when a big bass grabs ahold of it. When the soft body collapses, it exposes two unusually large, razor-sharp hooks.
I’ve really put this frog through its paces and have been setting the hook as hard as I can. I have not been able to bend or flex these hooks on the hookset. Even with 65-pound braid and a stout rod, they hold up to the abuse without a problem.
Good looking colors
Although I’m partial to the Carpenter color, there are 16 other colors to choose from that imitate a wide array of forage options. Whether you’re trying to imitate bluegill, shad, frogs or even birds, you’ll find plenty of interesting options. If I had to suggest a few colors, I’d stick with Carpenter, Bluegill, Dirty White and Snipe. These colors will cover your basic white, brown and black color patterns that seem to work well throughout the entire country.
Final impressions
I like this frog a lot and I believe it will have a definite place on my front deck this year. If you’re getting short strikes on the larger 65 size, don’t be afraid to step down to the 55. I’ve had a lot of success doing this!
The River2Sea Bully Wa 2 is available at TackleWarehouse.com.
