PRODUCT REVIEW
13 FISHING TRASH PANDA POPPIN’ FROG
By Matt Williams
PHOTOS BY MATT PACE
F
lorida-based 13 Fishing
has built a reputation
for its regular delivery
of cutting-edge bass fishing
products. Its new Trash
Panda Poppin’ Frog follows
the innovative tradition with a
series of cool design features
aimed at enhancing perform-
ance while addressing water
intrusion, which is a common
issue with many hollow frogs.
First Impression
I’ve seen a bunch of pop-
ping frogs over the years,
and this one comes with
some cool unique and func-
tional cosmetic features.
Its flat butt tapers down
at a slight angle. Designers
say this improves hookup
ratios by helping the body
collapse when a bass eats it.
The frog’s legs are made
with an even split between
rounded rubber stands and
Flashabou, a synthetic mate-
rial that spreads out on the
surface and creates a unique
sparkle when light hits it.
72
Reducing water intrusion
was also a big priority 13
Fishing addressed in a cou-
ple ways. The most obvious
is a heat-shrink wrap around
the hooks that helps close off
the hook-shank gap on the
underside. On many frogs,
this bottom hole lets water in
but also acts as a “blowhole”
to squeeze water out. The
Trash Panda has a pin-sized
blowhole strategically placed
on its back to further reduce
seepage because it rarely
contacts the water.
While many manufactur-
ers mount an external weight
near the butt, the weight on
13’s frog is fully concealed
inside. A quick dissection of
the body reveals a lead
weight that molds around
the upper portion of the hook
shank to create even balance
nose to tail.
Finally, at 2.95 inches, it’s
not an overly large bait, but
the plump midsection cre-
ates a big target profile that
moves a lot of water.
In Action
Looks can sometimes be
deceiving, but that’s not the
case here. In fact, there isn’t
much not to like about this
popping frog.
At 9/16 ounce, the bait
sails like a flat rock and is
quick to right itself with a
twitch or two should it land
upside down in slop or on
top of a pad.
The concave nose spits,
chugs and hurls water like
other premium popping
toads, yet it doesn’t produce
a lot of forward motion due to
the bait’s level stance. The
“stay put” trait should be use-
ful for tormenting reluctant
bass around brush.
The bait also walks fairly
well with the proper cadence.
It’ll dance straight out of the
box, but trimming about an
inch off the legs seems to
allow for a more consistent
side-to-side action.
As durability goes, the
thin-walled body is tough
enough to take a beating, yet
supple enough to collapse
and expose the magnum 4/0
frog hooks when a fish bites.
I’d like to say the hookup
ratio was significantly greater
than with other hollow-body
frogs, but, in my experience,
it was closer to par. A few
missed strikes come with the
territory in frog fishing.
Like with most frogs, the
seal around the hooks isn’t 100
percent watertight, but you
won’t find it necessary to drain
the Trash Panda nearly as
often as some other models.
Final Thoughts
There’s an army of good
popping frogs on the market,
and the Trash Panda is cer-
tainly worthy of a spot in your
arsenal. It seems to be well
designed with some unique
features, including water-
intrusion barriers, an interior
weight and a hook that’s built
for bear. It’s versatile, too, so
it can be popped, skipped or
walked effectively around
shallow cover of all kinds.
FLWFISHING.COM | MAJORLEAGUEFISHING.COM | APRIL-MAY 2020