Remember some time back I posted on the Rapala Insider that Storm had some 'Asian edition' lures coming our way and previewed some frog lure prototype? (see here)

The good news is that I've managed to get some actual production samples of the 'Basho Frog'; the first few lures in Storm's 'Asia Edition' series. Insider information is that it should hit the retail stores end May'11.

There's some artistic nuance to this lure than just catching fish. The 'Basho Frog' name was actually inspired by the 17th century Japanese poet Matsuo Basho, who wrote a poem about a frog in 'The Old Pond'.

The poem goes something like this:

Pond, there, still and old!
A frog has jumped from the shore.
The splash can be heard

(Translation by Eli Siegel)

Splashy froggy it is! Should be a great lure for Haruan & Toman in weedy water. I'm already thinking about field tests at Sepayang Reservoir ;)

Froggy-licious!

2 sizes

Storm "ASIA EDITION!" Woohoo!

Reflective spoon on the lure's rear for added attraction

The larger 65mm (14.5g) beside the smaller 52mm (9.5g) frog.

Popper face design

(somehow I feel there's a slight resemblance to Kermit the Frog here)

Weighted at the rear end to cast longer distances

Rubber body texture hides the extra sharp VMC double hooks, making it weedless

More Walk In the Forest Pics

More pics of our forest walk :)

Little ones started the morning

Many loved the noisy Clackin' Minnow

Of course, the ever reliable X-Rap 10 works well too

And Huat lands his dream fish on Twitchin' Rap

7lber!

Then they came in plague proportions

FG having fun and lovin' it!

I love the look and feel of the Rapala Granite prototype rods in testing...

(Rapala Insider news is that it will hit stores in a couple of months' time)

Not to mention also the upmarket Rapala Predator series coming our way.

Looks cool, feels light and powerful yet sensitive!