I had better success with treble hooked swimbaits like the afore mentioned Skinny Bear Big Cull - a line through bait you rig with a treble hook in the belly, and one of my old standbys, a seven inch, 22nd Century Triple Trout. Under load, the IA784C-H is a bit more moderate than I expected given its lure rating and probably more suited to trebled hooked baits if you're choosing this bait for swimbait duty.

The rear handle on this stick is only 12.5" making it easy to work frogs but also more comfortable to fish while seated like while on a kayak

Switching things up and back to the purpose for which this stick was designed, I tested this stick with Molix's Pop Frog. This is kind of a hybrid frog that both walks and pops but the pop is more of a splash. The weather finally heated up enough to where I could get back on track fishing the IA784C-H with its true purpose in tackle life. On one cast, I was caught a bit off guard landing the Pop Frog over a point, popping it once, the bait was sucked beneath the surface and I could actually see it swimming off to the left towards shore! I swung, but since I could see the bait, it was obvious the fish did not have a good hold of it probably just grabbing the skirted legs. But what that missed hit did was put me in a better frame of mind for the next chance.

The IA784C-H works well with treble hook big baits

That chance came about fifteen minutes later when I noticed a spot against a retaining wall where some overgrown ivy was hanging down into the water. I whip-cast the Pop Frog to a spot in the middle of that patch of ivy, made one twitch and again, the bait disappeared with a "bloop!" I didn't even wait to feel the weight of the fish before swinging and was relieved to feel that telltale resistance of a good hookset when I did swing.

Not a fan of this particular hook hangar by Fuji

The fish immediately broke the surface crashing through the vegetation and thrashed about. The memory of those lost DSS Shad swimbait fish haunted me as the fish jumped, but this time, this fish stayed buttoned all the way to the boat. In this battle, I was actually thankful for the rod's taper as my clicking drag let me know I had good pressure on the fish, while the rod tired the fish out enough to land it in the net, pose for its photo opportunity and let it back into the water to fight another day.

Skinny Bear's Big Cull line through paddletail is another nice match for this stick

Design & Ergonomics: iRod's IA784C-H has a balance and tip heavy character that's quite common among rods of the same length and relative power. Where it stands out in this area though, is weight. At 5.3 ounces, it really feels like a much shorter rod. Speaking of which, as a frog rod, this is the type of stick I'd use to bomb a frog long distances and cover a lot of water rather than one I'd rely upon for tight, target casting beneath overhanging branches and into the corners around and underneath docks. My general preference for a frog rod in these situations however, is not the norm at under seven feet. This rod's length is ideal for taking up a lot of line during a hookset when your bait is out towards the end of your cast. It seems the most popular length for a frog rod these days is 7'-4".

Some of the detailing on this stick is very nice

As a stick for small, soft bodied swimbaits, I think the IA784C-H excels, and can understand its popularity for this purpose. However, one thing to be mindful of when using this stick with small swimbaits is that rear handle length is only twelve inches (12") long, so you don't get the same kind of leverage you normally would with a stick designed for big baits. It's serviceable, just not ideal. As with any rod, it really comes down to what's comfortable for you and for what purpose you plan to use the it. Just because a stick is designed for one purpose does not mean you can use it for something else. The IA784C-H Croaker Crusher is a prime example of this scenario.

Price & Applications: The Croaker Crusher IA784C-H by iRod retails for $189.99 placing it in that tier just above what I consider a value driven fishing rod (normally anything below $150). The good news is, it is still at a price point that should not break your tackle budget. With a name like "Croaker," it's rather obvious the intended application for which it was designed, but don't let that fool you, this stick is a versatile, heavy or even extra-heavy powered stick. From frogs to buzzbaits, to big topwater walking baits, and small, soft bodied swimbaits and more, the IA784C-H is sneaky versatile with really good power.

Conclusion: The iRod IA784C-H Croaker Crusher represents what I believe to be a growing trend once again moving away from technique specific builds. It's labeled as a frog stick, but who makes a hollow body frog that weighs three ounces? Megabass's Big Gabot hollow belly frog is one of the larger baits of this type in recent memory and even it only weighs three quarters of an ounce. Why then, bother to have a frog rod rated so high in maximum lure weight if you weren't suggesting you can use it for more than what the label suggests? This stick has built in versatility and that's a good thing. It's how fishing rods used to be made. Throw them out there with line and lure weight ratings with a specified taper and let the angler decide how best to take advantage of those specifications.

Designed as a frogging stick but capable of much more. The IA784C-H is a stick worth consideration
 

What I discovered with my journey fishing the IA784C-H is a stick that excels with treble hooked baits within its lure rating as well as frogs. Thanks to its length, this stick can really launch baits good distances and has a nice, smooth taper to help bring those bites home. Sensitivity was surprising as is its overall weight for a stick of this length. If you're looking for a nice, long, powerful stick with some built in versatility including a nice tip for casting and working frogs, but can also handle some bigger bait duties in a pinch, iRod's new Croaker Crusher is worth consideration.

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