Who Woulda Thunk a Bullfrog Could Be Worth So Much Green Stuff?

I'm talking about nearly (now don't croak) $1,700 for a single KGBullfrog Swimbait (see photo above) that weighs in at 10.9 ounces and measures 13.5 inches in length. That's how much...well, actually is was only $1,675, if you want to get right down nitpicky...that 27-year-old Kevin G. Brightwell of Harrison, Arkansas, netted for his homemade trophy-sized bass-fishing lure. You might be inclined to say, "Not a bad payday" for this full-time firefighter, who established his small-town KGB Swimbaits business in 2012.

Things started happening in a big way for Brightwell in August 2016, when he took an in-the-works sample of his bullfrog to Los Alamitos, California, for Big Bass Dreams, a bass-fishing film series produced by Oliver Ngy. He was the only basement-manufacturer in attendance, but his custom bullfrog created quite a buzz, and everybody started wanting one. Unable to decide who should get the first one, he decided to sell it on eBay. Starting bid was $100, but three days later, at the end of 63 bids from nine bidders, the bullfrog sold to a collector for a whopping $1,675.

For the sake of comparison, consider that high-end swimbaits coming out of Japan today usually retail for about $500 or $600.

So, what does the future hold for Brightwell? He plans to patent his bullfrog, which is made from plastic resin, with two saltwater treble hooks hanging from its belly. He plans to make more of them, too, but hasn't yet settled on an asking price. This much he does know: "It will be at least $150."

"I know it will catch bass," he said. "I use it regularly on big lakes around the Arkansas-Missouri border, including Beaver, Bull Shoals, Norfolk, Table Rock, and Taneycomo."

A lot of research and development went into the KGBullfrog. It took Brightwell a while to get the knee joints just right, so the bait would look like the real thing underwater. While some people told him they expected more action from the legs, he explained that they just don't swim that way.

Brightwell got addicted to fishing swimbaits while living in California from 2003 to 2010. A native of Harrison, however, he returned there in 2010.

The KGBullfrog has gotten some good reviews. As noted by one freelance outdoor writer, who specializes in fishing, "Hands down, this is the most realistic-looking bullfrog swimbait we've seen."

One question that remains, however, is at what point does a lure become a work of art? Would you fish a lure that cost you $1,700? The collector who paid that price on eBay said he plans to add it to his collection but "maybe will fish it a couple times a year." Then he's going to pass it down to his son.

For the benefit of those who would like to see a video of the creator and his work of art in action, click on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o81jkn4rSs.

To visit his Facebook page and/or to find out how to place an order for some of his different swimbaits, click on this link: https://www.facebook.com/KGB-Swimbaits-1617810051773374/.