Alright, let me tell y'all about this frog popper that's been slayin' bass for me like nobody's business. Damn thing looks so real I've had bullfrogs try to mate with it - no joke!

Now, buildin' one of these bad boys ain't rocket science, but there's some tricks to it. You'll want that buoyant foam body - not too thick, not too thin - just enough to make that plop-plop sound frogs make when they belly-flop. Some guys go fancy with plastic, but I reckon foam's got better action. For legs, grab some squirmy silicone strands - the kind that jiggle like grandma's Jell-O salad when you twitch your rod tip. Marabou tail's key too; gives it that panicked kick like a frog dodgin' a heron. And for Pete's sake, don't skimp on the hook! Short shank, heavy wire - last summer on Lake Cherokee, a 5-pounder nearly yanked the rod right outta my hands on a cheap hook.

What's it imitate? Well hell, a frog obviously - but not just any frog. It's that drunk frog that can't swim straight, makin' all kinds of commotion. Bass go nuts for it. Pike too - had one damn near leap into the boat last April when I was workin' it through lily pads.

Where to throw it? Anywhere frogs piss off fish, really. Shallow coves with overhangs, weedy backwaters, them scummy edges where bass lurk like teenagers at a 7-Eleven. Key is the retrieve - don't just reel steady like some weekend warrior. Give it jerky pops, let it sit, twitch it like it's got a cramp. Big mistake folks make? Rushing it. Let that bastard sit after a splash - that's when Mr. Largemouth comes knockin'.

Oh, and for God's sake, add a weed guard unless you enjoy pickin' salad off your hook all day. Tight lines, and may the big ones bite!