A frog lure's double-hook rig gives bass anglers an edge once the fish takes the bait. Photo by Ray Rychnovsky.

Frog lures are gaining popularity after some big successes on the bass-tournament circuit. But amateur anglers need to learn to fish them right.

I've caught a number of bass on frog imitations, interviewed frog-fishing expert Bobby Barrack and fished frog lures with bass pro Don Payne and record-bass catcher Galen Jensen. Here's what they tell me is key to catching big fish with frogs.

BUILT TO CATCH
A frog is the lure to fish in heavy cover. It's particularly good when the surface of the water is matted with overgrowth.

Most frog lures are virtually weedless. The points of a large double hook curve up on each side of the frog's soft-plastic body. The frog has a small weight at the bottom near the back of the lure to keep it upright so that the hooks are up off the cover.

Its body extends slightly above the points of the hooks, and the lure slides over and through cover, keeping the hooks from catching on anything.

Its soft-plastic body is hollow and is easily compressed. When a bass bites down to capture it, the body collapses and the hooks are exposed to make a deep, solid hookset.

Once these large double hooks are embedded in the fish's jaw, they don't come out.

WHERE TO FISH FROGS
Shallow lakes or slow-flowing rivers are the best places. Also, lakes, farm ponds, river deltas all offer good opportunities to fish a frog.

Pitch it into the open spot in lily pads or hydrilla and get ready.

You only have one chance to make a good cast, said Barrack, a guide and bass pro who has won nine bass boats by fishing frogs in tournaments. That means don't miss the open spot and minimize your splash. If you miss, the bass will be alerted. Frogs don't fly away and then come back, and they'll know that yours isn't natural.

Big fish are smart and will avoid an unnatural bait or lure.

You probably will not find these shallow-water predator fish on an area of a lake with deep rock canyons that drop off quickly to deep water. Fish here aren't likely to take a surface lure. Likewise, fast-flowing rivers don't provide the meandering water for bass to hang out in and don't have the downed trees and vegetation found in backwaters that attract shallow bass.