Kermit commandos
Pete Ponds spotted a flash and swirl that sent a school of small fry skittering across the top of the water. The Bassmaster Elite Series pro instantly sailed a Scumdog Walker Frog past the small fry and started working the lure back in a walk the dog pattern. Just as it passed over the small fry, a bass crushed the lure and headed down toward deep water. Ponds dropped his rod tip, reeled in the slack and snapped the rod back, driving the Owner hooks deep into the jaws of the lunker bass and turning it toward the boat.

Ponds has been fishing B.A.S.S. tournaments since 1996, and has learned a thing or two about competing with the best bass anglers from around the country. What he learned on Ross Barnett Reservoir many years ago, however, was how to find and catch lunker bass on frogs, years before it became a well-known technique on the Bassmaster trail.

"When you’re fishing in May, the bass will be post spawn and on different patterns," Ponds said. "During early May, there will be a ‘small fry’ pattern, where bass will be guarding their fry, and that’s what we’re targeting out in the open water and flats."

Ponds searches for any movement on the water or signs of bass or...