Remember that tune? [My fave version.] Whatever, here’s the deal: When Ott DeFoe almost won the Okeechobee Elite, he was a-froggin’. Two things stood out:

1. He was mostly using a smaller frog — the new not-yet-released Terminator Walking Frog Jr, which you can see here next to the full-size Terminator Walking Frog:

2. That Jr color is called “cocoa camo” — but whatever you call it, those red-bellied or red/black frogs are still a “secret” for many, cuz most bassers only fish white or black. Here’s a side view of that color:

Terminator Popping Frog

A few more versions:

Pad Crasher in kuro frog

KVD Sexy Frog in copper frog

Bronzeye Frog in black widow

If that ain’t enough red for ya, how ’bout the Lunker Frog in fire belly??

THIS YEAR I’M GONNA TRY RED FROGS — and smaller frogs. How ’bout you?

Once’t Grey Poupon a time, if you weighed 5 a day on the Elites you could do pretty good fer yo’sef. But for about the last 5 years many pros have said that’s no longer the case. Then I read this in a recent Bassin’master.com post by Brandon Card:

Innerestin’. If any y’all pros be needin’ motivation to catch a limit, here’s a guaranteed way to make that happen. Commit to this: every time you’re short a fish at the end of a day, you have to listen to Mungo Jerry’s “In the Summertime” 5 times in a row. One session of that, and pretty sure you’ll never have fewer than 5 in the boat:

– Feeshn guide talkin’ ’bout ‘lectronics. Guilty! Remember, the Elites read every word in those dang manuals…and get extra help from the manufacturers. Guess I’m remindin’ myself too…but luckily I found a shortcut:

You have J-Mac hitting the Classic hard, Jimmy “Alabammy Pats fan” Hall hitting it hard, others at B.A.S.S. too. I get they’re excited but…

…look man, it’s THE CLASSIC. I love it. Greatest bass derby ever — so I don’t really get why it matters how many people are there to watch (or pirate competitors’ spots). It’s THE CLASSIC. It’d be THE CLASSIC if 50 people were there or 50,000.

I 100% get that B.A.S.S. wants to show the world (and Texas…) umpteen zillion bassin’ fans, and I hope it happens. Actually think it will. But that’s because it’s THE CLASSIC, not cuz of hype…which, thinkin’ about it, I guess might be more “hope” for my B.A.S.S. buds.

I get that. Even share some of it. But to me this is about some of the world’s best bassers fishing the greatest fishing event on the planet with the highest stakes. So my 2c: Extry hype ain’t needed — unless there’s some live mermaids gonna be there? Could happen cuz they’re real:

What about fishing around that, Trip?

Okay, uh, Trip, never mind man…. Hey listen — still gonna give you a hug when I see you next week, but let’s keep it manly okay?

What’s odd about this pic:

Here’s a hint:

T-Roy Lindner and Derrek Stewart lost their minds and went all-‘lectric at a National Bass West derby on San Vicente Rez, CA (1,600 acres) last weekend. Won it too, with 24.96 lbs — which may be the first all-‘lectric win for a non-hp-limited derby? Just 28 teams but still.

Cost o’ that new 40-hp cool little deal:

Even so…want to try it.