Tips to Take Large Bass Anywhere: Part Three
John E. Phillips 11.10.11
Longtime Angler Hank Parker Gives Tips on Finding Bass
Author’s Note: Hank Parker, former Bassmaster Classic champion and host of the TV show “Hank Parker’s Outdoor Magazine,” believes that when a bass grows larger than 4 pounds, the fish has eliminated all of the predators that have threatened its life except one – the angler.
“I think a bass that’s larger than 4 pounds realizes that in the presence of man, it becomes the prey,” Parker explains. “So, a bass of this size hides-from and avoids areas where it will encounter the supreme predator, man. I’ve learned that big bass that have been unmolested are far easier to catch than bass that have been pressured by anglers. So, search out sites that receive very-little fishing pressure, even if the spot doesn’t look as though it will hold a bass. A bass on a small, solitary piece of cover is more likely to take your lure than a bass of the same size that sees 20 or 30 lures a week, because it’s holding on obvious cover. Although big bass will sometimes hold on obvious cover in high-pressure zones, these fish are very difficult to catch. Often, the only way to get a lunker that’s positioned on obvious cover to bite is to stay well away from the cover and make an accurate, long cast to that cover, instead of four or five casts. Make sure that the lure swims perfectly and naturally by the cover and doesn’t intimidate the fish. To catch a big bass in a high-pressure zone, you can’t beat the water to a froth with your lures.”
As I talked to Parker and Rick Clunn, the winner of four Bassmaster Classics, I began thinking about that day in the tree stand. The information I gathered from Clunn and Parker was almost identical to what hunters realize is required to harvest a trophy buck. A sportsman must search for trophy deer in overlooked areas where a deer feels very little, if any, hunting pressure, and he must approach the animal with the utmost caution and care so that he won’t spook the deer. That’s exactly the formula proposed by Parker and Clunn to take the biggest bass in a lake, and it’s the same one that a detective will use to find a missing person.
Click here to go on to part four, deducing where large bass live with expert angler Ken Cook. Click here to go back to part two.
John, the 2008 Crossbow Communicator of the year and the 2007 Legendary Communicator chosen for induction into the National Fresh Water Hall of Fame, is a freelance writer (over 6,000 magazine articles for about 100 magazines and several thousand newspaper columns published), magazine editor, photographer for print media as well as industry catalogues (over 25,000 photos published), lecturer, outdoor consultant, marketing consultant, book author and daily internet content provider with an overview of the outdoors.
Phillips has been a contributor to many national magazines, has been affiliated with 27 radio stations across Alabama serving as their outdoor editor and wrote for a weekly syndicated column, "Alabama Outdoors," for 38-Alabama newspapers for more than 13 years. Phillips was Outdoor Editor for the "Birmingham Post-Herald" for 24 years. Phillips was also the executive editor for "Great Days Outdoors" magazine for 3 years.
The author of almost 30 books on the outdoors, Phillips is a founding member of the Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA) and an active member of the Southeastern Outdoors Press Association (SEOPA). Phillips also is the owner of Night Hawk Publications, a marketing and publishing firm, and president of Creative Concepts, an outdoor consulting group.
Phillips conducts seminars across the nation at colleges in freelance writing, photography and outdoor education besides teaching courses in how to sell what you write to writers' groups. Phillips received his photography training as a still-lab photo specialist for six years in the Air Force. He was the chief photographer for Mannequins, Inc., a Birmingham modeling agency, for 11 years.
While serving as 2nd Vice President of the Alabama Wildlife Federation, Phillips was in charge of all press releases for the organization as well as serving as Chairman of Alabama's Big Buck Contest, which he founded more than 30 years ago. He also was president of the Alabama Sportsman's Association for three years.
Phillips is the recipient of a Certificate of Merit from the Governor of Alabama and the Department of Conservation for his work in the outdoor field. Phillips is vitally interested in the outdoors and travels the nation collecting personalities, stories and how-to information for his articles and features.
EDUCATION: B.S. degree from the University of West Alabama with a physical education major and a history minor.
EXPERIENCE: 10 years parttime and fulltime physical director for YMCAs and 34 years as a freelance writer, photographer, editor, book author, lecturer and daily-content provider for websites. Currently, Phillips is a field editor for Game and Fish Publications; serves on the editorial board of Grandview Media; is a regular contributor to 12 internet magazines and a daily content provider for 8 websites.
WRITING AWARDS: Runnerup - Best Outdoor Magazine Feature - 1981 - SEOPA; Certificate of Merit - Awarded by Alabama's Governor for writings on conservation; Most Outstanding Sports Writer in Southeast - 1983 & 1984; Best Outdoor Feature in Alabama, 1987 - Alabama Sportswriters' Association 3rd Place; Best Book of the Year - 1989 - SEOPA; 2007 - inducted into the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame as a Legendary Communicator; 2008 - received award naming him 2008 Crossbow Communicator of the Year from the Crossbow Manufacturers' Association; 2009 - GAMMA Honorable Mention for Consumer/Paid Best Essay for July/August 2008 in "Southern Sporting Journal."
