Catching Bass in Late Summer with Mark Rose: The Bass Aren’t All Deep in August and September
John E. Phillips 08.20.12
Editor’s note: Mark Rose of Marion, Arkansas, who has won more than $1.5 million, is a professional bass fisherman, a member of War Eagle Boats’ and Strike King’s Pro Staffs and the winner of six FLW tournaments.
One of the biggest mistakes that many bass fishermen make when the weather’s hot is thinking that all the bass are holding in deep water along underwater river channels, creek drop-offs and ledges. However, regardless of the time of the year, you can always locate shallow water bass. Even when the air temperature is 100 degrees or more, deep water isn’t the only place where bass can find cool water. They also can enjoy cooler water in the shade, grass and current. One of the advantages you have if you buy or own a War Eagle boat is that at this time of the year, your War Eagle boat will allow you to get to places where bass are holding that bigger, heavier boats can’t reach.
I’ve been fishing out of a War Eagle Boat for 15 years, and one of my favorite ways to pinpoint and catch bass during August and September is to get off the main river or the main lake and try to get into the skinny (relatively shallow water) backwater areas. You may have to jump a beaver dam or run your boat wide open to slide across a mud flat to get into some of these types of sites. You may have to go up a small stream or a ditch that opens up into a backwater region, that has grass or shade trees lining the banks. Some of these skinny water areas will have small creeks or rivers feeding into them.
At this time of year, bass fishing can be extraordinary in these kinds of places, and often a tough War Eagle boat is the only way to reach these areas. When I am fishing here, I like to use the Strike King 1.0 Crankbait, a new little bait that Strike King recently has released. I like to use the sexy shad color or chartreuse with a black back. This lure is deadly effective on shoal bass, redeye bass and spotted bass, as well as largemouth. I also like to fish the Strike King Bitsy Bug, a small little jig, and the small Strike King Tour Grade Finesse Football Head Jig – especially if I can find rock bottom where small creeks and rivers feed these backwater areas. On the Finesse Football Head Jig, I like to use a Strike King Rage Baby Craw as a trailer. I like to use small, 3/16-ounce baits in green pumpkin on 15-pound-test fluorocarbon line when I’m fishing skinny water. Although I prefer fishing these lures on a baitcasting rod, I always carry my spinning rod. Then I can skip some of these lures off the surface of the water and get them as far back into the shade as I can.
To learn more about how to fish for bass with Mark Rose, click the titles for these two new bass books by John E. Phillips, “How to Bass Fish Like a Pro” and “Catch the Most and Biggest Bass in Any Lake,” or go to http://www.amazon.com/kindle-ebooks, and type in the names of the books to buy them. Too, you can download a Kindle app for free and buy the books from Amazon to read on your iPad, SmartPhone or computer.
To learn more about top-quality War Eagle boats, click here.
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."
