Tips to Take Large Bass Anywhere: Part One
John E. Phillips 11.02.11
Be Observant and Have a Game Plan to Locate Big Bass
Author’s Note: Never having been able to locate the biggest bass in any lake, I decided that to find that fish, I might be able to use the same strategies that a detective would utilize to find a missing person. He would begin by interviewing everyone who knew that person intimately. He would talk to the people who’d had business dealings with him, and he would gather information from the people who’d spent the most time with him.
While hunting deer from my tree stand last year, I learned that tree stands are one of the most productive places on earth to ponder the deep mysteries of life. You’re high above the earth and free to meditate – away from the ringing telephones, loud music and people with nothing to do but interrupt your work. In a tree stand, a sportsman can try to solve the mysteries of things such as: where do the trophy bucks stay; how can a hunter take them; how do you decoy a flight of hunter-shy ducks; and how do you find the biggest bass in any lake?
If you followed a detective, he would interview and talk to those who knew the missing person best, and soon a pattern of that person’s habits and haunts would become evident. Then, to locate that missing person, the investigator would look in the areas where the person most likely would be. If, through interviewing the ones who knew him best, the detective discovered hideouts that the person had retreated to in the past to dodge danger or elude pursuit, then the investigator reasonably could assume that that person would use one of those sanctuaries again. I decided that the tactic I would employ to find the biggest bass in any lake would follow these same guidelines.
My first source of information on how to find the biggest bass in any lake was Rick Clunn, winner of four Bassmaster Classics and one Angler-of-the-Year title. Clunn has developed a sixth sense for finding bass that, combined with his years of fishing experience, makes him an expert in the ways of bass. “I have found that on any lake there are pressure zones, which are created by boat traffic and fishing pressure,” Clunn explains. “Big bass avoid these zones just like trophy deer keep away from areas where the hunting pressure is the heaviest. The fish that will react quickest to fishing pressure or boat traffic are the larger fish, particularly bass weighing 8 pounds or more, because they have learned to survive by dodging human pressure and have become the biggest bass in a lake.
Click here to continue on to part two featuring Rick Clunn’s methods for pinpointing bass.
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."
