Write an Article for Ultimate Bass

[Mike Cork]

Have you ever considered writing about your favorite fishing technique or sharing some of the things you've learned on the water. Ultimate Bass is always looking for articles to publish on the main site.  Getting published on Ultimate Bass will help get you noticed and is a great way to help promote your sponsors. We have very high visitor numbers and are on the first page of most search engines. So when people are looking for fishing information Ultimate Bass is at the top of the information superhighway!

Here's is an example of how I take a thought and turn it into something that I can share on the site.

While I'm sitting on my back porch I come up with a topic, very simple, could be what your doing now to catch fish, what your looking forward to, it can even be a topic that you want to learn more about and while your researching you can build an article. But lets do the easy part. Your sitting there dreaming about that next frog fish...

First I open a word document and write the tittle across the top. "Frog Fishing"  - "Frog fishing in the fall" - "Why I like the Spro Frog" anything as a title that you would like to talk about.

So I like a Spro Frog and will use that.

Next I list why I like a spro frog, this is just a random list...

Sharp Hooks
Easy for me to walk the dog
Has a popn version
Best hook up ratio I have found so far
One explosion makes the whole trip
great colors
soft body
great for skipping

In 30 seconds I have 8 things. Now here is a kicker, that is already too much to write about. You want to pick the three you like best. Most articles need to be 4-5 paragraphs long. An opening paragraph, 3 body para graphs and a closing.

Go to the list and pick something to open with, I'll use "Explosion makes the trip" and go with something like this....

Frog bass fishing is probably the most exciting fishing a person can stand. It is a very visual bait that requires your total concentration and then all of the sudden the water explodes around it giving you a shot of adrenaline that you MUST control to prevent setting the hook to soon.  I have been fishing frogs for over 15 years now and have been completely impressed with the advances that have come along the way.  While I can't say I have tried them all I can say I have used many different brands from the Scum Frog to the Spro Frog, finally settling on the Spro frog and it's different versions to fill my tackle needs. While there are many reason that I like it, I want to cover the top three.....

Okay that took a minute and a half. Next I will pick my top three reasons and list them with returns between them

Sharp Hooks

Easy for me to walk the dog

Has a popn version

Now I go back and fill in what I want to say about each item. Try to use at least 3-4 sentences for each one.

Sharp Hooks

4/0 Gammy hook, stays sharp after several hook ups, easy to resharpen when needed, doesn't tear giant holes in frog body (there are four quick ideas to talk about on hooks)

Easy for me to walk the dog

Have to trim about 1/2 inch off one side to make it easy, keep slack in your line, works better with braid which you should be using anyway, once set up you can walk it easily after skipping up under that dock.....

Has a popn version

The pop n version is great over grass, has produced well on windy days, can be a great change up for a different presentation after you have worked through your water once......


Then the closing.... I'll go back to my original list and close with the "colors available".

While I really only use two different colors of the spro frog, tree frog and black. I do carry several others to help match weather and water conditions. White or white with a black back can be very productive at times when there is a strong shad bite going on. I also carry a couple off the wall colors simply for confidence. I am very confident in the action of the bait and the places I can put it.  If I know many of the other tournament anglers are also throwing a frog I will change up my color and have had times that I was able to pull bigger fish than the other anglers.  Next time you're at your favorite tackle start pick up a spro frog and see what you think, I don't think you'll be sorry.

Okay this whole post took me 7 minutes and I have an open and close to an article and several topics to choose from to fill the middle. It's very easy to get side tracked and then you end up with writers block. Remember to list your topics first, stick to them. 4-5 paragraphs. You don't even have to worry about the editing. Get the proof to me and I'll do the rest

If you read this post you want to help with articles on the site, thank you for taking the time to listen to the instructor side of me. If anything seems fuzzy or doesn't make sense let me know. I'll work with anyone.

If you are interested please contact me at or simply submit your article to the same email address.

[randyj]

Hey... that's pretty much the same formula I learned in college for english composition... writing a 5 paragraph composition.  First, an introductory sentence, then 3 things you're going to talk about, then a transition sentence... the next paragraph, the first sentence introduces the subject... say a few things about it in 3 sentences then one sentence to close or transition to the next topic.  Do it again, twice to get the middle 3 paragraphs.. then summarize by tellinging what you told about... just that simple.. once I FINALLY learned how to do it... my 3rd round of english 101 I ACED the class!!!!.. but first I had to learn "when in doubt leave commas out"... fortunately I was pretty good with subject verb agreement and spelling... now, spellchecker helps!!!

[Mike Cork]

Yep just like in school, it sounds complicated but when you sit down with a pen it happens quick

[randyj]

eh... just tell what you're going to tell about, tell about it, then tell what you told about... that's all there is to it.

[yar]

Professor Cork, i think that is a good nick name for you now(lol). i like what you said in the post, I've been thinking of trying to write some articles for some time now and have been doing what you said not to do(lol). it's been a long time since i was in school and forgot some things from English class, this will help.
ray

[Mike Cork]

LOL, I've been called a lot of things but Professor wasn't one of them    I think it's got a good ring to it

yar, I'd love to read what you put down and will gladly work with you to find tune it.  If you have a subject I can help you get some paragraph topics or ideas to work with.  I'm a master at this kind of stuff.  I guess because when I'm on the water I'm always asking why?  Those why's are always a thousand possibilities and have a thousand possible theories.  That's one of the biggest things new writers have to get over, your theories are just that, your experience. I may not agree or may not have the same experience but I bet I can learn from what you have learned 

So jump "write" in  and we'll get you published.  I have find it to be a lot of fun to write and at times it jogs my own memory with ideas and I come up with new ones.  Plus it's very satisfying to help others.

Send anything you got to

[yar]

MC, sounds good.

[islandbass]

I wrote a piece about drop shotting but I am far from a pro and it basically covers what experience I gained from it and sharing that with others.

[Mike Cork]

Just a note so you don't have to dig:

Send all articles to

[islandbass]

Thanks! Will do.

[HDcustombaits]

May have to do a write up about why I love the zoom horny toad so much over other soft plastic frogs.

[Mike Cork]

May have to do a write up about why I love the zoom horny toad so much over other soft plastic frogs.

Instructional or learning articles are always welcome

[HunterFB]

I would like to send you one about my Summer trip to Lake Guntersville and Lake Seminole.  Lots to write about, the hard part will be tuning it to something not too broad, like fishing the grass- or a specific lure application therein.  I think the subject will present itself on the journey, though. 

[Mike Cork]

Sounds great!!! I would love to see it!!

[Drake691]

I will try to get something out about Back Water fishing. I love going to lakes that you need an ATV to get to

[Mike Cork]

I will try to get something out about Back Water fishing. I love going to lakes that you need an ATV to get to

That's a great topic. That's where you find the big ones

[Drake691]

Well I sent something this afternoon. I doubt its any good as it was my first time

[Mike Cork]

Well I sent something this afternoon. I doubt its any good as it was my first time

Actually you did a great job and I enjoyed it. Just replied to your email. We'll get it reviewed and edited (wont' be much at all) and published. Looking forward to more from your way

[Oldfart9999]

Yep just like in school, it sounds complicated but when you sit down with a pen it happens quick

Back in school, really, how many of us tried sleeping through school, or weren't even there during the section on writing, do you have any idea how some of struggled with English when we did study? I mean this why Micro Soft Word does spell check, grammar check, all of that sort of stuff. School holds some baaaad memories for many of us, except maybe practicing biology with cute girl in the back row of the biology class, or making stink bombs in chemistry. Heck, I remember asking for asking for the components for nitroglycerin in General Science, we were doing independent projects, the teacher almost gave them to me, trouble is she thought about it and asked me what I was making and I'm honest, I did how a plane flies, but that's another story. Of course football was fun, played linebacker, ate quarterbacks for lunch, tasty, stringy but tasty critters, kinda sissyfied but tasty.
Sure remind us of school, after 50 + years I thought I'd finally forgotten about it.
Rodney
PS Drop Shot article ok? 

[Mike Cork]

Sounds like you had a blast in school to me 

But yes school was something most of us forgot. I did too until I got promoted a few times in the military and they made me get a college degree LOL

You put the thoughts together on any bass fishing related subject and I'll help you get it published 

Would love a drop shot article

[SenkoSam]

Mike, I tried to send four tips to and gmail keeps getting them back.
Any way to get these reviewed for the tips section?

error message:
The error that the other server returned was:
553 cuda_nsu 5.3.0 <>... No such user here

Frank

[Creel Limit Zero]

Send it to

[SenkoSam]

Thanks. Just did, with photos.

Frank

[Mike Cork]

Not sure why you're getting a bounce but will check into it. 

As creel said you can always send it straight to me.

[SenkoSam]

Four are in you inbox Mike. Hope to see a few on facebook.LOL But more importantly, I hope they are of use like they've been for me.