Got the first opportunity of the year to team up with my brother, Brent.  We chose to hit some Knox County strip mines in hopes of fooling something big as they have produced several nice catches including a pair totaling 8-5 for me and Dad a week earlier.  I was also looking forward to Brent filling out a Top 5 limit with four fish joining a 3-2 caught back in February on his only bass outing of the year.

5:59am 1-5 Buzzbait                                                                                                7:01am 1-6 Senko

Stats
Date: July 15, 2017
Locations: Little John Conservation Club (2 lakes)
Time: 5:55am-12:15pm (5.50 hours fishing)
Weather: Sunny/breezy to windy
Air Temp: 56F-82F
Water Temp: 80F
Totals: 15 bass (Brent – 10, Troy – 5)
Lures:
Senko weighted wacky rig (several colors) – 13 bass
Booyah Buzz Buzzbait (snow white shad or chartreuse) – 2 bass
Top Bass: 1-6 (tie one apiece) Senko for both
Top 5 Weight: 7-3 (1-6,1-6,1-5,1-5,1-2)

Notes & Nonsense

Addictive Start – Four minutes into casting and Brent had our first bass courtesy of a buzzbait from a shallow pocket, definitely a good sign in terms of some topwater success. It took 25 more minutes for our next catch but my buzzbait bass continued to foster some high hopes despite those doggone sunny conditions.  I really knew better and even told Brent that I was potentially wasting my time sticking with a topwater bite (was also tossing a Whopper Plopper) but you know, that whole “only takes one bite” thing.  Well, I never got it this time around.  In fact, we never caught another buzzbait bass the rest of the day though I foolishly kept trying.

Old Faithful – Unlike his older brother, Brent effectively shifted gears and left the buzzbait rod on the deck in favor of a tried and true strip pit wonder, the Senko wacky rig.  Outfishing me 9 to 4 after our early buzzbait catches, he certainly made the right choice.  While his Senko did not produce any lunkers, at least he was reeling in six more fish during my three hour drought (7:09am-10:11am).

7:59am 1-5 Senko                                                                                    8:13am 1-2 Senko

Clarity – The Senko was clearly the bait of the day even in some less than ideal conditions.  My somewhat unfounded concern dealt with a decrease in water clarity.  I view the Senko as being more effective in clearer water situations, which are the norm on most of the Little John bodies of water.  However, the last two years, water clarity has been quite odd on several of the typically clear locations I fish.  I was rather confused on the cause as my 2016 season drew to a close but it sure seemed to throw the bass and yours truly out of whack.  Same thing this year, which I attribute to some pretty significant amounts of rainfall in recent weeks.  Commotion has been key to enticing some big bites but as noted in an earlier report, sunny conditions have really hurt the topwater bite.  Granted, you rarely have what one would call a “perfect” day, but conditions have been extra odd for 2017 (still somehow have managed my best Top 5 since kicking off the project, fishing is just plain weird sometimes).

11:22am 15″ 1-6 Senko                                                                                Winning Lure – Senko wacky rig

Limit – As the guy who keeps tabs on this whole Top 5 thing, I was very excited to see Brent post four more bass to his creel and fill out a limit.  Plenty of room for upgrades and for me that is so much a part of the fun.  Get those first five on the board and then start picking them off as you reel in bigger catches along the way.  Summertime can be tough but looking forward to getting back on the water at some point with Brent.  I’ve fished enough with the guy to know that it’s just a matter of time on the water to put together an impressive creel.  Could be Summer, could be Fall, but I’ve got some ideas to put us on some fish for a strong finish.

While the results did not live up to my expectations, fifteen bass was still a reasonable haul but just not many for the highlight reel, I guess.  No matter, it is always good to hang out on the water with Brent although we don’t get to do it as much as we did back in the day.  We did get to hang out around a campfire later for a while as his bunch came out to hang out with my bunch as my family was enjoying a weekend camping trip at Lake Storey near Galesburg.  Overall, a good family weekend as Mom and Dad also hung out as well.  A couple more fishing reports in the works and perhaps some camping stuff later this month as writing time permits.  Talk to you later.  Troy