Page One of the original log entry from today’s flashback

For today’s flashback I take a look at a bit of a borrowed concept that has evolved into something that I renamed “Lake Lowdown” which debuted here on the website on July 14, 2017. However, the original debut of this idea actually goes back to 2002 but up now is a look back at the second outing on which I employed this approach.

Day on the Lake (Vol. II) from 6/13/2003 (full credit to Bassmaster for the idea/title):

Here’s the scoop on a trip that Dad and I took on Friday the 13th. This was the second in the series of “Day on the Lake” trips. Once again, the timing was right as we hauled in 35 bass including a pair of additions to the record book. Just picked up my photos from this adventure and they tell quite a tale as well. The pictures of the first four bass and the last four bass make it look like a comfortable day. Both of us are in short sleeves and I’ve got my shorts and sandals. However, the 27 photos in between the beginning and the end are filled with rain and the anglers are decked out in full rain gear. Although the rain dampened us a bit, it didn’t dampen our spirits or negatively affect our fishing. Despite this, Dad did mention “not going anymore” with me in light of recent waterlogged adventures. Here’s the story and the data.

6:48am Bass #1 13″ (1-1) on a white spinnerbait

Date: June 13, 2003
Location: Lake Bracken
Weather: Overcast/breezy/light to heavy rain
Air temp: 65F-70F
H2O temp: 70 F
Time: 6:45am-Noon

7:49am Bass #5 at 7″ this happens when you take a pic of every bass, pretty brave attack on a spinnerbait though

6:45 am-7:05am: Dad hauls in our first fish at 6:48am; a 13″ (1-1) on a single spin spinnerbait (white). We each catch a pair along Ramp Road with three at 12″ or better. Dad’s two come on the spinnerbait while mine fall to a Mann’s 1- crankbait (orange tiger shad). At this point we’re still dry but casting glances to the west and patting ourselves on the back for remembering the rain gear.

7:51am Bass #6 at 12″ (0-12) on Mann’s Baby 1- crankbait

7:49am-7:51am: Dad and I nearly go back-to-back on the beaver lodge in West Bay with our same weapons of choice. Mine comes in at 12″ during what is now a steady downpour.

8:18am Bass #9 Top Bass for the day at 18.5″ (3-3) on white spinnerbait in a steady downpour

8:03am-8:22am: Four bass in twenty minutes including “Big Bass of the Day”, an 18.5″ (3-3) that falls to Dad’s spinnerbait. This fish comes out of less than two feet of water on a flat off of Salt Point. Dad knew it was a better fish and I got a look at it as he fought it to the boat and told him it was a very good fish. The bass then made a run, pulling some drag and Dad realized it was larger than he first thought. After a brief battle, I lipped the fish for him at boatside and estimated it around 2-4. I guess I’m out of practice as I was nearly a pound off. Of course, maybe it was due to it being Dad’s fish and not mine. It is customary to overestimate your fish and underestimate your partners. It’s raining even harder.

8:42am-9:19am: Seven more bass fall to our same offerings along with a crappie and a bluegill for Dad on his spinnerbait, giving him a solid lead for the species title. Still raining.

9:32am Bass #18 my Top Bass of the day at 17″ (2-2) on a Mann’s Baby 1- crankbait 

9:32am-10:24am: This stretch starts with my “Big Bass of the Day”, a 17″ (2-2) on a Mann’s 1- (rainbow). Less than twenty minutes earlier, I had opted to change colors and caught a bass on my first cast with this offering. Dad also picks up a 12″ bass during this stretch. Six bass in twenty minutes along the dam on a Mann’s 1- (autumn sunfish), a Mann’s 4- (splatter sunfish) and a 1/8 oz. jighead (plain) with a silver spinner and twister tail (chartreuse) wrap up a solid hour of fishing. Still raining, but after a while you don’t really notice and besides, the fish don’t seem to mind.

10:55am-11:17am: Three more short bass as we skip to some proven spots amid a waning downpour. Riprap continues to produce on a spinnerbait and crankbait diet.

11:42am-11:56am: The Ramp Road riprap proves to be a successful homestretch as we cover it for a second time. Four bass as we’ve come full-circle and are back to our short sleeves and out of our rain gear.

9:56am Bass #21 at 10.5″ Mann’s 4- crankbait, always like to add some “personality” to the batch of short bass pics with this one displaying my habit (addiction) for measuring the catch

Statistics
Total Bass 35
Troy’s Bass 19
Dad’s Bass 16 (took a break for some panfishing)
Streaks-Troy 3 consecutive bass (3 times)
Streaks-Dad 3 Consecutive bass (2 times)
Droughts-Troy 0:46 (7:05 am-7:51am)
Droughts-Dad 0:53 (10:24am-11:17 am)
Crankbaits 20
Spinnerbaits 9
Ultralights 6
<8″ Bass 7
8-9.5″ Bass 7
10-11.5″ Bass 13
>12″ Bass 8
Top Five Weight 8-0
Top Seven Weight 9-7
Total Weight (12″+) 10-1

Notes
Species Title – Dad wins and completes “The Grand Slam” by catching four species (largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie and green sunfish). Dad caught around a dozen crappies on his ultralight by casting and many bluegills by trolling as we moved from spot to spot.

Called Shot – Dad successfully employed a secret weapon to produce a bass in Shabena Cove. This time it went something like, “We usually get one in the back of this cove.” This was uttered as he fired a cast to some logs in the back of the cove. Right on cue, a small bass nailed his spinnerbait and became bass #15 for the day. One word of warning; this is an advanced technique, honed over years of fishing experiences. Don’t be disappointed if it doesn’t work at first.

10:00am Bass #22 as Dad shifted gears to some ultralight fishing but still couldn’t escape the bass…barely

Precipitation – Dad and I have quite a track record with inclement weather. This trip made for back-to-back Friday’s of getting soaked. However, this trip was much more comfortable considering I had nearly full coverage with rain gear and no boot full of water. The last two trips have certainly been wet, but Beefy’s Monsoon may still be the wettest outing in recorded fishing history (I’ll add that to my “That’s another story” list).

Diet – Several bass that we caught had antennae sticking out of their throats, indicating that they had recently had a crawfish breakfast. Another small bass had a very large belly and further inspection showed a fish tail still protruding from its throat. I don’t think it had room for any more lunch, but it still engulfed my crankbait.

Triskaidekaphobia – Something like that. Anyway, it’s fear of the number 13. What better test than a “Friday the 13th” outing. So much for superstition here, as the outing was a rousing success. Coincidentally, the very first bass of the day came in at 13″. I guess if you are pessimistic, you could view the rain as bad luck. Dad and I aren’t much for this superstition, as he wore the number in baseball and softball and I followed in his footsteps on a few sports teams as well. Our license plates also reflect this with “13DAD” and “13TROY” adorning our trucks. However, I recall stories about my late Uncle Frank and his adherence to superstition over the years. From what I understand, he may not have even left the house on “Friday the 13th”, much less went fishing.

10:57am Bass #30 only 7″ submitted this as a profile pic for an earlier blogging gig but got talked into a bigger catch, always thought this fish was a very honest representation of time on the water though

Whew, got a little longwinded back in the day. Still happens from time to time but I guess this flashback offers proof, in comparison to recent stuff, that I have generally toned it down and spread some reports out over multiple postings. Always fun for me to look back no matter the word count and reminds me that I’m due for a 2018 installment of the “Lake Lowdown” project. Talk to you later. Troy

Remnants from the previous day where wind and a bad batch of line made for a mess.

This is one of those posts that a fishing blogger doesn’t really want to write but should. If you’re going to tell fish stories, you’ve got to tell the not so good with the good. This one comes from a June 4 walk-in outing and made it 2 out of 3 on the downside in regards to my latest fishing trips.

It essentially goes like this:

“I had a bad day on the water.”

But, of course, I just can’t leave it at that, so here we go.

Lone bass, caught on a spinnerbait, from the abbreviated and frustrating morning

Walk-in access had deteriorated due to terrestrial weed growth and water conditions had made it darn near impossible to fish these stomping grounds due to aquatic weed growth. As a result, I wandered more than I fished.

About two hours of the former and maybe forty minutes of the latter with only a lone short bass to show for it. In addition to the site conditions, I was just kind of overwhelmed and stressed from the regular routine of work, responsibilities, budget, fatigue, sore joints from the previous day’s fishing trip…

What a way to mentally and physically spend a vacation day, huh? Darn near turned the whole “worst day fishing, better than the best day working” adage on its ear. In fact, the previous night I was tempted to turn the day off back in and go to work instead. Once I got out, that feeling did not really change as I was just in a down mood. Still not sure what would have been the best decision as my afternoon upon returning home turned into a rather wasted bunch of hours trying to combat that rough mood with fitful napping.

Sure hate those kind of days and extra troubling when even fishing can’t pull me out of my funk.

More bad line as there’s a buzzbait under there that was hand lined in after undoing a backlash only to find that the line had busted as well, for the third time in two days, weird…

Even though the trip was a bust as a result of my poor mood and attitude, I always feel that you should learn something new each time you hit the water.

So, what were some lessons learned or reinforced during this challenging outing?

Lesson One: Always pack the little boat along as a backup, could’ve saved the day but mistakenly went all in on the walk-in. I really should know better as I have used this Plan B approach in the past, just a poor decision on this day.

On the bright side I may have found where this one swims (see below)

Lesson Two: When stuck in a funk, just explore, as I think I found a spot for this fall or next spring. The picture above came my way in a text message last year, pushing 7 pounds and a slight reveal in the background of the photo that I have since cropped. Anyway, I believe I found it. Unfishable on this outing but plan to revisit under better conditions.

Lesson Three: Not always welcome but I still have to marvel at how nature does its thing. I knew the earlier controlled burn on the property wouldn’t last but just amazing how the vegetation rebounds after that management process. And throw aquatic vegetation into the mix as well for I have never seen these waters as weed choked as this year.

Really kind of a disappointing day for a guy who just can’t pack up and fish anytime he wishes. But ultimately the letdown rests squarely on my shoulders due to the combination of poor decision making and allowing a surly mood to get the best of me. As it happens, I’m over it and ready to work my way out of the fishing funk that has struck me down on two of my last three trips.

Been here and done this before and regarding such funks and I’m always taken back to a Brownsville Station lyric from their classic “Smokin’ in the Boys Room.”

“But I found a way to get out of ‘em…”

Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy

Got to enjoy a Sunday morning on the water with a friend who I have known since the 80s when I used to run around a Galesburg High School basketball court with his younger brothers. Jim Junk has also been a regular contributor to the Top 5 project going back to the start in 2014. His 2018 Top 5 is off to a great start with some solid Banner Marsh bass so I was hoping some of his success would rub off as we teamed up for some Knox County, IL strip mine bass.

6:31am 1-4 Senko

Stats

Date: June 3, 2018
Location: Little John Conservation Club (2 lakes)
Time: 5:55am-12:50pm (6 hours fishing)
Weather: Sunny/windy to very windy
Air Temp: 62-81F
Water Temp: 76F
Totals: 30 bass (Jim = 15, Troy = 15)
Lure Jim
Senko wacky rig (several colors) – 15 bass
Lures Troy
Senko wacky rig (several colors) – 11 bass
Booyah Buzz Buzzbait (sexy shad) – 4 bass
Top Bass: 1-14 Troy Senko
Top 5 Weight: 7-5 (1-14,1-8,1-6,1-5,1-4)

8:09am 1-8 Senko

Notes and Nonsense

Off the Bank – As noted in the intro, Jim has been knocking the bass pretty good from the bank at Banner Marsh and has also had bank bound success on the first body of water we fished on this morning. For me, it was not only fun to have a fishing partner along but also to be able to help that partner get a look at those “over there” spots that are inaccessible to a bank angler. If you’ve spent any time on the bank, you certainly know what I mean.

8:13am 1-5 Buzzbait

Wind – The forecast called for the wind to pick up around 11:00am but it arrived about an hour ahead of schedule. We’d relocated to a second lake after working over stop number one but the layout just made it too tough with the particular wind direction. Therefore, we bailed out and headed back for round two on our original stop. A handful of bass joined the ledger on the second visit but the wind and its toll on the trolling motor battery prevented us from reaching a spot that was productive earlier in the morning. Chop on the water in the sunny conditions was welcome but when you’ve got to run full throttle on the motor just to stay in place it makes for a challenge.

8:36am 1-14 Senko

Senko Domination – Several Senko hues fished wacky style were the big winners on this trip, landing 26 of our 30 bass. The Senko success was no surprise as it is the typical winner on the water we fished and both Jim and I are big fans of the presentation. In fact, we were in definite agreement as to the fact that the Senko had revolutionized our approach over the last decade plus. I also tried to force feed a buzzbait in search of that one big bite but it never materialized with the combined weight of those four bass coming in close to what I had my sights on for a lone big bite.

12:46pm 1-6 Senko

Good numbers and certainly enough to keep us interested but just couldn’t find a lunker. Still good to get out with a fishing friend and shoot the breeze with some fish stories, Cubs observations and whatever else came to mind while chasing bass on a windy day. More than a few months of fishing left for 2018 so perhaps a Part II lies in the future. Talk to you later. Troy