No time to fool around with the annual Top 5 all-time record book look as the 2019 version is already off and running. This post and another tomorrow will get us up to speed just in time for Monday’s initial Top 5 Update of the New Year, the earliest start in the history of our project. As we await the latest, here’s a look at the numbers from the five year history of the Top 5.

A fine batch of 116 bass in 2018 brought the all-time total to 591 bass submitted. 2018 also marked the second year of a Top 5 expansion to include other species and we added a half dozen more to the “Other Species” portion of the record book. We’ll kick things off there before moving on to the bass breakdown.

Other Species (* = 2018 entry)

Channel Catfish
*13-0 Teagan Mills
*8-2 (25”) Chris Schwarz

Green Sunfish
0-13 Jayce Jackson from 2017

Muskie
131” Jake Bresson (47”,31”,29”24”) on Rapala X-Rap from 2017
*70+” John Kirkemo (40”, 30+”) from 2018
29” Troy Jackson on Mann’s Baby 1- crankbait from 2017

Northern Pike
167.25” Jake Bresson (37.0”,35.25”,33.5”,32.0”,29.5”) from 2017

Rainbow Trout
*22” John Kirkemo (11”,11”)

Walleye
118” Jake Bresson (26.5”,26.0”,25.5”,20”,20”) Rapala X-Rap or jig & minnow – 2017

Moving on to the bass, let’s take a look at how our fish stack up with respect to the calendar. Five years, 34 different anglers and 591 bass (all but 22 from Illinois waters) make up the all-time record book. Here we go.

Group Totals = 591 bass
2014 = 154
2015 = 106
2016 = 136
2017 = 79
2018 = 116

Submissions by month (2014-2018) * = new record
130 April (43/33/31/11/12)
106 May (27/23/19/13/24)
74 June (34/14/15/1/10)
68 March (13/11/34/10/0)
56 July (18/11/8/11/8)
45 October (4/5/4/8/24*)
38 September (6/4/6/6/16*)
29 February (2/2/7/13/5)
18 November (6/0/4/0/8*)
13 August (1/3/1/4/4*)
8 December (0/0/7/1/0)
6 January (0/0/0/1/5)

Comments: While Spring continues to rule the day in terms of submissions, a record batch of late season bass was a welcome change to extend the weekly updates in 2018. It can be tough to upgrade late in the year but those bass are definitely out there if you don’t put those fishing poles away too early. Mid-summer is still a bummer with the August haul needing a boost so don’t forget the dog days although they are a ways down the road.

Top 10 Top 5 Monthly Weights (group total) * = new entry
37-9 May 2014
29-8 June 2014
29-7 March 2016
29-2 April 2014
*28-9 October 2018
28-7 December 2016
27-14 April 2015
27-12 March 2015
27-11 July 2014
27-10 April 2016

Comments: Takes nearly 28 pounds of combined weight from our anglers to crack the Top 10 all-time which is getting to be pretty tall order as we kick off our sixth year.

Top 5 Weights per Month (group total) * = new record
*January (2018) = 13-5 (3-15, 2-7, 2-6, 2-6, 2-3) old mark 2-11 in 2017
February (2016) = 22-9 (6-7,4-15,4-10,4-1,2-8)
March (2016) = 29-7 (6-5,6-1,5-14,5-10,5-9)
April (2014) = 29-2 (8-0, 5-11, 5-10, 4-15. 4-14)
May (2014) = 37-9 (9-4, 8-10, 8-8, 6-1, 5-2)
June (2014) = 29-8 (6-11, 6-4, 5-10, 5-8, 5-7)
July (2014) = 27-11 (6-6, 6-0, 5-5, 5-0, 5-0)
August (2017) = 18-9 (6-6,5-11,4-3,2-5)
*September (2018) = 23-8 (5-2,5-1,4-9,4-8,4-4) old mark 22-3 in 2014
*October (2018) = 28-9 (6-3,5-14,5-10,5-10,5-4) old mark 26-11 in 2017
*November (2018) = 26-1 (7-2,6-12,4-3,4-0,4-0) old mark 24-9 in 2016
December (2016) = 28-7 (7-7,6-5,5-13,4-11,4-3)

Comments: Pretty cool to see one third of the calendar set new marks in 2018 kicked off by a full January creel to replace the former mark held by a lone 2017 bass. Crazy close on the year as well with three of the final four months getting a boost, good stuff.

Monthly Top Bass * = new record
*January
3-15 Mark Balbinot (old record 2-11 Mark Balbinot 2017)
February
6-7 Mike Overturf 2/27/16 Plastic Worm
March
7-0 Randy Sampson Sr. 3/22/15 Jig
April
8-0 Kamryn Kaesebier 4/13/14 Crankbait
May
9-4 Jake Breeson 5/23/14 Jig
June
6-11 Ty Hartlipp 6/11/14 Topwater Frog
July
6-6 Jake Breeson 7/11/14 Plastic Worm
August
6-8 Gary Le 8/16/14 Swimbait
September
6-0 Austin Chapman 9/19/15 Jig
October
7-4 Mark Balbinot 10/29/17 Jig
*November
7-2 Mark Balbinot 11/23/18 Underspin (old record 6-8 Mark Balbinot 2016)
December
7-7 Mark Balbinot 12/11/16 Underspin

Comments: Outstanding bookend bass by our 2018 Champ, Mark Balbinot, saw him establish a pair of new monthly marks, January (3-15) and November (7-2). For the second straight year we also have uncommon January open water in the local area so…

This will put a wrap on Part I of the Top 5 record book update with plenty more to come tomorrow with a look at the how, what and who. And seriously, if you can swing it, get out there the next few days as we don’t get these temps and open water in West Central Illinois very often during the first week of January. Give it a go, keep it slow and you know where to send your submissions. Talk to you later. Troy