Month: July 2022

Prowl the Canal Lessons-Points

Posted on by Troy Jackson

My third point drawn from fishing The Canal revolves around just that, Points. The illustration below is a prime example of a prime spot and the accompanying video provides proof that these structures produce. Per the available data while prowling the internet, The Canal averages five feet in depth and roughly ninety feet in width throughout most of its linear run. Therefore, any change in either aspect makes for an area to explore. Today, that exploration focuses on Points.

Points

No matter where you fish, points are always worth a look, but these structural features are even more important on The Canal. By its nature and construction, most of The Canal is a linear trough that has filled in at varying degrees throughout its length. However, there are several spots that I call “bays” where The Canal widens on one side. As a result, you get a rare pair of points on each side of these bays. Often, these points feature a pronounced dropoff, an oddity along most of The Canal and they are worth working over with multiple presentations to get some bites.

This concludes our three-part ”Prowl the Canal – Lessons” feature for my June wrap-up. However, the video clips have included catches from April through July, proving that these structural elements produce throughout the year on this dynamic fishing hole. And you can bet that there will be plenty more prowling during the open water portion of the calendar as I look to learn some more lessons. Talk to you later. Troy

Prowl the Canal Lessons-Combos

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Here we go with the second post from a trio of lessons courtesy of The Hennepin Canal.

Lots of fishing folks refer to a distinction between “structure” and “cover”. The general concept is that structure is a feature of the lakebed while cover is an object where the bass can hide in or around. I really don’t recall if I ever used those terms separately when I was first attracted to this hobby, but I don’t anymore.

Right or wrong, I call it all “structure” and leave the debate to the forums. For me, structure is a place where I cast and anticipate finding some bass.

So, now that I have that off my chest…

Structure Combos

Like the previous Transitions tip, a combination of structural elements can enhance a spot. In this instance, a lengthy, solid stretch of surface weeds was broken up by some open water channels and a bit of brush in the water. Such a spot screams for a few casts as the structural variety can turn the mundane into a magnet.

 

“Variety is the spice of life” as the old saying goes. And if you can find a variety of structure blended together, work it over.

One more lesson tomorrow so stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy

Prowl the Canal Lessons-Transitions

Posted on by Troy Jackson

For this month’s lessons, I am going to draw on some GoPro footage that I have collected on The Canal this year. I guess you could call this the bass fishing education portion of the blog as it goes beyond Bass Fishing 101. For me, Bass Fishing 101 is learning your lures, lines, and rod/reel combos as well as the basics of when, where, and how to throw them. Therefore, I suppose the trio of posts to follow are Bass Fishing 201 as they delve into three specific spots and/or situations and detail how to get some bites. The clips coming your way for the next three days are 2022 catches from The Canal. But bass are bass anywhere and these techniques are good to add to your repertoire no matter where you are casting.

Transitions

Give some attention to transitions or edges as these can be bass magnets. In the clip below, this pertains to a batch of reeds that breaks up a lengthy stretch of riprap shoreline. It is cool how the clues on the bank can reveal that the associated bottom composition, contours, or changes provide some appeal to the bass.

 

Whether you are a seasoned “bassmaster” or someone just starting out, hopefully you get some entertainment and/or education out of this collection of lessons. Class meets here again tomorrow. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Stats

Posted on by Troy Jackson

After fourteen straight weeks with a Top 5 Update, no submissions arrived for this week (I gave it a shot, but my best bass fell two ounces shy of adding to my total). So, instead of a Top 5 Update, the next best thing is the Top 5 monthly stat update. June provided a solid batch of catches by seven different anglers and boosted our 2022 bass total to seventy-three fish. Read on for the details of our 2022 catches through the month of June.

2022 Totals
January = no submissions
February = no submissions
March = 15 bass
April = 35 bass
May = 7 bass
June = 16 bass

Top 5 Weight by Month
January = no submissions
February = no submissions
March = 14-2 (3-3,2-15,2-14,2-12,2-6)
April = 28-10 (6-9,6-0,5-12,5-4,5-1)
May = 11-9 (2-12,2-11,2-5,2-0,1-13)
June = 16-7 (4-2,3-5,3-3,2-15,2-14)

Boat vs. Bank
Boat = 33 bass
Bank = 40 bass

Boat vs. Bank Weight
Boat = 17-1 (4-2,3-5,3-5,3-3,3-2)
Bank = 28-10 (6-9,6-0,5-12,5-4,5-1)

Public vs. Private
Public = 73 bass
Private = 0 bass

Public vs. Private Top 5 Weight
Public = 28-10 (6-9,6-0,5-12,5-4,5-1)
Private = not applicable

The Baits (* = new 2022 record)
Plastic Worm = 17 bass (Top Bass 5-12 Jim Junk)
Lipless Crankbait = 15 bass (Top Bass 4-6 Jim Junk)
*Chatterbait = 13 bass (Top Bass 6-9 Jim Junk) tops 5-15 Jim Junk 6/22/20
Spinnerbait = 8 bass (Top Bass 5-4 Brent Jackson)
Crankbait = 5 bass (Top Bass 2-12 Troy Jackson)
Jerkbait = 4 bass (Top Bass 2-5 John Kirkemo)
Jig = 4 bass (Top Bass 3-9 Brent Jackson)
Buzzbait = 2 bass (Top Bass 2-11 Troy Jackson)
Propbait = 2 bass (Top Bass 2-3 Jayce Jackson)
Swimbait = 1 bass (Top Bass 4-3 Jim Junk)
Grub = 1 bass (Top Bass 0-13 Troy Jackson)
Underspin = 1 bass (3-12 Jim Junk)

Monthly Top Bass
January
No submissions
February
No submissions
March
3-3 Jim Junk
April
6-9 Jim Junk
May
2-12 Troy Jackson
June
4-2 John Kirkemo

2022 Top 10 Bass
6-9 Jim Junk 4/4/22
6-0 Jim Junk 4/15/22
5-12 Jim Junk 4/21/22
5-4 Brent Jackson 4/24/22
5-1 Jim Junk 4/4/22
4-7 Jim Junk 4/4/22
4-6 Jim Junk 4/19/22
4-3 Jim Junk 4/21/22
4-2 John Kirkemo 6/13/22
3-15 Jim Junk 4/19/22
3-12 Jim Junk 4/13/22

Angler Weights
Jim Junk 27-13 (6-9,6-0,5-12,5-1,4-7)
Brent Jackson 17-6 (5-4,3-9,3-3,2-11,2-11)
John Kirkemo: 15-11 (4-2,3-5,2-14,2-11,2-11)
Troy Jackson 14-14 (3-5,3-2,2-15,2-12,2-12)
Jayce Jackson 4-10 (2-3,1-4,1-3)
Helena Jackson 1-3 (1-3)
Zac Jackson 1-0 (1-0)
Carly Jackson 0-14 (0-14)

Other Species – Trout

John Kirkemo 12” (12”)

Great to see some movement in the standings as Brent and John leap past the guy who writes this stuff while Jim remains firmly entrenched at the top. Definitely fun to see my offspring contribute as well and perhaps we can get their mama a “keeper” over the summer. As we currently sit at seventy-three bass for the year, I am officially setting our goal at reaching the century mark before all is said and done. Keep on casting, catching, and send them my way at troy@troyjacksonoutdoors.com. Talk to you later. Troy

Prowl the Canal – June Stats

Posted on by Troy Jackson

June marked an anniversary of sorts as my first ever bass from The Canal was landed on June 4, 2021. As such, I have passed the one-year mark in terms of canal experience and the learning just keeps moving forward. Read on for the statistics from the June 2022 prowls.

Stats

June 12 Top Bass on a spinnerbait

Date: June 12 (two sections)
Time: 8:50am-10:50am, 11:20am-1:05pm
Totals: 9 bass
Weather: Partly cloudy to sunny/breezy to windy and 71-80F
Lures: Special K Spinnerbait (bold bluegill) – 6 bass, Special K Buzzbait – 1 bass, Bass Pro Shops Stik-O wacky rig (candy corn) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 1-6 Special K Spinnerbait
Top 5 Weight (only 4 at 12” or better): 4-4 (1-6,1-0,1-0,0-14)
Comments: A slow bite on one of my better spots led me to expand my exploration on another nearby stretch. More of a tough bite but did enjoy seeing some new water. The clarity on these two stretches was darn near crystal clear. Quite unusual compared to prior visits, and teamed with bright sun this provided my excuse for the challenging day.

June 15 Top Bass Runner-Up on a buzzbait

Date: June 15
Time: 6:05pm-7:50pm
Totals: 9 bass
Weather: Sunny to overcast/windy and 85-92F
Lures: Special K Buzzbait – 6 bass, Special K Spinnerbait (bold bluegill) – 3 bass
Top Bass: 1-12 Special K Buzzbait
Top 5 Weight (only 2 at 12” or better): 3-7 (1-12,1-11)
Comments: Gotta dig The Canal for a quick trip after getting home from work as there are plenty of access areas within a twenty-minute drive. This outing got cut short by some lightning and thunder sending me packing even though the bite had kicked up a notch. Safety first, the bass will still be there when I show up next time.

June 17 Top Bass on a wacky rig

Date: June 17
Time: 7:15pm-7:45pm
Totals: 1 bass
Weather: Sunny/breezy and 81F
Lures: Bass Pro Shops Stik-O wacky rig (candy corn) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 0-15 Stik-O
Top 5 Weight (only one at 12” or better): 0-15
Comments: A quick evening walk after arriving for a Father’s Day camping trip on The Canal produces a bite and avoids a shutout. That’s always the goal when I have a few minutes to cast, fool at least one bass. Mission accomplished.

June 18 Top Bass on a Whopper Plopper

Date: June 18
Time: 9:00am-9:30am, 1:00pm-3:00pm, 6:00pm-6:45pm
Totals: 4 bass
Weather: Sunny/calm to breezy and 72-85F
Lures: Bass Pro Shops Stik-O wacky rig (candy corn) – 3 bass, Whopper Plopper 90 (I Know It) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 1-3 Whopper Plopper
Top 5 Weight (only 2 at 12” or better): 2-3 (1-3,1-0)
Comments: Camping along The Canal afforded three separate prowls on this Saturday. A family hike where I primarily focused on playing “guide” was sandwiched in between a couple short walks to begin and end the day. The rest of the family posted an additional ten bass, but those results deserve their own post later this month.

June 24 Top Bass on a spinnerbait

Date: June 24
Time: 6:50pm-9:05pm
Totals: 14 bass
Weather: Sunny/calm
Lures: Special K Buzzbait – 9 bass, Special K Spinnerbait (bold bluegill) – 5 bass
Top Bass: 2-15 Special K Spinnerbait
Top 5 Weight: 11-3 (2-15,2-10,2-3,2-1,1-6)
Comments: My standard one-two punch of a buzzbait and a spinnerbait comes through again with four bass between two and three pounds. Gotta dig The Canal for a quick getaway of a couple hours, especially when the bite is on and establishes my best Top 5 outing on The Canal (see Record Book Data below).

June 26 lone bass of the evening caught by my son, Jayce, on a Whopper Plopper

Date: June 26 (with Jayce)
Time: 5:45pm-7:30pm
Totals: 1 bass (Jayce – 1 bass, Dad – 0 bass)
Weather: Partly cloudy/windy
Lures: Whopper Plopper 90 (Terminator)
Top Bass: none at 12” or better
Top 5 Weight: none at 12” or better
Comments: For the second straight outing with my son, Jayce, he outfished me. In fact, I’ve been shutout 3 bass to zero. He said, “I must be bad luck.” I told him that it was good luck if he caught fish, just one of those things and that I would probably take him again anyway. Top 5 angler John Kirkemo offered up the possibility that, “Maybe you are spending more time coaching and less time fishing.” Indeed, plenty of advice and explanation along the way but I am pretty sure that I made more casts than Jayce as he took a break here and there. I hit it just as hard as normal, and my partner simply came out ahead. That’s cool and looking forward to one of these days when I can put him on more and larger fish.

June Totals
Six outings covering five different pools
11.75 hours and 37 bass (3.15 bass/hour)
Top Bass: 2-15 June 24 Spinnerbait
Top 5 June Bass Weight: 11-9 (2-15,2-10,2-3,2-1,1-12)

 

RECORD BOOK UPDATE
Hennepin Canal (2021-present)
Top Bass: 3-6 Troy Jackson 7/21/21 Plastic Worm
BEST TOP 5 DAY NEW RECORD
11-3 (2-15,2-10,2-3,2-1,1-6) on 6/24/22 tops 10-8 from 4/23/22
All-Time Top 5 Canal Weight: 16-2 (3-6,3-5,3-4,3-2,3-1)
Comments: One monthly highlight is topping my best Top 5 day with 11-3 on the June 24 outing. This haul tops the old mark of 10-8 from April 23. It still takes a bass over the three-pound mark to enter the all-time Top 5 list, as the best I could fool this month was a 2-15, a few ounces shy of displacing one of my all-time Top 5 Canal bass.

Another good month of getaways on The Canal. July is off to a solid start as well and four more weeks of prowling to go before the totals and highlights head your way in the July edition of “Prowl the Canal”.  In the meantime, stay tuned for some further notes and data on the June prowls. Talk to you later. Troy

Friday Flashback – July 1, 1987

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Original log entry from July 1, 1987 on what is now known as Snakeden Hollow’s Lake McMaster

No pictures were taken from the July 1, 1987 outing referenced in today’s title, so the only evidence of this trip is my old fishing log and some memories. Both aspects and plenty more on the “fishing guide” for that trip are covered in today’s ramble.

Original log entry from July 1, 1987 continued

Best I can tell, I met Larry Smith in the late 1970s while tagging along to a few meetings of the Galesburg chapter of the Furtakers of America, a trapping organization. He was acquainted with my dad and my uncle through this hobby, and they also noted that he was a good fisherman.

Lake Storey topographic map procured for me by Larry

In the mid-80s, I began working summers for the Galesburg Park Department where Larry was also employed and struck up a friendship largely due to our shared interest in fishing. Along the way, Larry invited Brent and I to fish what was then known as “The Big State Lake”, which would later become Snakeden Hollow’s Lake McMaster. Our July 1, 1987 trip pre-dated public access to the site by three years. All told we landed close to 120 bass in the crystal-clear waters amidst what looked like a flooded forest above and below the surface. Besides the fish, it was an amazing experience as visibility on the lake easily extended beyond twenty feet deep.

As the years passed, I would cross paths with Larry at Lake Storey from time to time whether he was fishing or assisting fisheries biologist Ken Russell and crew with sampling surveys. Speaking of Ken Russell, Larry hooked me up with Ken on several fishing surveys around the area. I thoroughly enjoyed manning the front of Ken’s electrofishing boat and scooping up the stunned fish before they regained their senses and swam back into the depths. Larry passed along a favorite compliment of mine as he related that Ken had told him that I was “the second-best fish dipper he’d ever had in his boat.” Of course, Larry followed that statement up by adding that he was ranked number one. No problem in being runner-up to that guy.

I was sworn to secrecy on some of the info on a public area fishing hole

Beginning in 2012, Larry and I struck up an email conversation that would span the next nine plus years and cover more fishing and trapping stories than one can imagine. I can only guess that the ongoing communication consisted of well over a thousand sends and replies as we rambled. Many “secrets” were swapped from our shared experiences on Lake Storey, Lake Bracken and Little John going back to the 1980s for me and beyond for Larry. He provided me with a topographic map of Lake Storey and some prized photos from a completely drained Lake Storey back in the 1960s. From my end of the conversations, I was quite proud to reveal a piece of Lake Storey structure to Larry that he did not know existed. And, trust me, there wasn’t much that he didn’t know about that fishing hole.

Top Secret Lake Storey communication from Larry with insider info from the 1960s

Larry was an outstanding multi-species angler and a master when using the Berkely Gulp Minnow. On August 19, 2021, he sent me an email relating, “Two days ago, caught a musky at Lake Storey to complete my catching every species of fish that swims there on a Gulp minnow. Caught a bullhead, a redear and a flathead this year prior to the musky. Me thinks this is a very good bait much like your sexy shad.” Larry also inquired about getting my cell number to send some pics and texts regarding the muskie and some other recent catches.

Dedicated a portion of a September 2021 trip to Larry’s favorite, the Gulp Minnow

Later that same day, August 19, 2021, Larry texted me a batch of his latest multi-species catches including the muskie pic below. Sadly, that was the final correspondence from our decades of swapping fish tales as Larry passed away on August 28, 2021.

August 19, 2021 – Larry and his Gulp Minnow muskie from Lake Storey

Sure do miss the man and those fish stories. Talk to you later. Troy