As we head towards October, access to the Knox County public strip mines will soon be ending for another year. Therefore, I made the decision last week to take one more shot despite the abundance of terrestrial vegetation making the hike a challenge. Today’s report details the fishing results as well as the effects of this questionable stunt.

Stats
Date: September 19
Time: 1:30pm-4:50pm
Totals: 8 bass
Weather: Sunny to partly cloudy/calm 81-83F
Lures: 5” Yamasenko wacky rig (smoke shad) – 4 bass, Chatterbait (white) with Zako trailer (Tennessee Shad) – 2 bass, Bass Pro Shops Enticer Pro Series Rattling Jig (white) with Baby Paca Craw (gold pumpkin) – 2 bass
Top Bass: 2-12 Jig
Top 5 Weight (only 4 at 12” or better): 6-9 (2-12,2-1,1-0,0-12)

3:24pm – Top Bass at 2-12 (18″) on a jig and craw

Notes and Nonsense

Maybe Next Year – My first stop was a short narrow lake that is roughly the length of a basketball court and just over half as wide. I often wonder how many bass call it home and needed four more to reach one hundred bass caught from the lake. The bite on the lake was slow, and on the strip mines there is no reason to stick around on a stingy lake when another opportunity lies a five-minute walk away. After forty-five minutes and three bass, I walked away one bass short of my goal.

Winning Lures

Molar Saves the Day – None of these lakes had names when we first started fishing them, so I took it upon myself to create some. The third lake that I fished on this trip is called “Molar Lake,” as I thought that the shape resembled one of your back teeth. On this lake, I slowed down my presentation after striking out on faster moving lures. A jig and craw proved to be a winner along a ridge that bisects the western portion of this pothole. My two best bass of the day at 2-12 and 2-1 came in a seven-minute span and made the hike a bit more worthwhile.

First Time for Everything – The week prior to this outing, I was discussing my strip mine hikes with a co-worker. I indicated that I am usually out there prowling for four or five hours at a time. He asked if I ever sit down for a rest or remain on my feet the whole time. My response was that I stay upright but sure am glad when I get back to the truck for a seat and the ride home. Well, up until this outing, that response was correct. Reaching my final stop, with the combination of the weeds and the heat, I was beat, and had to have a seat. My rest spanned about five minutes on a knob at lakeside while I made a handful of fruitless casts. As I sat, I pondered my fifteen-minute walk back to the truck and finally mustered up the energy to get back on my feet.

Strip mine fishing is a workout

Aftermath – I had hoped to fish until sunset but the hike on the heels of two morning hours on The Hennepin Canal had taken their toll. I was simply worn out. As I wrapped up my drive home, I got delayed by a stopped train near Colona. I waited it out for fifteen minutes and wound up with a cramp in my left leg from sitting oddly. With the train stalled at the crossing, I finally opted to turn around and take an alternate route home. When I arrived at home, my right leg cramped up so bad as I exited the truck that I could not walk. Julie came out to check on me in the driveway and after several minutes the cramp passed. This is the second time in the past two years that I have been stopped in my tracks after a strip mine hike. Either I need to get in better shape or knock it off with these sorts of adventures.

My texts to Julie en route and upon arrival at home

So, here we are in what are the final six or eight weeks of my fishing year. I would like to get back down to either the strip mines or Lake Storey before it’s all over but may just wind up with a finish on The Canal. And speaking of The Canal, I have more trips to report, but I am leaning towards a September wrap-up instead of separate posts. Stay tuned as there is still plenty of fishing stuff to come. Talk to you later. Troy