The three-day Easter weekend proved to be quite productive with nearly a dozen more bass joining the project. This pushes our all-time Top 5 total submissions to 998 bass, only two bites away from the milestone of Bass #1000. Read on for the scoop on the latest catches totaling well over twenty pounds of bass.
Weight: 2-0
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: April 7
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Lipless crankbait
Structure: Flat
Weight: 2-5
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: April 7
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Lipless crankbait
Structure: Flat
Weight: 2-8
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: April 7
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Lipless crankbait
Structure: Flat
Angler Comments: Pretty productive couple hours after work. These three were between two and two-and-a-half pounds and a couple that were smaller. Typical Banner spring pattern. Lipless crank over flats.
Top 5 Weight: 22-2 (5-1,4-8,4-5,4-4,4-0)
Weight: 1-1
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: April 7
Location: Knox County public strip pit
Lure: Spinnerbait (white)
Weight: 2-1
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: April 8
Location: Snakeden Hollow
Lure: Jerkbait
Weight: 2-1
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: April 8
Location: Snakeden Hollow
Lure: Jerkbait
Weight: 2-3
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: April 8
Location: Snakeden Hollow
Lure: Spinnerbait
Weight: 2-13
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: April 8
Location: Snakeden Hollow
Lure: Jerkbait
Top 5 Weight: 12-10 (2-13,2-13,2-12,2-3,2-1)
Weight: 1-2
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: April 7
Weather: Sunny/windy
Location: Knox County public strip pit
Lure: ¼ oz. Lunker Hunt Finesse Swimbait (perfect pumpkin)
Structure: Finger/flat
Angler Comments: Sight fishing on this one although I was actually targeting a larger fish. The larger fish ignored my offering and this one came out of nowhere to get it instead.
Weight: 1-4
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: April 7
Weather: Sunny/windy
Location: Knox County public strip pit
Lure: Strike King Red Eye Shad (sexy shad)
Structure: Ledge/drop
Angler Comments: Nabbed this one as the day was winding down for me and Brent to put us within one more keeper of a Top 5 day. It also put me within one more keeper of completing my 2023 Top 5 but I couldn’t fool another fish. The final keeper bite wasn’t meant to be but hopefully won’t be long.
Weight: 5-3
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: April 7
Weather: Sunny/windy
Location: Knox County public strip pit
Lure: ¼ oz. Lunker Hunt Finesse Swimbait (perfect pumpkin)
Structure: Finger/drop
Angler Comments: I spotted the shadow of this bass cruising in the shallows but had no idea it would top the five-pound mark. The stars were aligned, and I was able to fool it. A play-by-play of the catch coming your way later this week in the fishing report.
Top 5 Weight: 8-9 (5-3,1-4,1-2,1-0)
The bite is picking up even on some challenging sunny strip mine days. And while I sometimes wish the wind would tone it down, it is a benefit when the sky is high and bright. After this solid Easter weekend, Jim remains far and away the top angler while Brent has completed his Top 5 and can begin boosting his weight. I am still searching for my fifth keeper. But I’m not wasting much time before continuing the pursuit. Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy