Month: July 2023

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Two more bass joined the project this past week as Brent and I both hit the water for a while on Saturday. He paddled around Snakeden at sunrise while I pedaled around The Hennepin Canal towards sunset. Mixed results as he was much more successful than me, but we both managed a solid catch for Top Bass. Read on for the rest of the story.

Weight: 2-12
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: July 15
Location: Snakeden Hollow
Lure: Mann’s Chug-N-Spit
Angler Comments: Four hours on the water, eleven bass, 2-12 was the biggest. I had one break off and lost the Chug-N-Spit. I did not see him, but he pulled good. At least until the line broke. Top 5 for the morning 10-14 (2-12,2-8,2-6,1-15,1-5).
Top 5 Weight: 14-14 (3-8,2-15,2-13,2-13,2-13)

Weight: 2-8
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: July 15
Weather: Hazy/calm, 82F
Water Temp: not available
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: 7.5” Yum Ribbontail Worm (plum)
Structure: Weed edge/drop
Angler Comments: I started my evening trying to get a topwater frog bite going but continue to struggle with that approach. Instead, a Texas rigged plastic worm saved the day in an area where I found some deeper water adjacent to a shallow weed edge.
Top 5 Weight: 20-15 (5-3,4-10,4-2,3-9,3-7)

While neither fish gave us a boost in our Top 5 Weight, the catches were certainly worth reporting. Some quality summer advice is also of note as it pertains to today’s update. Early or late in the day are your best bets for summer success. In those lowlight conditions, the bass are more willing to strike on top. But if that doesn’t work out, bounce a worm or creature bait around deeper water with a sharp drop where bass can move easily between the depths.

A couple fishing reports are in the works including an attempt to add another state to my list of bass catches. In addition, I am hoping to get out a few more times before we head into August. Talk to you later. Troy

Hennepin Canal Report – July 2

Posted on by Troy Jackson

I had only thrown my boat in The Canal a couple times in the last six weeks, spending more time walking and exploring on several occasions instead. With a few late afternoon hours to spare on this day I decided to pack up the boat and hit a stretch that I had yet to visit in 2023. Between extremely low water levels and abundant surface vegetation, the spot hadn’t been on my list. But there’s bass all along The Canal and it was time to give it a shot.

3:57pm – Top Bass at 0-15 and the only “keeper” of the afternoon

Stats
Date: July 2
Location: Hennepin Canal
Time: 2:30pm-4:45pm
Totals: 8 bass
Weather: Partly cloudy/breezy, 79F
Lures: Booyah Buzzbait (white) – 5 bass, 5” Yamasenko wacky rig (natural shad) – 2 bass, Spro Flappin Frog 65 (albino) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 0-15 Buzzbait
Top 1 Weight (only 1 at 12” or better): 0-15 (0-15)

Winning Lures

Notes and Nonsense

3:46pm – Got the frog bass that I have been seeking

Monkey (or Frog) Off My Back – The struggle is over as I finally get a frog bass in the log from The Canal for 2023. If you have read my prior Canal reports, you are aware that I just don’t have the touch with a topwater frog on a waterway custom-made for such an approach. However, I think I found a frog that gives me some confidence and a catch sure helps out. The Spro Flappin Frog caught my eye at an area baitshop as I picked up three repaired rods a couple of weeks ago. The flapping legs were what I was looking for to cause more commotion than the living rubber strands on the frogs that I had been throwing. The frog also turned out to be thicker skinned, giving it a bit more heft for casting. The short bass ended up tearing the guts out through the belly of the frog, but it all went back together with no noticeable damage. One bass down and hopefully more (and bigger) to come.

The frog took a beating on its lone bite but no worse for wear after reassembly

Compliment of the Day – A fellow was riding his bike along the towpath as I began my afternoon, and we chatted as he made a brief stop. On his return, he stopped a ways ahead of where I was slowly drifting down The Canal firing away with my buzzbait. As luck would have it, I hooked a bass in his direction while he observed. While it happened to be the biggest bass of the trip, that wasn’t saying a whole lot. However, the biker was evidently impressed by my approach and catch as he offered up, “You really look like you know what you are doing.” I thanked him and related that I’ve had plenty of practice. The solitude that most of my fishing offers is good for the mind but I will admit that it is kind of fun when you catch one while somebody is watching.

A timely strike can make it look like “you know what you are doing.”

Not a whole lot more to report on this outing as I couldn’t muster up any quality bites. Enough to “keep me interested” but “nothing to write home about” as the old sayings go. But there’s always a report to pass along. Got a couple more in the works and a Top 5 Update coming your way tomorrow. Talk to you later. Troy

Twenty Year Trip – June 30

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Pre-casting predictions

To end June, I took a half day off work to visit an old fishing hole with a longtime fishing partner. The significance of the trip taking place on June 30, is that it would mark twenty years to the day since the last time I made a cast on these waters. The name of the West Central Illinois public water will remain a mystery for now. If the backdrop in the pictures and clips look familiar, perhaps you already know. Read on for the results and notes.

June 30, 2003 – twenty years since my last visit to this fishing hole

Stats
Date: June 30, 2023
Location: West Central Illinois public water
Time: 2:50pm-8:50pm
Weather: Sunny/calm to breezy
Air Temp: 85-65F
Water Temp: not available
Totals: 19 bass (Brent – 11, Troy – 8)
Lures (Troy): 5” Yamasenko wacky rig weighted (natural shad) – 5 bass, 7.5” Yum Ribbontail Worm (plum) – 3 bass
Lures (Brent): Senko or Yum Dinger wacky rig – 6 bass, Mann’s Chug-N-Spit Popper – 5 bass 
Top Bass: 3-2 Plastic Worm (Troy)
Top 5 Weight: 12-2 (3-2,2-10,2-10,2-4,1-8)

7:03pm – Top Bass at 3-2 (18.5″) on plastic worm

Notes and Nonsense

Background – I fished in these waters as far back as the late 1980s and as noted in the intro, my last visit was June 30, 2003. Fast forward to a discussion with my friend and fellow Top 5 angler, John Kirkemo a couple of years ago where the location came up as a suggested destination. Lucky for me, John took a scouting trip or two and provided impressive feedback including a 15-11 Top 5 (4-2,3-5,2-14,2-11,2-11) from June 13, 2022. My personal Top 5 covering data from May 4, 1989, through June 30, 2003, tipped the scales at 10-1 with a Top Bass of 3-8.

Winning Lures

Texas Rig – Two and a half hours into our outing, Brent and I had nine bass in the log, all on a Senko wacky rig. However, only two were “keepers” for a combined weight of 3-7 (2-10,0-13). At that point, I elected to add a Texas-rigged worm to my presentations, a setup that was a mainstay in my arsenal in the 1980s and 1990s. For various reasons, I moved away from such a presentation, primarily using creature type baits for Texas-rigged setups, and relying heavily on a Senko wacky rig as my plastic worm approach. Upon making the change, I was able to end a drought of over an hour without a bite in landing a 2-4 on my Yum Ribbontail worm. The Top Bass of the trip would later fall to the same lure, weighing 3-2 and landed at just after 7:00pm.

7:55pm – Vintage Chug-N-Spit still gets the job done at 2-10 (18″)

Chug-N-Spit – While my worm presentation represented an old school technique that I have neglected for many years, Brent did me one better with one of his choices. A Texas-rigged worm is no rarity among anglers, but I suspect that Brent’s old Mann’s Chug-N-Spit topwater popper is not a mainstay in very many tackleboxes. Not because it doesn’t work, but more because it may qualify as an antique and is no longer on the market. A quick internet search did not produce any details on the sales life of the Chug-N-Spit but when referred to as “vintage” among the search results, it is an oldie.

Fellow Fisher – The belted kingfisher is a cool bird in appearance, call, and habit. If you hang around the water long enough, you will encounter these birds that make a living out of fishing. Sometimes they give themselves away with their rattling call while other times you may spot them first on a shoreline dead limb surveying the fishing hole. Even better is when you observe one swooping down and grabbing a meal with a splash. Well, we heard and saw all the above in addition to a new kingfisher trick, swooping down on a lure. As shown in the video clip below, luck was on our side as the kingfisher opted not to nab Brent’s lure, allowing our intended quarry to get the Chug-N-Spit instead.

 

Guessing Game – For several years, when I get together with Brent or a few other anglers for a full day of fishing, I solicit predictions prior to making our first casts. Most spots where we are fishing, there is some history behind our guesses. But on this spot we had only John Kirkemo’s input as we had not been on the water for twenty years. John’s Top 5 day of 15-11 was a tall order and our predictions reflected such with Brent guessing 8-7 while I was a little more optimistic with my 12-13 guesstimation. We also post our guesses for overall Top Bass and a combined catch total. When all was said and done, Brent came closest on Top Bass and Total Bass while I took the Top 5 prediction.

Final Results

 

It’s tough to beat a day on the water with my brother and even better when there is a little something extra with the Twenty Year Anniversary aspect. Once again, a big thank you to John Kirkemo for the incentive to get on the water. Add a pat on the back to me for coming up with the idea to revisit on the twentieth anniversary of my last casts on the water. Throw in a thumbs up to Brent, me, and our employers for time away from work. Finally, a nod to the bass for cooperating and the IDNR for their efforts in restoring a lake that has experienced population challenges over the years. Glad we were able to take our shot and suspect that I won’t wait another twenty years before I try it again. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

The area fishing holes may feel like bath water these days, but the fish still call them home. And while heat and humidity can be a factor for anglers, you’ll never catch those fish sitting in your living room. A shout out to one of our participants for getting out there and adding a couple catches this past week including a first for 2023.

Weight: 0-14
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: July 6
Weather: Partly cloudy afternoon skies
Air Temperature: 70s
Water Temp: 82F
Location: Knox County public water
Lure: Wacky worm
Angler Comments: The fish hit while casting to shoreline structure. Not many hits in three hours of fishing from 2:45pm-6:00pm. Caught one other bass smaller than this one. Few other hits.
Top 5 Weight: 7-2 (2-4,1-15,1-3,0-14,0-14)

Other Species – Channel Catfish

Weight: 2-3
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: July 6
Weather: Partly cloudy afternoon skies
Water Temp: 70s
Location: Knox County public water
Lure: Beetlespin
Angler Comments: The catfish hit on my first cast after pulling into a cove. The fish took the lure right after it hit the water and put up a good fight.
Top 5 Weight: 2-3 (2-3)

Thanks to John for the Top 5 submissions and adding some variety to our list. I would also like to thank John for his research on different area fishing hole in recent years. His input and catches prompted Brent and I to take a shot at a spot we had not visited for twenty years. Stay tuned for that adventure in an upcoming fishing report. Talk to you later. Troy

Prowl the Canal – June Wrap-Up

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Hard to believe that it is July already but that means that it is time for the June update from The Canal. A fair month but The Canal bass continue to get the best of me in 2023 compared to previous years. As my first ever Canal bass was landed on June 5, 2021, from here on out my monthly wrap-ups will have two years of stats to compare with 2023. Of note, all 2021 totals represent walking or biking as opposed to getting a boat on the water.

Top June Bass of 2023 – Carly on June 18 at 2-13 (19″) on a Senko (video clip below)

June Breakdown
June 2023 Totals: 24 bass in 15.75 hours (1.52 bass/hour)
June 2022 Totals: 37 bass in 11.75 hours (3.15 bass/hour)
June 2021 Totals: 11 bass in 3.00 hours (3.67 bass/hour)

June 2023 Top Bass: 2-4 June 20 Spinnerbait
June 2022 Top Bass: 2-15 June24 Spinnerbait
June 2021 Top Bass: 2-14 June 21 Crankbait

2023 Best June Top 5 Day: 8-2 (1-14,1-11,1-9,1-9,1-7) – June 19
2022 Best June Top 5 Day: 11-3 (2-15,2-10,2-3,2-1,1-6) – June 24
2021 Best June Top 5 Day: 3-11 (2-14,0-13) – June 21

2023 June Top 5: 9-2 (2-4,1-14,1-11,1-11,1-10)
2022 June Top 5: 11-9 (2-15,2-10,2-3,2-1,1-12)
2021 June Top 5: 5-5 (2-14,1-10,0-13)

It’s that time of year and the Senko wacky rig comes through

2023 June Lure Breakdown
Plastic Worms – 12 bass
Buzzbaits – 6 bass
Spinnerbaits – 4 bass
Propbaits – 1 bass
Swimbaits – 1 bass

June 20 – My Top June Bass of 2023 at 2-4 (18″) on a spinnerbait (catch video below)

 

Top 5 All-Time June Bass Weight: 12-14 (2-15,2-14,2-10,2-4,2-3)

2023 Overall Canal Stats
76 bass in 51.25 hours (1.48 bass/hour)
Top Bass: 3-2 Buzzbait – May 25
Best Top 5 Day: 10-4 (3-2,2-6,1-10,1-10,1-8) – May 25

Yearly Top 5 Totals
2023 Top 5 Canal Weight: 13-5 (3-2,2-14,2-8,2-7,2-6)
2022 Top 5 Canal Weight: 15-15 (3-5,3-5,3-4,3-2,2-15)
2021 Top 5 Canal Weight: 15-6 (3-6,3-4,3-1,2-14,2-13)

Notes

Family Bass – Julie and the kids also pitched in with some bass during a Father’s Day weekend camping trip along The Canal. Carly’s 2-13 catch on June 18 not only established her new personal Top Bass mark but also represents the Top Bass from this stretch of The Canal. As a group, the Jackson 5 (Julie, Helena, Carly, Jayce, and Zac) posted the Top 5 Total below from the eleven combined bass. Also included are the family stats for June and all-time.

Carly’s all-time Top Bass video below

 

Jackson 5 2023 Family Top 5: 6-13 (2-13,1-3,1-2,0-14,0-13)

Family Canal Stats (all six members catches included)
Family Top 5 All-Time June Bass Weight: 13-8 (2-15,2-14,2-13,2-10,2-4)
Family 2023 Top 5 Weight: 13-12 (3-2,2-14,2-13,2-8,2-7)

Poison Ivy – I had my first go around with my nemesis in a while. Fortunately, I can’t recall the last time I got poison ivy but this time around it was quite mild compared to several of my afflictions over the years. Just a few itchy strips of spots on my arms, legs, and side. In fact, I had more itchy welts from gnats than ivy. The Canal is lined with poison ivy, and I suspect my contact came from an ivy-covered slope where I launched my boat on one trip. No doubt, I should know better and certainly know the old “leaves of three, let it be” adage. However, an angler must throw caution to the wind when chasing a bite.

There you have it, and a July trip to The Canal is already in the books. That report and one more missing June report in the works so stay tuned. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Stats

Posted on by Troy Jackson

The month of June saw nine more bass submissions to bring the 2023 total to seventy entries. The cool thing was that seven anglers were involved in contributing those nine bass. Four of those anglers were making their first submissions of the year. And one of them, Carly Jackson, posted her all-time Top Bass at 2-13 during the month. Read on for the latest breakdown of the 2023 Top 5 Stats.

2023 Totals
January = no submissions
February = 2 bass
March = 7 bass
April = 32 bass
May = 20 bass
June = 9 bass

Top 5 Weight by Month
January = no submissions
February = 6-10 (3-9,3-1)
March = 19-8 (5-1,4-5,4-4,3-5,2-9)
April = 24-0 (5-5,5-3,4-12,4-8,4-4)
May = 24-11 (5-9,5-6,4-14,4-10,4-4)
June = 11-6 (3-2,2-13,2-4,2-0,1-3)

Boat vs. Bank
Boat = 24 bass
Bank = 46 bass

Boat vs. Bank Weight
Boat = 20-0 (5-6,4-2,3-9,3-8,3-7)
Bank = 26-0 (5-9,5-5,5-3,5-1,4-14)

Public vs. Private
Public = 67 bass
Private = 3 bass

Public vs. Private Top 5 Weight
Public = 26-8 (5-9,5-6,5-5,5-3,5-1)
Private = 8-4 (3-9,2-11,2-0)

The Baits
Lipless Crankbait = 24 bass (Top Bass 5-6 Natalee Townsend)
Plastic Worm = 17 bass (Top Bass 3-9 Troy Jackson)
Chatterbait = 7 bass (Top Bass 5-9 Jim Junk)
Grub = 5 bass (Top Bass 5-3 Troy Jackson)
Jerkbait = 4 bass (Top Bass 2-13 Brent Jackson)
Propbait = 3 bass (Top Bass 4-10 Troy Jackson)
Spinnerbait = 3 bass (Top Bass 2-14 Troy Jackson)
Swimbait = 2 bass (Top Bass 4-4 Jim Junk)
Buzzbait = 2 bass (Top Bass 3-8 Brent)
Jig = 1 bass (Top Bass 2-13 Brent Jackson)
Popper = 1 bass (Top Bass 2-13 Brent Jackson)
Spinnerbait = 1 bass (Top Bass 3-7 Troy Jackson)

Monthly Top Bass
January
No submissions
February
3-9 Jim Junk
March
5-1 Jim Junk
April
5-5 Jim Junk
May
5-9 Jim Junk
June
3-2 Troy Jackson

2023 Top 10 Bass
5-9 Jim Junk 5/2
5-6 Natalee Townsend 5/26
5-5 Jim Junk 4/23
5-3 Troy Jackson 4/7
5-1 Jim Junk 3/5
4-14 Jim Junk 5/5
4-12 Jim Junk 4/9
4-10 Troy Jackson 5/6
4-8 Jim Junk 4/1
4-5 Jim Junk 3/11

Angler Weights
Jim Junk 25-9 (5-9,5-5,5-1,4-14,4-12)
Troy Jackson 20-15 (5-3,4-10,4-2,3-9,3-7)
Brent Jackson 14-14 (3-8,2-15,2-13,2-13,2-13)
Natalee Townsend 7-9 (5-6,2-3)
John Kirkemo 6-4 (2-4,1-15,1-3,0-14)
Carly Jackson 3-10 (2-13,0-13)
Landon Hannam 3-8 (3-8)
Terry Jackson 2-11 (2-11)
Jayce Jackson 1-3 (1-3)
Julia Jackson 0-14 (0-14)
Zac Jackson 0-11 (0-11)

Another solid month of fishing is in the books. And what I enjoyed the most was getting to witness six of the catches in person and play photographer for the anglers. Good luck and talk to you later. Troy

Strip Mine Report II – June 24

Posted on by Troy Jackson

While at a family lunch get together, my brother, Brent, and I cooked up a plan for an evening fishing trip. I’d already spent four and a half hours on the water to begin the day but there’s no such thing as too much fishing. So, off we headed to Little John Conservation Club with just over two hours on the clock to fish.

8:18pm – Top Bass at 2-0 (16″) on a Senko

Stats
Date: June 24, 2023
Location: Little John Conservation Club (2 lakes)
Time: 6:40pm-8:50pm (2.00 hours fishing)
Weather: Partly cloudy/breezy
Air Temp: 91-85F
Water Temp: not available
Totals: 8 bass (Troy -5, Brent – 3)
Lures (Troy): 5” Yamasenko wacky rig (natural shad) – 3 bass, Booyah Buzz Buzzbait (white) – 2 bass
Lures (Brent): 5” Yamamoto Senko wacky rig – 2 bass, Mann’s Ghost topwater (chartreuse) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 2-0 (Brent)
Top 5 Weight: 7-5 (2-0,1-11,1-8,1-1,1-1)

Winning Lures

Notes and Nonsense

Guiding The Ghost – The clip below features Brent fooling his Top Bass of the outing at 1-11 on a hollow bodied topwater lure known as The Ghost from Mann’s Bait Company. The lure itself deserves a story but for now that aspect will reside in the “one of these days” files. Obviously, Brent knows what he is doing but, in this case, as I was on rowing duty, I positioned the boat and said, “Maybe hit that other pocket…” A missed strike and a follow-up cast later he had a bass. So, it appears that while I cannot physically land a bass on a frog type lure myself, I can guide others to a catch. Perhaps I need to comb through my 1980s tackle archives to see if I can find an old Mann’s Ghost before I continue searching for a slop bass bite.

 

Low Water I – The dry year has had a noticeable effect on the smaller bodies of water that I fish. Former shallows are now nearly devoid of water and areas that once held a few feet of water have become solid weed mats, humps are exposed, and underwater points are shoreline. While such conditions dictate shifting gears from tried-and-true areas and presentations, they also afford a chance to learn.

 

Low Water II – As noted above, the low water conditions offer an excellent chance to expand your knowledge of any body of water. If you have access to any ponds or strip pits, this is prime time to get out there and roam as it can provide unprecedented shoreline access. In many instances, ledges and flats are now exposed allowing you to walk around to areas that were once tough to get to or entirely inaccessible. Shoreline cover is laid bare and offshore targets may be revealed. Pull on your boots, jot down notes, shoot pics and videos, try some new presentations, and learn. You cannot predict the weather and never know when you may get such an opportunity again.

 

No big bites but always fun to take a shot at Little John, especially as I had neglected the area completely in 2022 for whatever reasons. In addition, Brent is not a member, so it is good to have him along to try his luck. Not only do I enjoy the company but also having a skilled partner in the boat means an additional lure/presentation in the water. With only a couple of hours of daylight, we did a run and gun with a quick lap around two lakes and managed to find a few. Less than a week later, we were back in the little boat together again. But that’s another fish story. Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy

Strip Mine Report I – June 24

Posted on by Troy Jackson

A return trip to a public strip pit that had produced very well in May, found the water in a late spring/early summer aquatic vegetation boom. Combined with other conditions described below, this made for some trial and error to find a winning presentation. Read on for a morning on the water that I refer to as “work harder, feel smarter.”

7:46am – Top Bass at 3-2 (18.5″) on a Senko wacky rig

Winning pattern – read on for the details

Stats
Date: June 24
Location: Knox County public strip mine
Time: 5:40am-10:10am
Totals: 10 bass, 1 bluegill
Weather: Sunny/breezy
Lure: 5” Yamasenko wacky rig (natural shad) – 10 bass, 1 bluegill
Top Bass: 3-2 Senko
Top 5 Weight: 13-5 (3-2,2-12,2-11,2-6,2-6)

 

Notes and Nonsense

Plan A (Topwater) – With an hour drive, it is tough for me to get on the water before sunup this time of the year, even when I get up at 3:43am. The bright sunny morning did not provide a prime window for an early bite, but I am stubborn, and force fed the bass an offering of a buzzbait, Whopper Plopper, Pop R, and frog, anyway. Some days you can still get a few in these conditions early or late but on this day, I could not muster a single strike.

Plan B (Texas rigged plastics) – In the early 1980s when I first started thinking I was a bass fisherman, I used to throw a lot of Texas rigged plastic worms. As time moved on, I also added plastic creature type baits to my arsenal. Nowadays, I hardly ever slow down unless the fish ignore my faster, noisier presentations such as the topwater approach in Plan A. Well, the bass were not interested in Plan B either, so what to do next?

Plan C (Senko wacky rig) – The lake that I was fishing was roughly 75% covered in surface vegetation. Among that weedy percentage, close to half of it was too shallow as the water level was low from our lack of rain. Now, it doesn’t take much water to hold a bass, but their backs would have been getting sunburn in these shallows. To complicate matters further, about 50% of the deeper, open water areas were stained with an ugly brown tint. As the morning unfolded, I found a few in the ugly water before resorting to finding larger bass in smaller, open pockets with clearer water. These open pockets ranged in size from smaller than the on-deck circle to maybe as big as the free throw lane. Such a tactic would produce all ten of my catches and I visually observed several of the bass dart out of the peripheral walls of weeds to grab the Senko.

With the bass in the weeds, some catches come aboard with “salad”

 

So, what can be learned from today’s fish story? For starters, the bass will tell you what they want, or don’t. On those fortunate days when you and the bass are in synch, you can stick to your approach and reel them in until the fish change moods. Such days make you feel smart. But it’s the days when I must work a little harder that make me feel smarter. Talk to you later. Troy