I ended my workday Wednesday looking at a four-day weekend courtesy of the Fourth of July holiday on Thursday and a vacation day on Friday. What better way to kick off a break from work than with a quick trip to The Canal.

8:18pm – First bass at 1-1 (13″) on a frog

Stats
Date: July 3
Location: Hennepin Canal
Time: 7:25pm-8:55pm
Totals: 3 bass
Weather: Partly cloudy/calm 80-76F
Lures: Whopper Plopper 110 (bone) – 2 bass, Spro Flappin Frog 65 (albino) – 1 bass
Top 3 Weight (only 3 bass at 12” or better): 3-6 (1-4,1-1,1-1)

Winning Lures

Notes and Nonsense

Choices – The Canal is an interesting place as it is a linear collection of relatively narrow fishing holes connected or separated by tubes, locks, berms, and siphons. As such, anytime that I have a couple evening hours to get away, I am faced with the dilemma of selecting a spot from about a dozen options within twenty minutes of home. On this occasion, I chose a spot that I don’t fish often for a bike and hike adventure.

8:46pm – Second bass at 1-1 (13″) on a Whopper Plopper

Goals – My Top 5 on this stretch was not even a Top 5, only a Top 2. Those two “keepers” consisted of a 2-13 on July 2, 2021, and an 0-14 on May 20, 2023. Thus, goal number one was to fool three more keepers to establish an initial Top 5. Mission accomplished as I landed three bass, and each met or exceeded twelve inches to qualify. Goal number two was to hit the ten-pound mark in my quest for a double-digit Top 5 in every pool from Colona to the Feeder Basin. I did make progress on that goal but still have a ways to go with the current Top 5 for the pool sitting at 7-1.

8:54am – Third bass at 1-4 (14″) on a Whopper Plopper

Short and sweet for today’s report and a successful quick hit on The Canal. The water level has been manipulated over the last two years on this stretch to such an extent that I was concerned about winter kill. Apparently, there are decent bass that weathered the storm, and the water has returned to normal pool. I’ll be back and I hope to encounter the bites that will push me to the ten-pound mark. Word has it that the pool used to hold plenty of quality bass. Time will tell. Talk to you later. Troy