Did I ever tell you about a place called Emiquon?

Why, of course, I did.

In fact, a couple other Blog Banner pictures have featured fish and data from the interesting and productive fishing hole. I’ve got nothing firsthand to report from the last several years but reliable sources indicate that there’s still plenty of  bass down there.  Just a little tougher to find and fool.

Since this posting is headed towards a look at bass “guts”, here’s a different example of a stocky, well-fed Emiquon resident

Back in the days when I visited Emiquon (2009-2013) it produced an amazing combination of quantity and quality. The bass featured today was landed in July 2012 and came on a day when I had to work for the quantity aspect although a 23 bass day on most public waters is pretty solid in my book. Quality, however, never faltered on any of my outings down there and this day was no exception as 22 of the 23 bass measured 13” or better. That’s a 96% “keeper” rate with my definition of “keeper” being 12” or better (only a categorical label as all are released). Folks, that’s just crazy and the lone “short” fish came in at 11”.

But today’s featured fish was something else altogether. The picture does a good job of accentuating it’s build but in person it truly looked freakish, in a good way. This catch only measured 18” in length but tipped the scales at a whopping 4-11. By comparison, the weights of all other 18” bass in my database (37 bass) range from 2-3 to 3-8 with an average weight of 2-13, nearly two pounds lighter than this beast. The dozen bass in the database whose weights range from 4-9 to 4-13 measure from 20” to 22” (see comparison below).

August 11, 2003 at 4-13 and 21.5″ in length, Knox County, IL strip mine

Another shot of “The Pig” at 4-11 and only 18″ in length

In addition, the fish below was the runner-up on the day at 2-8. And it measured 17.5” in length. Yep, only a half inch shorter but over two pounds lighter. A solid fish in its own right but not even close, just plain weird.

Healthy runner up to “The Pig” at 17.5″ and 2-8 but really no comparison in build

So weird, in fact, that this is the only fish that I have ever caught that was given a nickname, hence the title of this posting referring to “The Pig.” Here’s an excerpt from the original fishing report that I submitted back on July 17, 2012 that describes the origin of the nickname.

“The fish pictured above (couldn’t help but use two pictures for this freak) grabbed my Red Eye Shad as it blazed along the outside of a ditch between some deeper tree tops and the shallower weed edge. My first glimpse of the football had me talking aloud in saying, ‘Man, that’s a good one.’ Just like my crankbait, the Boga Grip found its mark on a lip and I brought my trophy aboard still talking to myself stating, ‘Oh, that’s a pig’ in a sincere and excited complimentary fashion. In fact, I was so enthused that I even gave a fist pump as I put down my rod. I can’t imagine the feeling of fooling a good one ever getting old. Equally as fulfilling was watching it swim away after posing for a couple pictures with its biggest fan.”

And still a fan to this day. No doubt that it belonged when selecting pictures for the visual introduction to an outdoor website like no other. Talk to you later. Troy

April 12, 2014 4:58pm 4-6 Jig & pig, shout out to my lucky fishing hat as well as the bass

Okay, so I’ve only got four more Blog Banner pictures to cover. And if you are keeping score at home, you already know that it is exclusively a fishing finish. Almost like I planned it that way as Mother Nature typically produces some open water around here for us folks who don’t get too gung ho on the hard water fishing.

Today’s pic features one of a pair of four-pounders reeled in back in April of 2014 on some West Central Illinois walk-in strip mine ground while fishing with my brother, Brent.  It was an incredible day as noted by the following stats, pics and Top Bass details, originally reported on the Heartland Outdoors website on April 16, 2014 (see link).

Date: April 12, 2014
Location: Knox County strip mines
Time: 10:20am-6:05pm (5.75 hours fishing, the rest walking/driving)
Totals: 107 bass (9 different lakes)
Brent Totals: 51 bass
Troy Totals: 56 bass
Top Bass Brent: 3-8 Jig & Plastic
Top Bass Troy: 4-6 Jig & Pig (black & blue)
Top 5 Combined Weight: 17-2 (4-6,4-2,3-8,3-0,2-2 all pictured within this post)

“My Top Bass of 4-6 set a new site record besting a 4-3 I caught last fall. The fish came on a jig and pig (black and blue, of course) as I worked it up a dropoff near a shallow saddle between two fingers on a spot I call Twin Lake. The water is quite clear and I actually saw the dark shape of a bass taking a look at the jig as it came into view about six feet deep. When I saw the big boy go nose down and my line start to move sideways I knew I was in business. I hollered at Brent who was around the corner and pretty soon he was taking a snapshot of me and my 2014 best (so far). It’s tough to describe how cool it was to see that fish decide my jig was worth eating.”

Tough to describe, indeed, but I’m going to try anyway after a look at the rest of our Top 5 on the day.

11:44am 3-0 Spinnerbait

12:08pm 4-2 Jig & pig

1:37pm 2-2 Jig & pig

5:43pm 3-8 Jig & plastic

So, this spot featured very clear water and a steep drop into the main trough of the lake beginning just a couple yards out from my position on the bank. As my jig barely came into view when slowly hopped from the depths, a dark (and large) shape appeared a few feet behind the lure. Cue several nerve racking seconds when it seemed that time slowed down. While the bass was interested, it had yet to commit and if I could see it, it could see me as well. Therefore, I had to be as still as possible yet impart just the right action to the stationary lure lying on the bottom within a foot of the fish. With the slightest lift of the rod tip the jig scooted along the slope with the skirt momentarily flaring out and the pig trailer giving a slight wave to my target. Slowly, the bass went nose down and looked to take the lure but I was leery to jump the gun on a hookset for fear of pulling the bait away and blowing my chance. I shifted my focus from the fish to the spot where the line entered the surface and saw it begin to move slightly to the left meaning that it was go time. A firm hookset met with solid resistance indicating that I had played my cards right and all those years of practice had paid off for this veteran, unshakeable angler.

An angler whose hands were shaking as he lifted his catch from the water. I’ve had this bite hundreds of times, unseen on the end of a long cast or hidden by the depth or clarity of the water. Thus, it was very cool to watch it unfold at my feet. Man, I dig fishing. Talk to you later. Troy

Over the years, my kids have asked, “Dad, who is your favorite kid?”

Well, depends on the day, I guess, and who says it has to be one of your kids.

Just kidding, of course, it’s a four-way tie for first place.

Today’s Blog Banner pic features kid number four to round out the crew. This is our youngest boy, Zac, during his turn in the boat on a 2016 camping and fishing trip. And his catch is what I am referencing in the title of today’s posting.

Yep, the good old, reliable bluegill is a dad’s best friend. Typically quite cooperative and a solid battle for anglers of Zac’s size with their circular runs and occasional dives at boatside putting a good bend in an ultralight rig. Setting up the kids with a slip bobber, a 1/16oz jighead tipped with a waxworm and perhaps a split shot to get the bobber upright does the trick. For my money, the slip bobber is the key to better and safer casting as opposed to several dangling feet of line flapping in the wind and looking to hook something besides a fish. I also vote for a spinning setup over a spincast rig once the kids can manage the technique as they are much friendlier with such a slip bobber approach as well.

But, as with most kids Zac’s age (and some grown up kids too) the fishing trip is about more than fishing. Why just last year he spent a fair amount of time trying to destroy my needlenose pliers by digging holes in the lane next to our fishing hole. Also ran through a fair amount of our waxworms by seeing how many he could impale on the trebles of a crankbait.

Always entertaining and good to know that when his attention turns back to a fishing pole on these outings that there will be some bluegill ready for action. Talk to you later. Troy