Author: Troy Jackson

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

The Top 5 Updates continue with this week’s submission including a little something extra. Not only do we get the standard picture and data, but also a detailed description of the setup including a map. Read on for a cool fishing report.

Weight: 2-4
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: June 8
Weather: Early morning sun with 60-degree air temperature
Water Temp: Not Available
Location: West Central Illinois public water
Lure: Black and silver shallow running Rapala
Angler Comments: There is a narrow area of shallow water across the entrance to an inlet off the main lake. The shallow water is only one to two feet deep. There is deep water on the inlet side and lake side of the shallow water. If the lake water level were to drop the inlet would be cut off from the main lake. The shallow water has numerous bluegill nests, and a lot of bluegills were present. Bass were coming up from the deep water on the lake side and harassing the bluegill population. Earlier in the morning I hooked a heavy bass on a silver and black floating Rapala cast into the bluegill nest area. The fish immediately headed for the deep water weed beds. He was able to use the weeds to get away. Later in the morning I returned to the spot and could see several large bass in the deep clear water. I threw wacky worms, spinner baits, shallow running Rapalas and paddle tail plastics toward the bass in the deep water, but they showed little interest. Finally, a bass took the Rapala and headed for the weeds. I was able to keep him from wrapping the line around the weeds and landed the 2 lbs. 4 oz. fish.
Top 5 Weight: 5-1 (2-4,1-15,0-14)

Thank you, John, for your catch and the detailed rundown of how you got it done. I may take a page out of your book for an upcoming post of my own. We’ll see how my attempt at an illustration goes as I may be in touch for more of your artistry. I also have a plan to get a few more submissions for next week’s Top 5 Update. Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy

Prowl the Canal – May Notes

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Lone find from the “Lost and Found” in May

Along with the stats, there are usually some other bits and pieces to report from a month of casting on The Canal as I try not to ramble too much on the specific fishing reports. So, read on for the rest of the story from a series of prowls in the merry, merry month of May.

“The one that got away” in the clip below

 

Majestic cottonwoods litter the surface of The Canal with fuzz as described below

The Fuzz – The Canal is lined with some massive cottonwood trees. The leaves, bark and twigs of these trees can be messy, but the bane of anglers is the cottony fuzz that these trees scatter in seed dispersal. The fuzz gathers on the line during the retrieve and proceeds to clump on the line ties, the hook eyes, and the spools of reels. It can be darn tough to get it completely cleaned off these spots particularly your line. This year, the fuzz appears to be a bumper crop, possibly a cyclical phenomenon where plants produce an abundance of seeds known as “masting.”

Cottonwood fuzz accumulates rapidly at this time of the year

Gnuisances – The gnats are especially irritating this year on The Canal. Up your nose, in your ears, on the inside of your glasses, and in your hat, they are everywhere. And some of them bite as evidenced by a dozen or more itchy welts on my neck, face, and ears after several outings. All part of the pursuit and while I am aware of potions, elixirs, and sprays, the smell of most of those concoctions annoy me more than the bugs. But, hey, at least it’s not mosquitoes…yet.

Weeds abound despite efforts to control, but the bass are hiding in there somewhere

 

June on The Canal is underway so stay tuned for those reports and more. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Stats

Posted on by Troy Jackson

A little delayed after catching up on some fishing reports but it is once again time for the monthly Top 5 Stat Update. May saw four anglers join the ranks for 2023. Three are veterans of the quest, Dad (Terry Jackson), John Kirkemo, and Landon Hannam. The fourth new participant is my niece, Natalee Townsend, with her first pair of submissions. Read on for the notes and numbers on our sixty-one bass entered for the year.

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

Boat vs. Bank
Boat = 20 bass
Bank = 41 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 = 59 bass
Private = 2 bass

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

The Baits
Lipless Crankbait = 24 bass (Top Bass 5-6 Natalee Townsend)
Plastic Worm = 9 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 = 3 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 Jackson)
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

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)
Landon Hannam 3-8 (3-8)
John Kirkemo 2-13 (1-15,0-14)
Terry Jackson 2-11 (2-11)

Summer is just around the corner and we’re nearly two thirds of the way to my annual target of one hundred bass entries. And don’t forget, other species are eligible as well so good luck out there and keep me posted if you reel ‘em in. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Welcome back to Top 5 veteran angler, John Kirkemo, as he adds his first submissions of 2023. He and a young fishing partner took on Snakeden Hollow’s McMaster Lake last week on a balmy evening and had a good outing.

Weight: 1-15
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: May 31
Weather: Partly cloudy with air temperatures in the 90s
Water Temp: 79-83F
Location: McMaster Lake
Lure: Wacky worm

Weight: 0-14
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: May 31
Weather: Partly cloudy with air temperatures in the 90s
Water Temp: 79-83F
Location: McMaster Lake
Lure: Wacky worm
Angler Comments: Fished from 4:15pm to 7:45pm. Most fish were caught before 6:00pm while the sun was still high. Not much action after 7:00pm. Only one other power boat on the lake and only a few shore fishermen.
Top 5 Weight: 2-13 (1-15,0-14)

Well done, John, as that crystal clear lake can be a challenge, especially on a sunny, summer-like afternoon. Great to hear a report from that unique fishing hole. More fishing stats and notes in the works. Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy

Prowl the Canal – May Stats

Posted on by Troy Jackson

After a tough start to 2023 on The Canal in March and April, things took a turn for the better in May. Overall, I managed to hit the water for six outings covering eight different pools. Five of the pools represented new water as I tried to do some exploring in hopes of establishing Top 5 weights for these spots. Some worked out, others fell short, so I suppose that means a return trip to complete some unfinished business. Those will be tales for another day. For today, here’s the monthly look at the totals from prowling The Canal in May.

May Breakdown
May 2023 Totals: 41 bass in 19.75 hours (2.08 bass/hour)
May 2022 Totals: 57 bass in 19.50 hours (2.92 bass/hour)

May 2023 Top Bass: 3-2 May 25 Buzzbait
May 2022 Top Bass: 2-12 May 27 Spinnerbait

2023 Best May Top 5 Day: 10-4 (3-2,2-6,1-10,1-10,1-8) – May 25
2022 Best May Top 5 Day: 9-9 (2-12,2-7,1-10,1-7,1-5) – May 27

2023 May Top 5: 12-6 (3-2,2-8,2-7,2-6,1-15)
2022 May Top 5: 12-9 (2-12,2-11,2-8,2-7,2-3)

2023 May Lure Breakdown
Buzzbaits – 12 bass
Spinnerbaits – 12 bass
Propbaits – 9 bass
Plastic Worms – 8 bass

Top 5 All-Time May Bass Weight: 13-9 (3-2,2-12,2-11,2-8,2-8)

2023 Overall Canal Stats
52 bass in 35.50 hours (1.46 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)

And with that I close the books for another month on The Canal. A pair of June bass are already in the log with a couple upcoming outings in my sights to see about finding some more. Stay tuned for those reports and drop in tomorrow for another Top 5 Update. Talk to you later. Troy

Hennepin Canal Report – May 29

Posted on by Troy Jackson

The Canal content rolls on as I get caught up on my recent fishing reports. Today’s post covers another May outing on some more new water. This stretch featured some quite dingy water courtesy of countless spawning carp along with sparse, scattered cover amidst a modest batch of shoreline weed mats.

6:52am – First bass and not sure there is confidence in my brother’s reply

7:26am – Second bass, smaller than the last

Stats
Date: May 29
Location: Hennepin Canal
Time: 6:25am-10:10am
Totals: 9 bass
Weather: Sunny/breezy, 65-74F
Lures: 5” Yamasenko wacky rig (perch) – 4 bass, Booyah Buzzbait (black) – 3 bass, War Eagle Spinnerbait (chartreuse/white) with a BPS XPS double tail grub trailer (Houdini) – 2 bass
Top Bass: 1-10 Buzzbait  and Senko (tie)
Top 5 Weight (only 4 at 12” or better): 4-14 (1-10,1-10,1-0,0-10)

Winning Lures

Notes and Nonsense

Early Bird? – I love to be on the water when it is darn near still dark before sunrise. Well, I didn’t make it on this trip as my first cast splashed down at 6:25am. From there, I proceeded to catch a total of two bass in the first hour and forty minutes. The remaining two plus hours resulted in seven bass. Now, there are many variables in play when assessing my “luck”, but I swear that some days I get up earlier than the fish, even when I have a later arrival than hoped.

8:16am – Top Bass at 1-10 (15.5″) on a buzzbait

Vegetation Variations – I am pondering a topwater frog post or two as therapy for my lack of luck, but I will leave specifics for another time. On this trip, I gave the frog a shot in froggy spots to start the day without a ripple. Therefore, it was on to Plan B. I targeted as many variances as possible in the otherwise identical stretches of weed mats. If there was a pocket, channel, swing, or void, I took my first shot with a power spinnerbait/buzzbait approach and collected a handful of bites. As the sun began to hit the shore full bore, I switched my focus to pitching a wacky rigged Senko around such spots, especially if they combined shade, wood, or shoreline riprap with diminished weed cover. The Senko came through with four bites in forty-five minutes to somewhat save the day.

 

For the second time in four days in this general area of The Canal, I fell one bass short of establishing a Top 5 on my maiden voyage. Like the other stretch, it is unlikely that I will make a return trip anytime soon in search of that fifth bass. Now I am not naïve enough to think that my first impression is a true representation of what the pool has to offer, I just have other new waters seeking a first impression of their own. Talk to you later. Troy

Hennepin Canal Report – May 28

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Last Sunday morning found me back on The Canal around sunrise. The plan was to get in three hours of fishing and then make a donut run for my son’s birthday. I did invite him along, but at fourteen I guess getting up at 4:30am wasn’t high on his birthday list. I suppose at that age I wasn’t up before daylight much either. Hard to remember though as that was a long time ago. Anyway, my donut mission was a success and read on to see how the fishing turned out.

5:58am – Top Bass at 2-8 (18″) on a Whopper Plopper

Stats
Date: May 28
Location: Hennepin Canal
Time: 5:35am-8:35am
Totals: 6 bass
Weather: Sunny/breezy, 54-68F
Lures: Whopper Plopper 110 (bone) – 6 bass
Top Bass: 2-8 Whopper Plopper
Top 5 Weight: 8-9 (2-8,1-15,1-11,1-9,0-14)

Winning Lure

Notes and Nonsense

Top 4 to Top 5 – In 2022, four hours on this stretch of The Canal had left me one bass short of completing a Top 5 with an unimpressive weight of 4-4. I know there are some quality fish in the spot, so my first goal was to land one more keeper. Three minutes into casting, I had a 1-9 in hand and an initial Top 5 of 5-13. Next up was a daily Top 5 which I completed via a 1-11 with about twenty minutes left to fish. This put me at 8-9 for the day and that’s where I would stay. Overall, my all-time Top 5 for this pool now stands at 9-0 so I still have some work to do for a double-digit creel.

Near real time updates are fun as Brent and I were on different water at the same time

Synchronized Fishing – I sent my brother, Brent, a text after I caught my 2-8 and was not surprised to find that he was getting ready to start casting at Snakeden Hollow. It turned out that I was not the only one fighting aquatic vegetation as his text and pic below described the weeds on his fishing hole as “crazy.” He reported back later with a 1-15 and 1-14 on a topwater frog after a short morning on the weeds, I mean water. While it is preferable to share time on the water in person, today’s communication allows for some near real time updates from our stomping grounds. Those devices are good for something after all.

I guess the weeds on The Canal may not be so bad after all

 

Check off another Canal location with a Top 5 but keep it on the list as I intend to give it a boost to double digits before the year is over. One more report to get things caught up and the monthly “Prowl the Canal” posts are in the works to put a wrap on May. I hope to get back on The Canal soon to see how the bass treat me in June. I am also looking to have some company one of these days now that school is out and the evening light is longer. Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy

Hennepin Canal Report – May 27

Posted on by Troy Jackson

After success on two new waters two days prior, I set out again for an unfished stretch of The Canal. My mission was twofold; establish an initial Top 5 for the pool and decide if the spot would be worth another visit.

7:20am – Top Bass at 2-7 (17.5″) on a buzzbait

Stats
Date: May 27
Location: Hennepin Canal
Time: 5:55am-9:10am
Totals: 8 bass
Weather: Sunny/breezy, 48-65F
Lures: Booyah Buzzbait (black) – 4 bass, 5” Yamasenko wacky rig (perch) – 3 bass, War Eagle Spinnerbait (chartreuse/white) with a BPS XPS double tail grub trailer (Houdini) –1 bass
Top Bass: 2-7 Buzzbait
Top 5 Weight: 7-8 (2-7,1-7,1-4,1-4,1-2)

Winning Lures

Notes and Nonsense

The Launch – Some may lament the lack of actual concrete or gravel boat ramps on The Canal, but you won’t hear me complain. With a little effort, you can get a car top or truck bed boat or kayak in the water. That said, remember that gravity works more to your advantage going downhill. On this trip, I got into a spot where I got the boat into the water but wasn’t so sure that I could get it back out. As a result, I found an easier spot at the end of the day which required a longer drag back to the truck. Kind of created a new saying for me that “there is more than one way to launch a boat.” Oh yeah, also watch out for the poison ivy.

Weeds – Three of the stretches that I fished in my four days on the water featured a ridiculous amount of shoreline aquatic vegetation. While it does vary, several width descriptions of The Canal generally cite it as being ninety feet wide. Using that as a gauge for the waters I fished, then about sixty feet of that span were weeds with a thirty-foot open water channel down the middle. This provided plenty of cover for the bass to hide and eliminated open water casting access to the sparse collection of wood along the banks. Determining targets in such conditions tests my mettle as it is hard to pinpoint something different when everything looks the same.

Texting my friend, John, and confessing my imitation amphibian ineptitude

Quote of the day:
“I am the worst frog fisherman in Canal history.”
Based on the description and picture above, you’d think that an angler would have a heyday with a topwater frog. And I see the photos and descriptions on the internet that boast of quality catches with such presentations. But for the life of me, I cannot get bit even though I toss a frog in all the places that any frog in its right mind would not go. As a result, I was talking to myself on the water uttering the above phrase. I’ll keep plugging away as I should, but I am all ears if anyone has any pointers.

 

Returning to my intro for this report, I was successful in getting my initial Top 5 from some new water. I’ll admit that I give myself a pat on the back when I achieve that goal, but I still fell short of my ultimate double-digit weight target. This leaves me pondering a return trip to find the boost I need from my 7-8 Top 5. As of now, I would say not this year as I have other stretches of The Canal that are calling my name to establish a Top 5. The reports from two of those stretches are headed your way next. Talk to you later. Troy

Hennepin Canal Report – May 25

Posted on by Troy Jackson

The Hennepin Canal offers over one hundred miles of fishing with the vast majority being off the beaten path. Those remote spots are where I do most of my prowling to get away from the crowd. However, there are several spots on my “to fish list” that are closer to communities. Having taken Thursday off work, I set my sights on a dual duty day on the waterway. This consisted of a morning visit to an “urban” stretch and an evening outing on a “rural” area. Both spots were new water for me. I had observed the areas during some scouting hikes and drives but had never made a cast on the waters. Read on for the results.

9:20am – First bass was a solid 2-6 on a Whopper Plopper

Stats
Date: May 25
Location: Hennepin Canal (two locations)
Time: 9:20am-1:10pm & 5:30pm-8:00pm
Totals: 15 bass (11 bass & 4 bass)
Weather: Sunny/breezy & sunny/windy
Lures: War Eagle Spinnerbait (chartreuse/white) with a BPS XPS double tail grub trailer (Houdini) –9 bass, Booyah Buzzbait (black) – 3 bass, Whopper Plopper 110 (bone) – 2 bass, 5” Yamasenko wacky rig (perch) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 3-2 Buzzbait
Top 5 Weight: 10-4 (3-2,2-6,1-10,1-10,1-8)

Winning Lures

Notes and Nonsense

Morning Mission – I headed west to start my day and got some quick feedback with a 2-6 on a Whopper Plopper on my second cast of the morning. While it would be my largest bass of my first stop of the day, I did fool several more “keepers” with seven of the eleven bass coming in at 12” or better and a Top 5 of 7-1. My three hours of exploring were well spent on a stop worthy of a return trip.

6:26pm – Top Bass was a long and lean 3-2, could it have made 4-0 with some bulk?

East Evening – After a break of several hours, I opted to end my day on some water to the east of my normal stops. The evening bite was tougher than my morning, resulting in only four bass in three and a half hours of casting. On the upside was posting my Top Bass of the day at 3-2. Three of my four catches were keepers and combined to weigh in at 5-2.

Ten-Pound Top 5 – As I have mentioned before, my on the water goals in chronological order are don’t get shutout, land five keepers, and post a double digit Top 5 weight. Over the course of the two trips, the bass came through with a 10-4 total to check that often elusive third goal.

 

A banged up and lean 3-2 Top Bass, possibly spawned out

Four-Pound Quest – The search for my first four-pounder from The Canal continues as my Top Bass on this outing came up well short. But the weight was the only thing short about it as it measured 19” in length. A bass of that length has all the potential to tip the scales at four pounds but this one was just long and lean. Granted the fourteen ounces it needed may be a stretch, but this bass was near razor thin, although proportionate. No big head and scrawny body but perhaps just spent from the spawn. It was also missing a chunk of its tail and both sides of the fish had sustained some sort of damage. If only bass could talk, we would have had a good conversation.

 

Great fun exploring and it is hard to beat the allure of new water. In fact, I enjoyed the pursuit so much that I headed for a couple more stretches of “uncharted territory” over the Memorial Day holiday. But those are fish stories to come. In addition, I need to work in my May “Prowl the Canal” stats and notes once June arrives. Too much fishing and not enough time to write. A good “problem” to have. Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

While some of us older guys put in a fair amount of time on the water this past week and caught some decent fish, we couldn’t fool anything to boost our weights. Fortunately, a couple more youthful anglers reeled in some quality bass to provide an update this week. My niece is a newcomer to the Top 5 while the other angler has posted a batch of bass in the past. Read on for the scoop on our latest submissions.

Weight: 5-6
Angler: Natalee Townsend
Date: May 26
Location: Lake Okeechobee Canals – Florida
Lure: Lipless Crankbait

Weight: 2-3
Angler: Natalee Townsend
Date: May 26
Location: Lake Okeechobee Canals – Florida
Lure: Lipless Crankbait
Top 5 Weight: 7-9 (5-6,2-3)

Weight: 3-8
Angler: Landon Hannam
Date: May 27
Location: Lake Storey
Lure: Wacky worm
Top 5 Weight: 3-8 (3-8)

Welcome aboard to Natalee whose heaviest bass represents our second largest bass of 2023 and biggest on a lipless crankbait. And great to have Landon back on board again. Rumor has it that he may have another outing in the works later this week. Good luck to all as the local bass should be finishing up the spawn and a bit more eager to bite. Talk to you later. Troy