Author: Troy Jackson

Lake Storey Report – October 22

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Time is winding down for my 2022 fishing season. Shorter daylight and busy weekends make it tough to get on the water. And when I do get a shot, it can also be tough to decide on a destination. However, by October some of the options are no longer in play with the Knox County public access strip mines locking out anglers. Therefore, my choices came down to The Canal, Little John Conservation Club, and Lake Storey. I chose the latter and here’s how it went down.

Stats

Date: October 22
Time: 9:30am-5:15pm
Totals: 13 bass
Weather: Sunny/very windy 61-79F
Water Temperature: 51-55F
Lures: War Eagle spinnerbait (white/chartreuse) with Zoom Creepy Crawler trailer (watermelon seed) – 8 bass, Special K Willow Hammer Spinnerbait (white with copper head) with Zoom Creepy Crawler trailer (watermelon seed) – 2 bass, Strike King Red Eye Shad (sexy shad) – 2 bass, Bomber Flat A Crankbait (baby bass) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 1-15 Red Eye Shad
Top 5 Weight: 6-13 (1-15,1-6,1-4,1-4,1-0)

 

Notes and Nonsense

Weird Wind – I was pleased when I saw that the prevailing wind forecast was generally south. Not only does that mean warming but it also sets up well with many of my spots getting pounded by the weather. In addition, I don’t have to fight it as much as a west wind when it is time to return to the ramp. However, the wind turned out to be a strange swirling direction that was all over the place. I wound up in few spots that were extremely windy that should not have had any wind at all judging from the observed direction of treetops or flags. At least the end of the day featured gusts from the east. Not my favorite for fish activity and made boat control tough for a stop along the dam but it did help push me back to the ramp.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery exemplified (see note below)

Shad Surge – Over the last few years, I have observed a real uptick in shad sightings at Lake Storey. Schools on the surface are common and you can occasionally see them scatter during casts and retrieves around shallow structure. On this trip, my lure collided with what I suspect were shad and I even snagged one in the back with a near facsimile, the Strike King Red Eye Shad (sexy shad pattern). These days, shad look to be a substantial piece of the forage base along with a population of similarly designed golden shiners. Moral of the story is lures that imitate such species are certainly worth some casts.

A golden shiner from Lake Storey in May that also makes up part of the lake’s forage base

Crazy From the Heat – The summer-like weather brought out an interesting crowd. I was one of three trailered boats on the water along with close to double digit kayakers and well over a dozen bank anglers. I observed a topless paddle boarder (male) intentionally go for a waist-deep wade in the fifty-two-degree water. He hollered at his buddy, “It ain’t too bad!” Nope, as it made me breathe funny just watching and recalling how cool creek water got your attention once it reached a certain level of the anatomy. Fish stories abounded with one kayaker stating he’d landed a five-pound bass that morning. He looked adept in his skills, and I believed him. Another kayaker along the dam regaled me with tales of a seven and eight-pounder from Lake Storey over the years, and many six-pounders this year. He also had a state record bass hooked out there. He stated, “the only bass I’ve ever seen that large was in a Bass Pro Shops tank in Galveston, Texas and it weighed 16.62 pounds.” (Illinois state record sits at 13-1, a controversial catch from 1976). I mentioned that I had lost a good muskie and he then proceeded to tell of his fifty-five-inch Lake Storey muskie that he released not realizing it could be “a state record.” For reference, I believe that the largest verified muskies from Illinois waters came in at fifty-four inches. As his fish stories continued, I was smiling inside. You see, we were conversing near the water control structure. It is the deepest part of the lake, and I felt that the water wasn’t the only thing getting deep during our chat.

Snapshsot from the GoPro footage of a large muskie that wound up as “the one that got away.” Stay tuned for the rest of the story in a follow-up post.

Getting back to reality to close this post, my muskie encounter briefly referenced above will get a blog post of its own. Losing a big fish like that torments me and as a teller of fish tales, I need more time and blog space to do it justice. Besides, this ramble has gone on long enough so stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy

Prowl the Canal – October 16

Posted on by Troy Jackson

After two weeks off from fishing due to shorter weekdays and busy weekends, I took another shot at The Canal. With exactly 500 bass in the log for the year, I would say that any catches from here on out are icing on the cake. I was hoping to hit a fall feeding frenzy on this mild (but windy) afternoon, but the bite was tough.

(Note: Also included below is a bonus Snakeden Hollow report from my brother.)

3:45pm – Top Bass at 1-14 (16″) on a spinnerbait

Stats
Date: October 16
Location: Hennepin Canal
Time: 1:45pm-4:45pm
Totals: 4 bass
Weather: Partly cloudy/very windy
Lures: Stanley Vibra Shaft spinnerbait (blue glimmer) with Zoom Creepy Crawler trailer (root beer/pepper/green) – 3 bass Booyah Blade spinnerbait (bleeding shiner) with Zoom Creepy Crawler trailer (watermelon seed) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 1-14 Spinnerbait
Top 5 Weight (only 4 at 12” or better): 5-10 (1-14,1-9,1-7,0-12)

Winning lures including an old Blue Glimmer spinnerbait from the 1990s on left

Notes and Nonsense

Wind – Much of The Canal that I fish is bordered by tree lines leaving only a narrow window for the wind to be blowing right in the wrong direction. On this trip, that was the case. In fact, the wind was as tough as I have had on The Canal since a cold, windy May 1 outing. No complaints though, just an observation as most days The Canal affords an escape from the gusts that would hound me on any other waters I visit.

A missed strike resulted in the demise of this War Eagle spinnerbait

Broken Bait – I have given a few spinnerbaits a workout this year and they have been very good to me in terms of production from April to present. Along the way, the bass have destroyed two of my favorites. In both cases, the blade arm wire has snapped just above the line tie. The latest casualty came on this trip as a missed strike ruined a War Eagle brand spinnerbait. In September, a Lake Storey bass busted a favorite that an old friend and baseball teammate, Mike Karlovich, had crafted and sent my way. In the latter case, at least the bait went out on top by landing the fish that caused the damage.

 

Bonus Snakeden Finale Report

My brother, Brent, hit Snakeden on October 16 to get in a few more casts before the site becomes off limits to anglers. His details are below along with a couple photos.

Brent’s Snakeden Top Bass from his October 16 trip at 1-11

Roughly 3.00 hours
13 bass
Top Bass: 1-11 and 1-6
Mann’s 4- crankbait – 6 bass
Strike King Red Eye Shad – 3 bass
Senko wacky rig – 3 bass
Spinnerbait – 1 bass

An odd break for Brent as a busted hook on a Senko wacky rig cost him a three-pounder

My year on the water has reached the home stretch. As I post this entry, I have a final Lake Storey trip in the books and look to have that report posted next week. Beyond that outing, I am not sure what the rest of October holds in terms of getting on the water. These shorter days really do a number when my workday ends at 5:00pm or later. I always set an annual goal to end with a November bass so time will tell how that all shakes out. Fishing or not, I’ve always got plenty of blog ideas so stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy

Record Book Roundup – Lake Storey

Posted on by Troy Jackson

One of my projects for blogging in 2022 was to look inside the fishing record book. I did a decent job on that goal as the year progressed but have yet to relate the records for an old favorite fishing hole, Lake Storey. That missing piece will be resolved with today’s post in advance of hitting the lake one more time this year. The primary focus of this record book update is largemouth bass but if you make it through that portion of the post there’s also a couple impressive bonus species as well.

Spring 1986 – Dad with the initial bass record at 4-6

Lake Storey (1970s-present)
Top Bass: 4-11 Brent Jackson 10/19/18 Spinnerbait
Best Top 5 Day: 14-5 (4-8,3-11,2-7,2-1,1-10) 9/20/07
All-Time Top 5 Weight: 22-0 (4-11,4-8,4-7,4-6,4-0)

October 19, 2018 – Brent with a 4-11, the current Lake Storey Top Bass

 

Fall Top 5 Daily Weight Data by month
9/30/07 14-5
9/25/07 11-7 with Dad
9/19/21 10-10 with Brent
9/29/10 10-3
9/15/19 9-5 with Brent
9/18/22 9-4
9/27/21 8-13 with Brent
9/19/21 8-10
9/21/09 8-7
9/25/07 8-5
9/8/19 8-2 with Brent

10/19/18 13-9 with Brent
10/12/20 9-0
10/2/08 8-13
10/13/08 8-3 with Dad
10/21/20 7-15 with Dad
10/14/21 7-5
10/19/19 7-4

11/1/08 7-13

October 21, 2010 – Top Walleye at 10-2 (29″)

September 16, 2012 – Top Muskie at 19-8 (43″)

Lake Storey has been good to us over the years, and I always look forward to wetting a line on my “home lake.” Plenty of stories to tell but I’ll leave it as simply another Record Book Roundup for today. It’s a tall order to top any of these catches but stay tuned as record breakers or not, I’ll be back on the lake one more time before the month ends. Talk to you later. Troy

Friday Flashback – October 22, 2012

Posted on by Troy Jackson

With only a half dozen more Friday Flashback’s to go before the series concludes, its time for one more revisit of Emiquon.

Excerpts below from the original blog post on Heartland Outdoors.

Stats
Date: October 22, 2012
Location: The Emiquon Preserve
Time: 11:15am-4:00pm
Totals: 35 bass
Weather: Overcast to partly cloudy/windy
Lures: Booyah Counterstrike spinnerbait (snow white) – 15 bass, Booyah Counterstrike spinnerbait (silver scale white) – 14 bass, Strike King Red Eye Shad (sexy shad) – 5 bass, Bass Pro Shops River Bug (green pumpkin) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 2-11 Spinnerbait
Top 5 Weight: 13-0 (2-11,2-10,2-10,2-9,2-8)

1:52pm – Top Bass of the day at 2-11 (16.5″)

Notes and Nonsense

Flipping The Switch – I spent my first fifty-one minutes without a bass and never even had a bite on about half a dozen formerly productive spots. I was searching fast as I normally do with a rotating combination of a spinnerbait, crankbait and lipless crank depending on how deep, weedy, or woody my targets were. My plan was to get bit, drop anchor and sit on them when I found a bite. I’d resigned myself to the fact that it would be power over finesse as the wind just wasn’t conducive to wacky rigging or crawling creature baits. Things worked out in standard Emiquon fashion as once she turned on it went from the Dead Sea to bass waiting in line for their spot in the logbook.

Busted Booyahs

Tough Bass – The bulk of the strikes were not jarring, just heavy with several follows and misses as if the bass were chasing down the lures as opposed to nailing them as they passed by an ambush point (it took three strikes on one entertaining retrieve before the fish got it right at boatside). However, once hooked, the bass put on a good show and fooled me into thinking that I had something larger than the standard issue thirteen-to-seventeen-inch fish. A strong hookset on a creature bait completely fried one of my older reels and I had a couple Booyah spinnerbaits bite the dust as pictured above. The bottom bait in the photo came back missing the willow leaf blade after a strike while the hit and hookset on the other bait resulted in reeling in only a portion of the wire arm. Weird stuff, as I’ve really been pleased with the Booyah baits as they have handled a couple nice muskies this year along with numerous feisty bass. Such is the always interesting (and in this case expensive) world of Emiquon.

 

Wind Shortened – With the seventy-five–minute drive and the potential for being my final trip of the year, I’d planned to fish until closing time (sunset was 6:09pm). However, by about 3:45pm the wind had picked up more than the ten-to-twelve mph predicted promising for a long, rough ride back to the truck, so I called it quits. It took about twenty-five minutes into the teeth of the wind with a row/troll combo as I had to stay shallow to avoid the choppier water that gives the johnboat all it can take. Emiquon is interesting in that respect as well because you can’t just go cross country to reach the ramp due to expanses of very shallow or weed choked water, even more so this year with a lower-than-normal pool. At any rate, it was the right decision to pass up a few more bites in the interest of safety. Besides, the lake had treated me well after I paid my dues finding productive spots.

Spotted this sign on the ride home and just had to preserve with a photo

I will admit that Emiquon can make me greedy but thirty-five bass in just under five hours is really a winner for me every time. No true “lunkers” to brag about but some darn good fish in terms of both quality and quantity when compared to other places I could have spent my day.

And so it went on that one-of-a-kind fishing hole. In looking over the entries from this trip in my database, I still marvel at the fact that ninety-seven percent of my catches were twelve inches or better (thirty-four of thirty-five bass). Folks, that isn’t normal. And neither was Emiquon, once upon a time. Talk to you later. Troy

Bass Quest 500 – Part II

Posted on by Troy Jackson

I launched my boat at The Canal on the morning of October 2 in search of five bass to reach five hundred for the year. After catching four in regular fashion, that final bass turned into quite a challenge. As I struggled to get that last bite, I couldn’t help but wonder how Albert Pujols or Aaron Judge felt in their recent home run milestone quests. In baseball parlance, my mindset was “stick to your swing, don’t press and it will happen.”

Eventually, it did.

My milestone turned out to be the largemouth bass equivalent of a swinging bunt but as the old baseball saying goes “it looks like a line drive in the boxscore.”

Once again, with a little lyrical accompaniment from the band Boston, here’s how it all went down.

8:09am – Bass #499, one more to go and I sure didn’t care if it was big or not

Stats
Date: October 2
Location: Hennepin Canal
Time: 7:10am-9:25am
Totals: 5 bass
Weather: Sunny/breezy 48-60F
Lures: War Eagle spinnerbait (white/chartreuse) with Zoom Creepy Crawler trailer (watermelon seed) – 4 bass, 5” Yamasenko wacky rig (smoke shad) – 1 bass
Top Bass: none at 12” or better
Top 5 Weight: none at 12” or better

Winning Lures

Notes and Nonsense

Party
“And there’s nothing like a party when its kicking into gear.”
(Don’t Look Back – 1978)
Arriving at The Canal shortly after sunrise, I was surprised to find a table set up with refreshments opposite my point of launch. I thought that word of my quest had spread, and the media and fans would arrive shortly to cheer me on towards my goal. That’s not how the whole setup turned out, but more on that in a bit.

Long Time
“I’ve got to keep on chasin’ that dream, though I may never find it.”
(Boston – 1976)
Five bass didn’t seem like a whole lot considering I had decent weather, quality water, and about forty years of chasing bass in my favor. I fished the length of my chosen pool and landed four of the five I needed in my first hour of fishing. At that point, I was confident that I could retrace my water on the return to the lot and get that final fish. Not so fast, as I covered the mile of water back to the launch and never had a bite. My last shot was an area with increased current around a tube which runs under a roadway. And I had about ten minutes left to fish until I had to head home and get the boys to religious education class.

9:25am – That’s a 10″ winner for Bass #500

Feelin’ Satisfied
“So come on, put your hands together, you know it’s now or never.”
(Don’t Look Back – 1978)
I hit the heavier current in search of one more bite with a couple of decisions to make. First, what lure was I going to use? That turned out to be Senko wacky rig. Secondly, was it more important to get my bass or to get my boys to church on time? Luckily, the Senko came through right away and I didn’t have to weigh the consequences related to a poor decision on question number two. While there was neither a cheering crowd nor even a triumphant fist pump, there was relief. After a picture and release of the bass, I put down my pole and rowed for the launch feeling satisfied upon reaching my goal.

I Had a Good Time
“And I, I just wanted you to know, I had a really good time.”
(Corporate America – 2002)

 

Throughout my morning I had seen an increased number of walkers and runners along the towpath that parallels the length of The Canal. I suspected that the crowd was part of an event called the “The Hennepin Hundred,” a hundred-mile ultramarathon. And yes, the refreshment table was for their benefit and not related to my quest after all. As I loaded my boat, a vehicle pulled up with a couple of guys who looked like runners. I said, “Hello” and inquired about the race. One individual confirmed that it was indeed The Hennepin Hundred with the finish line located several miles to the west. He also noted that he was from Michigan, had finished his hundred miles earlier that morning and was now ready to cheer on fellow participants. I congratulated him and marveled at his achievement, electing to keep my fish story to myself. It just kind of paled in comparison.

I am still looking for Bass #501 and beyond as I have yet to get back on the water. Time will tell where the final tally for 2022 ends. Talk to you later. Troy

Bass Quest 500 – Part I

Posted on by Troy Jackson

The title of this post is a bit of a “spoiler alert” as it leads one to believe that there will be a “Part II.” And that is correct as I set out on this trip in search of nine bass to reach Bass #500 for the year. My first catch of the evening was landed after only six minutes of casting and had me feeling optimistic. However, I didn’t land another fish for an hour and a half. Read on for the rest of the results with a little musical twist from a favorite “Rock & Roll Band,” Boston.

Bass #492 – 4:36pm at 1-10 (15″) on a Whopper Plopper

Stats
Date: October 1
Location: Hennepin Canal
Time: 4:30pm-7:00pm
Totals: 4 bass
Weather: Sunny/calm 66F
Lures: Booyah Buzz Buzzbait (black) – 2 bass, War Eagle spinnerbait (white/chartreuse) with Zoom Creepy Crawler trailer (watermelon seed) – 1 bass, Whopper Plopper 110 (bone) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 2-10 Buzzbait
Top 5 Weight (only 4 at 12” or better): 6-5 (2-10,1-10,1-1,1-0)

Winning Lures

Notes and Nonsense

My Destination
“And feeling the way I do, wouldn’t last a mile without you.”
(Third Stage – 1986)
The 2022 fishing year kept me closer to home for most of my outings as fuel costs became as much of a factor as lure selection in my fishing. With The Canal being responsible for sixty-five percent of my 2022 catches, my destination for Bass #500 was an easy choice. It deserved to be the spot where I would pursue those final bass.

Bass #493 – 6:08pm at 1-1 (13.5″) on a buzzbait

The Journey
Instrumental
(Don’t Look Back -1978)
A major reason that The Canal has produced so many bass was my change in approach from prowling the banks on foot and bike to rowing the little boat for miles and miles. Access to more water and more structure gave me a shot at more bass. And I added some low impact exercise along the way (some day I need to tally the distance that I rowed this year).

Bass #494 – 6:20pm at 2-10 (19″) on a buzzbait

Peace of Mind
“All I want is to have my peace of mind.”
(Boston -1976)
Fishing relaxes me and takes my mind off all the stuff that comes with being a grown-up. My goals on the water consist of avoiding a shutout, catching a Top 5, and hitting the double-digit mark with that Top 5 weight. However, this time out I was looking for a precise number of bass and I’ll admit that it messed with my mind when the bite got slow. I just kept casting at quality spots with proven lures but came up short, ending my day with Bass #495.

Bass #495 – 6:37pm at 1-0 (13″) on a spinnerbait

Well, the bass kept me waiting for my milestone on this outing. But I was determined to get Bass #500 and set out twelve hours later to continue the quest the following morning. Stay tuned for “Part II” and talk to you later. Troy

Friday Flashback – October 22, 2002

Posted on by Troy Jackson

 

Twenty years ago, I still had a membership at Lake Bracken, located just south of Galesburg, Illinois. Today’s flashback looks at how Brent and I did on a chilly midday outing on the seventh and final visit to Bracken in 2002.

Stats
Date: October 22, 2002
Location: Lake Bracken
Time: 11:05am-2:50pm
Weather: Overcast to sunny/breezy, 45F
Totals: 16 bass (Troy – 9, Brent – 7)
Lures: 3/8 oz Stanley Vibra Shaft (blue glimmer) with twin tail trailer (white) – 9 bass, Mann’s 4- crankbait (red shiner) – 7 bass
Top Bass: 2-8 Spinnerbait (Troy)
Top 5 Weight (only 3 at 12” or better): 4-6 (2-8,1-0,0-14)

Excerpt of original post from October 23, 2002

On October 22, Brent and I decided to give Lake Bracken a try for some bass fishing. We considered muskie fishing at Lake Storey as another option, but we also figured it would be a good time to get the two-man bass boat from the dock at Lake Bracken. The plan was to tie the two-man boat to the back of Dad’s bass boat, pull it to the ramp, load it in my truck and haul it home. This approach is much more favorable than the alternative of carrying the boat up the hill behind the house. If you’ve seen the hill, you’d understand. All went well and the boat is in the garage.

Still have these winning lures in my tackle twenty years later (Mann’s 4- crankbait and Blue Glimmer spinnerbait)

As far as the fishing trip, the temperature barely bested forty, but we decided to head out anyway. We fished from around 11:00 am until nearly 3:00 pm and caught sixteen bass. All my fish were caught on my favorite spinnerbait, a Stanley 3/8 oz Vibra Shaft (blue glimmer) with a twin tail trailer (white). Brent caught all his fish on a Mann’s 4- crankbait (red shiner). While the south side of the lake was most productive, it was also in the shade. With temperatures in the mid-40s and a brisk north to northeast wind, conditions weren’t the best for the fishermen. But once again, it’s all about the fish.

Top Bass at 2-8 on a spinnerbait

The bass were more cooperative than we anticipated. I attributed the decent bite to the fact that the lake is in the process of a drawdown, lowering the water level and drawing the forage out of many places to hide. Best spots to hit were any wood that was still in the water as well as riprap (chunky rock) banks. Big bass of the day was my 2-8. This fish had a fish tail sticking out of its throat and a fat belly but was still eager to try and eat my spinnerbait. Another highlight was what could be called a “textbook bass.” I cast my spinnerbait beyond a pair of logs that formed an “X” just below the surface. I reeled the bait up to and over the logs before letting it flutter down just as it passed the structure. Upon the fall, I was rewarded with a nice 0-14 bass. Just like they show on TV and print in the magazines, bass fishing made easy.

A final highlight was getting a good look at a Pileated Woodpecker as it flew overhead. This species is typically rather secretive but is very easy to identify if you’ve ever seen the more common red-headed woodpecker or watched a “Woody the Woodpecker” cartoon. These guys are big, make a heck of a racket pecking or calling and fly with the typical up-and-down flight of their smaller cousins.

A productive day, considering we spent most of it freezing our (insert whatever parts of the human anatomy you deem appropriate) off.

Fun to reminisce about an old fishing hole. Looking at the location names in the log entry also bring back memories and twenty years later I could take you right back to where I caught each of the bass. In addition, it is cool to see that this trip took place in the heyday of a spinnerbait that I simply refer to as “The Blue Glimmer.” All these years later it still works as I landed a bass at The Rock on the lure last month.

Talk to you later. Troy

Remembering “Bru”

Posted on by Troy Jackson

I was back in Galesburg last Saturday to pay my respects to a former coach and early fishing mentor, Gary Bruington. The passing of the longtime Galesburg High School teacher and baseball coach prompted plenty of reminiscing, some of which comprises today’s post.

“Bru” in action

Affectionately known as “Coach Bru” or just “Bru,” he was my coach on the diamond during the 1983-85 baseball seasons. I recall an instance during the start of the 1983 season when I was a member of the sophomore squad. I showed up in the gym on a March game day in my uniform all ready to go. This caused a fair amount of razzing from a handful of teammates and varsity players. You see, it was snowing outside and rather obvious that there wasn’t going to be a game on that Saturday. Bru stepped in and told the hecklers to knock it off stating that he supported my approach in showing up ready to play. His words went a long way towards soothing my embarrassment and perhaps contributed to enough varsity playing time later in the year to earn a letter.

It wasn’t just baseball where Bru offered support and advice. In those days, Bru was also quite an angler, and I was just catching the bass fishing bug. Sitting in his classroom one afternoon after school had been dismissed, he presented me with my first spinnerbait. Being a novice angler chasing panfish with Beetle Spins, that gaudy bait looked more in tune to deep sea fishing than something that would fool those little bass I had previously caught on accident. He instructed me on how, when, and where to throw it, and what do you know, it was a winner on bigger and better bass.

Bru also showed me how to rig up a Texas rigged worm and proceeded to take me on a fishing trip at Oak Run for firsthand experience. It was my first time ever in a real bass boat, complete with a white-knuckle grip as he zipped around the lake. We stopped to work a “secret” brushpile on a point and Bru made it look easy as he fooled several bass. On the other hand, my offering came up empty.

But I learned. Not only how to rig and work a worm but also that Bru’s teaching extended beyond the field and the classroom.

August 14, 1985 fishing log entry

Whether he felt sorry for me or enjoyed my company on the water, Bru invited me back in his boat again that summer along with a teammate, Joe Dennis. Those trips were combined fishing and water-skiing outings. Bru hauled us around the lake coaching us on getting up on those skis with Joe being a natural and a bit more vocal than yours truly. You see, both Joe and Bru were competitive and more than willing to engage in a little trash talking. Joe continued to dare Bru to increase the speed, try to dump him, and even taunted him by putting the rope handle between his teeth as he sped behind the boat. I believe Joe came out on top, remaining upright and not loosing any of his pearly whites. The downside of Joe’s antics was that Bru subjected me to similar punishment despite me keeping my mouth shut beyond laughing at their battle of brawn. We all survived, but I swear by the end of the skiing portion of the trip, Bru was trying to kill us.

We then started fishing as Bru shifted gears to a considerably lower impact level of teaching. Joe and I just spoke about this adventure at Bru’s service last Saturday and he reminded me that he and Bru caught fish while I got shut out. Joe said that he didn’t even want to fish, preferring to keep skiing, and still outfished me. I reminded Joe that despite being the toughest person I’ve ever known, I always had to take off his fish. In fact, the only way he would touch them was when he wore an old leather glove. That aspect of our fishing history still brought a laugh with Joe fully admitting that he had no desire to handle a fish without “The Glove.”

August 19, 1985 fishing log entry

I also had to bait Joe’s hook back in the day as he didn’t like worms either. Which brings me to one of the oddest comments I ever heard from Bru. During a wet, spring baseball practice, a couple of teammates got to chasing Joe around with dew worms that had emerged from the saturated ground. Having seen enough, Bru hollered out, “You guys leave Joe alone!” Now understand, Joe had given most of us some grief over the years via trash talking or a bit of physical play on the diamond, grid iron and basketball court. Therefore, it was quite strange hearing Bru tell those guys to give Joe a break. As for me teasing Joe, I always refrained as I knew that sooner of later you had to put down the worm.

Bru left us with plenty of stories and had his share to tell as well. One final outdoor bit took place as we drove back from an Oak Run trip in the fading daylight. We were riding in his old light green van and Bru noted that he’d seen a black panther cross in front of his vehicle one night as he drove the same road. Local black panther tales were familiar to me from reported encounters at another Knox County stomping ground, Lake Bracken. However, this was the first one I had heard from an eyewitness. Bru was a seasoned outdoorsman, so I had no reason to doubt his tale. Bru was also known to pull your leg. Almost forty years later, I’m still not sure which direction he was going on that drive.

Shot this pic at Lake Storey after Bru’s service. Many years ago he showed me a bridge and a hump in this stretch of the lake.

Bru was a great teacher, coach, mentor, and man. He was also a great motivator. An old trick he used on the ball field to get you back on track or to get your head in the game was to call you by your mother’s name. I can still hear him yelling, “Come on, Joyce!” after I did something that did not meet his expectations.

Mom crossed paths with Bru about a month ago and had a short conversation about the good old days and how our families were doing. She said his mind and delivery were the same old Bru, but he looked tired and frail. No longer suffering now, I hope he can enjoy a place where the umps nail every call, the big ones don’t get away, and he and Alice enjoy leisurely strolls. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

As the 2022 Top 5 heads into the home stretch, we get a bit of variety for today’s submissions. Beyond some bass, we not only have a bonus species but also a bonus video clip of the catch.

Brown Trout
Weight: 12” (or less)
Angler: John Kirkemo
Weather: Early morning, Sunny
Water Temperature: Unknown
Location: Maquoketa River at Backbone State Park near Dundee, IA. Waded about a mile upstream from the road.
Lure: Three inch black and silver floating Rapala
Comments: I flipped the lure into the current at the head of the fast water. The trout hit within seconds of the lure beginning its wobble in the fast current.
Top 5 Length: 24” (12”,12”)

 

Largemouth Bass

Weight: 1-1 (15”)
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: October 6, 2022
Weather: Clear skies with bright morning sun
Water temperature: Unknown
Location: Snakeden Hollow
Lure: Rapala

Weight: 1-15 (16”)
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: October 6, 2022
Weather: Clear skies with bright late morning sun
Water temperature: Unknown
Location: Snakeden Hollow
Lure: Wacky Worm

Weight: 1-15 (16”)
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: October 6, 2022
Weather: Clear skies with bright late morning sun
Water temperature: Unknown
Location: Snakeden Hollow
Lure: Rapala
Angler Comments: The weather was pleasant with a light breeze at times. The 1 lbs. 1 oz. fish slammed the lure hard while the two bigger fish were less aggressive. The bigger fish were in shallow water covered by shade and were caught in late morning. Three to four other fish less than twelve inches were also landed.
Top 5 Weight: 15-11 (4-2,3-5,2-14,2-11,2-11)

Thanks for the fish, John, and I appreciate the addition of the video submission for your stream catch. Always cool to add a little something new to our weekly updates. Talk to you later. Troy

Prowl the Canal – September Stats

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Another month of prowling in the log means that it is time for the latest batch of stats and lessons.

September 2022 Top Canal Bass at 2-12 (18″)

2022 September Totals
Five outings covering three different pools
54 bass in 16.00 hours (3.38 bass/hour)
Top Bass: 2-12 September 20 Whopper Plopper
2022 September Top 5: 11-7 (2-12,2-8,2-4,2-1,1-14)
2022 Best September Top 5 Day: 9-1 (2-12,2-8,1-7,1-5,1-1) – Sept. 20
Top 5 All-Time September Bass Weight: 13-4 (3-1,2-12,2-11,2-8,2-4)

Lessons

Hot Bass – My September 20 outing saw summer head out with a flourish as the heat index hit the “Feels like 98 degrees” mark mid-afternoon. It was one of those instances where I had time to fish and come heck or heat stroke, I had to give it a go. You can’t control the weather and you can’t catch fish sitting at home in the air conditioning. A pair of two-pounders (2-12 and 2-8) reinforced my view that the best time to go fishing is anytime you can.

Whopper Plopper is a winner

 New Lure – I am a creature of habit but even I can’t ignore the fact that the Whopper Plopper is a winner on The Canal. Earlier this summer, I had a canal-side chat with a fellow who I consider my Canal fishing hero. He is Whopper Plopper aficionado, and you can bet I was all ears as we talked. One of my takes from the conversation was that I needed to up my Plopper game. In addition, his catch photos on the internet also indicated that I needed to up my Plopper size. The move from the 90 model to the 110 paid immediate dividends with a 2-4 as my first bass on the new lure. More proof of the effectiveness of the presentation was the fact that my Top 5 bass for September all came on the Whopper Plopper 110 (bone).

New Water – In my fifteen months of Canal prowling, I have learned a lot of stuff. Some of that stuff is a result of direct and indirect observation of the fisherman mentioned above as well as several other anglers. The learning process led me to a new stretch of water that is quite productive for this crew of fellow Canal prowlers. I finally got around to giving it a fair shake from end to end this month and wound up humbled. I know that there are quality fish in the stretch, but they outsmarted me when I took my September shot. That’s okay, as that’s fishing.

 

2022 Overall Canal Stats
321 bass in 105.00 hours (3.06 bass/hour)
Top Bass: 3-5 (tie) 4/23 Spinnerbait 8/21 Buzzbait
Best Top 5 Day: 11-3 (2-15,2-10,2-3,2-1,1-6) 6/24/22
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)

Another productive and educational month on The Canal. While my 2021 Canal prowls found me fishing until a final Halloween trip, I intend to push it into November if I get the opportunity this year. As always, you’ll be the first to know how it goes here on the blog. Talk to you later. Troy