Author: Troy Jackson

Friday Flashback – March 12, 2016

Posted on by Troy Jackson

The first open water fishing trip of the year is always an eagerly awaited event. And in the case of my first trip of 2016, I just happened to be in the midst of blogging through a chronological rundown of “first bass” from 1997 through 2015. Secretly, I thought it would be an excellent finale to that series if my first bite was a good one to lead off 2016. Well, I did catch a good one, but it showed up one bite too late which was just fine.

Read on for some stats, pics and excerpts from the original blog entry posted on March 17, 2016.

A great start to another year on the water

Well, I finally got my shot to get out and wound up with a real solid day. I’d sure been chomping at the bit with the combination of above average weather and a rousing start for the anglers who’ve joined the Top 5. As a result of some cooperative fish, I was able to establish my initial five fish limit and leave myself ready to cull next time out. In the case of four of my Top 5 creel I suspect they won’t be around for many more outings. Now that’s not bragging, they just aren’t that big. But I count ‘em all and you gotta start somewhere. On the other hand, the kicker bass of my day, well, it could be around for a while. Here’s the stats and the story.

Stats
Date: March 12, 2016
Location: Knox County strip mines (2 private, 2 public)
Time: 9:45am-6:05pm (5.25 hours fishing, the rest relocating)
Weather: Overcast/windy/scattered rain
Air Temp: 46F-55F
Water Temp: 51-52F
Totals: 19 bass
Lures: Strike King Red Eye Shad (sexy shad) – 15 bass, Spinnerbait (salt and pepper) – 2 bass, Chatterbait (white) – 2 bass
Top Bass: 5-9 Strike King Red Eye Shad (sexy shad)
Top 5 Weight: 10-13 (5-9,1-6,1-5,1-5,1-4)

9:57am – First bass

Notes & Nonsense

First Bass – Rather than keep you in suspense for the 2016 entry if you are still hanging in there with the First Bass series, I present the above fish as the winner. At 8” it winds up as the smallest of the first bass in the last twenty years of fishing. Here I was setting the stage for a repeat of my 2015 First Bass (that one was 5-13, by the way) and it just didn’t work out. No matter though, the first catch of the year is always a winner and this winner came off an underwater ridge on the Strike King Red Eye Shad only twelve minutes into casting.

Strike King Red Eye Shad – Can’t go wrong cranking this one around to start the year

The Sound of Silence – My second bass of the year was quite a jump in size as it could have eaten that first bass. Once again, the Red Eye Shad did the trick when worked across a sharply dropping point where I also landed a 4-13 in July of 2014 on the same bait. Pretty cool, one lure, one point, two bites and over 10 pounds of fish. What was also cool was the way the fish hit the lure. The water and weather conditions were just right to hear the rattle of the lipless crank as it did its thing about five feet under the stained water. I’ve experienced this before at Emiquon where you hear the bait skip beat before you ever feel a strike as the fish hits the lure coming at you. I knew I had a fish via my ears before I ever felt it in a tactile sense. I had no idea how large it would turn out from the lack of rattle but sure knew it was good when I instinctively put the hooks to it. I’ve never caught a six-pounder (got really close with a 5-15 and a 7-3) but sure thought this one had a chance when it broke the surface and later came aboard. I weighed it twice to make sure but only 5-9, I’ll take it.

10:23am – Second bass, just a bit larger than the first

Looking back, it is funny that I noted the lack of a six-pounder to close that old fishing report. Would you believe that my first bass of 2017 achieved that milestone and currently stands as my best ever first bass? Of course, that’s another story and one that you will get in the 2022 version of Friday Flashback.

But hey, before we worry about that, we’ve got thirty-eight more Fridays to cover as the series runs its course. Still looking to get that first bass of 2021 but may be a couple weeks away before I can get my shot. Talk to you later. Troy

Friday Flashback Returns

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Back on March 16, 2018, I kicked off a blogging project that I called “Friday Flashback”. Now, in its fourth year, the 2021 version of the project launches tomorrow. Remaining true to the original concept, the upcoming Friday blog posts take a look back at outdoor adventures in five-year increments. As the year progresses, I will reminisce and revisit tales from 5, 10, 15…30 years ago or more.

Thus far, the Friday Flashback collection has featured 115 posts and hundreds of pictures. A handful of those photos are passed along in the slideshow below as a sample and there are plenty more to come in 2021.

 

Tune in tomorrow and every Friday through November for plenty of fish, family, friends and fun. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Although a bit delayed from our regular Monday Top 5 slot, better late than never with a couple more quality bass. Jim Junk is back up to his old tricks in a new year and now sits one catch away from his limit.

Weight: 3-1
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: March 7
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Lipless Crankbait

Weight: 4-2
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: March 7
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Lipless Crankbait
Angler Comments: Finally got two today, both came on the trusty lipless crankbait in the same area.
Top 5 Weight: 14-6 (4-2,3-15,3-4,3-1)

Well done, Jim. I hope you and other anglers are getting in some more casts during this recent and welcome warm-up. Lots of area fishing holes are opening up and some predicted rain should do a number on those that are still in ice out limbo. Here’s to a productive 2021 for all and send ‘em my way when you catch ‘em. Talk to you later. Troy

2020 Fishing Recap – Lures

Posted on by Troy Jackson

No fishing recap would be complete without a look at the tools that fooled the bass. The full breakdown follows, working from fewest to most catches by lure type.

Stickbaits
Zara Spook (black shore minnow or natural frog) – 10 bass
Top Bass: 15” 1-9 May 3 & 15 Knox County. IL public strip pit
Comments: Me and the Zara Spook go back to the mid-80s. It is one of my legendary lure selections but that’s another story. Mid-spring, a shallow, expansive flat with scattered weeds and a sky with scattered clouds were just the ticket to tie on an old friend.

Jigs
Strike King Rattlin’ Jig (black/blue or green pumpkin) w/ craw trailer – 33 bass
Top Bass: 21” 4-12 April 26 Knox County, IL public strip pit
Comments: I don’t slow down much, but when I do, it’s hard to beat a jig and trailer. These compact bottom bouncers are a winner, particularly early and late in the season. 2020 saw the jig land Top Bass, a lake record that kind of surprised me in a pothole and topped the old record by more than a pound.

Buzzbaits
Booyah Buzz (snow white shad or bleeding shad) – 34 bass
Top Bass: 20.5” 4-0 July 1 Snakeden Hollow
Comments: I force feed these topwater winners once the bass show interest in the spring. Throughout the summer, they are a mainstay with the anticipation of some explosions running high in those first few hours around sunrise. One of those explosions was a new personal best on an old lake at 5:32am on Snakeden Hollow’s 30th birthday.

Plastic Worms
Senko wacky rig (primarily smoke) – 39 bass
Top Bass: 20.5” 3-11 July 1 Snakeden Hollow
Comments: For various reasons, the Senko wacky rig just didn’t rack up the numbers like it has over the past 15 years. Other lures were productive and a strange year in terms of diminished water clarity on a lot of my fishing holes left the Senko on the bank or boat deck. However, come April I always have one ready and I don’t expect that to change in 2021.

Chatterbaits
Z Man Chatterbait (bluegill with various Zako trailers) – 43 bass
Top Bass: 19” 2-12 September 12 Knox County, IL public strip pit
Comments: Despite glowing reports from many other anglers, I’ve never really relied too much on chatterbaits. However, in 2020 I did commit to tossing one around more frequently and was not disappointed. The 43 bass total and the 2-12 Top Bass both represent high water marks on the lure and here’s to topping both in 2021.

Spinnerbaits
Stanley Vibra Shaft or War Eagle (Blue Glimmer or white/chartreuse) – 70 bass
Top Bass: 17” 2-7 May 4 Knox County, IL private strip mine
Comments: The good, old spinnerbait seems to have seen a decline in publicity since its heyday in the 80s. That will never happen with me as I cut my bass fishing teeth on these lures. In fact, 42 of the 70 spinnerbait bass came on Stanley Vibra Shaft spinnerbait that I call the “Blue Glimmer” that is nearly 30 years old.

Lipless Crankbaits
Strike King Red Eye Shad (sexy shad or orange craw) – 89 bass
Top Bass: 17.5” 2-8 May 14 Knox County, IL private strip pit
Comments: If I can fish fast, I do. In terms of retrieve speed and effectiveness, it is tough to beat a lipless crankbait. They produce all through the year and have always amazed me at being able to nab a few in the cold water of early spring.

Crankbaits
Various (see above) – 100 bass
Top Bass: 19” 3-9 Aug 3 Lake Storey
Comments: A fair collection of these lures put this category on top as they fooled nearly one quarter of my 418 bass. From shallow (Mann’s Baby 1- and a new Strike King wake bait) to mid-depth (Shad Rap, Bomber Flat A and Strike King Squarebill) to deep (Strike King Pro Model) this crew of crankbaits found a lot of fish. Once again, these lures allow me to fish at a fairly rapid pace, cover a lot of water and bang into as much stuff as I can on the way back to the boat.

And the 2020 wrap-up is not quite done yet. I still have a look at my 2020 fishing partners and hope to post some video highlights when I get time to edit. Hope you will tune in again and talk to you later. Troy

2020 Fishing Recap – Location

Posted on by Troy Jackson

418 bass in 2020 represented a new yearly record (416 in 2017) and an increase from 262 in 2019. Nearly all came from the regular regional haunts apart from a few that were landed during “lunch hour” on a pair of work trips. Today’s post takes a general look at where all those 418 bass still swim as all were released to bite and fight again.

Grand Totals
Bass = 418
Bodies of water = 37
Comments: Once again a big batch of little waters produced the vast majority of my bass. Those small waters consisted of the standard collection of public and private Knox County strip mine waters, many that I have been fishing since the 1980s. I also put in some hours on good old Lake Storey just north of Galesburg, Illinois. One southern Illinois fishing hole got a lunch hour pit stop during a work trip and perhaps the highlight of the year was the chance to make a few casts on legendary Lake Fork in Texas.

Access
Bank Bass (Northerner boots, biking and hiking) = 228 bass
Little Boat Bass (near 40-year-old 8’ johnboat) = 100 bass
Big Boat Bass (1987 Bass Tracker Pro 17) = 48 bass
Guest Boat = 42 bass
Comments: I continue to put more miles on a pair of boots and a set of oars than I have ever racked up on trolling motors or outboards. 2020 featured more of the same although I did take advantage of the “big boat” for several outings. In addition, I had the good fortune to get a seat in a boat with a friend on his impressive Peoria County lake.

The Waters (from least to most caught)

Plenty of water at Lost Grove Lake but a shutout in my two hours in 2020

Lost Grove Lake, IA (1 visit on 6/27)
0 bass
2.00 hours
0.00 bass/hour
Comments: This fishing hole not too far across the river from home continues to give me a hard time. On the lone trip for 2020, overcrowding on my stomping grounds and an impending thunderstorm wound up dealing me a frustrating summer shutout.

Some March Banner Marsh banter on my way to the area 

Banner Marsh (1 visit on 3/7)
0 bass
3.00 hours
0.00 bass/hour
Comments: Top 5 angler, Jim Junk, and others continue to post impressive catches from this collection of waters crossing the Fulton/Peoria County line. I took my shot with Jim in early March and was humbled by a shutout. Cold, sunny and windy did not help matters but it was still exciting to know that any cast could be rewarded with a quality bass. Even Jim found the bass tough to fool on the day in landing only a couple. However, one happened to be a four-pounder that he landed as I was on the drive to meet up.

A rewarding Texas bass from legendary Lake Fork

Lake Fork, TX – (1 visit on 12/3)
1 bass
0.50 hours
2.00 bass/hour
Top Bass: 2-7 (17”) Chatterbait
Comments: After putting the poles away upon meeting my annual goal of a November bass, I was fortunate to get a shot at a few casts on this legendary bass fishing hole. Conditions were less than favorable with a cold front and after about 30 minutes as darkness approached, I was about ready to give up on landing a Texas bass. Luck and location were on my side, however, and a stretch of riprap gave up a quality bite. To say I was happy would be an understatement. Having met my goal, I packed up my gear and headed for home, quite satisfied with my final cast of 2020.

Mission accomplished on a lunch hour stop in Southern Illinois 

Ferne Clyffe Lake, Johnson Co. IL (1 visit on 7/24)
2 bass
0.75 hours
2.68 bass/hour
Top Bass: none at 12” or better
Comments: As I drove back from a Georgia work trip, I decided to stop at this southern Illinois fishing hole as it lies only a few minutes off the interstate just south of Marion. The lunchtime stop was a steamer with temps in the 90s and little breeze. But riprap along a dam is always a good place to try your luck and the stretch came through with a pair of bass. Neither bass was much to write home about, but I was pleased in being able to pull up, hop out of the vehicle and fool a couple on a body of water I had never seen before.

A solid Lake Storey bass during a fall shower

Lake Storey – Knox County, IL (4 visits – 8/22 through 10/12)
18 bass
13.75 hours
0.75 bass/hour
Top Bass: 3-9 (19”) Strike King Squarebill crankbait on October 12
Top 5 Weight: 9-0 (3-9,2-3,1-4,1-0,1-0)
Comments: I always enjoy me time on my “home” lake even though I’m 45 minutes away these days. It can be tough but that makes it even more rewarding when I fool a couple decent ones like I did last fall.

Best I could fool at the private strip mines were in the two-pound range

Knox County, IL Private Strip Mines (9 visits, 5 lakes – 3/7 through 11/3)
58 bass
26.00 hours
2.23 bass/hour
Top Bass: 2-8 (17.5”) Lipless Crankbait on May 15
Top 5 Weight: 11-12 (2-8,2-7,2-6,2-4,2-3)
Comments: For the second straight year, I couldn’t find any real big bites on some lakes that I have fished for over 30 years. Even numbers were a struggle on most of the lakes except for one that I should rename “Two-Pound Lake” as my entire Top 5 for the area called it home.

Bass are bouncing back at “The Rock”

Peoria County Private Lake (2 visits – 6/13 and 9/20)
71 bass
8.50 hours
8.35 bass/hour
Top Bass: 2-3 (17.5”) Crankbait on June 13
Top 5 Weight: 8-9 (2-3,1-14,1-10,1-8,1-6)
Comments: I was fortunate to make a couple visits to an outstanding fishing hole courtesy of a friend that I met several years ago through my employer. While the larger bass succumbed to some sort of kill a couple years ago, the population looks to be bouncing back well. An added bonus in 2020 was being able to take Dad down for an afternoon of bass fishing and he left impressed (and with bass thumb).

A quality catch on Snakeden Hollow’s 30th borthday

Knox County, IL Public Strip Mines (14 visits, 28 lakes – 4/4/ through 10/11)
268 bass
53.25 hours
bass/hour
Top Bass: 4-12 (21”) Jig & Craw
Top 5 Weight: 17-4 (4-12,4-0,3-11,2-12,2-1)
Comments: While I admit that my walk-in strip mine areas do wear me out a bit more these days, I’m not ready to give up quite yet. After landing a couple four-pounders and establishing three personal lake records, I’m hoping to get in plenty more hiking in 2021.

Knowing where to find some bass is only part of the equation. It is also necessary to find out what can fool ‘em. That aspect comes up in the next post. Talk to you later. Troy

2020 Fishing Recap – BYOB

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Back to blogging with a recap of my “Best Year of Bass.” Leading it off today is a look at the overall bass fishing numbers from a record-breaking year of 418 bass. Further breakdowns of the stats are headed your way as I wait to wet a line in 2021.

And away we go…

2020 First Bass – March 7

Grand Totals (bass fishing only)
29 outings (25 outings in 2019)
107.75 hours fishing (93.00 in 2019)
418 bass (262 bass in 2019)
3.88 bass/hour (2.82 bass/hour in 2019)
Comments: Fishing comes in a ways down the priority list for a husband, father and co-breadwinner. So, I was more than happy to log over 100 hours on the water. In the process I was able to post my best bass total ever, barely topping 416 bass from 2017.

2020 Last Bass – December 3

First Bass/Last Bass
March 7 – Private strip mine 4:57pm 14.5” 1-5 Shad Rap
December 3 – Lake Fork, TX, 5:17pm 17” 2-7 Chatterbait
Comments: For the second straight year, an out of state final catch provided an extremely rewarding conclusion. In fact, a Lake Fork, TX bass finale was about as cool as it gets after originally putting the poles away exactly a month prior.

Solid Summer Bass – July 1

Monthly Breakdown (Weight is Top 5 Bass unless otherwise noted)
March – 1 trip, 1 bass, Top Weight (3/7 1 bass) = 1-5
April – 5 trips, 75 bass, Top Day Weight (4/11) = 9-3
May – 6 trips, 106 bass, Top Day Weight (5/4) = 11-1
June – 1 trips, 42 bass, Top Day Weight (6/13) = 8-9
July – 3 trips, 48 bass, Top Day Weight (7/1) = 12-14
August – 1 trip, 25 bass, Top Day Weight (8/8) = 9-3
September – 6 trips, 101 bass, Top Day Weight (9/12) = 8-5
October – 3 trips, 17 bass, Top Day Weight (10/12) = 9-0
November – 1 trips, 2 bass, Top Day Weight (11/3 – 2 bass) = 3-1
December – 1 trip, 1 bass, Top Weight (12/3 – 1 bass) = 2-7
Comments: A few ups and downs throughout the calendar year in terms of getting on the water but that was what most of last year was all about. I will just leave it at that regarding 2020. It’s hard to pick a favorite season to fish but I must say that I was fortunate to hit the water pretty hard during what I consider spring (March through May) and fall (September through November).

 

Top 5 Weight
18-12 (4-12,4-0,3-11,3-9,2-12)
Comments: For the third straight year I fell short of my goal of a twenty-pound limit. But I fished clean and didn’t lose any fish that cost me making my mark, so I can’t complain. I fished plenty of water that no doubt had the capability of getting it done but I just couldn’t fool enough big bites. That’s fishing and hopefully I’ll be back after those bites before too long.

It feels good to write again and when I’m not actually fishing, my fondness for stats and reminiscing are a good substitute. And today’s post only scratches the surface. Next up is a look at location. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

A little late with the first Top 5 Update of 2021 as today’s featured fisherman sent me these pics nearly two weeks ago. Kind of cool as this year’s lead off catches are of the hard water variety, a rarity over the storied history of the Top 5.

Weight: 3-15
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: February 2
Water Temp: Ice fishing
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Lipless crankbait (bluegill)

Weight: 3-4
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: February 2
Water Temp: Ice fishing
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Lipless crankbait (bluegill)
Angler Comments: I actually went ice fishing today. Only my third time ever. Have two to start off the Top 5 this year. Also had one break off that was at the very least 3 or 4 pounds.
Top 5 Weight: 7-3 (3-15,3-4)

Thanks, Jim, fish stories and pics are a welcome and needed escape these days. Here’s to plenty more for 2021, our eighth year of Top 5 catches. To anyone out there interested in participating, send your pics and details to troy@troyjacksonoutdoors.com. Good luck and talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 All-Time Stats

Posted on by Troy Jackson

While a bit late, I am excited to present the annual Top 5 all-time record book update. Eight years of fish stories have brought us to a grand total of 776 bass submissions to the Top 5. The 2020 featured 90 bass from a group of eleven anglers. These entries bring the all-time total to 776 bass submitted.

2020 also marked the third year of a Top 5 expansion to include species beyond bass. However, only four fish were added to the “Other Species” portion of the record book (a catfish, a crappie, a carp and a muskie). We’ll kick things off with a look at that portion of the record book before moving on to the bass breakdown.

Other Species All-Time Records

Bluegill
1-8 Teagan Mills 6/2/19 Private pond

Channel Catfish
13-0 Teagan Mills (2019)
13-0 Teagan Mills (2018)
8-2 (25”) Chris Schwarz (2018)
6-9 Chris Schwarz (2019)
34-35” Chris Schwarz (2019)
3-7 Troy Jackson (2020)

Common Carp
10-5 Jim Junk (2020)

Crappie
1-2 Troy Jackson (2020)

Green Sunfish
0-13 Jayce Jackson (2017)

Muskie
131” Jake Bresson (47”,31”,29”24” – 2017)
*70+” John Kirkemo (40”, 30+” – 2018)
12-12 (36”) Troy Jackson (2020)
29” Troy Jackson (2017)
6-4 Chris Schwarz (2019)

Northern Pike
167.25” Jake Bresson (37.0”,35.25”,33.5”,32.0”,29.5” – 2017)

Rainbow Trout
22” John Kirkemo (11”,11” – 2018)

Walleye
118” Jake Bresson (26.5”,26.0”,25.5”,20”,20” – 2017) on Rapala X-Rap or jig & minnow

Comments: Bass are obviously my favorite species to pursue but it is cool to see those other species show up in my email (or on the end of my line). So, if you are a multi-species angler or just luck into an unexpected catch, feel free to send them my way for a little added variety.

Moving on to the bass, let’s take a look at how our fish stack up with respect to the calendar. Eight years, 38 different anglers and 776 bass (nearly all from Illinois waters) make up the all-time record book. Here we go.

Group Totals = 776 bass
2014 = 154
2015 = 106
2016 = 136
2017 = 79
2018 = 116
2019 = 95
2020 = 90

Submissions by month (2014-2020)
169 April (43/33/31/11/12/14/25)
136 May (27/23/19/13/24/12/18)
105 June (34/14/15/1/10/14/17)
80 March (13/11/34/10/0/8/4)
77 July (18/11/8/11/8/11/10)
55 October (4/5/4/8/24/8/2)
53 September (6/4/6/6/16/9/6)
31 November (6/0/4/0/8/9/4)
29 February (2/2/7/13/5/0/0)
23 August (1/3/1/4/4/7/3)
10 December (0/0/7/1/0/2)
8 January (0/0/0/1/5/1/1)

Comments: Spring once again ruled the day in terms of submissions. While July saw a double digit haul, the rest of the months after June were rather lean. Several factors do come into play, including some anglers setting the bar so high during the early season that it is tough to boost their total as the year progresses.

Top 10 Top 5 Monthly Weights (group total)
37-9 May 2014
29-8 June 2014
29-7 March 2016
29-2 April 2014
28-9 October 2018
28-7 December 2016
27-14 April 2015
27-12 March 2015
27-11 July 2014
27-10 April 2016

Comments: Nothing new from 2020 in the above breakdown as it now takes nearly 28 pounds of combined weight from our anglers to crack the Top 10. That is a pretty tall order as we head into our eighth year.

Top 5 Weights per Month (group total)
January (2018) = 13-5 (3-15, 2-7, 2-6, 2-6, 2-3)
February (2016) = 22-9 (6-7,4-15,4-10,4-1,2-8)
March (2016) = 29-7 (6-5,6-1,5-14,5-10,5-9)
April (2014) = 29-2 (8-0, 5-11, 5-10, 4-15. 4-14)
May (2014) = 37-9 (9-4, 8-10, 8-8, 6-1, 5-2)
June (2014) = 29-8 (6-11, 6-4, 5-10, 5-8, 5-7)
July (2014) = 27-11 (6-6, 6-0, 5-5, 5-0, 5-0)
August (2019) = 19-4 (4-14,4-10,4-6,2-14,2-8)
September (2019) = 24-5 (5-3,5-0,5-0,4-12,4-6)
October (2018) = 28-9 (6-3,5-14,5-10,5-10,5-4)
November (2018) = 26-1 (7-2,6-12,4-3,4-0,4-0)
December (2016) = 28-7 (7-7,6-5,5-13,4-11,4-3)

Comments: Nothing new here from 2020 either and again, it will take a significant batch of group catches to establish a new record. January has already passed up by but the dog day target of an August record could be a goal for this year. Doesn’t hurt to dream, I guess, especially when it is below zero as I put this post together.

Monthly Top Bass
January
3-15 Mark Balbinot 1/27/18 Crankbait
February
6-7 Mike Overturf 2/27/16 Plastic Worm
March
7-0 Randy Sampson Sr. 3/22/15 Jig
April
8-0 Kamryn Kaesebier 4/13/14 Crankbait
May
9-4 Jake Bresson 5/23/14 Jig
June
6-11 Ty Hartlipp 6/11/14 Topwater Frog
July
6-6 Jake Bresson 7/11/14 Plastic Worm
August
6-8 Gary Le 8/16/14 Swimbait
September
6-0 Austin Chapman 9/19/15 Jig
October
7-4 Mark Balbinot 10/29/17 Jig
November
7-2 Mark Balbinot 11/23/18 Underspin
December
7-7 Mark Balbinot 12/11/16 Underspin

Comments: It’s going to take quite a catch for an angler to unseat one of our current monthly Top Bass. Good luck on that quest as such a catch could likely be the bass of a lifetime for most of us.

Public vs. Private Water (2014-2020)
Public = 504 bass (92/52/95/42/92/68/63)
Public Top 5 Weight = 32-2, 31-7, 30-5, 27-7, 24-5, 25-4, 25-13(2020)
Private = 255 bass (53/48/39/37/24/27/27)
Private Top 5 Weight = 38-10, 30-0, 32-13, 33-14, 31-9, 24-3, 30-5(2020)
Undisclosed = 17 bass (9/6/2/0/0/0/0)

Comments: It’s tough to beat having access to some private fishing holes and our sample pool of bass show that such waters can pump out some quality bass. But it is also refreshing that the numbers show that our anglers do quite well when chasing bass on waters where everybody can take their shot.

Boat vs. Bank (2014-2020)
Boat = 438 bass (90/63/103/68/55/33/26)
Boat Top 5 Weight = 30-7, 31-7, 32-13, 33-14, 31-9, 25-4, 21-4 (2020)
Bank = 332 bass (64/43/27/11/61/62/64)
Bank Top 5 Weight = 40-14, 27-6, 27-12, 20-14, 24-2, 25-7, 30-6 (2020)
Undisclosed = 6 bass

Comments: Like many hobbies, fishing can be as expensive as one chooses to make it ranging from bass boats to boots. To each their own as our numbers demonstrate that casting from a seat or on your feet are both effective approaches.

The Baits (44 undisclosed)
200 Plastic Worms (Top Bass 6-8 Mark Balbinot 11/20/16)
84 Spinnerbaits (6-14 Chris Schwarz 3/25/20 tops 5-14 Mark Balbinot 10/20/18)
74 Crankbaits (8-0 Kamryn Kaesebier 4/13/14)
59 Jigs (9-4 Jake Bresson 5/23/14)
61 Lipless Crankbaits (6-3 Mark Balbinot 10/20/18)
51 Chatterbaits (5-15 Jim Junk 6/22/20 tops 4-10 Mark Balbinot 2/20/16)
29 Swimbaits (8-10 Gary Le 5/4/14)
29 Swim Jigs (6-13 Jake Bresson 4/9/15)
29 Creature Baits (6-15 Mark Balbinot 5/13/17)
27 Buzzbaits (5-9 Troy Jackson 4/25/17)
25 Jerkbaits (5-10 Ty Hartlipp 6/5/14)
13 Underspins (Top Bass 7-7 Mark Balbinot 12/11/16)
12 Topwater Frog (6-11 Ty Hartlipp 6/11/14)
12 Tubes (Top Bass 5-0 Jake Bresson 4/28/15)
7 Livebait (5-14 Jim Junk 7/4/14)
5 Stickbaits (6-6 Mark Balbinot 8/27/17)
5 Ultralights (3-1 Paul Kessler 10/12/17)
4 Grubs (Top Bass 7-0 Chris Schwarz 11/28/20)
3 Propbaits (6-2 Jake Bresson 5/1/15)
2 Inline Spinners (5-2 Jake Bresson 9/17/17)
1 Blade Bait (5-3 Mark Balbinot 11/16/19)

Comments: The Grubs category joined the list and included a couple bass fooled by the interesting and unassuming Ned Rig (note: one was a seven-pounder). Chatterbaits contributed 18 bass for the second consecutive year as they climbed within reach of a Top 5 spot on the list. All told, a dozen different lure types contributed to our haul. The only bait beyond chatterbaits to hit double figures was the good old plastic worm with 35 bass. The Senko style worms continue to dominate in either wacky or Texas rigged presentations.

The 20-Pound Club * = 2020 entry
33-14 Mark Balbinot 2017 (7-4,6-15,6-13,6-8,6-6)
32-13 Jake Bresson 2014 (9-4, 8-8, 6-6, 4-10, 4-1)
32-13 Mark Balbinot 2016 (7-7,6-8,6-5,6-5,6-4)
32-0 Gary Le 2014 (8-10,6-8,5-12,5-10, 5-8)
31-9 Mark Balbinot 2018 (7-2,6-12,6-3,5-14,5-10)
*30-5 Chris Schwarz (7-0,6-14,5-12,5-7,5-4)
29-7 Austin Chapman 2015 (6-4,6-2,6-0,5-14,5-3)
27-12 Jake Bresson 2015 (6-13,6-2,5-5,5-0,4-8)
27-6 Randy Sampson Sr 2015 (7-0,6-1,4-13,4-12,4-12)
27-6 Jake Bresson 2016 (6-3,5-13,5-4,5-2,5-0)
26-13 Troy Jackson 2017 (6-2,5-11,5-9,5-0,4-7)
26-4 Austin Chapman 2016 (5-14,5-10,5-2,4-14,4-12)
26-1 Brice Wangler 2014 (5-11, 5-5, 5-2, 5-0, 4-15)
*25-13 Jim Junk (5-15,5-5,4-15,4-14,4-12)
25-8 Brice Wangler 2015 (5-7,5-4,5-2,4-14,4-13)
25-4 Mark Balbinot 2019 (5-5,5-3,5-1,4-14,4-13)
24-14 Ty Hartlipp 2014 (6-11, 5-10, 5-5, 4-0, 3-4)
24-14 Jim Junk 2019 (5-3,5-1,5-0,4-14,4-12)
24-9 Terry Isbell 2014 (5-8,5-4,5-2,4-8,4-3)
23-12 Jake Bresson 2017 (5-4,5-2,5-2,4-3,4-1)
23-11 Randy Sampson Sr. 2017 (6-0,4-14,4-12,4-11,3-6)
23-8 Jim Junk 2018 (5-4,5-2,4-9,4-5,4-4)
22-15 Adam Bean 2015 (5-13,4-9,4-6,4-2,4-1)
22-13 Mike Mooney 2014 (6-4, 5-7, 4-3, 3-9, 3-6)
22-12 Troy Jackson 2015 (5-13,4-13,4-10,3-12,3-12)
21-8 Randy Sampson Sr. 2016 (5-12,5-8,4-11,3-1,2-8)
21-7 Brice Wangler 2016 (4-8,4-7,4-4,4-2,4-2)
21-3 Troy Jackson 2016 (5-9,5-4,3-9,3-7,3-6)
20-15 Chris Schwarz 2018 (4-11,4-11,4-8,4-0,3-1)
20-14 Troy Jackson 2014 (4-13, 4-6, 4-2, 4-1, 3-8)
20-12 Chris Schwarz 2019 (5-3,5-0,3-11,3-10,3-4)
20-9 Austin Chapman 2014 (4-15, 4-4,4-0,3-13,3-9)
20-1 Bruce Zilkowski 2014 (4-11,4-3,4-0,3-12,3-7)

Comments: Two more entries joined the coveted 20-pound club in 2020. In fact, both Chris Schwarz and Jim Junk shattered the 20-pound mark with 30-5 and 25-13 weights, respectively. For both anglers, the weights establish new personal Top 5 bests and mark three consecutive years of topping the 20-pound mark. Well done by both anglers and looking forward to their 2021 contributions (stay tuned for the first 2021 Top 5 Update tomorrow).

Top 10 Top 5 Bass (* = 2020 entry)
9-4 Jake Bresson 5/23/14 Jig
8-10 Gary Le 5/4/14 Swimbait
8-8 Jake Bresson 5/23/14 Jig
8-0 Kamryn Kaesebier 4/13/14 Crankbait
7-7 Mark Balbinot 12/11/16 Underspin
7-4 Mark Balbinot 10/29/17 Jig
7-2 Mark Balbinot 11/23/18 Underspin
7-0 Randy Sampson Sr. 3/22/15 Jig
*7-0 Chris Schwarz 11/28/20 Grub
6-15 Mark Balbinot 5/13/17 Creature Bait

Comments: It truly takes a trophy to crack this list and Chris Schwarz found one of them in 2020 with a seven-pounder. Congratulations on an outstanding fish and it makes it official that it takes a seven to crack the Top 10.

And just for fun…

All-Time Weights (40-pound minimum “career” mark)
(Note: not all anglers have participated each year)
140-3 Troy Jackson (20-14,22-12,21-3,26-13,15-9,14-4,18-12)
123-8 Mark Balbinot (33-14,32-13,31-9,25-4)
115-6 Jim Junk (11-7,16-5,13-7,23-8,24-14,25-13)
111-11 Jake Bresson (32-13,27-12,27-6,23-12)
94-1 Brent Jackson (18-7,6-10,13-2,10-2,19-2,13-7,13-3)
76-4 Austin Chapman (20-9,29-7,26-4)
73-0 Brice Wangler (26-1,25-8,21-7)
72-15 Bruce Zilkowski (20-1,17-0,17-14,18-0)
72-10 Randy Sampson, Sr. (27-6,21-8,23-12)
72-0 Chris Schwarz (20-15,20-12,30-5)
66-12 Paul Kessler (18-6,17-6,16-6,14-10)
45-11 Mike Mooney (22-13,4-9,18-5)

Comments: With one of our anglers sitting out 2020, the guy who runs this project hops into first place in the All-Time Weight category. Of course, having participated for each of the seven years gives me a considerable advantage over those who have missed a few years. Looking forward, we should have another angler join the Century Club as my brother, Brent, is one good bass from the mark.

Year seven is in the books, year eight is off and running in 2021 and you’re all invited whether you are reeling in or tuning in. Once again, we’ll take all species this year if you chase after or happen upon something other than bass. Here’s hoping to push the submissions back over the 100 bass mark for the first time since 2018.

Tune in tomorrow to see the first two bass of 2021 as the Top 5 is back in action. Talk to you later. Troy

2020 Top 5 Final Stats

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Congratulations to Chris Schwarz who claims the 2020 Top 5 title with an impressive winning weight topping the 30-pound mark. His efforts have earned him the customary big check; don’t spend it all in one place.

Here’s how it all shook out with the 2020 Top 5 final stats covering 90 bass and 4 additional submissions (4 other species) from a group of 11 anglers.

Angler Weights
Chris Schwarz 30-5 (7-0,6-14,5-12,5-7,5-4)
Jim Junk 25-13 (5-15,5-5,4-15,4-14,4-12)
Troy Jackson 18-12 (4-12,4-0,3-11,3-9,2-12)
Brent Jackson 13-3 (3-2,2-13,2-12,2-5,2-3)
John Kirkemo 8-0 (1-15,1-13,1-8,1-6,1-6)
Teagan Mills 6-1 (3-1,3-0)
Kennedy Jackson 5-12 (1-13,1-11,1-5,0-15)
Brady Jackson 4-8 (1-5,1-2,1-1,1-0)
Landon Hannam 2-4 (2-4)
Nicolas Ojeda 1-15 (1-0,0-15)
Carly Jackson 0-14 (0-14)

 

2020 Totals
January = 1 bass
February = no submissions
March = 4 bass
April = 25 bass
May = 18 bass
June = 17 bass
July = 10 bass
August = 3 bass
September = 6 bass
October = 2 bass
November =4 bass
December = no submissions

Top 5 Weight by Month
January = 1-4 (one bass)
February = no submissions
March = 15-8 (6-14,4-1,3-4,1-5)
April = 16-11 (4-12,3-2,3-1,3-0,2-12)
May 23-0 (5-7,5-4,4-12,4-1,3-8)
June = 23-8 (5-15,4-14,4-6,4-4,4-1)
July = 20-12 (4-12,4-6,4-0,3-14,3-12)
August = 8-12 (5-5,2-4,1-3)
September = 7-15 (2-12,1-8.1-4,1-4,1-3)
October = 8-13 (5-4,3-9)
November = 22-6 (7-0,5-12,4-15,4-11)
December = no bass

Boat vs. Bank
Boat = 26 bass
Bank = 64 bass

Boat vs. Bank Weight
Boat = 21-4 (5-15,4-1,4-0,3-11,3-9)
Bank = 30-6 (7-0,6-14,5-12,5-7,5-5)

Public vs. Private
Public = 63 bass
Private = 27 bass

Public vs. Private Top 5 Weight
Public = 25-13 (5-15,5-5,4-15,4-14,4-12)
Private = 30-5 (7-0,6-14,5-12,5-7,5-4)

The Baits (* = new record)
Plastic Worm = 35 bass (Top Bass 5-5 Jim Junk)
*Chatterbait = 18 bass (Top Bass 5-15 Jim Junk) – tops 4-10 Mark Balbinot
*Spinnerbait = 8 bass (Top Bass 6-14 Chris Schwarz) – tops 5-14 Mark Balbinot
Lipless Crankbait = 6 bass (Top Bass 4-15 Jim Junk)
Jerkbait = 5 bass (Top Bass 3-14 Jim Junk)
Grub = 4 bass (Top Bass 7-0 Chris Schwarz)
Jig = 4 bass (Top Bass 5-4 Chris Schwarz)
Buzzbait = 3 bass (Top Bass 4-0 Troy Jackson)
Crankbait = 3 bass (Top Bass 3-9 Troy Jackson)
Creature = 2 bass (Top Bass 3-8 Jim Junk)
Livebait = 2 bass (Top Bass 3-1 Teagan Mills)

Monthly Top Bass
January
1-4 Jim Junk
February
No submissions
March
6-14 Chris Schwarz
April
4-12 Troy Jackson
May
5-7 Chris Schwarz
June
5-15 Jim Junk
July
4-12 Jim Junk
August
5-5 Jim Junk
September
2-12 Jim Junk
October
5-4 Chris Schwarz
November
7-0 Chris Schwarz
December
No bass

Top 10 Bass
7-0 Chris Schwarz (11/28) – new #8 all-time (tie)
6-14 Chris Schwarz (3/25)
5-15 Jim Junk (6/22)
5-12 Chris Schwarz (11/3)
5-7 Chris Schwarz (5/3)
5-5 Jim Junk (8/7)
5-4 Chris Schwarz (5/3)
5-4 Chris Schwarz (10/22)
4-15 Jim Junk (11/29)
4-14 Jim Junk (6/22)

Other Species

Channel Catfish


3-7 Troy Jackson

Common Carp

10-5 Jim Junk

Crappie


1-2 Troy Jackson

Muskie/Tiger Muskie


12-12 (36”) Troy Jackson

Well done, anglers, and many thanks for helping to contribute something positive to the web and social media. Sure needed it in 2020 more than ever. Here’s to some more fish stories in 2021 as we are doing it again for year number eight. Good luck and send ‘em my way at troy@troyjacksonoutdoors.com when you catch ‘em. Fingers crossed that I can muster the time and energy to get back on track with the blog with some 2020 recap posts. All is well, just tired and busy mixed in with the regular bout of Cabin Fever (call me a fair weather fisherman but not much of an icefishing guy). Talk to you later. Troy