Author: Troy Jackson

Texas Trip Tunes

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Tired, busy and the winter doldrums have put a damper on my rambles, both outdoor and blogging. Lots to catch up on in terms of a 2020 recap with 2021 off and running and halfway to February. First up, is an overdue “Trip Tunes” post.

A round trip work drive to south central Texas as 2020 drew to a close provided more than a little time to tune in to the radio dial. And since I took along some fishing gear and even caught a bass, well, it qualifies for the final “Trip Tunes” feature from 2020. I actually only heard one of the following on the radio but years of listening brought several other apt tunes to mind.

And the Top 5 goes a little something like this…

5. Little Rock – Colin Raye (1994)
“I think I’m on a roll here in Little Rock.”
Several of the tunes on the list weren’t actually heard on the radio but rather in my head as I trekked south out of the Midwest via some previously unseen roadways. In fact, I’d never been to Arkansas; close on Table Rock Lake, Missouri but no cigar. Two passes through the state’s capital city had me wavering between this cut and the 1986 Reba McEntire hit of the same name. In the end, Colin Raye’s lyrics were more on the mark as I did a lot of rolling to the tune of 2500 miles behind the wheel.

4. Texas Women – Hank Williams, Jr. (1981)
“They may be from Waco or out in Lampasas but one thing about it they all come from Texas.”
Me and this tune go back to the 80s when my buddies and I used to listen to a decent dose of Bocephus. This cut came to mind as I passed a highway sign for Lampasas and crossed the Lampasas River. For all these years, I had no clue where Hank was singing about so it was a fun kind of light bulb moment as I made my way through The Lone Star State. While I still find the rhyme a bit of a stretch, I can now indulge in a little mental cartography and get his drift.

3. It Came Out of the Sky – Credence Clearwater Revival (1970)
“Whoa, it came out of the sky, landed just a little south of Moline”
This is the lone tune on the list that I actually heard on the radio. The CCR hit catalog provides ample cuts for classic rock/oldies stations but this one was breath of fresh air. A cool, deep cut out of nowhere gracing the airwaves in the dark of night somewhere near the Arkansas/Texas border. It’s always kind of fun to hear a lyric with a local flavor and even more so when you are about eleven hours away from your home a little east of Moline. UFOs were a hot topic back when I was a kid and the fascination has been rekindled with recent talk of “classified government documents” possibly being revealed.

2. East Bound and Down – Jerry Reed (1977)
“The boys are thirsty in Atlanta and there’s beer in Texarkana.”
Well, 1977 was quite a year at the movie theater with the likes of “Star Wars”, “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”, “Oh God!”, “Saturday Night Fever” and “Slapshot”, to name a few. And then there was “Bandit” and “Snowman” looking to deliver a load of beer on an interstate adventure with Buford T. Justice in hot pursuit. Jerry Reed (aka Cletus “Snowman” Snow) did the honors in co-writing and performing this cut from the highway hit comedy “Smokey and the Bandit.” Although I was south bound, this tune was playing on the soundtrack in my head as I crossed the Arkansas-Texas border at Texarkana.

1. Guitar Town – Steve Earle (1986)
“I’m just out of Austin, bound for San Antone with the radio blasting and the bird dog on.”
As I found myself in the geographical position noted above, I couldn’t help but think back to wearing out the cassette of Steve Earle’s debut. This title tune served as the lead track and there wasn’t a bad cut on the album, start to finish. A great listen made even better in the middle of nowhere in the 80s at a place called Green Oaks with my buddies. A campfire turned bonfire, just a couple beers and a boom box with Guitar Town at high volume was just the ticket for some Knox College Siwash students. Oh yeah, a picnic table and a little air guitar were also right on the money as the beers and the nights rolled on.

I sure dig my tunes but plenty of 2020 fishing recap stuff is in the works. It’s just a struggle to find the time and the energy to get it done. But, open water fishing will be here before you know it (a little wishful thinking), so I’d better get on the ball. Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy

Texas Trip

Posted on by Troy Jackson

November 29 at 8:30am leaving the Quad Cities, IL

Well, I haven’t done much of anything here on the blog for a while. Just busy these days and actually think that I am still recovering from this Texas trip which started the month. I have never been much of a traveler and I have certainly not gotten any better with age. Enough about reality, let’s take an overdue escape. An overdue trip tunes to come but first up is a Texas blurb and slideshow below.

My work detail consisted of a stop in north central Arkansas to install some IT gear before proceeding to south central Texas for round two of the same. Having to haul a fair amount of equipment meant driving rather than flying, which is just fine for a guy who prefers to be closer to the ground. Such a mode of travel also allows for packing along some fishing gear in the event that I have the time to wet a line.

Several waters were on my radar as I planned my route. Greers Ferry Lake was only minutes from my first stop in Arkansas but a long work day and short daylight kept me from a visit.

Grapevine, TX too early and too big of a hurry, just saw the outside

I overnighted in Grapevine, Texas, a Dallas suburb, right next door to a Bass Pro Shops. The store sat on the banks of Lake Ray Hubbard which was being beaten by gale force winds. Beyond the wind, I still had a five hour morning “commute” to work and no permit so casting did not materialize on this water, either.

Next choice was the Guadalupe River near Seguin, TX and only minutes from my work destination. I took a peek one evening finding the access decent and deserted but I had yet to obtain my permit. After getting two days’ worth of non-resident permits I hit the spot again only to find it packed with anglers leaving me no room. Instead, I headed 30 minutes north to New Braunfels, TX where the water on the river was too shallow. I spent my half hour before sunset just walking the bank in a local park and enjoying some fresh air.

Guadalupe River, New Braufels, TX – scenic but shallow

I had considered Grand Lake o’ The Cherokees in northeast Oklahoma on my ride home. I thought it would be cool to chase a bass on the site of the 2013 and 2016 Bassmaster Classics. However, a late start on the road, short days, cold weather and a desire to take the shortest route home eliminated this destination.

 

In the end, I selected Lake Fork which lies just east of Dallas. Ideally, a half day of work to finish my week would put me on the road in time to explore Lake Fork for a couple hours. In reality, the combination of a late start after work and some difficulty finding lake access only left me about 45 minutes to cast. My first intent was to fish the dam but I could not find access as I cruised the road below the structure. Next, I found a couple private fishing resorts and a lone pay ramp that featured very little decent bank access. As a last ditch effort, I selected a nearby causeway and hoped the map app would do its thing. It did and I reached a public ramp area with ample access for the short amount of remaining daylight that I had to cast.

Lake Fork, TX looking for a bass with daylight fading 

The rest is history as described in the Lake Fork, TX fishing report (click here). Such trips late in the year make it tough to enjoy much fresh air after a day of work. Sunsets just after 5:00pm really limit the option to travel very far in search of a bite before darkness falls. Thus, it was tough to manage some outdoor time while earning a living.

December 4, 2020 at 8:00pm, back home 2500 miles, two plants, one bass and five days later

All of that time behind the wheel gave me ample fodder for a final “Trip Tunes” post of 2020. Stay tuned for that Top 5 later this week. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Another update just goes to show that skill and perseverance can add a few more bass to the log as ice begins to form on our area fishing holes. It may not be easy or comfortable and you may not catch a bunch but there are still some bites to be had out there. And some good ones in today’s update along with an entertaining fish story.

Weight: 4-15
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: November 29
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Lipless crankbait
Top 5 Weight: 25-13 (5-15,5-5,4-15,4-14,4-12) culls a 4-11

In addition, Jim just sent me the pics and details below as he has added a couple December bass to his ledger. I’m always up for a fish story and this one brought a smile. Would have been fun to have been an observer for this stunt.

“I’m on the board with a couple December bass yesterday (12/5). Both came on a white chatterbait. They were 3-12 and 3-9. Had to go through the ice for one and the water is pretty chilly. There was about 10’ of rather slim ice before open water. Hooked up and actually got the fish up on the ice but he flopped off and was on the ice just out of reach. Put one foot on the ice and was able to reach but broke through before getting back on the bank.”

As I mentioned in the intro, skill and perseverance go a long ways in landing such late season bass. Also noted that it may not be easy or comfortable and there you go with a prime example from Jim in getting it done. Kudos for the effort and thanks for the contributions to keep the Top 5 Updates rolling on. Talk to you later. Troy

Lake Fork, TX Report – December 3

Posted on by Troy Jackson

This week’s work duties found me making a round trip drive with stops in north central Arkansas and south central Texas. Such an itinerary gave me the opportunity to take a drive by a legendary northeast Texas fishing hole named Lake Fork. I packed a few poles and some tackle just in case I could swing a pit stop on my way home. After a final half day of work and a five hour drive, I made it to the lake with about 45 minutes of daylight remaining. Texas weather wasn’t as nice as I’d hoped but there I was on the bank of a spot that I’d dreamed about for over thirty years.

 

Stats

Date: December 3, 2020
Location: Lake Fork – northwest of Quitman, Texas
Time: 4:53pm-5:18pm
Weather: Overcast/windy
Air Temp: 45F
Water Temp: felt warmer than the air
Totals: 1 bass
Lures: Chatterbait (bluegill) with Zako trailer (green pumpkinseed with white) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 2-7

5:18pm – Mission accomplished as daylight faded

Notes and Nonsense

Search for a Spot – After a five hour drive from Seguin, Texas it was time to find an area with decent bank access. In such cases, I always look to start with the dam (rocky bank with proximity to deep water). However, I could not find any dam access roads and only a pay ramp area with shallow water and rather barren bank access. A gas station stop for some dam advice proved fruitless so it was back to Google where I spied a causeway crossing an arm of the lake. All in all, I wasted the better part of an hour of daylight just trying to find somewhere to cast.

Technology makes it cool to see exactly where I found my Lake Fork bass

Riprap Really Rocks – The causeway that I selected happened to have parking for a public launch ramp and bank access to the water beneath the causeway. Plenty of large rock, known as riprap, lined several stretches of bank, just the kind of spot I look for when chasing bass from the bank on a new lake. Typically, these riprap stretches have a batch of rock that extends out into the lakebed and provides several appealing factors. For starters, the breakline/transition between rock and lake bottom provides a classic “edge” where bass like to hang out. In addition, there are countless nooks and crannies in those underwater rocks that hold forage such as baitfish and crawdads. In terms of presentation, these areas are custom made for a parallel retrieve from the bank. This keeps your lure in the strike zone for the entire cast and also allows you to bump the structure along the way. Finally, from a financial standpoint as a frugal fisherman, I can often get a hung lure freed by walking to the bait to give it some slack or a pull from the opposite direction.

A look back at the stretch of structure that this bass called home

Plan B – After 15 minutes of casting along the causeway riprap without a bite, I headed to the ramp area for crunch time as daylight faded. I tried a spinnerbait on riprap stretches on each side and along the ramp but found no bites. As a result, I decided to switch to a chatterbait and work the ramp area again with the new presentation. A few casts later, I had a solid strike jar me out of my mindset that things were not going to work out for a Texas bass. Very cool and some important fishing lessons reinforced by the catch. If you think you have some good water but aren’t finding a bite, a change in lure, retrieve speed or angle can be the key to fooling a fish. And while this outing was very limited in terms of time, it is well worth hitting a good looking spot a couple times in order to cross paths with an interested bass.

$37 Bass – A non-resident one day permit in Texas comes in at $16 and there is also a $5 transaction fee. I opted for a pair of one day passes but things did not work out on the previous day as I ran into access issues and fading daylight but that’s another story. At any rate, that Lake Fork bass wound up with a price tag of $37. I suppose if I was to calculate the hourly cost of fishing it would be $74/hour as I only cast for about 30 minutes on my two days’ worth of permits.

Seen a lot of pics and vids of Lake Fork over the last 30 years, fun to join the club

All good in the end as I was actually there for work after all, the fishing was just icing on the cake. I’ll tell you what though, it sure made my day. The combination of six days away from my family, a thousand miles from home, hotel beds, restaurant food, too much beef jerky and M&Ms and poor radio reception for most of the journey just wore me out. Therefore, it was good to find something to recharge my batteries. Fishing on a renowned bass lake that I never dreamt I would see and taking a picture with one of its inhabitants was a winner. Still smiling as I type. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Happy to have another update with this post coming in a day earlier than the normal Monday submission for various reasons. I just got this report yesterday evening as one of our anglers took advantage of a fifty degree Saturday afternoon. As you can see below, his efforts were rewarded in a big way.

Weight: 7-0
Angler: Chris Schwarz
Date: November 28
Location: Warren County private pond
Lure: Ned rig TRD Stickbait (green pumpkin)
Angler Comments: Caught in 5’ of water with a setup of 10 lb. braid tied to a 20’ fluorocarbon leader, 8 lb. test.
Top 5 Weight: 30-5 (7-0,6-14,5-12,5-7,5-4) culls a 5-4

Way to go, Chris, an outstanding catch that pushes your creel into the rare air of the 30-pound club. Only 32 more days for the 2020 Top 5 project with the area weather headed for a more normal range. But you just never know what can happen if you get out there for a few casts. Talk to you later. Troy

Friday Flashback – November 2010

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Once upon a time, we were trappers.

For nearly a century, members of the Jackson family roamed the creeks, fields and timbers of West Central Illinois in pursuit of furbearers. Dating back to my grandpa George to my uncle, Richard, to my dad, Terry, to my brothers and sister and our offspring, the tradition spanned from the 1920s to just a few years ago. Boy, did we have some times and there are plenty of stories that never grow old no matter how many times they are revisited.

Today’s flashback is one of those stories as November of 2010 featured the introduction of a new trapper to the family tradition. My boy, Jayce, tagged along on this outing to Henderson County, following in the footsteps of his Papa and Dad. Footsteps that had been planted in areas like The Big Timber and Pat’s Creek for close to fifty years. A pretty cool adventure for a kid who was not even a year and a half old at the time.

We saw tractors, hedgeballs, corn cobs and deer. We had a fast food breakfast, drove the truck, rode on the tailgate, told stories and threw stuff. You know, all the normal things us trappers observed and did out there on the trapline. Oh yeah, we also caught a few coons but that was just icing on the cake.

Nowadays, trapping has gone by the wayside but the memories last a lifetime. For many years, I have pondered a formidable trapping retrospective here on the blog. At present though, the project consists of a lengthy list of ideas, a healthy batch of photos and a collection of rough drafts. Perhaps trapping season next year would be a worthy time to kick off such a series. That gives me slightly less than a year to put it all together which is still a tall order when thinking back over all those tales and adventures.

And speaking of thinking back on adventures, this will wrap up the weekly Friday Flashbacks for 2020. As always, I get a kick out of the strolls down Memory Lane with a fair collection of fish, family and friends. I hope that some were able to make the weekly stop and find a brief escape along the way. Of course, plenty more other stuff to come here on the blog before we say so long to this year. And Friday Flashback will resume after the first of the New Year as I have already begun constructing my outline of weekly posts. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Another boost for one of our anglers as the November weather continues to be reasonable if you can handle some wind. Today’s catch comes from the bank which has its own batch of variables to contend with in the gusty conditions. But, as you can see, you can still fool ‘em if you can get to ‘em.

Weight: 4-11
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: November 12
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Single Colorado blade spinnerbait
Top 5 Weight: 25-9 (5-15,5-5,4-14,4-12,4-11) culls a 4-6

Well done, Jim, and good to hear that you are still finding some success down there. Looks like there may still be a handful of comfortable days on the horizon so here’s hoping someone out there continues to get bit. Talk to you later. Troy

Friday Flashback – November 7, 2015

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Well, it’s that time again as I ponder whether I have caught my final bass of the year. Today we look back five years at just such a catch via a portion of the original fishing report posted at a former blogging gig.

Originally posted 11-13-15

Mission accomplished in logging my November bass.

For more than a few years now, one of my annual fishing goals involves the bookends on the bass fishing year. This particular goal consists of landing my first bass in March and my final bass in November. Back on March 21st I checked off part one of the goal and set out last Saturday looking to put the finishing touch on a solid year. Well, it took some work but I made it…just barely.

Stats
Date: November 7, 2015
Location: Little John Conservation Club (2 lakes)
Time: 9:35am-3:15pm (4.75 hours fishing, the rest relocating)
Weather: Sunny/very windy
Air Temp: 46F-54F
Water Temp: 50-52F
Totals: 1 bass
Lures: ¼ oz Jig & Pig (black/blue) with #11 pork trailer (black/blue) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 2-2 (Jig &Pig)

1:29pm – Top Bass (and only bass) at 16.5″ and 2-2 on a jig & pig

Notes & Nonsense

One for Two – For my Grand Finale I selected a pair of lakes that have been real friendly this year and most recently combined for 23 bass back on October 24; this time not so much. 9:35am until 11:50am on the first spot produced one lone bump on my Yum Wooly Curltail Grub as it bounced off a submerged limb. Stop number two gave up my lone bass on a jig and pig just over an hour into my hour and a half on the lake; the only bite I had. Of course, I tried fast with no success on a spinnerbait and lipless crank before opting to focus on slowing it down with the jig and pig around some real solid wood cover. I gave it my best shot and got my fish but the bass would rightfully be claimed the victor on this outing in outsmarting each of my attempts to garner some bites.

Winterizing – I had to chuckle as I headed for the “ramp” on my last lake knowing that it was time to think about the care my gear needs to weather the winter. Dragging my boat back up the grassy incline I took into consideration that trailering my watercraft typically involves just me and my truck bed. Roll the boat over beside my driveway upon returning home, close the tailgate and call it good. As for my motors, lean the oars up against the wall of the garage next to my poles and tackle. Looking back over the 51.50 hours I got to go fishing this year, the vast majority involved manpower for propulsion. Seven hours in a friend’s boat back in April were the lone gas powered means of propulsion and only a few quick jaunts from spot to spot. Along with that trip I also spent just over five hours with my foot on a trolling motor pedal during an outing with Dad. The remainder of my season found me manning the oars for about 35 hours and chasing bass on foot for about four hours. I guess the moral of that story is that I need to work on taking care of myself over the winter, something I’ve let slip more than a bit this year.

The old oars have what I call “personality” and plenty of tales to tell

Five years later, the old oars have assumed their place against the garage wall where they will likely remain until next March. And my body and brain will once again engage in their annual debate on what sort of fishing stunts to pull in 2021. May have one more fishing trick up my sleeve for 2020, though. Time will tell. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Still some bites out there to be had especially with this weather. Quite comfortable for the anglers as you can get some big bites in short sleeves. The latest big catch is included below and it added an entire pound to the angler’s already outstanding 2020 haul.

Weight: 5-12 (21.25”)
Angler: Chris Schwarz
Date: November 3
Location: Lake Warren
Lure: Chatterbait with paddle tail trailer (bluegill)
Angler Comments: I caught this fish in relatively the same location as my last entry on a windblown bank with rock.
Top 5 Weight: 28-9 (6-14,5-12,5-7,5-4,5-4) culls a 4-12

How about that? Two bass combining for exactly eleven pounds coming from the same general area over the last couple weeks (see October 25 Top 5 Update for Chris’ 5-4 bass). I believe that spot would be locked in for every trip during the remainder of my fishing days. Well done, Chris, and quite a year. Talk to you later. Troy

Election Day Strip Mine Report Nov. 3

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11:43am – November bass, mission accomplished

Well, Election Day 2020 has certainly earned a unique spot in the history books. But no one can dispute the fishing results here on the blog although there has been a bit of a delay in reporting.

Stats
Date: November 3, 2020
Location: Knox County, IL private strip mines (3 lakes)
Time: 11:25am-4:35pm (3.5 hours fishing)
Weather: Sunny/windy
Air Temp: 64-70F
Water Temp: not available
Totals: 2 bass
Lures: Chatterbait (bluegill) with Zako trailer (smoke) – 1 bass, Strike King Red Eye Shad (sexy shad) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 2-2 (Chatterbait)
Top Weight (only two at 12” or better): 3-1 (2-2,0-15)

3:06pm – Top Bass at 16″ and 2-2 on a chatterbait

Notes and Nonsense

Poll to Pole – Up at 6:00am, Julie and I completed our civic duty and were back home from the polling location before 7:30am. I had taken a vacation day so as not to have any time restriction on casting my vote. Granted, I could have voted early but I am old school and do my duty in person, pandemic or no. And I was glad that I did. We live in a diverse area and it was rewarding to stand outside in the crisp morning air with several dozen other community members of varying races and ages looking to put their candidates into The White House. And, since I had the rest of the day off, I packed up my gear and headed to the fishing hole.

Winning Lures

Dead Heat – Too close to call on the Top Lure for the trip. The Red Eye Shad came through with the sought after first catch, a November bass to meet my annual goal. The chatterbait later produced the Top Bass for the day. One bass apiece on the lures and equally important on a tough day.

Had a couple social media comments on the dark coloration of the Top Bass with one actually referring to it as a “nice smallie.” Indeed, a largemouth but the the color did elicit a comment from me in the clip below (second catch in the video).

 

Trip Tune – I caught a few tunes on the way down but must admit that I was dialed in to talk radio on the way back home that evening. All manner of evaluations and projections came over the airwaves and like most of the last four years I put little stock in anything I heard no matter the slant. And when I got home it only got weirder. I guess if I had to assign a lyric, I would draw from John Lennon. Nope, not Imagine or Instant Karma or Mind Games.

“Everybody’s talking and no one says a word…Strange days indeed, most peculiar, Mama.” – Nobody Told Me (1984)

Likely another year in the books from the Knox County, IL strip mines

The pleasant weather has hung around but chores and responsibilities have kept me off the water, which is fine. I was able to do a lot of casting in 2020 and got my bookend March and November bass to meet my annual goals. As such, these may be my final bass of the year. However, still plenty of blog posts to come including another quality Top 5 Update from one of our anglers coming tomorrow.

Talk to you later. Troy