Category: Fishing Holes

Friday Flashback – July 6, 2012

Posted on by Troy Jackson

With four kids from ages one to eight back in the summer of 2012, there wasn’t a whole lot of date nights. However, Julie and I did manage a fishing date as described below in excerpts from the original July 10, 2012 blog entry.

As the saying goes, “Beggars can’t be choosers.” So, despite the recent run of 100 degree plus temperatures it was an opportunity to fish, and I wasn’t about to pass it up due to something called a “heat advisory.” To be honest, I’m always more concerned about the wind when planning a trip to Emiquon. All was well and I was happy to have the company of a fellow fishing fool. Here’s the first of a two-part fishing report detailing how it all worked out.

6:13am Julie on the board with our first catch

Date: July 6, 2012
Location: The Emiquon Preserve
Time: 6:10am-12:25 pm
Weather: Sunny/calm
Air Temp: 80-100F
Water Temp: 90F
Totals: 40 bass (Troy – 26 Julie – 14)
Lures: Booyah Counter Strike Spinnerbait (snow white) – 15 bass, Mann’s Baby 1- crankbait (copper shad) – 12 bass, Strike King Red Eye Shad (sexy shad) – 10 bass, Strike King Red Eye Shad (red crawfish) – 2 bass, 5” Yamasenko weighted wacky rig (rainbow trout) – 1 bass
Top Bass: Troy 2-5 Booyah Counter Strike Spinnerbait (snow white)
Weight (Top 5): 10-9 (2-5, 2-2, 2-2, 2-0, 2-0)

 

Notes & Nonsense

“Helter Skelter in a summer swelter” (quick, name the tune and artist) – I’ve written in the past about Emiquon’s propensity for giving up numbers in the right place at the right time. We hit those windows/spots a pair of times as follows: 6:13am-8:01am produced 23 of our bass and 10:46am-12:22pm produced another 15 bass. That left two bass landed in the gap in these times as we explored a stretch that had produced just a month earlier. Despite similar structure, schools of baitfish and a variety of presentations, the bass just wouldn’t cooperate. Eventually, we wound up back near where we had started in time for the bass in the area to turn on once again.

Hot Seats and More – The calm and balmy conditions made any exposed surfaces of the boat painful to touch. Boat cushions were a must and we even had to put on gloves to load the boat into the back of the truck. Our granola bars were a mess and once the water bottles came out of the cooler, they were nearly instantaneously lukewarm. The truck read 109 when we got in and went as high as 112 before gradually decreasing during the ride. The bank in Lewistown read 108 and while probably a bit of a stretch, does pinpoint accuracy really matter when it’s just plain hot?

100 Degree Bass – A little after noon I told Julie that we needed one more bass just to say we caught one in hundred-degree weather. At 12:22pm I reeled in the fish pictured above to get my wish and then we called it quits a few casts later. My original plan was to fish until 1:00pm but I was satisfied with our effort and results a half hour short of the target. Apparently, Julie was as well for she did not debate the decision and after the work of loading our gear we were even more convinced that we’d done the right thing.

As always with an Emiquon trip, I could go on and on…

And I will go on and on, with a bonus Flashback Saturday post featuring some more notes from this outing. Talk to you later. Troy

Friday Flashback – July 7, 1987

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Well, here we are at the mid-point of the final year of “Friday Flashback”. Week twenty-one of the forty-one week stroll down Memory Lane. Lots of fish and favorite fishing holes, fishing partners and fishing lures have found their way into the project over the years and today’s post covers all the above.

The spot was affectionately known as “The Ponderosa” and was the site of several fishing trips with my three amigos back between 1987 and 1989. As best I can recall, my buddy, Matt Reynolds, was the ringleader in gaining access to Ponder’s Pond, outside of Knoxville, Illinois. Along with Matt, the Junk brothers, John and Mark, also joined forces in pursuit of some solid bass. The pond was just the right size for a couple hours to get away and the Ponder family had a johnboat along the shore for use. Of course, before launching, it was wise to give it a shake while upside down to rid it of any snakes that took a liking to the cover it provided. However, I seem to remember a mouse going for a ride with us at one point.

The crew circa 1991 – Mark Junk, John Junk, Troy Jackson and Matt Reynolds

Winning Ponder’s lures – Sidewinder Worm, Triple Ripple Worm, Spinnerbait and Zara Spook

Beyond the Who’s Who of anglers, an old school collection of lures proved to be successful on the pond. As noted in the log entry for the July 7, 1987 trip, winners were the Bass Pro Shops Triple Ripple Worm and a classic white tandem spinnerbait. A look at the record book below also shows that the Zara Spook was quite effective in fooling some good bass. The natural frog pattern brings back memories as it became nicknamed “The Pickle” upon endearing itself with its effectiveness. I still have a “Pickle” in my tacklebox, but the original was accidentally launched into a cornfield near the southeast corner or Ponder’s Pond, never to be found.

Zara Spook in the natural frog pattern, aka “The Pickle”

The pond seemed to have a feast or famine personality in terms of landing quality fish. If the first few bass you landed were small ones, it often set the tone for the rest of the trip. In contrast, if you caught a large bass early in an outing, you likely would see some more before the trip was over.

Ponder’s Pond Top 10 Bass list

Only a handful of pictures of those bass reside in my photo album but a picture of the pond remains fresh in my mind. A branch breaking the surface along the dam just out from the “ramp” could hold a good fish when bumping around with a Sidewinder worm. Didn’t matter what color as long as it was black or purple. Some evening shade from overhanging trees along the west bank and a laydown were ideal for a white spinnerbait. A shallow finger to the southwest with a tree was a prime spot for “The Pickle” as was the southeast point. The east bank dotted with lilypads also set up well for various presentations as you finished your initial lap and “pondered” making a second pass.

One of my favorites from a series of action shots snapped by an old friend, Matt Reynolds

Great times with great friends and some darn good fish in those early days of trying to be bassmasters. Often, the trip was wrapped up at a couple other watering holes, The East End and The Green Diamond taverns as they were kind of on the way home. Some of those memories are a little fuzzy. Talk to you later. Troy

Prowl the Canal Lessons-Points

Posted on by Troy Jackson

My third point drawn from fishing The Canal revolves around just that, Points. The illustration below is a prime example of a prime spot and the accompanying video provides proof that these structures produce. Per the available data while prowling the internet, The Canal averages five feet in depth and roughly ninety feet in width throughout most of its linear run. Therefore, any change in either aspect makes for an area to explore. Today, that exploration focuses on Points.

Points

No matter where you fish, points are always worth a look, but these structural features are even more important on The Canal. By its nature and construction, most of The Canal is a linear trough that has filled in at varying degrees throughout its length. However, there are several spots that I call “bays” where The Canal widens on one side. As a result, you get a rare pair of points on each side of these bays. Often, these points feature a pronounced dropoff, an oddity along most of The Canal and they are worth working over with multiple presentations to get some bites.

This concludes our three-part ”Prowl the Canal – Lessons” feature for my June wrap-up. However, the video clips have included catches from April through July, proving that these structural elements produce throughout the year on this dynamic fishing hole. And you can bet that there will be plenty more prowling during the open water portion of the calendar as I look to learn some more lessons. Talk to you later. Troy

Prowl the Canal Lessons-Combos

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Here we go with the second post from a trio of lessons courtesy of The Hennepin Canal.

Lots of fishing folks refer to a distinction between “structure” and “cover”. The general concept is that structure is a feature of the lakebed while cover is an object where the bass can hide in or around. I really don’t recall if I ever used those terms separately when I was first attracted to this hobby, but I don’t anymore.

Right or wrong, I call it all “structure” and leave the debate to the forums. For me, structure is a place where I cast and anticipate finding some bass.

So, now that I have that off my chest…

Structure Combos

Like the previous Transitions tip, a combination of structural elements can enhance a spot. In this instance, a lengthy, solid stretch of surface weeds was broken up by some open water channels and a bit of brush in the water. Such a spot screams for a few casts as the structural variety can turn the mundane into a magnet.

 

“Variety is the spice of life” as the old saying goes. And if you can find a variety of structure blended together, work it over.

One more lesson tomorrow so stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy

Prowl the Canal Lessons-Transitions

Posted on by Troy Jackson

For this month’s lessons, I am going to draw on some GoPro footage that I have collected on The Canal this year. I guess you could call this the bass fishing education portion of the blog as it goes beyond Bass Fishing 101. For me, Bass Fishing 101 is learning your lures, lines, and rod/reel combos as well as the basics of when, where, and how to throw them. Therefore, I suppose the trio of posts to follow are Bass Fishing 201 as they delve into three specific spots and/or situations and detail how to get some bites. The clips coming your way for the next three days are 2022 catches from The Canal. But bass are bass anywhere and these techniques are good to add to your repertoire no matter where you are casting.

Transitions

Give some attention to transitions or edges as these can be bass magnets. In the clip below, this pertains to a batch of reeds that breaks up a lengthy stretch of riprap shoreline. It is cool how the clues on the bank can reveal that the associated bottom composition, contours, or changes provide some appeal to the bass.

 

Whether you are a seasoned “bassmaster” or someone just starting out, hopefully you get some entertainment and/or education out of this collection of lessons. Class meets here again tomorrow. Talk to you later. Troy

Prowl the Canal – May Lessons

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Along with the numbers, each trip on The Canal offers up some new knowledge. I caught my first ever Canal bass on June 5, 2021, so I have only one year of experience on the historic waterway. As such, there is plenty to learn, and each new day provides further insight into this interesting collection of fishing holes.

Lessons

May 1 – This year’s ever present winds made for windchill on May Day, but still caught some bass

2022 has been as windy a year as I can recall, and The Canal provides a good destination under most winds. On the sections I have fished, at least one side of the roughly 90’ wide canal features timber to serve as a wind block. With the proliferation of pools, you can usually plan your trip to avoid contending with the wind.

May 27- Doesn’t look like much but on sparse structure sections of The Canal, work them over (produced a 2-12)

Keep an open mind on the pools as one has surprised me. Initially, I viewed a lack of visible shoreline structure as a negative. However, it turns out that those limited ambush points are prime real estate when it comes to finding some quality bites.

Internet reports show that I need to break out my Whopper Ploppers on The Canal so stay tuned…

Last month I mentioned prowling The Canal on the internet when you are unable to prowl in person. The lesson here is that I need to get more familiar with my Whopper Ploppers.

May 24 – Like a broken record with the darned wind in 2022

The wind has more of an effect than the current in most of the locations that I have visited. However, I did encounter a section that was crystal clear on one bank but stained on the other. I do not know if this is a factor of the current, but it was interesting to find that the section fished like two different pools despite being separated by less than ninety feet.

This 3-6 from July 21, 2021 is my Canal Top Bass, looking to break the record in 2022 as I search for a four-pounder

I guess that this is not so much a lesson as a goal. Currently, my Top Bass for The Canal sits at 3-6. My quest involves finding a four-pounder. A four-pounder is a good fish anywhere. But on The Canal, I feel it is even more special. I’ve seen pictures of a few that would qualify and others that look close, although the anglers did not include weights. Best of all, I recognize some of the scenery behind the anglers and their fish in the photos.

Did I mention that May continued a windy 2022?

May 29 – 32 mph gusts, are you kidding me?

Time will tell what June holds in store, but my plan remains to spend more time on The Canal as my regular stomping grounds involve a larger investment in gas money. I have come to enjoy my time on these new waters and look forward to further exploration and education. Stay tuned for more monthly “Prowl the Canal” updates and more as the year progresses. Talk to you later. Troy

Prowl The Canal – April Lessons

Posted on by Troy Jackson

I am a stat guy, so I really dig the numbers for my fishing trips as the previous post conveyed. However, there is a learning aspect to every trip that is enjoyable as well. Whether it is employing something you’ve learned in the past, or obtaining new information in the present, both will contribute to future success. And this is particularly true on new water, like The Canal.

Lessons

I need to fool around more with the Whopper Plopper as the topwater season progresses.

When you are unable to Prowl The Canal in person, invest some time prowling it on the internet.

Speaking of the internet, you’ve gotta love it for a fix. In this case, I learned how to switch my scale back to pounds after inadvertently setting it to kilograms.

 

Thank goodness that my “phone” is also a calculator, so I don’t have to do the metric conversion in my head.

A watercraft is the ticket, even if it is probably fifty years old with a near fifty-five-year-old “motor.”

 

Before the weeds take over, some spots on The Canal are awesome for spinnerbaits. Just the ticket for a guy who caught the fishing bug in the early-80s when spinnerbaits ruled.

The Canal is a great place to beat the wind. Unless it is getting a direct hit, even the recent gale force winds are negated on much of the narrow, predominately east-west waterway I fished in April.

There are not many true points on The Canal. But when you find one, fish it from different angles with different baits and at different times.

 

The Canal is a good spot for a young “Guest Prowler” as it is a great place to learn.

Make sure that you have a wacky rigged Senko at the ready when fishing the Whopper Plopper or other topwater lures. A well-placed follow-up on a missed strike is usually too much for those shallow water bass to resist.

April was productive in terms of both numbers and knowledge. A pair of May trips have contributed more of the same but those are tales for a future wrap-up. And with less than a year of experience on The Canal (just over 40 hours), there is plenty more to learn. Talk to you later. Troy

Record Book Roundup-Hennepin Canal

Posted on by Troy Jackson

I kicked off my 2022 pursuit of bass at The Hennepin Canal with an impromptu outing on Good Friday. The way that the evening shook out allowed me a couple of hours to get away for some casts. Julie and Jayce were off to a birthday party, and I left the rest of the crew with a twenty-dollar bill to fend for their supper. So much for the quick ten-minute drive saving me money compared to my fuel expense for Knox County strip mine trips.

While the 2022 edition of “Prowl the Canal” reports will wait until the month is over, The Canal needs a shout out for my Record Book Roundup series.

First up, a little background regarding my experience on the historic waterway. My first casts on The Canal took place late last spring and I would make a total of seventeen visits over the course of the year. These visits covered ten separate locations ranging from Colona to Wyanet spanning 6/5/21 to 10/31/21.

I was pleasantly surprised with the results and look forward to seeing what 2022 holds in store. My internet prowling also found a reliable recent report of a five-pounder from a stretch of The Canal that I am familiar with but haven’t fished yet. Such would be a great fish anywhere but a true trophy on The Canal.

But first things first with the goals to shoot for as 2022 progresses.

Hennepin Canal (2021-present)
Top Bass: 3-6 Troy Jackson 7/21/21 Plastic Worm
Best Top 5 Day (only 4 bass at 12” or better): 9-4 (3-6,2-10,2-0,1-4) 7/21/21 in 2.25 hours
Top 5 Weight: 15-6 (3-6,3-4,3-1,2-14,2-13)

 

Good luck out there and if you wish to contribute to the Top 5 project, you can email your catches to troy@troyjacksonoutdoors.com. A photo must accompany the submission and see the template below for further details. Talk to you later. Troy

Weight: Nearest quarter ounce or better depending on your scale
Angler: Up to you whether actual name or pseudonym
Date: Always good to have an accurate date for monthly stat updates
Weather: Bonus info, up to you
Water Temp: Bonus info, up to you
Location: Site is nice but “Illinois public water” works if not willing to reveal
Lure: Always like to hear what’s working but up to you
Structure: Bonus info, up to you
Angler Comments: I enjoy the fish story, keep it clean for this family friendly blog
Top 5 Weight: I will keep track as you post and update the weight accordingly

2021 Fishing Recap – Locations

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Back with another portion of the 2021 recap as we look at the locations that produced a combined total of over 300 bass.

Grand Totals
Bass = 313
Bodies of water = 38
Outings = 40 (ranging from 1.50 hour to 9.50 hour trips)
Bass Fishing Hours = 130.50
Bass/hour = 2.40
Comments: With a total of 40 bodies of water fished, you’d think that I was some sort of world traveler. Truth is, 23 of the lakes were contained in a few thousand acres of West Central Illinois strip mine ground. Although, in 2021 I did also travel over 700 miles to find a few bass. In addition, I added the historic Hennepin Canal to my life list of fishing logs.

Access
Bank Bass (Northerner boots, biking and hiking) = 167 bass
Little Boat Bass (over 40-year-old 8’ johnboat) = 100 bass
Big Boat Bass (1987 Bass Tracker Pro 17) = 46 bass
Comments: I continue to put more miles on a pair of boots, a bicycle, and a set of oars than I have ever racked up on trolling motors or outboards. Nothing like killing two birds with one stone as I get a bit of a workout while pursuing my hobby. 2021 featured plenty of exercise although I was spoiled on half a dozen outings in the “big boat.”

Public vs. Private
Public Water Bass = 297 bass
Top Public Water Bass = 4-10 (Sprague Brook Park, NY)
Top 5 Public Weight = 20-0 (4-10,4-4,4-3.3-9,3-6)
Private Water Bass = 16 bass
Top Private Water Bass = 2-7 (Little John Conservation Club)
Top 5 Private Weight = 8-14 (2-13,2-7,1-12,0-15,0-15)
Comments: While I have access to a batch of quality private fishing holes at Little John Conservation Club, I sure didn’t get my dues worth in 2021. Instead, I invested the bulk of my time on public strip mine waters and finally committed to exploring the Hennepin Canal. As an added bonus, I was able to fish some new water when hauling along fishing gear on work assignments.

The Waters (from least to most caught)

Homer Lake, Champaign County, IL (1 visit – 10/8)
2 bass
1.50 hours
1.33 bass/hour
Top Bass: 10.5”
Top 5 Weight: None at or better than 12”
Comments: On the way back home from a roundtrip work drive to Rocky Mount, NC, I decided to visit a fishing hole a short distance from Interstate 74. I’d hauled my fishing gear over 1600 miles before getting in a cast for a couple reasons. First up, the October evenings in North Carolina left little time to fish after full days on the job. Secondly, I was too cheap to buy an out of state license for any of the states that I passed through (Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, or North Carolina). An hour and a half before dark on this lake situated between Danville and Champaign, Illinois gave up two small bass but always satisfying to meet the challenge of fooling a fish on unseen water when you’re up against the clock.

New York Waters – Buffalo area (4 lakes – 7/11 to 7/14)
7 bass
6.25 hours
1.12 bass/hour
Top Bass: 4-10 Spinnerbait on 7/11
Top 5 Weight (only 3 at 12″ or better): 6-15 (4-10,1-7,0-14)
Comments: As noted above, it’s cool to fool a few on water that you’ve only seen on the internet when scouting destinations for an hour or two of after work casting. And when the second fish you fool turns out to be your Top Bass of the year, well, that’s extra cool. During the four days that I was in New York, I was able to visit a new spot each evening for an hour or so. When it was all said and done, I had to give myself a bit of a pat on the back for getting it done in crunch time and avoiding a shutout every night.

Mautino State F&WA – Bureau County, IL (1 visit, 2 lakes – 7/3)
9 bass
2.25 hours
Top Bass: 0-14 (13.5”) Buzzbait
Top 5 Weight (only one at 12” or better): 0-14
Comments: Prolonged interior road construction on this site had kept me away for five years. So, I was enthused when I spied an update on the internet indicating that the work was completed granting drive in access to all waters. Unfortunately, the fish weren’t as enthused, and I struggled to find any quality bites like several from 2015 and 2016.

Knox County, IL Private Strip Mines (3 visits, 4 lakes – 8/1 through 11/17)
16 bass
9.75 hours
1.64 bass/hour
Top Bass: 2-13 (17”) War Eagle Spinnerbait on September 10
Top 5 Weight: 8-14 (2-13,2-7,1-12,0-15,0-15)
Comments: I have fished Little John for nearly 35 years, and I can’t recall the last time that I spent as little time on the site as I did in 2021. I don’t know if the bass have suddenly become wise to my offerings, but quality bites have eluded me for the last several years. Then again, perhaps I just need to invest more time on these old, familiar fishing holes. Too many choices among my area destinations are indeed a good problem to have and success on the Hennepin Canal much closer to home also played a role in 2021.

Lake Storey – Knox County, IL (5 visits – 6/12 through 10/14)
35 bass
37.75 hours
0.93 bass/hour
Top Bass: 2-14 (18”) Berkely Havoc Pit Boss on September 27
Top 5 Weight: 12-2 (2-14,2-9,2-8,2-3,2-0)
Comments: I enjoy fishing Lake Storey as much as anywhere and make it a point to get down there several times a year. Sure, I can catch more and bigger bass at many other spots but that is part of the appeal. Bass don’t come easy on this heavily pressured lake, so I find it rewarding to outsmart its wily residents. I also had the good fortune of sharing a boat with my dad, one of my brothers and my two boys over the course of my 2021 visits.

Hennepin Canal – several counties (17 visits – 6/5 through 10/31)
61 bass
31.00 hours
1.97 bass/hour
Top Bass: 3-6 (20”) Senko wacky rig on 7/21
Top 5 Weight: 15-6 (3-6,3-4,3-1,2-14,2-13)
Comments: While my family has lived in the Quad City Area since 2014, I had yet to wet a line in the Hennepin Canal until this past spring. During a family camping weekend in June, I took a brief shot and was rewarded with a couple bass. On a hike the following day, I spotted several quality fish cruising its waters and was convinced that I should do some further exploring. Over the next several months, I made sixteen short visits and was pleasantly surprised with solid Top 5 fooled from Wyanet to Colona. All my fish were caught from the bank which can be hit or miss on accessibility along the corridor. Glad I gave it a go and plan to be back for more in 2022, perhaps with a boat in tow.

Knox County, IL Public Strip Mines (12 visits, 23 lakes – 3/20 through 10/10)
183 bass
42.00 hours
4.36 bass/hour
Top Bass: 4-4 (20”) Booyah Buzzbait on 10/10
Top 5 Weight: 17-9 (4-4,4-3,3-9,3-1,2-8)
Comments: My old strip mine stomping grounds were a gold mine for my 2022 fishing. Not particularly surprising but still full of surprises even after hiking some of the areas for over 30 years. In fact, I managed to set a couple new family and friend lake records along the way. Plenty of good water down that way but you’ve got to be willing to put in a little work in terms of exploring and trial and error. It’s fun to continue to learn about spots that I first fished in my 20s. Now, as I hit the mid-50s I wonder how much longer I want to keep putting forth the effort. Well, I’m all in again for 2022 and have been hitting the treadmill in preparation.

2021 provided a great mix of old and new fishing holes and the vast majority are on the list again in 2022. As always, every outing will get a fishing report here on the blog. In addition, I am contemplating some new challenges on many of those old lakes. But in the meantime, there are still some 2021 details to wrap up along with the final stats and 2021 Top 5 champion reveal. Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy

Prowl the Canal – October

Posted on by Troy Jackson

It’s time to catch up on the latest visits to the Hennepin Canal as I head towards the end of my first year of fishing the interesting and historic corridor. An impressive summer bite had my hopes high for a fall feeding frenzy. Read on to see how October played out.

Stats
Date: October 2, 17, 30 & 31, 2021
Location: Hennepin Canal – Henry County, IL
Time: 8.00 hours total (three evenings, one morning, two hours each)
Weather: Varied but pleasant in the sixties
Totals: 10 bass (daily breakdown below by date)
Lures: Mann’s Baby 1- crankbait (red craw) – 4 bass, Rebel Pop’R Zell Rowland Model – 2 bass, War Eagle Spinnerbait (white/chartreuse) – 1 bass, Bomber Flat A Crankbait (baby bass – 1 bass)
Top Bass: 2-0 (Mann’s Baby 1-)
Top 5 Weight (only three at 12” or better): 4-5 (2-0,1-4,1-1)

Winning October Lures

Notes and Nonsense

October 2 – Top Bass at 13″ and 1-4 on a Pop’R

October 2 (4 bass) – One week prior, the same spot, same time of the morning and similar weather conditions saw my first two casts land nearly six pounds of bass. While it didn’t take me long to fool one on this visit, it was just slightly over a pound. It would also be the largest bass of the trip. I did have an enjoyable chat with a couple boat anglers who provided insight on The Canal as well as some Knox County public strip mine ground. The latter info was news to me and may come into play in 2022.

October 17 – Lone bass and happy to avoid an embarrassing shutout

October 17 (1 bass) – This pleasant fall evening had my hopes high for finding a flurry of fish feeding. That couldn’t have been further from what transpired. I focused on a productive stretch of water and never even had a bite in the first hour and a half of casting. I was honestly resigned to the fact that I was going to be shut out on The Canal for the first time. However, a last-minute bite near the parking lot saved the day. Not a big bass but infinitely better than nothing.

October 30 – new Top Smallmouth Bass at 15.5″ and 2-0, haven’t caught one in years

October 30 (3 bass) – Well, two out of three ain’t bad in terms of successful stops along The Canal. The action was far from fast and furious, but I did wind up with a cool Top Bass. Coming in at two pounds even it also established a new all-time Top Smallmouth Bass mark. In the interest of honesty, it did not come from The Canal but rather some nearby moving water. And that’s all I’m going to say about that.

October 31 – Halloween bass, not very scary but as good as it got

October 31 (2 bass) – I had a few free hours before the official Halloween night kicked in, so I decided to scout some new ground on The Canal. My aim was to evaluate a few stretches that had intrigued me during jogs and bike rides a few years back. The trip was a learning experience, and the lesson was that most of the spots are not worth a return visit. For the most part the waters were just too silted in and not worth the effort when I have plenty of better, deeper, proven water. Only a pair of small bass joined the logbook, but mission accomplished in eliminating unproductive water.

While I was optimistic about a solid fall bite on The Canal, I just couldn’t find it. Whether it was me or the bass to blame is up for debate. Time, daylight, and weather will tell if I make another visit in 2021. Regardless, it has been an entertaining, educational, and productive several months of summer and fall fishing on the historic waterway and I look forward to adding some spring trips in 2022. Talk to you later. Troy