Category: Lures

Lure Lunacy-Storey Region Round 2

Posted on by Troy Jackson

New wrinkles up for Round Two with a new backdrop, expanded rosters and honorary basketball captains for the contenders in each matchup. The results of the Storey Region are in the books with the Emiquon Region winners to come later tonight.

Storey Region – Round Two

Zara Spook (1) vs. Sidewinder Worm (8)
Honorary Captains: Zelmo Beatty & Jamal (Keith) Wilkes


Matchup: Lures from the original 80s jump into bass fishing slug it out with contrasting styles.
Result: The explosiveness of the Spook and a late scoring run .edge out the slower, methodical pace of the Sidewinder.

Mepps (5) vs. Bomber Flat A (4)

Honorary Captains: John Havlicek & Louie Dampier


Matchup: A solid starting five and some inspired sixth man play highlight an experienced Mepps squad pitted against the cold and calculated “bombs away” approach of the Flat A.
Result: Inspired play up and down the Mepps roster are too much for a Flat A team that relies too heavily on star player, Baby Bass.

Rattlin’ Rogue (11) vs. Blue Glimmer (3)
Honorary Captains: Darryl Dawkins & Tarheel Greats


Matchup: Occasional strikes that typically require intense angler attention take on a bait with some potential rod rattling ability when worked tight to laydowns or dropped over limbs.
Result: Too many memorable catches for the Blue Glimmer lead to an easy victory over the Rogue which tests my patience on the rod handle.

Mann’s 20+ (10) vs. Booyah Spinnerbait (2)
Honorary Captains: “Downtown” Fred Brown & “Pistol” Pete Maravich


Matchup: An experienced team of deep threats takes on a younger batch of baits that has come of age in recent years.
Result: The Booyah remains focused and stays the course leading to the much anticipated matchup of legendary spinnerbaits. Folks, this is what Lure Lunacy is all about.

Time for these surviving contenders to relax and recuperate. But no rest for those in the remaining regions as the action continues tonight and through tomorrow. Talk to you later. Troy

Lure Lunacy-Snakeden Region Round 1

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Round One concludes with a region featuring more than a few “classic” baits. How will they fare against some mainstream opponents?

Read on…

Senko Wacky Rig (1) vs. Mystery Lure (16)
Matchup: Okay, so this one really isn’t fair but that’s how it goes. A strange bass catching rig competes with a lure I found in an old tacklebox somewhere that has yet to be identified. If anyone has a clue, pass it on.
Result: The mystery lure goes the way of all but one 16 seed in the history of the “real”, but missing, tournament of 64. The Senko moves on to do its wacky thing.

Pop R (8) vs. Skitter Pop (9)
Matchup: A matchup of poppers exemplifies the overlap in creations among lure manufacturers. The success of Rebel’s Pop R spawned a batch of imitations such as Rapala’s stab at a topwater bait.
Result: Flattery will get you nowhere in this case as there’s nothing like the original.

Rattlin’ Rap (5) vs. Underspin (12)
Matchup: Similar to the above matchup, Rapala also took a shot at a lipless crankbait with the Rattlin’ Rap as an imitation of the Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap. The opponent in this duel is also an imitation of sorts in taking a page from an ultralight bait known as The Roadrunner and markedly upsizing the concept.
Result: Personally, I have always preferred the Rattlin’ Rap over the Rat-L-Trap and for the life of me, I can’t get the hang of an Underspin. I know it’s a confidence thing but no go for the Underdog in this matchup.

Rapala Floating Minnow (4) vs. Devil’s Horse (13)
Matchup: While the Floating Minnow ripples the surface to work its magic, the Devil’s Horse relies on ripping the water. Subtle versus commotion, both can be effective. You just need to observe what the bass tell you.
Result: No way that one of the first bass baits that I ever learned about is going to bow out in the opening round. Shout out to Dad on this one as the Rapala remains a classic.

Yum Dinger (6) vs. Jitterbug (11)
Matchup: Yum’s wacky worm offering is a bit friendlier on the piggybank than its competitor the Senko which is always a consideration for a frugal fisherman. And the old Jitterbug (actually Jitterstick pictured here) can also be found these days at a knock off rate.
Result: I found fishing back in a time when a lure like the Jitterbug was a regular in your Dad’s or your grandpa’s tacklebox. Too many “can’t miss” and “cutting edge” baits these days gets me nostalgic for the classics, thumbs up for the Jitterbug.

Mann’s Baby 1- (3) vs. Flukes (14)
Matchup: While the Mann’s 20+ (a Storey Region winner) took cranking to unheard of depths, its smaller cousin took it to the other extreme. A big wobble just under the surface proved effective on bass who were already wise to many other shallow presentations. The Fluke also staked a claim to the barely below the surface zone with an erratic and effective action.
Result: Never was much of a Fluke guy and the Mann’s Baby 1- has been the fodder for a couple lasting “fish stories” so this one is a no doubter. In fact, the Mann’s Baby 1- was featured once upon time in a “Legendary Lures” series piece. Perhaps I should revisit that concept someday.

Hula Popper (7) vs. Pop N Frog (10)
Matchup: Another matchup of similar baits and darn close to the Pop R/Skitter Pop battle earlier in this region. Another classic from another generation’s tacklebox in the Hula Popper meets what is essentially a topwater frog with a big mouth.
Result: Nostalgia is on a roll in the Snakeden Region as the Hula Popper hangs on to down the noisy amphibian.

Baby Brush Hog (2) vs. Touchdown Worm (15)
Matchup: A bit of a slowdown game in this matchup with a relatively recent mutation of the plastic lizard in Zoom’s Baby Brush Hog. The Touchdown worm represents a variation on the old worm gang and could be viewed as a bit of a precursor to the Wacky Worm.
Result: Shout out to an old baseball teammate, friend and fisherman, “Clubber Joe” as I believe he introduced me to the Touchdown Worm once upon a strip mine wander. However, the Baby Brush Hog is just too good of a lure and outdoes its foe in this matchup.

Well, that’s a late night wrap on Round One which is fitting. The first weekend of the real tourney can certainly make for some long days. Been there done that. I must say that I feel a lot better than some of those 80s and 90s tourney weekends. And while I do miss the hoops with the cancellation this year, I am sure glad that I no longer partake in some of the extracurricular enjoyment of yesteryear. Talk to you later. Troy

Lure Lunacy-Little John Region Round 1

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Better late than never, right?

Okay, maybe don’t answer that one.

Anyway, the big, wild world made for a long day at work but I’m in this loony lure thing to win it. I may have to burn a little midnight oil but Round One will conclude tonight. Just in time to consider a look at Round Two.

Jig & Pig (1) vs. Vampire (16)
Matchup: Now, this one just sounds like a cool matchup. A legendary lunker producer with a throwback quality in a pork over plastic trailer. Then you have an obscure spinnerbait that unfortunately never caught on. Would’ve been cool to tell folks at the boat ramp that you were really onto a Vampire bite.
Result: No contest here, after all, the Vampire is certainly no University of Maryland Baltimore County Retriever.

Shadow Rap (8) vs. Dropshot (9)
Matchup: Sleek meets slim in a battle of subtlety. The suspending Shadow Rap and the dropshot rig are both designed to tantalizingly stare bass in the face and barely make a move.
Result: The dropshot edges out the Shadow Rap as while not a fast paced bait it generally outpaces the slowdown jerkbait game. Leaving a lure in place for more than about ten seconds is too much for me to take, I need a shot clock of sorts.

Whopper Plopper (5) vs. Moss Boss (12)
Matchup: The Whopper Plopper has sure caused a commotion over the last years and can definitely be a blast. Same for the Moss Boss although a substantially lower profile and not quite raising as much of a ruckus.
Result: Threes win this game, as in the pair of treble hooks sported by the Whopper Plopper. When a bass hits this one, it’s less likely to get away than striking the single hooked Moss Boss often through surface vegetation.

Shad Rap (4) vs. Smoo (13)
Matchup: One of the best cold water crankbaits in the Shad Rap takes on an interesting fat-lipped, bug-eyed caterpillar?
Result: I caught a bass on the Smoo. Once. Back in 1988. Caught one on the Shad Rap earlier this month and expect to continue to fool a few more. Victory to another classic Rapala design.

Topwater Frogs (6) vs. Ned Rig (11)
Matchup: Topwater explosions on the frog are exciting and frustrating at the same time. Cool blowups but low hooking percentages are the name of the game. Little Ned on the other hand gets his strikes out of sight and often barely noticeable, just kind of heavy.
Result: Ned comes through for his ability to elicit cold and tough bites. Frogs are fun but I can find plenty of other ways to fool my summertime bass.

KVD Squarebill (3) vs. Tornado (14)
Matchup: Squarebills are one of the latest trends in crankbaits, lauded for their ability to bounce off cover and avoid snagging of the treble hooks. This Strike King model is endorsed by perhaps the best tournament angler of all-time, Kevin VanDam. The Tornado, on the other hand, was created by a backyard Louisiana lure maker named Eugene “Shoestring” DuBois.
Result: I have to admit the pull of sentimentality for “Shoestring” who appeared with his Tornado in the old Bass Pro Shops catalogs. A great story but in the end, KVD and his Squarebill come out on top.

Bomber Long A (7) vs. Mann’s Augertail (10)
Matchup: For a couple years I really got into some strip mine bass by ripping a Long A in what I called a “frantic retrieve.” Alas, I couldn’t make it last. The Augertail didn’t last either but left a lasting legacy. I remember using it to catch my first ever Texas rigged worm bass on a pond owned by a fellow named Les Vicary.
Result: How can you argue with the nostalgia of learning how to fish the tried and true Texas rigged worm presentation? You can’t, and the Augertail advances.

Booyah Buzzbait (2) vs. Flies (15)
Matchup: Talk about opposite ends of the spectrum. A buzzbait is about as boisterous and obnoxious as one can get on the water, the polar opposite of the dignified, graceful presentation via fly rod.
Result: Flyfishing looks cool and I actually own a fly rod. I think it is in the rafters of Dad’s garage. Nope, I’m chunking a buzzbait until my arms get tired in search of a big bite.

Back rather soon with the Round One finale the Snakeden Region. Talk to you later tonight. Troy

Lure Lunacy-Emiquon Region Round 1

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Another region in the books per the rundown below.

Emiquon Region

Rat-L-Trap (1) vs. Flying Lure (16)

Matchup: Perhaps best described as a matchup of “As seen on TV…” versus as proven on the water. Yes, I donated some dollars to the infamous Flying Lure although I can’t recall whether I bought the hype or just had some extra fishing cash lying around. At any rate, I don’t think I ever caught a bass on the marketing sensation

Result: The original Bill Lewis lipless crank wins this one in a blowout. The Flying Lure was quoted after the thrashing that “it was just happy to be here and be remembered.” Of course, how could those of us who viewed those old advertisements ever forget.

Swimbait (8) vs. Quad Shad (9)

Matchup: I’ve seen some monster bass on swimbaits but never on the end of my line. Actually, I rarely ever have a swimbait on the end of the line. Perhaps that explains my lack of success. The Quad Shad did spend time on the end of the line and while a winner wasn’t quite as strong as some other spinnerbaits.

Result: I’m going with the swimbait on this one as the general lure type has many offerings from gaudy and gargantuan to sleek and modest. As such it lives to fish another day.

Triple Ripple Worm (5) vs. Alabama Rig (12)

Matchup: One of the original worm designs to grace the tacklebox, a lot of Triple Ripple worms arrived via mail at my folks’ house shortly after we received the Bass Pro Shops catalog. Many years later, the Alabama Rig took the fishing world by storm. The Emiquon Region is a perfect fit for such a multi bait lure as those Emiquon Preserve bass sometimes went into an absolute feeding frenzy.

Result: Every year it seems that there is a 12 seed upset over a 5 seed and this is it. Sure wish I had ventured into tossing the Alabama rig in the early days of Emiquon but I missed my chance. But today the A-Rig gets its due in a fantasy fishing sort of daydream

Creatures (4) vs. Poe’s Crankbait (13)

Matchup: Not sure what some of those plastic appendaged baits are truly supposed to represent but the bass sure take a liking to them when bounced around some structure. And the Poe’s crankbait, endorsed by the legendary Rick Clunn, promised to bounce off structure with its “coffin” bill and elicit bone jarring strikes.

Result: The creatures take the win as I never have figured out how Rick Clunn made those Poe’s baits into bass fooling machines. Then again, at 73 years old, Rick Clunn is still out there doing a lot of things that the rest of us wannabe Bassmasters will never understand.

Wooly Curltail (6) vs. Tubes (11)

Matchup: A lure that is best fished at a crawl for those tough bites takes on a bait that, well, is fished kinda slowly for those tough bites.

Result: This one plays out like one of those classic Princeton Tiger contests that go down to the wire courtesy of their controlling, methodical pace. In the end, the curltail comes out on top as it just has a little something extra, leaving the tubes (and Ivy Leaguers) “this close” to an upset.

Rapala DT Crankbaits (3) vs. Dancin’ Eel (14)

Matchup: The DT (“Dives To”) series of baits from the early 2000s traces its roots to 1930s Finland and legendary luremaker, Lauri Rapala. The Eel arose in the 80s, taking part of its name from a legendary angler, Bill Dance. Folks, that’s a couple heavy hitters from the fishing world.

Result: Despite the Eel’s famous name, it never really caught on, or caught many bass in my case. A Rapala DT6, on the other hand, is responsible for my largest bass of all-time. No contest.

Swim Jig (7) vs. Power Worm (10)

Matchup: Swim jigs were a hit and a bit of a rage when they hit the scene but seem to have faded in the wake of swimbaits in recent history. The Power Worm entered the market looking to capitalize on a rising interest in a bass’ sense of smell.

Result: Well, I don’t know about the bass but I smell a winner in the Power Worm from this matchup. Recognizable right out of the bag, I also smell an upset as we say so long to the Swim Jig.

Red Eye Shad (2) vs. Jigging Spoon (15)

Matchup: The largely horizontal commotion of the Red Eye Shad takes on the methodical, vertical lift and drop of a jigging spoon. Relatively shallow versus relatively deep as well, entirely different approaches.

Result: If ever there was a slowdown, milk the clock, Princeton Tiger upset brewing this would be the matchup. Close, but only a moral victory as the Red Eye Shad is just too talented at fooling fish.

Stay tuned as two more opening round regions to go. Talk to you later. Troy

Lure Lunacy-Storey Region Round 1

Posted on by Troy Jackson

We kick off “Lure Lunacy” with the early results via the wonder of scheduling blog posts in advance. Yes, I am at work but through the magic of technology and a dose of imagination I am able to share a makeshift substitute for our missing madness.

Storey Region – Round One

Zara Spook (1) vs. Vibratron (16)

Matchup: A classic topwater with origins dating back to the 1940’s takes on a funky spinnerbait that I have no idea when I purchased or if it ever hit the water.

Result: Vast experience and some great catches easily push the Spook to victory over the largely unknown spinnerbait

Sidewinder Worm (8) vs. Rapala Fat Rap (9)

Matchup: An 80s flashback here with both of these baits being mainstays in my meager tackle collection back when I first decided that I would try to be a bass fisherman.

Result: A heated old school battle with the Sidewinder eking out a victory amid memories of learning how to fish a Texas rigged plastic worm.

Mann’s 4- (12) vs. Mepps – (5)

Matchup: An original lure from the 80s tacklebox competes with a precursor to the current batch of squarebilled crankbaits.

Result: Dad made sure I was well-versed in the effectiveness of a Mepps inline spinner and it stills has a spot in the tacklebox. The Mepps moves on to the next round while the 4- moves back into the garage.

Bomber Flat A (4) vs. Lizards (13)

Matchup: A favorite cold water crankbait battles a slow moving bait that has given way to more interesting creatures over the years.

Result: I’m more into cranking and reeling so the Flat A pulls out an easy victory over the flipping and bed fishing presentations often used with lizards.

Chatterbait (6) vs. Rattlin’ Rogue (11)

Matchup: A versatile moving bait in the chatterbait matches up with the slow twitch and suspend profile of the jerkbait.

Result: I know folks swear by the chatterbait and I’ve seen their results but I just haven’t got it to work for me. I’m not a slowdown guy either but we have an upset in this case as the Rogue also sets up well for a more frantic retrieve at times.

Blue Glimmer (3) vs. Dardevle Spoon (14)

Matchup: The Blue Glimmer is no longer in production so I have guarded my last intact model to the point of not taking it out of the package. Some nostalgia on the spoon though as I discovered a couple in a tacklebox of my grandpa’s when he passed away in the 80s and they would fool more than a few farm pond bass along the way.

Result: Despite the longevity of the Dardevle Spoon, it is no match for the good, old Blue Glimmer spinnerbait.

Rat (7) vs. Mann’s 20+ (10)

Matchup: Another pair of 80s baits in a classic battle on completely opposite ends of the spectrum in the water column. Rat explosions on the surface mat are a blast while the pole bending retrieve of the original deep diver made it feel like you already had a fish as the Mann’s 20+ dredged formerly uncharted crankbait territory.

Result: The Mann’s 20+ was a revolution and takes the victory by going where a crankbait had never gone before.

Booyah Spinnerbait (2) vs. Ghost Minnow (15)

Matchup: The Booyah Blade represents my go to spinnerbait over the last decade or so while the Rebel Ghost Minnow was a flash in the pan. The Ghost Minnow just tore up the strip mine bass for me and Dad in 2003 but then completely fell off the radar after its “One Shining Moment.”

Result: Booyah in a runaway victory after the Ghost Minnow darted out to an early lead.

One region in the books courtesy of a couple clicks to launch the previously compiled results during lunch hour. Back to work shortly as lunch hour fades. Tune in later tonight as the Emiquon Region results head your way for a nightcap. Talk to you later. Troy

Lure Lunacy

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Normally, hoops fans and other interested prognosticators would be feverishly filling out brackets right about now in preparation for the madness tipping off next week.

Alas, the climate around the nation and the world has changed considerably in the last several days. Certainly a degree of madness is still in the air, just bit more concerning no matter how you assess or address the current health situation.

So, in an effort to satisfy the need for some sort of March competition I present “Lure Lunacy.”

Mirroring the traditional hoops format (minus “play-in” contests) I have seeded a 64 lure bracket consisting of a batch of bass catching creations. Same as the battles on the hardwood, a pair of lures will go head to head with the victor moving on to the next round. I have attached downloadable regional brackets below in the perhaps unlikely event that anyone would wish to play along with their personal preferences or predictions.

 

 

http://troyjacksonoutdoors.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/031520-Bracket-LJ-Region.jpg

 

 

http://troyjacksonoutdoors.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/031520-Bracket-Emiquon-1.jpg

 

 

http://troyjacksonoutdoors.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/031520-Bracket-Snakeden.jpg

 

 

http://troyjacksonoutdoors.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/031520-Bracket-Storey.jpg

Regardless of any active audience participation, the Lure Lunacy tourney will launch on Thursday and move through the upcoming weeks just like the real deal. Winning and losing lures meet their fate solely based on a combination of my experience and imagination as it relates to each bait. Stay tuned for end of day results and commentary Thursday through Sunday.

In addition, I hope to get a chance to relay some other fishing related items along the way. However, I do get to work amidst the ever evolving situation so time may be limited. Kind of weird but even if I was off for a while, I would be unable to fish at some of my stomping grounds. Yep, the doggone outbreak has even closed some of the outdoors per the Illinois Department of Natural Resources website. March Madness, indeed. Talk to you later. Troy

2019 Fishing Recap – Lures Part II

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Part II without further ado.

5. Spinnerbaits
Booyah Blade (largely a white combo of some sort) – 31 bass
Top Bass: 18” 2-11 October 14 Knox County, IL private strip mine
Comments: I’m still a spinnerbait guy even though the lure has kind of fallen out of vogue in the mainstream over the years in favor of some newer presentations. My waters set up about 50/50 in terms of spinnerbait effectiveness. I like to toss these bladed baits in shallower water with some color and cover with Lake Storey and a handful of strip pits being right on target. Even found out that they work just fine on Kansas bass in 2019.

4. Crankbaits
Various (see below) – 42 bass
Top Bass: 15-15.5”” 1-12 Aug 3 (Lake Storey) Aug. 31 (Knox Co, IL public strip pit)
Comments: Success came on a several baits including the Mann’s Baby 1-, Rapala DT10, Strike King Rattling Squarebill and Bomber Deep Flat A. This batch of baits fish fast and cover the surface to ten feet, both aspects that are right in my comfort zone.

3. Lipless Crankbaits (tiebreaker with crankbaits = larger Top Bass)
Strike King Red Eye Shad (sexy shad or orange craw) – 42 bass
Top Bass: 17” 2-8 August 31 Knox County, IL public strip pit
Comments: Kind of a weird year for this lure type. Typically a hit early in the year, 2019 didn’t see my first Strike King Red Eye shad catch until the end of June. From there on out it was a top producer right on through October on area strip mines and Lake Storey.

2. Plastic Worms
Senko wacky rig (watermelon/crème laminate or smoke) – 46 bass
Top Bass: 20” 3-14 July 27 Knox County, IL private strip mine
Comments: For several years, the Senko wacky rig has been my top producer and gets a real workout on the water. 2019 saw a bit of a decline in usage as many of my regular spots featured water that was more stained than normal. Just kind of strange conditions that had me focusing on some louder, flashier presentations. It was fun to see the Senko stake a claim to my Top Bass title for the first time since 2011.

1. Buzzbaits
Booyah Buzz (snow white shad or bleeding shad) – 63 bass
Top Bass: 17-17.5” 2-4 May 27 & June 21 Knox County, IL strip pits
Comments: I am a sucker for a buzzbait strike and continue to force feed the bass in hopes of a big one getting fooled. Unfortunately, no big bites for the second straight year but plenty of success to insure that I’ll be throwing them again in about three months. Plenty of bites but such can also be a result of plenty of casts as I have been known to keep casting these when I’d probably be better off throwing something else.

Still more to come on the 2019 recap. As far as the 2020 season, I observed open water just over an hour south last Thursday. However, a local check yesterday showed ice to still be lingering on a Henry County fishing hole. But preparation is underway in hopes of getting on the water during one of these March weekends. Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy

2019 Fishing Recap – Lures Part I

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Well, you shouldn’t have a fishing recap without a reveal of the fish fooling lures that got it done on the water. 2019 saw me get a little bit more varied in my offerings as a total of ten different lure types came into play in landing 262 bass. And any blogger worth his (or her) salt, knows that a list of ten items is just too good to pass up. Thus, we kick off the 2019 lure recap with the first half of a Top 10 list that works its way to the eventual Top Lure reveal in tomorrow’s post. (Note: lure types are ranked by number of bass caught)

10. Topwater Frogs
Booyah Pad Crasher (cricket frog) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 11” June 11 Knox County, IL private strip pit
Comments: Inspiration for my first frog catch since 2014 came via an email from Top 5 angler, John Kirkemo, as he noted a catch by young Top 5 angler, Landon Hannam. Fun to put the advice to use and always exciting to get one on a frog.

9. Jerkbaits
Bomber Pro 15A (red/yellow) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 10” September 15 Lake Storey
Comments: Me and jerkbaits have had an odd, on again, off again relationship going back to 1997. Lately it has been the “off again” cycle as the lone 2019 catch represents only the third bass on the lure type since 2013. Prior to that, there are nearly 500 bass in the database from 1997 to 2013. Anyway, a stretch of riprap on Lake Storey looked like a winning spot and two casts later, I had a bass in the boat. Not a trophy but always cool when intuition calls for a cast and it works out.

8. Jigs
Strike King Rattlin’ Jig (green pumpkin) w/ craw trailer – 10 bass
Top Bass: 16.5” 2-10 April 6 Knox County, IL public strip pit
Comments: I ditched my old favorite black and blue color scheme in favor of green pumpkin to fool this batch of bass during a pair of spring trips to some area public strip pits.

7. Creature Baits
Zoom Baby Brush Hog (watermelon) – 11 bass
Top Bass: 17.5” 2-9 October 14 Knox County, IL private strip pit
Comments: When I slow down…actually, I don’t really slow down very much. It’s not that I don’t like bouncing a creature bait around some cover, it’s more like I stubbornly try to find bass that want something fast.

6. Chatterbaits
Z Man Chatterbait (typically darker hues with Zako trailer) – 15 bass
Top Bass: 17” 2-3 April 1 Knox County, IL public strip pit
Comments: I’ve just never been able to get this type of bait dialed in although I know they are successful. Various area reports, including some from spots I fish, definitely show their value while I struggle or shift gears to other baits. My 2019 haul was the most on this lure since 2007 (21 bass) and the 2-3 represented a new personal chatterbait Top Bass. Certainly room for a boost, maybe 2020?

Five lure types down and five to go as tomorrow’s post features a batch of the classic heavy hitters in the bass fishing world. Tune in tomorrow and talk to you later. Troy

Buzzbait Bite Behavior – Part II

Posted on by Troy Jackson

No Top 5 fish to report this week so I’ll run with a final piece from my May 27 outing. Today’s post features some footage of an effective follow up presentation after a missed strike on a buzzbait.

In the video below you can hear the buzzbait skip a beat at roughly the six second mark and see the resulting ripple in the water. Telltale signs of a missed strike and one of those things that you learn to recognize and differentiate from contact with surface debris such as floating vegetation which can also cause a hiccup in the retrieve. In the case of a weed or stick, however, there is no ringed ripple spreading out after a collision.

So what do you do upon finding that you have encountered an interested fish who didn’t quite get the job done?

One option is to fire the lure back out a ways beyond where the missed strike occurred and run it back through the strike zone. This can do the trick although I like this approach more so with a stickbait like a Zara Spook to elicit a second strike as a floating lure allows for a little more variance in retrieve.

With the buzzbait I like to go with a sinking lure pitched into the spot where the strike occurred. My go to lure in this case is usually a wacky rigged worm as I rarely am without one tied on from May through September, a similar timeframe for my buzzbait presentation as well.

 

The sinking lure follow-up worked like a charm with immediate results in this instance. Not a big fish by any means but always cool when a tactic works like you intend.

I managed a few hours on the water over The River this past weekend with disappointing results. But, as promised, you get the bad with the good when it comes to fishing reports so stay tuned later this week. I also hope to get a Top 5 stat recap posted to get us up to speed through May. Hope you’ll stop by and talk to you later. Troy

Lures of the Top 5

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Well, every Monday when there’s some new fish to offer, the weekly Top 5 Update gives you their pictures. In addition, the details of the catch accompany the fish and typically include the bait that got the job done. As a bonus Top 5 post we’re going to take a more in depth look at the specific lures that are fooling our fish thus far in 2019. Pictures of all the winning lures along with some notes and stats below, so read on.

A range of color and trailer combinations in chatterbaits have been winners

Chatterbaits: 10 bass – Top Bass 4-2 Jim Junk – Top 5 Weight 18-9
Also referred to as bladed jigs, this lure type is a relative newcomer with origins dating back to 2004 but not experiencing a real sales explosion until a few years later. For our group in 2019 it has had the best start in terms of numbers and is pushing the 20-pound mark for a collective Top 5. Definitely a lure that you should give a go early in the season as a proven producer.

You won’t find the Rapala Clackin’ Rap on the baitshop shelves (read below)

Lipless Crankbaits: 6 bass – Top Bass 4-8 Jim Junk – Top 5 Weight 20-0
Generally a faster moving bait than most other cold water offerings and still makes me scratch my head at times on its early season effectiveness. No need to ponder though, just throw it. An interesting detail here is that Jim Junk’s now not so secret weapon happens to be a bait that is no longer in production (note: Jim gave me permission to reveal). The Rapala Clackin’ Rap is now the denizen of the online auction and there’s plenty of them out there if you are willing to fork over the bucks.

Strike King Pro Model Jig (pumpkin/green flake) with BPS Triple Ripple Craw trailer (pepper frog/hot orange)

Jigs: 3 bass – Top Bass 2-10 Troy Jackson – Top 3 Weight 6-7
Another cold water standby that can fool some big cold water bass, this one has taken a back seat to the faster paced and noisier offerings noted above. Certainly recommend having one of these tied on this time of year and don’t be afraid to throw it into some of the nastiest looking wood and/or rock in the fishing hole.

Booyah Blade spinnerbait (white/chartreuse) with twin tail trailer (smoke)

Spinnerbaits: 2bass – Top Bass 0-14 – Top 2 Weight 1-11
Not much to show for this old school lure that has kind of fallen out of vogue in the last 20 years or more. However, I’m a firm believer in them and when given a shot they still get the job done, just not as glamorous as some other baits. I would have to say more of a fall presentation for me but I still keep the faith of that 1980s kid who cut his bass fishing teeth on them and have had one tied on each time out in 2019.

BONUS!
Livebait: 1 bass – Top Bass 4-1 Jim Junk
A perfect example of the allure of “the real thing” along with reinforcing the fact that if you have a bait in the water anything can happen (Jim caught this entry while crappie fishing with a minnow). Jim also provided the pics below of what some of his Fulton County bass are likely eating so it’s no wonder that there are some darn healthy fish swimming down there.

Fulton County, IL forage – I want to catch something that’s eating that!

Such forage takes me back to 2014 and the initial year of the Top 5 as there was a Chicagoland area angler who used to prowl the banks of his local waters armed with large swimbaits. While the bites could be limited on such giant baits, when they came they were quite impressive as seen below.

Top 5 Flashback from 2014,  quality vs. quantity dilemma on large swimbaits. Your choice? 

Okay, all for today and hope that you enjoyed the rundown of these early season baits and perhaps found an addition to your tacklebox. If nothing else, I hope it got some folks a little fired up for some fishing as the local weather really took a turn for the better (may even last a day or two this time). And if you are fortunate enough to enjoy the benefit of a three day weekend, well, send your catches my way and go ahead and include a pic of the lure while you’re at it. Talk to you later. Troy