Category: Stats

2023 Fishing Recap – Lures Part II

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Part II of the lure recap features the heavy hitters that landed 411 of the 466 bass in 2023.

Buzzbaits – 25 bass vs. 76 bass in 2023
Booyah Buzzbait (black or white)
Top Bass: 3-2 Hennepin Canal – May 25
Top 5 Weight: 10-7 (3-2,2-7,1-11,1-10,1-9)
Comments: All but three of my buzzbait bass came from The Canal, including the Top 5 Buzzbait Bass of the year. The Canal is a perfect fit for a buzzbait with abundant weed edges and nearly all the water less than five feet in depth.

Topwater Frog – 25 bass vs. 1 bass in 2023
Spro Flappin Frog 65 (albino, killer gill, natural red)
Top Bass: 4-1 Knox County public strip pit – July 24
Top 5 2023: 15-7 (4-1,3-10,3-2,2-6,2-4)
Comments: After struggling to get dialed into a solid topwater frog bite for years, I finally found a frog to my liking. The Spro Flappin Frog combined the castability and commotion that I have been seeking and caught a good batch of quality bass up to four pounds. While the larger catches came on the strip mines, The Canal bass also showed an interest that has been lacking on my other frog presentations over the last two years.

Crankbaits – 28 bass vs. 61 bass in 2023
Rapala Shad Rap (blue), Mann’s Baby 1- (red craw or grey ghost), Strike King Rattling Squarebill (sexy shad)
Top Bass: 1-7 Hennepin Canal – October 15
Top 5 Weight: 6-6 (1-7,1-6,1-4,1-3,1-2)
Comments: While crankbaits did not fool any large bass, they were effective when and where I chose to cast them. From April to October and on The Canal, the strip mines, and Lake Storey, crankbaits came through. Twenty of the bass fell for a Mann’s Baby 1-, a super shallow bait with a wide wobble that shines when worked around shoreline riprap or shallow rockpiles.

Chatterbait – 33 bass vs. 26 bass in 2023
Z Man Chatterbait (sexy shad) with various trailers
Top Bass: 2-8 Lake Storey – October 12
Top 5 Weight: 9-11 (2-8,2-2,1-13,1-12,1-8)
Comments: I have never given chatterbaits the shot that they deserve despite glowing reports from other anglers. Well, this fall, I decided to buy in and started by buying a brand new chatterbait in the sexy shad pattern and adding a Bass Pro Shops Speed Shad trailer. This represented a departure from the half dozen other chatterbaits in my tackle that I typically threw paired with a Yamamoto Zako trailer. Between October 12 and October 22, I managed to rack up thirty-three bass on The Canal and Lake Storey. The coolest catches came from the latter fishing hole in a spot that I typically do not visit but caught my attention as it was being hit with a stiff wind. Five bass in about twenty minutes of hitting shoreline indentations while blowing around a broad point made me a believer. I am interested in seeing what 2024 has in store for my new find.

Propbait – 46 bass vs. 29 bass in 2023
Whopper Plopper 110 (bone)
Top Bass: 4-10 Knox County public strip pit – May 6
Top 5 Weight: 17-0 (4-10,4-2,3-1,2-11,2-8)
Comments: My second year of casting the Whopper Plopper focused exclusively on the 110 model in the bone pattern. I find this size to be not too big (size 130), and not too small (size 90), but the proverbial “just right.” The Whopper Plopper has been a nice topwater companion to the buzzbait as it allows for variations in retrieve due to being a floating bait.

Spinnerbaits – 63 bass vs. 254 bass in 2023
War Eagle (white/chartreuse), Berkley Power Blade (coleslaw)
Top Bass: 3-10 Hennepin Canal – October 22
Top 5 Weight: 15-5 (3-10,3-7,2-14,2-12,2-10)
Comments: Several factors contributed to the significant decline in spinnerbait bass from last year. And all revolved around the Hennepin Canal. Factor one involved spending fewer hours on The Canal where spinnerbaits have been my Top Lure. Factor two, was expanding my Canal prowls to include stretches of water that I had not fished previously. While each of these new stretches offered plenty of appealing spinnerbait targets, a final factor came into play. The bass just weren’t as cooperative on The Canal in 2023 when offered a spinnerbait. Perhaps the word is out to avoid the guy in the little boat.

Plastic Worms – 191 bass vs. 81 bass in 2023
5” Yamasenko wacky rig (various colors), Yum 7.5” Ribbontail Worm (plum), 7” Berkley Power Worm (blue fleck firetail), Bass Pro Shops Stik-O (candy corn)
Top Bass: 3-9 Knox County private strip pit – May 20
Top 5 Weight: 16-1 (3-9,3-4,3-2,3-2,3-0)
Comments: After a down year in 2022, the plastic worm returned to familiar ground as Top Lure for 2023. The boost came almost exclusively due to increased hours prowling the strip mines where the wacky rig shines. Plastic worm referred primarily to the Senko wacky rig as the presentation racked up 177 bass, while a similar Bass Pro Shops Stik-O added one other wacky bass. Summertime did see the return of an old friend in the form of Texas rigged offerings that fooled 13 bass.

And there you have it, a complete statistical breakdown of the tools from my tacklebags that fooled the fish. Many variables come into play when selecting what to cast to the bass. Factors such as weather, water, structure, season, and time of day are significant but don’t discount experience and confidence when it comes to making your choices. It all boils down to getting out there and getting on the water. Talk to you later. Troy

2023 Fishing Recap – Lures Part I

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Well, the 2024 fishing season arrived before I got around to the annual recap of the previous year. So, prior to the 2024 reports, it’s time to do a little catching up.

For today’s recap, we look at the lures that got the job done in landing 466 bass. I managed to employ over a dozen different general lure types to catch my fish in 2023. As such, the Lures portion of the 2023 Fishing Recap will be submitted over two posts working from fewest bass caught to most.

Jig – 1 bass vs. 5 bass in 2023
Strike King Rattlin’ Jig (green pumpkin) with plastic craw trailer
Top Bass: None at 12” or better
Comments: Unless the bass tell me slow down, I usually don’t. And in the early season cool water period of 2023, I found another presentation that got the job done in a big way (more on that later). My lone jig bass was a short fish from Lake Storey in mid-September. It all boils down to getting enough bites on other presentations such that I opted to rarely toss a jig.

Inline Spinner – 2 bass vs. 0 bass in 2023
Mepps #5 (rainbow trout)
Top Bass: None at 12” or better
Comments: Two early April bass were the lone contributors to this offering. In this instance, I had run through my batch of “can’t miss” baits with nary a bite and the old school Mepps saved the day with a couple small bass to avoid a shutout.

Swimbaits – 2 bass vs. 0 bass in 2023
Keitech Swing Impact (electric blue), Bass Pro Shops 3” Speed Shad (smallmouth magic)
Top Bass: 1-7 Hennepin Canal – June 3
Top 1 Weight (only one at 12”or better): 1-7 (1-7)
Comments: Similar to jigs, I rarely tossed a swimbait unless it was a downsized version in what I classify as a “grub” or “Ned Rig” (more on those later in this wrap-up series). The pair of swimbait bass that I fooled in 2023 arose from situations when my go to lures weren’t producing and I had to shift gears for a lone bite. While the presentation can certainly be effective, it’s just not my thing.

Creature Bait – 5 bass vs. 0 bass in 2023
Yum Wooly Bug (crawdad)
Top Bass: 3-2 Knox County public strip pit – September 30
Top 3 Weight (only three at 12”or better): 5-1 (3-2,1-0,0-15)
Comments: Four of my five bass on a creature bait came on the last day of September as the strip mine bass forced me to slow down. Included in the mix was a solid three-pounder. Positive feedback on a presentation that does not get many casts these days.

Jerkbait – 8 bass vs. 1 bass in 2023
Rebel Ghost Minnow
Top Bass: None at 12” or better
Comments: I chose a jerkbait for a handful of casts on a pair of early April strip mine visits. One lake had potential for a quality fish while the other spot is chock full of short bass. Both turned out to produce a batch of the latter, but it was fun to throw the old Rebel Ghost Minnow that had a few shining moments in the early 2000s.

Lipless Crankbaits –14 bass vs. 4 bass in 2023
Strike King Red Eye Shad (sexy shad or red craw)
Top Bass: 2-10 Lake Storey – September 25
Top 5 Weight: 8-8 (2-10,1-13,1-8,1-5,1-4)
Comments: The first bass of 2023 came on a lipless crankbait during a March bike ride on The Canal. And while the lure didn’t get much of a workout for the rest of the year, it was still producing in mid-October as it is an open water winner start to finish. All the Top 5 bass in this lure category came during the Lake Storey fall drawdown as it is an effective imitation of the lake’s abundant shad forage base.

Grub – 23 bass vs. 8 bass in 2023
Lunker Hunt Finesse 3” Swimbait (perfect pumpkin)
Top Bass: 5-3 Knox County public strip pit
Top 5 Weight: 14-15 (5-3,3-1,3-0,2-7,1-3)
Comments: The surprise lure of the year was a small swimbait on a light jighead that I call a Ned Rig under the Grub category. All the catches came during a month-long stretch from April 7 to May 6 while walking the Knox County public strip mines. Even better were three quality fish (5-3,3-1,3-0) from a lake where my previous Top Bass had barely eclipsed the one-pound mark. I am eager to see if luck is on my side again in 2024.

Today’s warm-up was dominated by several effective lures that were sparingly employed in specific situations when I was struggling to get a bite or forced to tone down my offerings. Next up is Part II of the lure recap featuring the heavy hitters that accounted for over four hundred bass in 2023. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Stats

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Somehow, it’s already September and another month means another look at this year’s Top 5 stats. August produced a lot of bass and many quality fish but only two were large enough to provide a boost to our anglers. Overall, not too surprising as solid weights have been established and it gets tougher to find those big bites to increase our totals.

Other Species – Channel Catfish
2-3 John Kirkemo July 6 – Lake Storey

Bass Stats
2023 Totals
January = no submissions
February = 2 bass
March = 7 bass
April = 32 bass
May = 20 bass
June = 9 bass
July = 10 bass
August = 2 bass

Top 5 Weight by Month
January = no submissions
February = 6-10 (3-9,3-1)
March = 19-8 (5-1,4-5,4-4,3-5,2-9)
April = 24-0 (5-5,5-3,4-12,4-8,4-4)
May = 24-11 (5-9,5-6,4-14,4-10,4-4)
June = 11-6 (3-2,2-13,2-4,2-0,1-3)
July = 16-10 (4-1,3-5,3-3,3-1,3-0)
August = 7-5 (3-11,3-10)

Boat vs. Bank
Boat = 30 bass
Bank = 52 bass

Boat vs. Bank Weight
Boat = 20-4 (5-6,4-2,3-11,3-9,3-8) culls a 3-7
Bank = 26-0 (5-9,5-5,5-3,5-1,4-14)

Public vs. Private
Public = 79 bass
Private = 3 bass

Public vs. Private Top 5 Weight
Public = 26-8 (5-9,5-6,5-5,5-3,5-1)
Private = 8-4 (3-9,2-11,2-0)

The Baits
Lipless Crankbait = 24 bass (Top Bass 5-6 Natalee Townsend)
Plastic Worm = 23 bass (Top Bass 3-9 Troy Jackson)
Chatterbait = 7 bass (Top Bass 5-9 Jim Junk)
Grub = 5 bass (Top Bass 5-3 Troy Jackson)
Jerkbait = 4 bass (Top Bass 2-13 Brent Jackson)
Popper = 5 bass (Top Bass 3-11 Brent Jackson)
Propbait = 3 bass (Top Bass 4-10 Troy Jackson)
Spinnerbait = 3 bass (Top Bass 3-7 Troy Jackson)
Buzzbait = 2 bass (Top Bass 3-8 Brent Jackson)
Frog 2 bass (Top Bass 4-1 Troy Jackson)
Swimbait = 2 bass (Top Bass 4-4 Jim Junk)
Jig = 1 bass (Top Bass 2-13 Brent Jackson)
Spinnerbait = 1 bass (Top Bass 3-7 Troy Jackson)

Monthly Top Bass
January
No submissions
February
3-9 Jim Junk
March
5-1 Jim Junk
April
5-5 Jim Junk
May
5-9 Jim Junk
June
3-2 Troy Jackson
July
4-1 Troy Jackson
August
3-11 Brent Jackson

2023 Top 10 Bass
5-9 Jim Junk 5/2
5-6 Natalee Townsend 5/26
5-5 Jim Junk 4/23
5-3 Troy Jackson 4/7
5-1 Jim Junk 3/5
4-14 Jim Junk 5/5
4-12 Jim Junk 4/9
4-10 Troy Jackson 5/6
4-8 Jim Junk 4/1
4-5 Jim Junk 3/11

Angler Weights
Jim Junk 25-9 (5-9,5-5,5-1,4-14,4-12)
Troy Jackson 21-10 (5-3,4-10,4-2,4-1,3-10) culls a 3-9
Brent Jackson 16-12 (3-11,3-8,3-5,3-3,3-1) culls a 2-15
Natalee Townsend 7-9 (5-6,2-3)
John Kirkemo 7-2 (2-4,1-15,1-3,0-14,0-14)
Carly Jackson 3-10 (2-13,0-13)
Landon Hannam 3-8 (3-8)
Terry Jackson 2-11 (2-11)
Jayce Jackson 1-3 (1-3)
Julia Jackson 0-14 (0-14)
Zac Jackson 0-11 (0-11)

With fall on the horizon, the bite can really kick into gear as the fish feed up while the water begins to cool down. The next six to eight weeks are a great time to get on the water. With that said, some of us are wasting little time to the “fall” fishing started, so stay tuned. Talk to you later. Troy

Prowl the Canal – July Stats

Posted on by Troy Jackson

This marks the third year of chasing bass in July on The Canal. And now that we have reached August, it is time for a look at the July stats and running totals from the historic waterway.

July Breakdown
July 2023 Totals: 24 bass in 13.25 hours (1.81 bass/hour)
July 2022 Totals: 66 bass in 22.75 hours (2.90 bass/hour)
July 2021 Totals: 23 bass in 9.75 hours (2.36 bass/hour)

July 2023 Top Bass: 3-0 July 29 Senko
July 2022 Top Bass: 2-11 July 2 Spinnerbait
July 2021 Top Bass: 3-6 July 21 Senko

2023 Best July Top 4 Day: 7-2 (3-0,1-9,1-5,1-4) – July 28
2022 Best July Top 5 Day: 9-6 (2-11,1-13,1-11,1-10,1-9) July 2
2021 Best July Top 4 Day: 9-4 (3-6,2-10,2-0,1-4) – July 21

2023 July Top 5: 12-5 (3-0,2-8,2-5,2-5,2-3)
2022 July Top 5: 11-6 (2-11,2-6,2-4,2-3,1-14)
2021 July Top 5: 12-8 (3-6,2-13,2-10,2-0,1-11)

2023 July Lure Breakdown
Plastic Worms – 14 bass
Buzzbaits – 5 bass
Topwater Frogs – 4 bass

Top 5 All-Time July Bass Weight: 14-8 (3-6,3-0,2-13,2-11,2-10)

2023 Overall Canal Stats
100 bass in 64.50 hours (1.55 bass/hour)
Top Bass: 3-2 Buzzbait – May 25
Best Top 5 Day: 10-4 (3-2,2-6,1-10,1-10,1-8) – May 25

Yearly Top 5 Totals
2023 Top 5 Canal Weight: 14-0 (3-2,3-0,2-14,2-8,2-8)
2022 Top 5 Canal Weight: 15-15 (3-5,3-5,3-4,3-2,2-15)
2021 Top 5 Canal Weight: 15-6 (3-6,3-4,3-1,2-14,2-13)

The Canal bass continue to be tough to fool in 2023. It has taken some work, but investing just over sixty hours on the waterway pushed me exactly to the century mark as July ended. I’ve already hit The Canal once in August, but that report will wait until some notes from the July prowl are posted next week. Talk to you later. Troy

Prowl the Canal – June Wrap-Up

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Hard to believe that it is July already but that means that it is time for the June update from The Canal. A fair month but The Canal bass continue to get the best of me in 2023 compared to previous years. As my first ever Canal bass was landed on June 5, 2021, from here on out my monthly wrap-ups will have two years of stats to compare with 2023. Of note, all 2021 totals represent walking or biking as opposed to getting a boat on the water.

Top June Bass of 2023 – Carly on June 18 at 2-13 (19″) on a Senko (video clip below)

June Breakdown
June 2023 Totals: 24 bass in 15.75 hours (1.52 bass/hour)
June 2022 Totals: 37 bass in 11.75 hours (3.15 bass/hour)
June 2021 Totals: 11 bass in 3.00 hours (3.67 bass/hour)

June 2023 Top Bass: 2-4 June 20 Spinnerbait
June 2022 Top Bass: 2-15 June24 Spinnerbait
June 2021 Top Bass: 2-14 June 21 Crankbait

2023 Best June Top 5 Day: 8-2 (1-14,1-11,1-9,1-9,1-7) – June 19
2022 Best June Top 5 Day: 11-3 (2-15,2-10,2-3,2-1,1-6) – June 24
2021 Best June Top 5 Day: 3-11 (2-14,0-13) – June 21

2023 June Top 5: 9-2 (2-4,1-14,1-11,1-11,1-10)
2022 June Top 5: 11-9 (2-15,2-10,2-3,2-1,1-12)
2021 June Top 5: 5-5 (2-14,1-10,0-13)

It’s that time of year and the Senko wacky rig comes through

2023 June Lure Breakdown
Plastic Worms – 12 bass
Buzzbaits – 6 bass
Spinnerbaits – 4 bass
Propbaits – 1 bass
Swimbaits – 1 bass

June 20 – My Top June Bass of 2023 at 2-4 (18″) on a spinnerbait (catch video below)

 

Top 5 All-Time June Bass Weight: 12-14 (2-15,2-14,2-10,2-4,2-3)

2023 Overall Canal Stats
76 bass in 51.25 hours (1.48 bass/hour)
Top Bass: 3-2 Buzzbait – May 25
Best Top 5 Day: 10-4 (3-2,2-6,1-10,1-10,1-8) – May 25

Yearly Top 5 Totals
2023 Top 5 Canal Weight: 13-5 (3-2,2-14,2-8,2-7,2-6)
2022 Top 5 Canal Weight: 15-15 (3-5,3-5,3-4,3-2,2-15)
2021 Top 5 Canal Weight: 15-6 (3-6,3-4,3-1,2-14,2-13)

Notes

Family Bass – Julie and the kids also pitched in with some bass during a Father’s Day weekend camping trip along The Canal. Carly’s 2-13 catch on June 18 not only established her new personal Top Bass mark but also represents the Top Bass from this stretch of The Canal. As a group, the Jackson 5 (Julie, Helena, Carly, Jayce, and Zac) posted the Top 5 Total below from the eleven combined bass. Also included are the family stats for June and all-time.

Carly’s all-time Top Bass video below

 

Jackson 5 2023 Family Top 5: 6-13 (2-13,1-3,1-2,0-14,0-13)

Family Canal Stats (all six members catches included)
Family Top 5 All-Time June Bass Weight: 13-8 (2-15,2-14,2-13,2-10,2-4)
Family 2023 Top 5 Weight: 13-12 (3-2,2-14,2-13,2-8,2-7)

Poison Ivy – I had my first go around with my nemesis in a while. Fortunately, I can’t recall the last time I got poison ivy but this time around it was quite mild compared to several of my afflictions over the years. Just a few itchy strips of spots on my arms, legs, and side. In fact, I had more itchy welts from gnats than ivy. The Canal is lined with poison ivy, and I suspect my contact came from an ivy-covered slope where I launched my boat on one trip. No doubt, I should know better and certainly know the old “leaves of three, let it be” adage. However, an angler must throw caution to the wind when chasing a bite.

There you have it, and a July trip to The Canal is already in the books. That report and one more missing June report in the works so stay tuned. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Stats

Posted on by Troy Jackson

A little delayed after catching up on some fishing reports but it is once again time for the monthly Top 5 Stat Update. May saw four anglers join the ranks for 2023. Three are veterans of the quest, Dad (Terry Jackson), John Kirkemo, and Landon Hannam. The fourth new participant is my niece, Natalee Townsend, with her first pair of submissions. Read on for the notes and numbers on our sixty-one bass entered for the year.

2023 Totals
January = no submissions
February = 2 bass
March = 7 bass
April = 32 bass
May = 20 bass

Top 5 Weight by Month
January = no submissions
February = 6-10 (3-9,3-1)
March = 19-8 (5-1,4-5,4-4,3-5,2-9)
April = 24-0 (5-5,5-3,4-12,4-8,4-4)
May = 24-11 (5-9,5-6,4-14,4-10,4-4)

Boat vs. Bank
Boat = 20 bass
Bank = 41 bass

Boat vs. Bank Weight
Boat = 20-0 (5-6,4-2,3-9,3-8,3-7)
Bank = 26-0 (5-9,5-5,5-3,5-1,4-14)

Public vs. Private
Public = 59 bass
Private = 2 bass

Public vs. Private Top 5 Weight
Public = 26-8 (5-9,5-6,5-5,5-3,5-1)
Private = 6-4 (3-9,2-11)

The Baits
Lipless Crankbait = 24 bass (Top Bass 5-6 Natalee Townsend)
Plastic Worm = 9 bass (Top Bass 3-9 Troy Jackson)
Chatterbait = 7 bass (Top Bass 5-9 Jim Junk)
Grub = 5 bass (Top Bass 5-3 Troy Jackson)
Jerkbait = 3 bass (Top Bass 2-13 Brent Jackson)
Propbait = 3 bass (Top Bass 4-10 Troy Jackson)
Spinnerbait = 3 bass (Top Bass 2-14 Troy Jackson)
Swimbait = 2 bass (Top Bass 4-4 Jim Junk)
Buzzbait = 2 bass (Top Bass 3-8 Brent Jackson)
Jig = 1 bass (Top Bass 2-13 Brent Jackson)
Popper = 1 bass (Top Bass 2-13 Brent Jackson)
Spinnerbait = 1 bass (Top Bass 3-7 Troy Jackson)

Monthly Top Bass
January
No submissions
February
3-9 Jim Junk
March
5-1 Jim Junk
April
5-5 Jim Junk
May
5-9 Jim Junk

2023 Top 10 Bass
5-9 Jim Junk 5/2
5-6 Natalee Townsend 5/26
5-5 Jim Junk 4/23
5-3 Troy Jackson 4/7
5-1 Jim Junk 3/5
4-14 Jim Junk 5/5
4-12 Jim Junk 4/9
4-10 Troy Jackson 5/6
4-8 Jim Junk 4/1
4-5 Jim Junk 3/11

Angler Weights
Jim Junk 25-9 (5-9,5-5,5-1,4-14,4-12)
Troy Jackson 20-15 (5-3,4-10,4-2,3-9,3-7)
Brent Jackson 14-14 (3-8,2-15,2-13,2-13,2-13)
Natalee Townsend 7-9 (5-6,2-3)
Landon Hannam 3-8 (3-8)
John Kirkemo 2-13 (1-15,0-14)
Terry Jackson 2-11 (2-11)

Summer is just around the corner and we’re nearly two thirds of the way to my annual target of one hundred bass entries. And don’t forget, other species are eligible as well so good luck out there and keep me posted if you reel ‘em in. Talk to you later. Troy

Prowl the Canal – May Stats

Posted on by Troy Jackson

After a tough start to 2023 on The Canal in March and April, things took a turn for the better in May. Overall, I managed to hit the water for six outings covering eight different pools. Five of the pools represented new water as I tried to do some exploring in hopes of establishing Top 5 weights for these spots. Some worked out, others fell short, so I suppose that means a return trip to complete some unfinished business. Those will be tales for another day. For today, here’s the monthly look at the totals from prowling The Canal in May.

May Breakdown
May 2023 Totals: 41 bass in 19.75 hours (2.08 bass/hour)
May 2022 Totals: 57 bass in 19.50 hours (2.92 bass/hour)

May 2023 Top Bass: 3-2 May 25 Buzzbait
May 2022 Top Bass: 2-12 May 27 Spinnerbait

2023 Best May Top 5 Day: 10-4 (3-2,2-6,1-10,1-10,1-8) – May 25
2022 Best May Top 5 Day: 9-9 (2-12,2-7,1-10,1-7,1-5) – May 27

2023 May Top 5: 12-6 (3-2,2-8,2-7,2-6,1-15)
2022 May Top 5: 12-9 (2-12,2-11,2-8,2-7,2-3)

2023 May Lure Breakdown
Buzzbaits – 12 bass
Spinnerbaits – 12 bass
Propbaits – 9 bass
Plastic Worms – 8 bass

Top 5 All-Time May Bass Weight: 13-9 (3-2,2-12,2-11,2-8,2-8)

2023 Overall Canal Stats
52 bass in 35.50 hours (1.46 bass/hour)
Top Bass: 3-2 Buzzbait – May 25
Best Top 5 Day: 10-4 (3-2,2-6,1-10,1-10,1-8) – May 25

Yearly Top 5 Totals
2023 Top 5 Canal Weight: 13-5 (3-2,2-14,2-8,2-7,2-6)
2022 Top 5 Canal Weight: 15-15 (3-5,3-5,3-4,3-2,2-15)
2021 Top 5 Canal Weight: 15-6 (3-6,3-4,3-1,2-14,2-13)

And with that I close the books for another month on The Canal. A pair of June bass are already in the log with a couple upcoming outings in my sights to see about finding some more. Stay tuned for those reports and drop in tomorrow for another Top 5 Update. Talk to you later. Troy

Prowl the Canal – April Stats

Posted on by Troy Jackson

2023 Top Canal Bass at 2-14 from April 26 on a spinnerbait

After landing over three hundred and fifty bass on The Canal last year, I was fired up to see open water in January this year. I figured that I would get a much earlier and better start than 2022 when I didn’t land my first Canal bass until April 15. Well, I haven’t been as successful as I hoped. Read on for the first of the monthly wrap-ups. This one covers February through April but my two outings in February were shutouts and I only landed one bass in three March trips (1-0 on March 5).

Top Canal lure of 2023

April Totals Breakdown
2023 April Totals: 11 bass in 15.75 hours (0.70 bass/hour)
2022 April Totals: 29 bass in 9.50 hours (3.05 bass/hour)

2023 Top March Bass: 1-0 March 5 Lipless crankbait
2022 No March bass

2023 April Top Bass: 2-14 April 26 Spinnerbait
2022 April Top Bass: 3-5 April 23 Spinnerbait

2023 April Top 5: 7-2 (2-14,1-3,1-1,1-0,1-0)
2022 April Top 5: 13-12 (3-5,3-2,2-12,2-5,2-4)

2023 Best April Top 5 Day: 5-2 (1-3,1-1,1-0,1-0,0-14) – April 29
2022 Best April Top 5 Day: 10-8 (3-5,3-2,1-9,1-6,1-2) – April 23

All-time April Top 5 Weight
14-6 (3-5,3-2-2-14,2-12,2-5) culls a 2-4

Worth a try but not sure it will meet the goal

Lessons

Water – Each of the stretches that I have fished early in the year have had lower than normal water levels. Some pre-season hiking provided information that at least one of the pools had been intentionally lowered to combat excessive aquatic vegetation. I am not an aquatic biologist (although I do have a biology degree) but I am not optimistic that the approach will have much of an effect. A couple stretches are already ugly by this time of the year such that a drop, dredge and do-over may be the only solution. I do hope for the best and will keep an eye out to see how things progress.

Weeds – As far as the state of aquatic vegetation in my early start to the year, it was pleasant to see open water from “shore to shore.” However, the bright green slime that I call “snot grass” was still around waiting to foul retrieves. As noted above, however, one of my stretches was so low that I did not bother to take advantage of the early start. Instead, I opted for stretches that had more water around shoreline wood cover. In the end, it didn’t matter as I could only find one bite in March. Now as the weeds begin to reclaim The Canal, it is simply time to adjust my approach accordingly. Weeds and slime are just a fact of life when fishing many of my spots on The Canal.

A Canal prowl update often includes items from the “Lost and Found”

All-Time Canal Stats (June 21, 2021, to present)
431 bass in 168.75 hours (2.55 bass/hour)
Top Bass: 3-6 on 7/21/21 Senko wacky rig
Best Top 5 Day: 11-3 (2-15,2-10,2-3,2-1,1-6) 6/24/22
Top 5 All-Time: 16-8 (3-6,3-5,3-5,3-4,3-4)

Yearly Top 5 Weights
2023 Top 5 Canal Weight: 7-2 (2-14,1-3,1-1,1-0,1-0)
2022 Top 5 Canal Weight: 15-15 (3-5,3-5,3-4,3-2,2-15)
2021 Top 5 Canal Weight: 15-6 (3-6,3-4,3-1,2-14,2-13)

As far as the 2023 Top 5 Weight, the Vegas over-under was set at 12-8.5 as I noted in the video clip below back in February when the odds were released. I am certainly struggling to begin the year, so perhaps the Vegas oddsmakers were onto something.

 

But I’m not buying that I’m on the downswing yet so I bet the over although I doubt that I will spend as much time on The Canal as last year. My prediction is 14-4 and looking on the bright side, I’m already halfway there with plenty of year to go. Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy

Top Bass #1000

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Congratulations to our Top 5 leader, Jim Junk, as he was the fortunate angler to reel in Bass #1000 all-time for the Top 5 project. And it was quite a fish as noted by the pic and details below.

Weight: 4-12
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: April 9
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Chatterbait
Angler Comments: Wish I had a great story for #1,000 but it was really a typical, or above average, early spring day at Banner. Fast moving baits over emerging weeds. Ended up with a few that day, but glad the biggest one made #1,000!

It’s fitting that Jim wound up with the milestone bass as he has been the most prolific contributor over the years. Jim took part in the initial Top 5 back in 2014 and has submitted fish every year except for 2017. In that span he has racked up a whopping 215 bass added to our database and is our two-time defending champion.

This whole thing started back in March of 2014 while I was blogging for the Heartland Outdoors website. I invited readers of my “Meandering” column to share their catches in the format that remains to this day. I left Heartland Outdoors to start my own website in 2017 and the Top 5 project has continued to this day unlike that old website.

The concept was inspired by a fellow angler that I met through my blogging, corresponded with for a few years, and shared a boat with a couple times. I’d long kept stats and even tracked my best bass of each year but never thought of tracking the Top 5 from year to year. Thanks, Terry, for the inspiration.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a trivia (and baseball) guy. So, how about a tangent for another milestone that occurred forty-eight years ago today.

Do you know which of these players scored run #1,000,000 in baseball history? (Note: my card collection lacks a 1975 Topps Bob Watson so I picked my favorite poses of both players instead, Concepcion – 1974 Topps with Wrigley Field backdrop, Watson – 1977 Topps)

As we headed towards Bass #1000, I couldn’t help but think of the 1975 Major League Baseball quest to see what player would score MLB run number one million. I won’t fill up space here with the tale, but it is a cool event from the days before the internet provided instant feedback on game status. However, I will leave you with a few details and a link. Run number one million came down to a footrace between the two players above as they simultaneously headed for home in separate cities. And it occurred on May 4, 1975, hence my decision to reveal our Top 5 milestone on May 4, forty-eight years later. Check out the link below to see which of these two guys crossed the plate first.

MLB Run #1,000,000

And speaking of trivia, here is the answer to who submitted Bass #1 for the Top 5.

From the original March 24, 2014 Top 5 Update
Weight: 4-3
Angler: Bruce Zilkowski
Date: 2/19
Location: Newton Lake
Lure: Strike King Red Eye Shad (sexy shad)
Structure: Shallow point
Angler Comments: “First thing in the morning we pulled up on a shallow underwater point that extended out from the shoreline. I think it was less than 5 casts before it hooked up.”

It’s been a fun ten-year ride for the Top 5 and the hits keep coming. As I typed this post up, I received a text and pic of the new 2023 Top 5 Top Bass. But you’ll have to wait until the Monday update for that to be revealed. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Stats

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Behind schedule on my monthly Top 5 Stat Updates as I failed to post any of the numbers for February or March. So here we go to catch up on the data for the forty-one bass submitted through April.

2023 Totals
January = no submissions
February = 2 bass
March = 7 bass
April = 32 bass

Top 5 Weight by Month
January = no submissions
February = 6-10 (3-9,3-1)
March = 19-8 (5-1,4-5,4-4,3-5,2-9)
April = 24-0 (5-5,5-3,4-12,4-8,4-4)

Boat vs. Bank
Boat = 6 bass
Bank = 35 bass

Boat vs. Bank Weight
Boat = 12-3 (2-14,2-13,2-4,2-3,2-1)
Bank = 24-13 (5-5,5-3,5-1,4-12,4-8)

Public vs. Private
Public = 41 bass
Private = 0 bass

Public vs. Private Top 5 Weight
Public = 24-13 (5-5,5-3,5-1,4-12,4-8)
Private = no submissions

The Baits
Lipless Crankbait = 22 bass (Top Bass 5-1 Jim Junk)
Chatterbait = 5 bass (Top Bass 5-5 Jim Junk)
Grub = 5 bass (Top Bass 5-3 Troy Jackson)
Jerkbait = 3 bass (Top Bass 2-13 Brent Jackson)
Spinnerbait = 3 bass (Top Bass 2-14 Troy Jackson)
Jig = 1 bass (Top Bass 2-13 Brent Jackson)
Plastic Worm = 1 bass (Top Bass 2-4 Brent Jackson)
Swimbait = 1 bass (Top Bass 2-0 Jim Junk)

Monthly Top Bass
January
No submissions
February
3-9 Jim Junk
March
5-1 Jim Junk
April
5-5 Jim Junk

2023 Top 10 Bass
5-5 Jim Junk 4/23
5-3 Troy Jackson 4/7
5-1 Jim Junk 3/5
4-12 Jim Junk 4/9
4-8 Jim Junk 4/1
4-5 Jim Junk 3/11
4-4 Jim Junk 3/26
4-4 Jim Junk 4/9
4-0 Jim Junk 4/2
3-13 Jim Junk 4/23

Angler Weights
Jim Junk 23-15 (5-5,5-1,4-12,4-8,4-5)
Troy Jackson 16-9 (5-3,3-1,3-0,2-14,2-7)
Brent Jackson 12-13 (2-13,2-13,2-12,2-4,2-3)

More than a few years of fishing for our current Top 5 crew but hoping as the spring rolls on to get some younger anglers on the list including a lady or two or three. Stay tuned and if anyone out there wishes to join up just send your pics, catch details or any questions my way at troy@troyjacksonoutdoors.com. Just note that a picture is required along with a weight. Bass minimum length is twelve inches and other species can be submitted as well.

And it looks like this is going to be a Top 5 sort of week here on the blog. Stay tuned for the reveal of Top 5 Bass #1000. Talk to you later. Troy