Bass fishing is back in business as a pair of anglers add five bass to our 2025 Top 5 project.

Fish: Spotted Bass
Weight: 1 lbs. 14 oz.
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: March 18, 2025
Weather: Bright sun with blue skies.
Air temperature: Low 70s. Light wind.
Water temperature: 60 degrees
Location: Lake Keowee at Seneca, SC
Lure: Silver and black 3 ½ inch shallow running Rapala
Angler Comments: Trolled the lure for about an hour before catching a small spotted bass which I didn’t bother to measure. Attached the lure to the downrigger and lowered it to 22 feet in 50 feet of water. Within a few minutes I hooked and landed the fish.

Fish: Spotted Bass
Weight: 2 lbs. 8 oz.
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: March 18, 2025
Weather: Bright sun with blue skies.
Air temperature: Low 70s. Light wind.
Water temperature: 63 degrees
Location: Lake Keowee at Seneca, SC
Lure: Silver and black 3 ½ inch shallow running Rapala
Angler Comments: Stopped using the downrigger and ventured up a narrow arm and came to a place where bait fish were being chased on the surface. (The water temperature was 63 degrees. In the open areas of the lake the water temperature was 60 – 61 degrees.) I stopped the boat just short of three big, submerged logs. I made a few casts and finally a bass took the lure. The fish was on the other side of the logs, so I had to horse the fish over each log. It was just luck the line didn’t snag on the logs, or the fish didn’t throw the hook. The water was clear, so I saw it all happen.

Fish: Spotted Bass
Weight: 1 lbs. 4 oz.
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: March 18, 2025
Weather: Bright sun with blue skies.
Air temperature: Low 70s. Light wind.
Water temperature: 61 degrees
Location: Lake Keowee at Seneca, SC
Lure: Silver and black 3 ½ inch shallow running Rapala
Angler Comments: I trolled the Rapala on my way to the boat ramp and hooked this fish in open water.
Top 5 Weight: 5-10 (2-8,1-14,1-4)

Weight: 0-15 (12.5″)
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: March 22
Weather: Partly cloudy/breezy, 50F
Water Temp: Not available
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: Z-Man Chatterbait (white) with Yamamoto Zako trailer (Tennessee shad)
Structure: Submerged log
Angler Comments: A reliable batch of sunken logs comes through again with a keeper.

Weight: 1-15 (16″)
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: March 22
Weather: Partly cloudy/breezy, 50F
Water Temp: Not available
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: Strike King Red Eye Shad (red craw)
Structure: Drop
Angler Comments: A spot where I regularly break out the lipless crank comes through on the bait again with what is currently my Top Bass of the year.
Top 5 Weight: 6-1 (1-15,1-11,1-8,0-15)

Exciting to have another batch of submissions for a solid start. Here’s to many more so send them my way when you catch ‘em. The email address is troy@troyjacksonoutdoors.com and requires a picture of the fish along with the weight (minimum 12″ length and weight to nearest ounce) and whatever other information you are willing to provide. For me, the more information the better but if you don’t wish to divulge your stomping grounds, I understand. The concept of the Top 5 is to track your five biggest bass of the year boosting your weight as you land larger bass that boot smaller bass out of your creel

Good luck out there and talk to you later. Troy

Eleven years of the Top 5 project have seen over eleven hundred bass submitted by a varying cast of anglers. Being a fan of statistics, here is the latest look at the all-time numbers.

Group Totals = 1125 bass
2014 = 154
2015 = 106
2016 = 136
2017 = 79
2018 = 116
2019 = 95
2020 = 90
2021 = 92
2022 = 100
2023 = 88
2024 = 69

Submissions by month
266 April
187 May
152 June
136 March
108 July
75 September
68 October
41 August
38 November
33 February
13 December
8 January

Top 10 Top 5 Monthly Weights (group total)
37-9 May 2014
29-8 June 2014
29-7 March 2016
29-2 April 2014
28-10 April 2022
28-9 October 2018
28-7 December 2016
27-14 April 2015
27-12 March 2015
27-11 July 2014

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

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

Public vs. Private Water
Public = 842 bass
Public Top 5 Weight Record 32-2 (2014) vs. 19-9 (2024)
Private = 266 bass
Private Top 5 Weight Record 33-14 (2017) vs. 1-3 (2024)
Undisclosed = 17 bass

Boat vs. Bank
Boat = 605 bass
Boat Top 5 Weight Record 33-14 (2017) vs. 17-12 (2024)
Bank = 514 bass
Bank Top 5 Weight 40-14 (2014) vs. 18-14 (2024)
Undisclosed = 6 bass

The Baits (44 undisclosed)
300 Plastic Worms (Top Bass 6-8 Mark Balbinot 11/20/16)
124 Lipless Crankbaits (6-3 Mark Balbinot 10/20/18)
122 Spinnerbaits (6-14 Chris Schwarz 3/25/20)
89 Chatterbaits (5-15 Jim Junk 6/22/20)
87 Crankbaits (8-0 Kamryn Kaesebier 4/13/14)
66 Jigs (9-4 Jake Bresson 5/23/14)
55 Jerkbaits (5-10 Ty Hartlipp 6/5/14)
36 Buzzbaits (5-9 Troy Jackson 4/25/17)
33 Swimbaits (8-10 Gary Le 5/4/14)
30 Creature Baits (6-15 Mark Balbinot 5/13/17)
29 Swim Jigs (6-13 Jake Bresson 4/9/15)
22 Topwater Frogs (6-11 Ty Hartlipp 6/11/14)
17 Propbaits (6-2 Jake Bresson 5/1/15)
14 Underspins (Top Bass 7-7 Mark Balbinot 12/11/16)
13 Poppers (3-1 Troy Jackson 9/25/01)
12 Tubes (Top Bass 5-0 Jake Bresson 4/28/15)
10 Grubs (Top Bass 7-0 Chris Schwarz 11/28/20)
8 Livebait (5-14 Jim Junk 7/4/14)
6 Stickbaits (6-6 Mark Balbinot 8/27/17)
5 Ultralights (3-1 Paul Kessler 10/12/17)
2 Inline Spinners (5-2 Jake Bresson 9/17/17)
1 Blade Baits (5-3 Mark Balbinot 11/16/19)

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

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

And just for fun…

All-Time Weights (30-pound minimum “career” mark)
(Note: not all anglers have participated each year)
216-11 Troy Jackson
(20-14,22-12,21-3,26-13,15-9,14-4,18-12,20-0,18-9,21-10,16-5)
212-1 Jim Junk
(11-7,16-5,13-7,23-8,24-14,25-13,26-0,27-13,25-9,17-5)
168-6 Brent Jackson
(18-7,6-10,13-2,10-2,19-2,13-7,13-3,18-11,18-9,19-3,17-14)
123-8 Mark Balbinot
(33-14,32-13,31-9,25-4)
111-11 Jake Bresson
(32-13,27-12,27-6,23-12)
76-4 Austin Chapman
(20-9,29-7,26-4)
73-0 Brice Wangler
(26-1,25-8,21-7)
72-15 Bruce Zilkowski
(20-1,17-0,17-14,18-0)
72-10 Randy Sampson, Sr.
(27-6,21-8,23-12)
72-0 Chris Schwarz
(20-15,20-12,30-5)
66-12 Paul Kessler
(18-6,17-6,16-6,14-10)
45-11 Mike Mooney
(22-13,4-9,18-5)
54-15 John Kirkemo
(10-8,6-14,8-0,11-14,7-210-9)

A lot to digest there and eager to see how year number twelve of the Top 5 project will shake out in 2025. Talk to you later. Troy

A submission from the southeast gives us one more update as we head into the final month of the year.

Fish: Spotted bass
Weight: 1lbs. 6 oz.
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: November 26, 2024
Weather: Partly cloudy, Air temperature mid-60s
Water temperature: 67 degrees
Water depth: 33 feet
Location: Lake Keowee, SC (See attached map)
Lure: Rapala X-Rap (Perch)
Comments: Trolled shallow running silver and black Rapala for a while without any hits. Switched to the Rapala X-Rap which is a deeper running suspending lure and caught this fish trolling through the area indicated on the map.
Top 5 Weight: 10-9 (2-8,2-7,2-0,1-13,1-13)

Winning Lure – Rapala X-Rap (perch)

Winning location (I am also intrigued by the “Mississippi Gumball Company” to upper right of picture)

Thank goodness we have a representative in warmer climes as the ice is beginning to form in my neck of the woods. Will this be our final fish of 2024? Time will tell. Talk to you later. Troy

We have our first submission from October as Brent found a good bite at the strip mines.

Weight: 3-9
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: October 19
Location: Knox County public strip pit
Lure: Spinnerbait
Editor’s Note: Brent’s full report consisted of a two-hour trip where he landed nine bass with a Top 5 Weight of 7-12, all on a spinnerbait.
Top 5 Weight: 17-14 (3-15,3-12,3-9,3-6,3-4) culls a 3-2

A solid boost late in the year is always something to cheer about. Here’s to adding a few more fish for a strong finish to 2024. Talk to you later. Troy

It’s been a while, but I get to contribute a couple of bass to this week’s update. Hopefully, it is a sign that there will be a strong finish to the year as the catches below represent my top two bass of the year.

Weight: 3-6 (19″)
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: September 29
Weather: Partly cloudy/breezy, 80F
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: Spro Flappin Frog 65 (albino)
Structure: Log/weed edge
Angler Comments: An offshore log in a mix of surface and subsurface vegetation was a winner on what would be my Top Bass of the year. A mark that it held for about two hours before landing the bass below.

Weight: 3-10 (19″)
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: September 29
Weather: Partly cloudy/breezy, 80F
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: Spro Flappin Frog 65 (albino)
Structure: Laydown/weed edge
Angler Comments: My new Top Bass of the year came off a classic spot. I ran the frog over a weed mat near a laydown and right as it hit the edge of open water, this bass exploded on the bait. Gotta dig it when a bass is right where it is supposed to be.
Top 5 Weight: 16-5 (3-10,3-6,3-3,3-2,3-0) culls 3-0 and 2-15

Two good fish and there’s more to the story involving a lure adjustment but I will save those details for the full fishing report. And after a four-day weekend courtesy of a couple vacation days, I am behind on the fishing reports again. Stay tuned for the scoop from Lake Storey (9/26 outing), the Knox County strip pits (9/27 outing), and the Hennepin Canal (9/29 outing). Talk to you later. Troy