A couple more bass join the collection. One represents a location previously unseen on the Top 5 while the other is from a consistent collection of waters that just keeps rolling with some quality bass.

Weight: 1-3 (13”)
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: August 6
Weather: Mostly sunny with intermittent clouds
Water Temp: 77-80F
Location: Dawson Lake (Moraine View State Recreation Area)
Lure: Wacky worm
Top 5 Weight: 7-11 (1-15,1-13,1-6,1-6,1-3)

Weight: 5-5
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: August 7
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Texas rigged Senko
Angler Comments: Had a couple hours this morning so hit Banner. One bite and one bass.
Top 5 Weight: 25-4 (5-15,5-5,4-14,4-12,4-6) culls a 4-4

Way to go guys, getting it done during the dog days of summer. Keep up the casting and keep the catches coming our way. Talk to you later. Troy

The fish keep on coming as this week’s Top 5 Update features a new angler, a new leader and a new species for 2020.

Weight: 1-0
Angler: Nicolas Ojeda
Date: June 8
Location: Knox County private strip mine
Lure: Senko wacky rig

Weight: 0-15
Angler: Nicolas Ojeda
Date: June 8
Location: Knox County private strip mine
Lure: Senko wacky rig
Top 5 Weight: 1-15 (1-0,0-15)

Weight: 4-6
Angler: Chris Schwarz
Date: July 22
Location: Warren County private pond
Lure: Chatterbait with swimbait trailer
Angler Comments: This bass took a swipe at my frog, then bit off my chatterbait trailer. After I rigged a new one, she came back a 3rd time!
Top 5 Weight: 26-11 (6-14,5-7,5-4,4-12,4-6)

Weight: 3-7
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: July 24
Weather: Sunny/calm
Location: Ferne Clyffe Lake – Johnson County, IL
Lure: Senko wacky rig (white)
Structure: Riprap
Angler Comments: Spotted this fish rooting in the riprap and had it pick up a Havoc Pit Boss twice without getting hooked. Gave it a rest, came back with a Senko and wound up with an unusual catch while bass fishing.
Top 5 Weight: 3-7

Welcome aboard, Nicolas, and way to go, Chris.

It looks like the heatwave that hit our region last week is going to break a bit this week. At the very least it may give anglers some more comfortable conditions to get in some casting. If you are among those who do some catching with your casting, send those fish my way at troy@troyjacksonoutdoors.com. Make sure to include a photo and a weight/length and whatever other details you are willing to provide. The more info the better but entirely up to you. Talk to you later. Troy

A little bit later than usual this time around but here are the latest tallies for the 2020 Top 5.

2020 Totals
January = 1 bass
February = no submissions
March = 4 bass
April = 25 bass
May = 20 bass
June = 13 bass
July = 3 bass

Top 5 Weight by Month
January = 1-4 (one bass)
February = no submissions
March = 15-8 (6-14,4-1,3-4,1-5)
April = 16-11 (4-12,3-2,3-1,3-0,2-12)
May 23-0 (5-7,5-4,4-12,4-1,3-8)
June = 23-8 (5-15,4-14,4-6,4-4,4-1)
July = 12-7 (4-12,4-0,3-11)

Boat vs. Bank
Boat = 18 bass
Bank = 48 bass

Boat vs. Bank Weight
Boat = 20-3 (5-15,4-1,4-0,3-11,2-8)
Bank = 27-3 (6-14,5-7,5-4,4-14,4-12)

Public vs. Private
Public = 46 bass
Private = 20 bass

Public vs. Private Top 5 Weight
Public = 24-11 (5-15,4-14,4-12,4-12,4-6)
Private = 25-6 (6-14,5-7,5-4,4-12,3-1)

The Baits (* = new record)
Plastic Worm = 27 bass (Top Bass 4-12 Jim Junk)
Chatterbait = 15 bass (Top Bass 5-15 Jim Junk) – tops 4-10 Mark Balbinot
*Spinnerbait = 7 bass (Top Bass 6-14 Chris Schwarz) – tops 5-14 Mark Balbinot
Lipless Crankbait = 5 bass (Top Bass 3-4 Jim Junk)
Buzzbait = 3 bass (Top Bass 4-0 Troy Jackson)
Crankbait = 2 bass (Top Bass 1-10 Brent Jackson)
Creature = 2 bass (Top Bass 3-8 Jim Junk)
Jig = 2 bass (Top Bass 4-12 Troy Jackson)
Livebait = 2 bass (Top Bass 3-1 Teagan Mills)
Grub = 1 bass (Top Bass 1-4 Jim Junk)

Monthly Top Bass
January
1-4 Jim Junk
February
No submissions
March
6-14 Chris Schwarz
April
4-12 Troy Jackson
May
5-7 Chris Schwarz
June
5-15 Jim Junk
July
4-12 Jim Junk

Top 10 Bass (* = new Top 10 all-time)
*6-14 Chris Schwarz (3/25) – new #10 all-time
5-15 Jim Junk (6/22)
5-7 Chris Schwarz (5/3)
5-4 Chris Schwarz (5/3)
4-14 Jim Junk (6/22)
4-12 Troy Jackson (4/26)
4-12 Chris Schwarz (5/3)
4-12 Jim Junk (7/5)
4-6 Jim Junk (6/24)
4-4 Jim Junk (6/19)

Angler Weights
Jim Junk 24-3 (5-15,4-14,4-12,4-6,4-4)
Chris Schwarz 22-5 (6-14,5-7,5-4,4-12)
Troy Jackson 17-6 (4-12,4-0,3-11,2-8,2-7)
Brent Jackson 13-3 (3-2,2-13,2-12,2-5,2-3)
John Kirkemo 7-10 (1-15,1-13,1-6,1-6,1-2)
Teagan Mills 6-1 (3-1,3-0)
Kennedy Jackson 5-12 (1-13,1-11,1-5,0-15)
Brady Jackson 4-8 (1-5,1-2,1-1,1-0)
Carly Jackson 0-14 (0-14)

Other Species
Common Carp

10-5 Jim Junk

Crappie

1-2 Troy Jackson

Muskie/Tiger Muskie

12-12 (36”) Troy Jackson

Certainly summer out there in the area so stay cool, treat those fish with care and keep the reports coming when you get a chance to get out. Talk to you later. Troy

West Central Illinois public waters keep the Top 5 Updates rolling along as we near the midpoint of the calendar year. Got some good ones this time around so read on as we have a new leader and another angler one step closer to filling his limit.

Weight: 4-14
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: June 22
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Chatterbait

Weight: 5-15
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: June 22
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Chatterbait

Weight: 4-6
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: June 24
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Chatterbait
Angler Comments:
Top 5 Weight: 23-8 (5-15,4-14,4-6,4-4,4-1) culls 4-1,3-9 and 3-8

Weight: 1-6 (13”)
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: June 25
Weather: Bright sun
Water Temp: 77F
Location: McMaster Lake
Lure: Wacky worm
Top 5 Weight: 5-11 (1-15,1-6,1-6,1-0)

Thanks for the submissions guys as it doesn’t get much better than seeing a fish story show up in the Inbox. Good luck and stay cool out there as some dog day fishing looms on the horizon. Talk to you later. Troy

Circumstances dictate that the Top 5 Update shows up a day early this time around. No worries, all good here at blog headquarters, just some busy days ahead. Yes, I do more than just fish and camp and then sit around and blog all day. Although that setup would be nice. And speaking of nice, we have a solid batch of fish to add to the database.

Weight: 4-1
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: June 8
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Texas rigged Senko
Angler Comments: Hitting almost everything I threw, frog, creature thing, wacky Senko and Texas rigged Senko.

Weight: 3-2
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: June 10
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Creature
Top 5 Weight: 18-5 (4-1,4-1,3-8,3-7,3-4) culls 2-12

Other Species – Tiger Muskie

Weight: 12-12 (36”)
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: June 13
Weather: Partly Cloudy
Water Temp: 74F
Location: Peoria County private lake
Lure: Strike King Red Eye Shad (sexy shad)
Structure: Hump
Angler Comments: In what would turn out to be my last cast of the morning I wound up with something other than the bass I was targeting. Sure was an exciting “accident” that dove under both motors and had me walking the length of the boat. More to come on the catch at a later date in the full fishing report.
Top 5 Weight: 12-12/Top 5 Length: 36”

Well, that was fun and hopefully will tide everyone over for a bit until the Friday Flashback, which may actually be a Saturday Flashback. At any rate, have no fear as there are still plenty of fish stories and more to tell, just limited time for composing and editing. Talk to you later. Troy