Category: Top 5

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

After four months without a visit to the old strip mine stomping grounds, it seems that the bass were happy to see me and my brother as they treated us well. Brent’s Top Bass of the day was a 2-12 that came up a few ounces shy of a Top 5 boost while my Top Bass turned out to be my best for 2022 (so far, at least, and more on Brent’s bass in an upcoming fishing report).

(Note: excuse the mud, I washed the fish off for a second photo to be included in an upcoming fishing report)

Weight: 3-10
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: September 4
Weather: Overcast/breezy
Location: Knox County public strip pit
Lure: 5” Yamasenko wacky rig (natural shad)
Structure: Point/drop
Angler Comments: The Senko hasn’t gotten much of a workout this year as other lures have done well as I dedicate much of my fishing time to The Canal. But a trip back to the strip mines once again proved its effectiveness in catching my Top Bass of 2022. It is also the only member of my Top 5 not from The Canal and puts all five on my list in the three-pound range.
Top 5 Weight: 16-10 (3-10,3-5,3-5,3-4,3-2) culls a 2-15

This catch was one of several quality fish from the outing as Brent and I had a darn good day. Stay tuned for all the details later this week. Talk to you later. Troy

Prowl the Canal – August 27

Posted on by Troy Jackson

 

Anglers and excuses seem to go hand in hand, particularly when things don’t materialize on the water as envisioned. This was one of those trips where I went in with high hopes that wound up not being realized. Not a bad day by any means but just not as good as I anticipated.

My top lure of 2022 continues to get the job done catching every fish on this outing

Stats

Date: August 27
Time: 6:40am-9:40am
Totals: 8 bass (2.67 bass/hour)
Weather: Overcast/breezy 67-73F
Lures: Strike King Special K Spinnerbait (bleeding shiner) with Zoom Creepy Crawler trailer (root beer/pepper/green) – 8 bass
Top Bass: 1-4 Spinnerbait
Top 5 Weight: 5-7 (1-4,1-3,1-3,1-0,0-13)

6:54am – Top Bass at 1-4 was the best I could muster

Notes and Nonsense

Water Quality – I continue to be baffled by the changing conditions on The Canal. In this case, it was an ugly influx of duckweed and weedy debris on a section that typically has a clean channel between the varying extent of shoreline weed growth. The floating stuff was not over the top but did foul several retrieves as the clumps of crud were not always apparent when making casts. I guess this debris must come from upstream, but its appearance is still a mystery as we had not had any appreciable rainfall that I would suspect as a contributing factor. Clarity and flow also fluctuate on many pools regardless of rainfall, so I just don’t know. A weird place, but I dig it.

Water quality left much to be desired

Flop on Top – I don’t know if the above factors were the culprit, but I could not muster a single topwater bite despite favorable weather conditions. I got on the water not long after sunrise and substantial cloud cover to start the day had me feeling good about my regular buzzbait presentation. Not even a ripple, and after a fair effort, I settled in on the reliable spinnerbait approach around any wood and weed edges.

Too Sunny – As the morning wore on, my cloud cover disappeared as the sunrise topped the tree line. With the general east/west orientation of much of The Canal throughout Rock Island, Henry, and Bureau Counties, sunlight can be a direct hit this time of the year. Nothing wrong with a sunny, summer day in general but I would rather have clouds.

 

There you have it. The word “excuse” seems like a cop out for a lack of execution or adaptation while on the water, so I won’t strictly go there. Instead, I view it as just one of those days. I put in the work to get my bites, but I just couldn’t find any quality ones. Whether the weather, or the angler, that’s fishing. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Brent is back with a couple more strip mine catches for a boost. His first submission added an ounce to his total, but it was replaced less than an hour later with a slightly larger fish. We typically text back and forth whenever or wherever we are fishing, and I have been rooting for him to get one more three-pounder. Darn near got it this time as detailed below.

Weight: 2-13
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: August 28
Location: Snakeden Hollow
Lure: Senko

Weight: 2-15
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: August 28
Location: Snakeden Hollow
Lure: Spinnerbait
Editor’s Comments: Brent sent me his overall results and his Top 5 for the morning came in at 11-6. Not too bad for about three hours on the water.
Top 5 Weight: 18-0 (5-4,3-9,3-3,3-1,2-15) culls a 2-12

Well done, a couple solid looking, healthy fish. I’m rooting for Brent to get at least one more three-pounder to boot that 2-15. And here’s hoping he gets the boost he needs down the home stretch to hit the twenty-pound mark. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

A quartet of bass this week that total just over ten pounds including one that comes with another bit of verse. However, the verse applies not to the catch, but to “one that got away”. Read on for the latest batch of public bass.

Weight: 2-5
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: August 18
Weather: Bright morning sun, clear skies
Water Temp: Not available
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: Wacky worm
Top 5 Weight: 15-11 (4-2,3-5,2-14,2-11,2-11)
Angler Comments about the “One That Got Away”:

I fished the Hennepin six days ago
Along I80 toward Chicago

Things were slow, not many hits
I was about to call it quits

But suddenly came a solid strike
Against the edge where people hike

But in an instant the fish was gone
My line was weak, and he was strong

My line had busted
Because of a knot I should not have trusted

If my line had been fresh and knot stronger
I might have landed a solid five pounder

Weight: 2-12
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: August 21
Location: Snakeden Hollow
Lure: Senko wacky rig

Weight: 2-12
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: August 21
Location: Snakeden Hollow
Lure: Spinnerbait
Top 5 Weight: 17-13 (5-4,3-9,3-3,3-1,2-12) culls a 2-11

Weight: 3-5 (19.5”)
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: August 21
Weather: Overcast/breezy
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: Booyah Buzzbait (black)
Structure: Weed edge
Angler Comments: You just never know on a buzzbait strike as this fish made the lure disappear with barely a ripple. Always fun when there is a heavy response after the hookset. The catch came up one ounce shy of tying my all-time Top Canal Bass.
Top 5 Weight: 15-15 (3-5,3-5,3-4,3-2,2-15) culls 2-12

You know, I often give August a hard time and have referred to it as my least favorite open water month. My apologies to August this year, it hasn’t been bad at all. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

August can be a tough month for various reasons, so it is encouraging to see a batch of quality catches for this week’s update.

Weight: 1-13
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: August 9
Weather: Partly cloudy, temperature in the 80s
Water Temperature: Unknown
Location: Knox County public strip mine lake
Lure: Wacky worm
Angler Comments: The fish was hooked on the first cast from shore.

Weight: 1-14
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: August 12
Weather: Early morning sun, temperature in the high 60s
Location: Knox County public strip mine lake
Lure: Four-inch black and silver floating Rapala
Angler Comments: Bright morning sun made for slow fishing, but the bite improved when the clouds moved in.

Weight: 1-11
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: August 12
Weather: Cloudy
Location: Knox County public strip mine lake
Lure: Wacky worm
Angler Comments: A fish took a swipe at a four-inch black and silver floating Rapala but missed. Remembering a very recent video on the Troy Jackson Outdoors YouTube Channel, I picked up my rod with the wacky worm and cast to the same area and hooked this fish on the retrieve!! Was this the same fish that missed the Rapala? Hard to know.

Weight: 1-8
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: August 12
Weather: Cloudy
Location: Knox County public strip mine lake
Lure: Four-inch black and silver floating Rapala
Angler Comments: The fish and the two described above were caught from a boat.
Top 5 Weight: 15-11 (4-2,3-5,2-14,2-11,2-11)

Weight: 3-4
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: August 13
Weather: Partly cloudy/breezy 64F
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: Special K Spinnerbait (bleeding shad) with Zoom Creepy Crawler trailer (root beer pepper green)
Structure: Weed edge
Angler Comments: Its cool when your first bite of the day is a good one. As it turned out, it was the best of the day, but I did catch a couple other solid fish. But that’s a tale for the fishing report later this month.
Top 5 Weight: 15-6 (3-5,3-4,3-2,2-15,2-12) culls 2-12

Hard to believe that we are halfway through August already. While not in any rush to put this month behind us, I always look forward to September and the potential uptick for a fall bite. It will be here before you know it. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Stat Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

It was a slow July as we only had two submissions. Those two bass from the last week of last month brought our 2022 totals to 75 bass and a rainbow trout. As always, a new month means that it is time for a new stat update.

2022 Totals
January = no submissions
February = no submissions
March = 15 bass
April = 35 bass
May = 7 bass
June = 16 bass
July = 2 bass

Top 5 Weight by Month
January = no submissions
February = no submissions
March = 14-2 (3-3,2-15,2-14,2-12,2-6)
April = 28-10 (6-9,6-0,5-12,5-4,5-1)
May = 11-9 (2-12,2-11,2-5,2-0,1-13)
June = 16-7 (4-2,3-5,3-3,2-15,2-14)
July = 4-11 (3-1,1-10)

Boat vs. Bank
Boat = 35 bass
Bank = 40 bass

Boat vs. Bank Weight
Boat = 17-1 (4-2,3-5,3-5,3-3,3-2)
Bank = 28-10 (6-9,6-0,5-12,5-4,5-1)

Public vs. Private
Public = 75 bass
Private = 0 bass

Public vs. Private Top 5 Weight
Public = 28-10 (6-9,6-0,5-12,5-4,5-1)
Private = not applicable

The Baits (* = new 2022 record)
Plastic Worm = 18 bass (Top Bass 5-12 Jim Junk)
Lipless Crankbait = 15 bass (Top Bass 4-6 Jim Junk)
*Chatterbait = 13 bass (Top Bass 6-9 Jim Junk) tops 5-15 Jim Junk 6/22/20
Spinnerbait = 8 bass (Top Bass 5-4 Brent Jackson)
Crankbait = 5 bass (Top Bass 2-12 Troy Jackson)
Jerkbait = 4 bass (Top Bass 2-5 John Kirkemo)
Jig = 4 bass (Top Bass 3-9 Brent Jackson)
Buzzbait = 2 bass (Top Bass 2-11 Troy Jackson)
Propbait = 2 bass (Top Bass 2-3 Jayce Jackson)
Grub = 1 bass (Top Bass 0-13 Troy Jackson)
*Popper = 1 bass (Top Bass 3-1 Brent Jackson) no prior entry
Swimbait = 1 bass (Top Bass 4-3 Jim Junk)
Underspin = 1 bass (3-12 Jim Junk)

Monthly Top Bass
January
No submissions
February
No submissions
March
3-3 Jim Junk
April
6-9 Jim Junk
May
2-12 Troy Jackson
June
4-2 John Kirkemo
July
3-1 Brent Jackson

2022 Top 10 Bass
6-9 Jim Junk 4/4/22
6-0 Jim Junk 4/15/22
5-12 Jim Junk 4/21/22
5-4 Brent Jackson 4/24/22
5-1 Jim Junk 4/4/22
4-7 Jim Junk 4/4/22
4-6 Jim Junk 4/19/22
4-3 Jim Junk 4/21/22
4-2 John Kirkemo 6/13/22
3-15 Jim Junk 4/19/22
3-12 Jim Junk 4/13/22

Angler Weights
Jim Junk 27-13 (6-9,6-0,5-12,5-1,4-7)
Brent Jackson 17-12 (5-4,3-9,3-3,3-1,2-11)
John Kirkemo: 15-11 (4-2,3-5,2-14,2-11,2-11)
Troy Jackson 14-14 (3-5,3-2,2-15,2-12,2-12)
Jayce Jackson 4-10 (2-3,1-4,1-3)
Helena Jackson 1-3 (1-3)
Zac Jackson 1-0 (1-0)
Carly Jackson 0-14 (0-14)

Other Species – Trout

John Kirkemo 12” (12”)

The August heat can be a challenge, but those fish are still out there somewhere. Keep on casting, catching, and send them my way at troy@troyjacksonoutdoors.com. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Summer has been tough on the Top 5 as we have been a month without any submissions. But as we head into August, we are back with a couple July entries. In addition, we have a new wrinkle with the angler comments on one catch coming in the form of a poem.

Weight: 1-10 (15”)
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: July 26
Weather: Some clouds, some sun. Cool temperatures. Light wind
Water Temp: N/A
Location: Lake Storey
Lure: Wacky worm
Top 5 Weight: 15-11 (4-2,3-5,2-14,2-11,2-11)
Angler Comments:

Tuesday, I fished but didn’t expect too much
Because of the intensive heat and such

I was casting to structure along the shore
Twenty, thirty casts or more

Time went by without a bite
Would I get one before day became night?

But all of sudden in 3 feet of water
Fishing got a wee bit hotter

My rod was bent by an aggressive fish
I had finally got the fisherman’s wish

After a while the fish was in the boat
Which had managed to remain afloat

After photos and extensive measurement
I released the fish to his element

Editor’s Note: Bravo!

Weight: 3-1
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: July 30
Location: Snakeden Hollow
Lure: Topwater Popper
Top 5 Weight: 17-12 (5-4,3-9,3-3,3-1,2-11) culls a 2-11

Good to get back on track with a Monday update and here’s hoping we fare better in August than we did in July. We were out there catching plenty of fish though, just not finding any bass that would boost our weights. August is always a tough month, but I have confidence that our crew can find some quality bites.

And, John, how are you at haiku?

Good luck in August
Hope we all can boost our creels
For many updates

Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Stats

Posted on by Troy Jackson

After fourteen straight weeks with a Top 5 Update, no submissions arrived for this week (I gave it a shot, but my best bass fell two ounces shy of adding to my total). So, instead of a Top 5 Update, the next best thing is the Top 5 monthly stat update. June provided a solid batch of catches by seven different anglers and boosted our 2022 bass total to seventy-three fish. Read on for the details of our 2022 catches through the month of June.

2022 Totals
January = no submissions
February = no submissions
March = 15 bass
April = 35 bass
May = 7 bass
June = 16 bass

Top 5 Weight by Month
January = no submissions
February = no submissions
March = 14-2 (3-3,2-15,2-14,2-12,2-6)
April = 28-10 (6-9,6-0,5-12,5-4,5-1)
May = 11-9 (2-12,2-11,2-5,2-0,1-13)
June = 16-7 (4-2,3-5,3-3,2-15,2-14)

Boat vs. Bank
Boat = 33 bass
Bank = 40 bass

Boat vs. Bank Weight
Boat = 17-1 (4-2,3-5,3-5,3-3,3-2)
Bank = 28-10 (6-9,6-0,5-12,5-4,5-1)

Public vs. Private
Public = 73 bass
Private = 0 bass

Public vs. Private Top 5 Weight
Public = 28-10 (6-9,6-0,5-12,5-4,5-1)
Private = not applicable

The Baits (* = new 2022 record)
Plastic Worm = 17 bass (Top Bass 5-12 Jim Junk)
Lipless Crankbait = 15 bass (Top Bass 4-6 Jim Junk)
*Chatterbait = 13 bass (Top Bass 6-9 Jim Junk) tops 5-15 Jim Junk 6/22/20
Spinnerbait = 8 bass (Top Bass 5-4 Brent Jackson)
Crankbait = 5 bass (Top Bass 2-12 Troy Jackson)
Jerkbait = 4 bass (Top Bass 2-5 John Kirkemo)
Jig = 4 bass (Top Bass 3-9 Brent Jackson)
Buzzbait = 2 bass (Top Bass 2-11 Troy Jackson)
Propbait = 2 bass (Top Bass 2-3 Jayce Jackson)
Swimbait = 1 bass (Top Bass 4-3 Jim Junk)
Grub = 1 bass (Top Bass 0-13 Troy Jackson)
Underspin = 1 bass (3-12 Jim Junk)

Monthly Top Bass
January
No submissions
February
No submissions
March
3-3 Jim Junk
April
6-9 Jim Junk
May
2-12 Troy Jackson
June
4-2 John Kirkemo

2022 Top 10 Bass
6-9 Jim Junk 4/4/22
6-0 Jim Junk 4/15/22
5-12 Jim Junk 4/21/22
5-4 Brent Jackson 4/24/22
5-1 Jim Junk 4/4/22
4-7 Jim Junk 4/4/22
4-6 Jim Junk 4/19/22
4-3 Jim Junk 4/21/22
4-2 John Kirkemo 6/13/22
3-15 Jim Junk 4/19/22
3-12 Jim Junk 4/13/22

Angler Weights
Jim Junk 27-13 (6-9,6-0,5-12,5-1,4-7)
Brent Jackson 17-6 (5-4,3-9,3-3,2-11,2-11)
John Kirkemo: 15-11 (4-2,3-5,2-14,2-11,2-11)
Troy Jackson 14-14 (3-5,3-2,2-15,2-12,2-12)
Jayce Jackson 4-10 (2-3,1-4,1-3)
Helena Jackson 1-3 (1-3)
Zac Jackson 1-0 (1-0)
Carly Jackson 0-14 (0-14)

Other Species – Trout

John Kirkemo 12” (12”)

Great to see some movement in the standings as Brent and John leap past the guy who writes this stuff while Jim remains firmly entrenched at the top. Definitely fun to see my offspring contribute as well and perhaps we can get their mama a “keeper” over the summer. As we currently sit at seventy-three bass for the year, I am officially setting our goal at reaching the century mark before all is said and done. Keep on casting, catching, and send them my way at troy@troyjacksonoutdoors.com. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

“It’s a family affair” – Family Affair, Sly & The Family Stone (1971)

A recent family camping trip provided an opportunity for our crew to take a shot at fishing the Hennepin Canal. As their “guide,” I offered panfish and bass options as gear was prepped and all were set on trying to fool some bass. By the end of our two-hour hike, everybody had landed at least one bass, and several met the 12” minimum length limit for a Top 5 entry. Read on for those catches and a couple courtesy of the older Jacksons from a pair of more recent outings.

Weight: 0-14 (12.5”)
Angler: Carly Jackson
Date: June 18
Weather: Sunny/breezy
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: 5” Yamasenko wacky rig (blue pearl/silver flake)
Top 5 Weight: 0-14 (0-14)

Weight: 1-0 (12.5”)
Angler: Zac Jackson
Date: June 18
Weather: Sunny/breezy
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: Bass Pro Shops Stik-O wacky rig (candy corn)
Top 5 Weight: 1-0 (1-0)

Weight: 1-3 (14”)
Angler: Helena Jackson
Date: June 18
Weather: Sunny/breezy
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: 5” Yamasenko wacky rig (lavender/watermelon)
Top 5 Weight: 1-3 (1-3)

Weight: 1-3 (13”)
Angler: Jayce Jackson
Date: June 18
Weather: Sunny/breezy
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: Bass Pro Shops Stik-O wacky rig (candy corn)
Top 5 Weight: 4-10 (2-3,1-4,1-3)

Weight: 2-15 (18”)
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: June 24
Weather: Sunny/calm
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: Special K Spinnerbait (bold bluegill) with Zoom Creepy Crawler trailer (root beer pepper green)
Structure: Laydown
Angler Comments: A few casts and a change of retrieve angle after a good fish rolled on the spinnerbait and this catch came aboard. Same fish? Hard to tell but makes for a good fish story.
Top 5 Weight: 14-14 (3-5,3-2,2-15,2-12,2-12) culls a 2-11

Weight: 3-3
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: June 26
Location: Snakeden Hollow
Lure: Senko wacky rig
Top 5 Weight: 17-6 (5-4,3-9,3-3,2-11,2-11) culls a 2-9

Fun to watch the kids catch some fish on a fishing hole that has become my primary stomping ground in 2022. And thanks to my “kid brother” for another solid contribution. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Angler John Kirkemo resets his original Top 5 with five new bass that nearly double his former total. A phenomenal stringer of close to sixteen pounds adds just over seven pounds to his limit. Read on for more details.

Weight: 1-13
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: June 13, 2022
Weather: 70s, humid
Water Temperature: N/A
Location: West Central Illinois public lake
Lure: Wacky Worm

Weight: 2-11
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: June 13, 2022
Weather: 70s, humid
Water Temperature: N/A
Location: West Central Illinois public lake
Lure: Wacky Worm

Weight: 2-11
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: June 13, 2022
Weather: 70s humid
Water Temperature: N/A
Location: West Central Illinois public lake
Lure: Wacky Worm

Weight: 2-14
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: June 13, 2022
Weather: 70s, humid
Water Temperature: N/A
Location: West Central Illinois public lake
Lure: Wacky Worm

Weight: 3-5
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: June 13, 2022
Weather: 70s, humid
Water Temperature: N/A
Location: West Central Illinois public lake
Lure: Wacky Worm

Weight: 4-2
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: June 13, 2022
Weather: 70s, humid
Water Temperature: N/A
Location: West Central Illinois public lake
Lure: Wacky Worm
Angler Comments: The fish tended to be in deeper water about ten yards from shore near sub-surface weed beds. Weather was warm with temperatures headed for the 80s and increasing humidity. Sky was cloudy with sun at times.
Top 5 Weight: 15-11 (4-2,3-5,2-14,2-11,2-11) culls 2-5,2-0,1-13,1-3,0-15

Way to go, John, that certainly hits the spot as we head towards summer. This makes for thirteen straight weeks with a Top 5 Update as our anglers continue to get it done. And stay tuned next Monday as we already have some fish to make it fourteen weeks in a row with a few new anglers joining the fun. Talk to you later. Troy