Friday Flashback – 3/20/2003

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Welcome to my latest project entitled “Friday Flashback” that takes a look back at the pics, stats and reports (in many cases) from the fishing hole. Similar to the “Trapping Tuesday” postings that ran during trapping season, this one will look back 5, 10, 15…30 years at memories from time well spent on the water. I guess all of these fishing logs, photo albums and blog entries actually come in handy.

To kick off the series we visit a classic fishing hole known as Emstrom’s Pond located just west of Galesburg, IL. The name arose from the fellow who granted Dad permission to fish the spot back in 1988, Dwight Emstrom, who ran a local trucking company. It seems that his sister lived on/owned the land with the pond. From 1988 through 2004, when we lost access to the pond, we caught a lot of fish including many pretty darn nice bass. Suffice to say, this won’t be the only visit we’ll pay to Emstrom’s Pond during Friday’s to come.


March 20, 2003 Emstrom’s Pond 2-10 (18″) Jig & Pig
My wife, Julie, always gave me a rough time about holding the fish in front of my face but what would you rather see?

Today’s inaugural flashback features a catch from 15 years ago this week. Below is an excerpt of the original report that featured the catch and was emailed to family and friends on April 5, 2003 in the days before I became an official blogger.

“During the past three weeks, I have fished Emstrom’s Pond and the Little John strip mines with limited success. Tops was a six bass day at Emstrom’s Pond and low was a shutout at Little John. Most of my forays at Emstrom’s Pond consisted of an hour or hour and a half before or after work. Little John outings included visits to Jake, Muskrat, Club and Skeet Lakes. Top producer at Emstrom’s Pond was a 1/4 oz. jig (black/blue) with a pork frog #11 or #11G (black, blue or blue glitter) fished on the Beaver Lodge. At Little John, I picked up bass on a Rapala Rattlin’ Rap (brown craw) off tops and drops of main lake points, jigs around fallen trees and a Mepps #5 (white/rainbow trout) along dropoffs.”


Actual log entry from the day on the water

Today’s bass came on the six bass day referenced above and preceded my standard Stat recap that is a feature in all of my latest fishing reports. So, better late than never.

Stats
Date: March 20, 2003
Location: Emstrom’s Pond – west of Galesburg, IL
Time: 9:30am-10:45am
Weather: Overcast/light rain
Air Temp: 52F
Water Temp: 43F
Totals: 6 bass
Lures: ¼ oz. Jig (black/blue) with #11G pork frog (black/blue glitter)
Top Bass: 2-10 (18”) Jig & Pig
Top 5 Weight: 7-2 (2-10,1-4,1-2,1-1,1-1)

All in all, not too shabby of a day considering only 75 minutes on the water. Had a lot of those days over the years at Emstrom’s so you haven’t seen the last of the flashbacks from this old favorite. Talk to you later. Troy

2017 Stats – Location

Posted on by Troy Jackson

For today’s stat wrap I’m gonna tell you where I caught my bass in 2017, all 416 of them (that is a correction as I erroneously reported 418 last week).

Well, kind of tell you where I caught ‘em. General location on some, specific body of water on a few but not overly precise like Chilly Willy Point, Power Point or Freak’s Point. Actually, all of those are made up names, two by me and one handed down from some fellas back in the 80s. So, unless you are related to me, those spots probably wouldn’t mean thing anyhow.

But I’m still not telling, gotta keep some air of mystery. Here we go.


Bass #416, strip mine

Grand Totals
Bass = 416
Bodies of water = 31
Comments: The numbers are pretty jacked up in terms of bodies of water as I flat out fish small. In fact, the biggest body of water that I fished in 2017 was Lost Grove Lake in Scott County, IA which comes in at 400 acres. On the other end of the spectrum were a handful of public strip pits that are maybe a half cast wide at best.


Hauled 265 bass into this deluxe watercraft

Access
Bank Bass (Northerner boots, biking and hiking) = 102
Little Boat Bass (near 40 year old 8’ johnboat) = 265
Big Boat Bass (1987 Bass Tracker Pro 17) = 49
Comments: Small waters, walk-in only access and no ramps on most of my stomping grounds means no blazing bass boat or high tech gear. And all of that suits me just fine, those things go too fast for this angler and I spend all week messing with technology so who needs electronics. Besides, several of these spots I’ve fished since the 80s or 90s so trial and error has provided ample insight. Sure there are more secrets beneath the surface and perhaps armed with a new, cool, retro tool in 2018 I may just find a few. Stay tuned.

The Waters (from least to most caught)


Henry County, IL pond

Henry County Private Pond (1 visit – 4/18)
4 bass
1.00 hour
4.00 bass/hour
Top Bass: 11.5” (2 bass – Chatterbait, Jig & Pig)
Top 5 Weight: no bass 12” or better
Comments: This is a spot that is associated with my employer, just a pothole water reservoir but I got wind it had some fish in it, got permission and checked it out. Put it to decent use with the kids too (another wrap-up piece) but rumor has it that the big ones are long gone via a firsthand “you should’ve seen it…” report.


Johnson-Sauk Trail

Johnson Sauk Trail Lake – Henry County, IL (1 visit – September 11)
5 bass
3.00 hours
1.67 bass/hour
Top Bass: 1-2 (13.5”) Strike King Red Eye Shad
Top 5 Weight: 2-1 (2 bass 1-2,0-15)
Comments: Hadn’t fished this spot since 2002 but after a look during a day trip with the family I thought I’d revisit. Nothing big in my creel on the lone outing but have seen a few pics of some decent bass and a few toothy fish (just hope they were released to catch again). Found it to be the right size for my little boat and only about half of it was worth fishing on this day as extremely shallow and shady in the morning.


Lake Storey, one of the “big boat” bass

Lake Storey – Knox County, IL (2 visits – 9/17 and 10/2)
34 bass
14.00 hours
2.43 bass/hour
Top Bass: 15” 1-11 Mann’s Baby 1- Crankbait
Top 5 Weight: 6-5 (1-11,1-4,1-3,1-2,1-1)
Comments: Probably my favorite fishing hole of all-time even though it gets some serious pressure and can be a tough nut to crack at times. Nothing particularly large was landed but I was quite pleased with my 2.43 bass/hour rate which was considerably higher than my “career” average of 0.98. Hit it at the right time just couldn’t put my lures in the right place to fool a few big ones.


Encouraging Lost Grove Lake result as they are getting bigger

Lost Grove Lake – Scott County, IA (11 visits June 10 – September 30)
74 bass
24.50 hours
3.02 bass/hour
Top Bass: 2-3 (17”) Mann’s Baby 1- Crankbait
Top 5 Weight: 9-6 (2-3,1-15,1-14,1-11,1-11)
Comments: At 400 acres, a lot to explore in my little boat so I break it down into manageable pieces. Starting to figure out a few things in my second year of casting on this water across The River. After only two fish over 12” in 2016, my quality of catches got quite a boost in 2017 and observed another angler reel in one over four pounds. Like to think I’m experiencing a combination of the bass getting bigger and the bass fisherman getting brighter on the young fishing hole.


The old stomping grounds near Victoria, IL

Knox County, IL Private Strip Mines (20 visits, 5 lakes, March 4 – December 2)
135 bass
62.00 hours
2.18 bass/hour
Top Bass: 6-2 (22.5”) Jig & Pig
Top 5 Weight: 26-13 (6-2,5-11,5-9,5-0,4-7)
Comments: I’ve paid my dues and pay annual dues on these fishing holes so they typically get the most attention. 30 years of experience here has helped me find and fool some pretty good fish but 2017 featured some overachievers on the end of the line including my six heaviest bass of the year. Already have my Top 5 filled for 2018 from this stomping ground but suspect there’s more to come for a boost to my current total of 7-3.


Racked up a few more miles and a lot of bass on the public access Knox County, IL strip mines

Knox County, IL Public Strip Mines (11 visits, 22 lakes, March 26-October 8)
164 bass
30 hours
5.47 bass/hour
Top Bass: 3-8 (18”) Strike King Rattling Squarebill Crankbait
Top 5 Weight: 15-13 (3-8,3-6,3-5,3-5,2-5)
Comments: Private fishing holes as noted above are really cool, I wouldn’t trade them for anything and wish I had access to more. However, I get a great deal of satisfaction from fooling bass where everybody and their brother can fish. And me and my brother have tackled a bunch of these spots and caught a bunch of fish over close to 30 years and a lot of miles on foot, by bike or dragging around a little boat.  Happy to still be able to get it done at 50 although I had to be helped out of a restaurant by Julie and Helena after one of these stunts when my legs cramped up so bad I nearly couldn’t walk. Provided them with a good laugh and I too think its funny, now.

There you go, as much insight as you get on where to find some 2018 bass that even I can seem to outsmart. Looking to work in one more wrap that features the folks I got to fish with last year and hoping to get in a countdown of sorts before the end of the month. Also hoping to get in a March outing but no promises as weather and responsibilities seem to be conspiring against goofing off. Talk to you later. Troy

2017 Stats – Lures Part II

Posted on by Troy Jackson

No need for much introduction, did that yesterday for Part I of the lure portion of the 2017 wrap-up. My standard go to baits and one newcomer that made a big splash (actually several big splashes).

New addition for 2017 Whopper Plopper 90 (I Know It color)

2017 Whopper Plopper Top Bass (see below)

Propbaits
Whopper Plopper 90 (I Know It) – 11 bass
Top Bass: 20.5” 4-7 July 17 Little John Conservation Club
Comments: I am not a $12.99 per bait price range kind of guy, no matter how catchy the name is. You see, there’s two ends to this fishing thing, one is the lure on the end of the line, the other is the angler on the end of the rod and I rarely see a need to spend that sort of cash on the latest rage when I’ve got a lifetime of experience with lures that have worked for years. But, I had a gift certificate and Whopper Ploppers were on sale so I now have several in the tacklebox. And I’ll be darned if this crazy new bait didn’t produce a 4-7 for its first bass after ten minutes of casting. Perhaps a lure that truly catches fish and not fishermen, more field testing to come in 2018.

Jig & Pig (black & blue), a legend and I am too cheap to replace this chewed up version as obviously it works

2017 Top Jig Bass, first catch of 2017, believe it or not (see below)

Jigs
Strike King Rattlin’ Jig (black/blue) with #11 Uncle Josh trailer (black/blue) – 15 bass
Top Bass: 22.5” 6-2 March 4 Little John Conservation Club
Comments: If you are throwing a jig, you’ve gotta start with good, old black and blue and what a way to start 2017 with a 6-2 taking the bait for my first bass of the year. On the downside, I failed to fool a larger bass the rest of the year. On the upside, who cares? I’m sure other colors work just fine but the bass haven’t let me down on this old favorite yet.

Strike King Red Eye Shad (sexy shad)

2017 Top Lipless Crankbait Bass (see below)

Lipless Crankbaits
Strike King Red Eye Shad – 27 bass (sexy shad – 26 bass, orange craw – 1 bass)
Top Bass: 16” 1-15 March 26 Little John Conservation Club
Comments: This bait is a favorite and produces throughout most of the year and surprisingly well in colder water as it is generally worked at a decent clip. Therefore, it is right up my alley although I do try and slow it down early in the year. 2017 was a down year for these baits, however, as the early buzzbait bite got me sidetracked.

Classic “Blue Glimmer” bait, possibly an antique but still getting it done

2017 Top Spinnerbait Bass (see below)

Spinnerbaits
Booyah, Stanley Vibra Shaft Blue Glimmer, Teminator – 41 bass
Top Bass: 16” 2-1 April 8 Knox County, IL public strip mine
Comments: Seems like the good, old spinnerbait has kind of fallen out of vogue if you read the major publications. I do have a couple of those subscriptions but either did not get the memo or just too set in my ways to ditch this favorite. Perhaps I will be on the leading edge of a spinnerbait revival after this post hits the internet. Okay, maybe not but I’ll keep tossing these things around as I will never get tired of running one parallel to a laydown and waiting for it to get heavy.

Strike King KVD Rattling Squarebill (sexy shad)

2017 Top Crankbait Bass (see below)

Crankbaits
Strike King Rattling Squarebill, Mann’s Baby 1-, Rapala Shad Rap – 66 bass
Top Bass: 18” 3-8 September 2 Knox County, IL public strip mine
Comments: Yet another type of bait that generally lets me fish fast and the models I use also keep me relatively shallow (eight feet or less). Too slow and I get antsy, too deep and I lose my edge so the crankbaits noted above represent my confidence baits and they came through yet again with a decent haul.

Senko wacky rig

2017 Top Senko Bass (see below)

Plastic Worms
Senko wacky rig (weighted and unweighted), Senko Texas rig – 103 bass
Top Bass: 22” 5-11 August 21 Little John Conservation Club Senko wacky rig
Comments: Since I first plunged into the odd looking world of the wacky rig back in 2005, I’ve always had a Senko on a pole when I hit the water. And this year it paid off again with the highlight being an “Eclipse Day” beast that established a new personal Senko best just before a storm rolled in and sent me packing. If you aren’t fishing wacky, you are missing out on some serious action.

Booyah Buzz Buzzbait (snow white shad)

2017 Top Buzzbait Bass (see below)

Buzzbaits
Booyah Buzz – 134 bass
Top Bass: 22” 5-9 April 25 Little John Conservation Club
Comments: Can you say addictive? Buzzbait bassing kicked into gear on April 25 last year and once it got going, I wore it out. The buzzbait Top Bass of 2017 was my second catch of the year on the bait and fell one ounce shy of tying my buzzbait personal best. Lots of decent bass in the haul including a second five-pounder and a Top 5 of 18-6 on the lure. And I lost a pair at the boat that were at least four-pounders, scout’s honor.  Literally and figuratively, a blast.

So, there you have it on the lures. The next piece of the series will take a look at location, headed your way soon, hope you’ll tune in. Talk to you later. Troy

2017 Stats – Lures Part I

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Do you know how many bass lures I’ve amassed over the last 35 years or so?

Yeah, me neither. Probably don’t want to know.

Any guess on how many lures I used in 2017 to fool over 400 bass?

Well, stay tuned over the next two days, because I’m going to tell you.

We’ll start from the bottom of the list (fewest bass caught) and move up to the heavy hitters from there.


Alabama Rig


Alabama Rig Top Bass (details below)

Alabama Rig
Yumbrella 3-wire rig (Tennessee Shad with white swimbaits) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 13.5” 1-1 September 9 Knox County, IL public strip mine
Comments: This was a Resolution and it was fulfilled on 9/9 complete with a video and then I put the thing back in the tacklebox.


Ned Rig

Grubs
Arkie DeD Stand-up Jig head (green pumpkin) with Senko tail (electric shad) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 11” March 26 Knox County, IL public strip mine
Comments: Billed as a “Ned Rig”, this is a reputed cold water killer according to glossy magazines. It came through for me on 3/26 by enticing a bass that followed my jig & pig to the shore before losing interest and disappearing back into the depths. A cast beyond where the bass disappeared was enough to get a bite as the tidbit slowly drifted past.


Rapala Shadow Rap

Jerkbaits
Rapala Shadow Rap (blueback herring) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 10.5” October 8 Knox County, IL public strip mine
Comments: This lure is supposed to be quite effective in cold water conditions for those who know what they are doing and can exercise the patience needed for a retrieve often requiring lengthy pauses. Nope and nope for this angler but I was able to fool a lone bass on 10/8 with a more rapid retrieve before conditions got too chilly and slowed down the fish.


Chatterbait


Chatterbait Top Bass

Chatterbaits
Chatterbait (bluegill) with swimbait trailer (watermelon) – 2 bass
Top Bass: 14” 1-7 October 8 Knox County, IL public strip mine
Comments: I know a good collection of anglers swear by these baits but I’ve rarely given them much of a shot as I’m usually dialed in on something else (see Part II of this wrap-up). Fooled one bass in April and one in October but didn’t really need this weapon anytime in between.


Underspin


Underspin Top Bass

Underspins
Fish Head Underspin (white) with 4” Keitech Swing Impact (electric shad) – 2 bass
Top Bass: 15” 1-9 May 13 Knox County, IL public strip mine
Comments: Much like the chatterbait, I’ve seen some eye opening catches on these types of lures but never given much more than a few casts myself, thus some pretty meager results.


Stickbait – Zara Spook


Stickbait Top Bass

Stickbaits
Zara Spook (black shore minnow) – 3 bass
Top Bass: 16.5” 1-11 May 30 Knox County, IL public strip mine
Comments: Me and The Spook go back to the mid-80s and I could write a whole chapter in a fishing book about this bait and its impact. Not only in terms of numbers back in the day but also what it meant to me and my brother, Brent, when we were bitten by the bass fishing bug. All three of these bass came on May 30 while searching for that big bite that The Spook can produce but the best it could muster was a 1-11. Good to reconnect with an old friend, however, still remember how to “walk the dog.”


Swim Jig


Swim Jig Top Bass

Swim Jigs
Swim Jig (sexy shad) with hammertail trailer – 4 bass
Top Bass: 14” 1-9 October 8 Knox County, IL public strip mine
Comments: Not sure on the model but this may be a bait fashioned by Illinois smallmouth catcher, Jonn Graham. At any rate, this was another Resolution and it came through with flying colors on 10/8 when the bite on anything else completely shut down at mid-morning.


Creature Bait – Zoom Baby Brush Hog


Creature Bait Top Bass

Creature Baits
Zoom Baby Brush Hog (green pumpkin) – 5 bass
Top Bass: 15” 1-5 July 30 Little John Conservation Club
Comments: Similar to the jig & pig it’s fun to feel that telltale tap and lay down the hammer on ‘em when fishing this bait. Bad thing is, it’s a slower type presentation and that’s not really in my wheelhouse. If I can get away with fishing fast that is what I do so the brush hog only got a brief workout but fun to revisit an old friend that has been a solid producer over the years.

That wraps up Part I with a look at the lures that fooled a handful of scattered fish or had a particular day where they pinch hit and got bit. Part II features the baits that got a heavier workout while reeling in a darn good bunch of bass both in terms of quantity and quality. Stop by tomorrow for some pretty serious “confidence baits.” Talk to you later. Troy

2017 Stats – Intro

Posted on by Troy Jackson

For a number of years I submitted a series of fishing wrap-up posts over the winter. These posts served multiple purposes. They recapped the previous year, fueled the fire for the new one, gave me a stat fix and fed my writing habit.

Well, here we go again as I’m bringing back a look back. This time around, the series appears a little later than previous years and even comes after adding some 2018 bass to the log. It doesn’t look like I’ll be back on the water for a while though, so instead of fishing reports you get a recap. You see, I just got around to the 2017 data entry from my fishing log this week, and as a result, I’m kind of fired up to share the numbers, pics and some thoughts. And once I get a blog idea in my head, well, it usually finds its way onto the web.


2017  Bass #2 (first is pictured a little below) – March 26 Little John Conservation Club 15.5″ 1-12 Jig & Pig

Part I of the series will take a general look at the numbers, while subsequent posts will delve into lures, locations, partners and a countdown.

Let the stats, pics and two cents begin.

2017 Bass #59 – May 13 Knox County, IL public strip mine 17.5″ 3-5 Senko weighted wacky rig

Grand Totals (bass fishing only)
135.50 hours fishing
418 bass
3.08 bass/hour
Comments: I knew I caught a load of bass this year but got lazy on transferring the log data into the database and spreadsheets so I really had no idea where I was at until running the totals this week. It turns out that I established a new yearly personal best with the 416 bass, easily outdistancing my 2013 mark of 345 bass. Kind of wish I had paid closer attention as the year unfolded, could have had some exciting blog countdown going. It is worth noting, however, that the 345 bass in 2013 came in only 91.25 hours of bass fishing for a better rate of 3.78 bass/hour.


2017 Bass #1 is also 2017 Top Bass, are you kidding me? March 4 Little John Conservation Club 22.5″ 6-2 Jig & Pig

First Bass/Last Bass
March 4 – Little John Conservation Club 22.5” 6-2 Jig & Pig
December 2 – Little John Conservation Club 17” 2-4 Rapala Shad Rap
Comments: Gotta say that the 6-pound first bass of the year was pretty nuts. The only fish I caught that day and wound up being the largest catch of the year as none of the 417 to follow could measure up. A few five-pounders came close with the best being 5-11 but was technically all downhill after that first catch. The December bookend did turn out to be a decent catch as well at 2-4 and was the only fish landed on the finale. A pair of one fish days to start and finish the season but when they add up to eight and a half pounds I’m fine with the results. Not sure if a 273 day season is a record but has to be awful close if not.


2017 Bass #416 – December 2 Little John Conservation Club 17″ 2-4 Rapala Shad Rap

Top 5 Weight
26-13 (6-2,5-11,5-9,5-0,4-7)
Comments: The 2017 total establishes a new personal Top 5 best going back to the kickoff of the project in 2014 and likely my all-time mark though I have yet to do the research to make it official. My previous Top 5 best was 22-12 in 2015 so got a pretty substantial boost, just over four pounds. Included in my creel was my first ever six-pounder although not a personal best as I do have one over seven in the ledger.

2017 Bass #182 – July 23 a cool 50th birthday gift from Little John Conservation Club 19″ 3-8 Buzzbait 

Based on these numbers, I’d have to say that 2017 was my best year ever when it comes to bass fishing. Pretty cool to coincide with the introduction of my own website back on May 1. I did hit it a little harder in an effort to provide plenty of fishing content but even so, I must say that the bass sure helped me out and even made me feel kind of smart every now and then.

Plenty more stats where these came from over the next week or so to fill my self-imposed blogging quota and keep me outdoor occupied until I get another shot to actually get outdoors. Talk to your later. Troy

2018 Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

We have our second limit of 2018 in the books and while not quite as impressive as the initial limit submitted by our 2016 and 2017 champ, it’s the best I could do. Truly just happy to get on the board with some open water February bass. My submissions follow and here’s to more on the way with spring on the horizon.

(Note: Click here for Top 5 rules for those who wish to join the fun)

Weight: 1-7 (15”)
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: February 27
Location: Little John Conservation Club
Lure: Rapala Shad Rap SR07 (blue)
Structure: Shoreline brush/dropoff
Angler Comments: Eleven minutes into casting for 2018 and I had my first bass and the kickoff to my Top 5. I’d take a bite that early on any trip but such rapid February feedback nearly caught me off guard.

Weight: 0-15 (13”)
Lure: Rapala Shad Rap SR07 (blue)
Structure: Shoreline brush/dropoff
Angler Comments: Did not take long to land Top 5 bass number two and falling just short of a pound didn’t bother me in the least. Much of the fun on the early season outings is simply establishing that initial Top 5 baseline knowing that upgrades will come with future time on the water.

Weight: 2-6 (17”)
Lure: Rapala Shad Rap SR07 (blue)
Structure: Dropoff
Angler Comments: Third bass of the day was another “keeper” and would wind up being Top Bass for the day. Less than an hour into casting I was feeling pretty good about landing a limit on my first outing of the year.

Weight: 1-2 (13.5”)
Lure: Strike King Red Eye Shad (sexy shad)
Structure: Flat/dropoff
Angler Comments: A slack period on the Shad Rap and no interest on a jig and pig was reason for a changeup and the Red Eye Shad produced on about the third cast. However, this was the only fish that I’d fool on the bait.

Weight: 1-5 (14.5”)
Lure: Rapala Shad Rap SR07 (blue)
Structure: Overhanging brush/drop
Angler Comments: After a lull of nearly 90 minutes without a bite I completed my Top 5 on the first cast after a quick lunch break to gobble down a sandwich. Mission accomplished, only one short fish landed after this one. Looking forward to the next chance to get on the water, thankful for a limit but eager to displace them.
Top 5 Weight: 7-3 (2-6,1-7,1-5,1-2,0-15)

For the second straight year, a pair of limits were in the books before we reached March. Off to a solid start and looking forward to continued contributions as conditions improve. Send them my way at troy@troyjacksonoutdoors.com and stop back by for the regular Monday updates as well as monthly stat updates beginning in April. Best of luck out there, always up for a fish story. Talk to you later. Troy

Boys’ Afternoon Out

Posted on by Troy Jackson

My boy, Jayce, has been itching to go fishing since last year but our latest plans have been foiled by the topsy turvy nature of Mother Nature. First up was a cancelled icefishing outing two weekends ago as the ice deteriorated to unsafe conditions. Then last weekend ended just a day before some balmy February temps rolled in.

Well, with one sister spending an overnight at Gramaw and Papa’s and the other sister on a shopping trip with Mom and a friend, it was on for some father-sons time. Today was forecast for 50 degrees and hit the mark late afternoon so me, Jayce and Zac decided to use our guy time to hit a local pond. Here’s some pics and notes on how it all went down.

Probably should know better, but these guys are pretty convincing

Preparations and Provisions – Before we hit the water we had to grab some waxworms and replenish the split shot that I could not find in our tackle. Oh yeah, that also turned into a couple grape sodas, a batch of Sour Patch Kids and a bag of Hershey’s Cookies and Cream Drops (some of both of these items later became fish food when tossed into the fishing hole). In addition, we spotted some discounted fishing shades on the rack so both of these guys now look like cooler fishermen.

“Wind from the east, fish bite the least” proved true on this day

Fishing Lessons – I got to impart some fishing knowledge as a dad is prone to do, actually expected to do.  We learned that the old adage “wind from the east, fish bite the least” was right on target for this outing.  I also pointed out what has long been a sound that is synonymous with fishing as we identified the call of the red-winged blackbird (boys also left them some Sour Patch morsels).  Not anything uncommon or generally worth even a passing glance to most but a very significant bird to me, my brother and Dad as an integral part of the soundtrack of strip mine and farm pond fishing.

Rockin’, rollin’ and fishin’

Trip Tunes – Of course, we had to jam to the radio on the ride and I had the boys singing the old Foghat tune “Slow Ride” to kick off the trip. Unfortunately, they later made me stop at that Chumbawamba piece entitled “Tubthumping” as we scanned the presets. I pondered if a drinking song was appropriate but then figured that they had no clue, anyway. And, after all, my Foghat cut ain’t exactly about a Sunday drive. Later, “Mr. Brownstone” (the clean version) by Guns N Roses and AC/DCs “Thunderstruck” graced the airwaves with a couple oblivious, smaller versions of me just rocking out, clueless of the lyrical content.

My fishing buddies

Quotes

Jayce on our prospects in the cold murky water: “We’ll probably just catch moss and crap.”

Zac when messing with how much force he could exert on the digital scale: “Whoa, I pulled it to 9 pounds 19 ounces!”

With shade, wind and sunset moving in, I told the boys that my fingers were getting cold so time to pack it up. Jayce replied, “Yeah, I can’t feel mine either.” I was proud of the guys as they were too busy having fun to worry about numbness.

That first quote from Jayce pretty much summed it up and I can’t say that I was the least bit surprised. After all, it’s early March and the water had a murky off colored look, can’t imagine the fish were real fired up at this point. So, it was off on a run to the border for some takeout grub since we had no fish to fill our bellies.

Refueling after some fresh air with eight cheesy rollups, nacho fries and some kind of bowl

As you can see, even without a bite, these young boys and their not so young fishing guide always know how to have a good time. Talk to you later. Troy

Strip Mine Report – 2/27

Posted on by Troy Jackson

10:06am First 2018 Bass 15″ 1-7 Rapala Shad Rap

Thank you, Mother Nature!

Ain’t been much of a fan of this winter (or any other for that matter) so I was quite excited with the warming trend to end February that wound up producing 60 degree temperatures earlier this week. Throw in some rain followed by some sun and you had the formula for some rare February open water conditions in my neck of the woods. According to my log, the last time I had a chance to chase some February bass was 2012 so I was not about to let this year’s opportunity slip by. In fact, I was so desperate that I even sacrificed a vacation day. Turned out to be the right decision.


Somewhere around 40 years and still rowing strong (and that’s ice at top of the photo)

Stats

Date: February 27, 2018
Location: Little John Conservation Club
Time: 9:55am-2:40pm
Weather: Partly cloudy to sunny/windy to very windy
Air Temp: 46-63F
Water Temp: no reading but ice on about a quarter of the lake
Totals: 7 bass
Lures:
Rapala Shad Rap SR07 (blue) – 6 bass
Strike King Red Eye Shad (sexy shad) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 2-6 Rapala Shad Rap
Top 5 Weight: 7-3 (2-6,1-7,1-5,1-2,0-15)

10:13am Bass #2 13″ 0-15 Rapala Shad Rap

Notes & Nonsense

87 – The number of days between bass catches, 12/2/2017 to 2/27/18. Not positive but believe that is a new personal best.

Rapid Reward – Eleven minutes into the day I had my first 2018 bass in the boat, a decent 1-7 on the Rapala Shad Rap. I’d take having to wait eleven minutes for my first catch any day of the year but on a February day just after ice out, well, that’s certainly some quick feedback. Does wonders for a guy’s confidence, made my day and accomplished my goal. And I still had close to five hours left to fish.

10:42am Top Bass 17″ 2-6 Rapala Shad Rap

Top Bass – With my first bass being a “keeper” (any bass over 12”), it kicked off my Top 5 quest for another year. Only four more to go at that point and seven minutes later bass number two came aboard, adding only 15 ounces to my creel but one fish closer to an early season limit. I had to wait about a half an hour for bass number three but it was worth the wait as it would be my Top Bass of the trip at 2-6. All three of these fish came on the Shad Rap and had me thinking that I may just get that Top 5 completed before I called it a day.

11:25am 13.5″ 1-2 Red Eye Shad

1:00pm 14.5″ 1-5 Rapala Shad Rap (dig this shot with all of the ice in background)

Top 5 –While I was just hoping to get on the board with my first 2018 bass, the fact that I was able to fill out my Top 5 was definitely a bonus. Although the air temps were quite comfortable, that water was still awfully cold. In fact, about a quarter of the lake remained ice covered. Turns out that six of my seven bass met the mark, meaning these early season bass were some overachievers in helping me out. I found it funny upon doing the math at the end of the day that the weight came out to 7-3, the exact same weight as my personal best bass.

Sure feels good to write a fishing report although the Cabin Fever layoff sure could have been a lot worse. Looks like the weekend has some temps in the 50s and I’ve got one boy who is really itching to fish after Mother Nature put a damper on a proposed icefishing outing a couple weeks ago. Stay tuned to see if we get an outing in and stop back by for a Top 5 update and rule recap coming soon. Talk to you later. Troy

Blog Banner – Fishin’ Fools

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Well, we made it, 28 days in a row for this thing and will finish with my favorite picture of the bunch, always brings a smile.

Just a couple fishin’ fools, all dressed up with somewhere to go.  From the looks of these guys, the fish don’t stand a chance.

This one comes from July 23, 2012 which was birthday #45 for me. Dad told me he would take me anywhere for my birthday, a meal, a movie, Bass Pro Shops, Vegas, whatever. He’s retired, had a free day, so up to me.

I chose the creek (remember, that rhymes with stick, right).

Okay, so that’s not really how it went down but the July 23 birthday thing is true. And for a lot of years, he and I have gotten together to chase some fish on or around that date. This time we chose a spot we call “Pat’s Creek” and armed with a couple containers of dew worms we were ready for whatever swims there. That’s the fun of wading the creek as you never know what will pull on the end of your line.

Dad (Terry), Brent and Bub Jackson

Dad (Terry) and Troy Jackson

Troy, Brent and Terry Jackson

Today’s picture and the additional samples serve to convey family fishing at its finest. A rod and reel (or some bankpoles), some livebait, whatever old clothes you don’t care about, a pair of “creek shoes” and getting right after the fish right where they live. Really don’t get much more basic than that and here’s how I summed up the July 23, 2012  trip in an excerpt from the original fishing report posted on July 24, 2012.

“A creek is always a wonderful hike and traipsing the same ground for thirty or forty years as we have gives you an intimate sense of just how dynamic such a habitat can be. We told the same stories again for the umpteenth time and they were just as good. We listened to catbirds, once again dusted off our old creek shoes, ate sandwiches with a touch of dew worm, fish slime and creek mud, traversed the maze (or maize) that is a mature cornfield, contended with nettles, poison ivy and hidden, underwater toe stubbers and said hello yet again to places like The Roots, The Culvert and The German Torpedo (tales for another day). I guess the only thing missing on our fishing trip was some decent fish. But, you know what, I achieved what I set out to accomplish, enjoying a slice of my birthday with a fishing pole and a longtime fishing partner.”

So, with the picture of these two goofballs, I’ll call it a wrap on the month long “Blog Banner” series. Today’s picture was one of those instances that just deserved to be preserved and I am grateful that a camera has been a steady companion over the years. I must say that the addition of a written memory to accompany the pictures has also provided quite a treat upon developing this writing habit back in 2002. Sure hope some fellow outdoor enthusiasts can find some common ground when they get a chance to stop by.

Since you now know the rest of the story on the 28 pics that greet you here on the website, they are gonna stick around for a while longer. But look for a new Blog Banner coming your way this spring. And also look for the first fishing report and the second Top 5 update of 2018 headed your way soon. Talk to you later. Troy

Blog Banner – The Pig

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Did I ever tell you about a place called Emiquon?

Why, of course, I did.

In fact, a couple other Blog Banner pictures have featured fish and data from the interesting and productive fishing hole. I’ve got nothing firsthand to report from the last several years but reliable sources indicate that there’s still plenty of  bass down there.  Just a little tougher to find and fool.

Since this posting is headed towards a look at bass “guts”, here’s a different example of a stocky, well-fed Emiquon resident

Back in the days when I visited Emiquon (2009-2013) it produced an amazing combination of quantity and quality. The bass featured today was landed in July 2012 and came on a day when I had to work for the quantity aspect although a 23 bass day on most public waters is pretty solid in my book. Quality, however, never faltered on any of my outings down there and this day was no exception as 22 of the 23 bass measured 13” or better. That’s a 96% “keeper” rate with my definition of “keeper” being 12” or better (only a categorical label as all are released). Folks, that’s just crazy and the lone “short” fish came in at 11”.

But today’s featured fish was something else altogether. The picture does a good job of accentuating it’s build but in person it truly looked freakish, in a good way. This catch only measured 18” in length but tipped the scales at a whopping 4-11. By comparison, the weights of all other 18” bass in my database (37 bass) range from 2-3 to 3-8 with an average weight of 2-13, nearly two pounds lighter than this beast. The dozen bass in the database whose weights range from 4-9 to 4-13 measure from 20” to 22” (see comparison below).

August 11, 2003 at 4-13 and 21.5″ in length, Knox County, IL strip mine

Another shot of “The Pig” at 4-11 and only 18″ in length

In addition, the fish below was the runner-up on the day at 2-8. And it measured 17.5” in length. Yep, only a half inch shorter but over two pounds lighter. A solid fish in its own right but not even close, just plain weird.

Healthy runner up to “The Pig” at 17.5″ and 2-8 but really no comparison in build

So weird, in fact, that this is the only fish that I have ever caught that was given a nickname, hence the title of this posting referring to “The Pig.” Here’s an excerpt from the original fishing report that I submitted back on July 17, 2012 that describes the origin of the nickname.

“The fish pictured above (couldn’t help but use two pictures for this freak) grabbed my Red Eye Shad as it blazed along the outside of a ditch between some deeper tree tops and the shallower weed edge. My first glimpse of the football had me talking aloud in saying, ‘Man, that’s a good one.’ Just like my crankbait, the Boga Grip found its mark on a lip and I brought my trophy aboard still talking to myself stating, ‘Oh, that’s a pig’ in a sincere and excited complimentary fashion. In fact, I was so enthused that I even gave a fist pump as I put down my rod. I can’t imagine the feeling of fooling a good one ever getting old. Equally as fulfilling was watching it swim away after posing for a couple pictures with its biggest fan.”

And still a fan to this day. No doubt that it belonged when selecting pictures for the visual introduction to an outdoor website like no other. Talk to you later. Troy