Eclipse Week Fishing Report 8/20-8/21

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Since a couple vacation days in early August wound up returned in favor of work, I thought I’d try it again this week to coincide with the Eclipse. In addition, Julie was still a couple days away from having any kids at the aftercare program and all of ours were starting their first full week of school, so the stars were aligned. Always a roller coaster ride, however, when it comes to having a “plan.”

  

Flying solo but could’ve been 30 years ago, same place with Hack, JJ or Catfish.  These days editing GoPro footage by firelight, those days jamming on Apetite for Destruction or Guitar Town.

Stats
Date: August 20-21, 2017
Locations: Knox County, IL strip mines (2 lakes)
Time: 7:00-8:00pm (8/20) and 6:25-7:25am (8/21)
Weather: Partly cloudy/breezy (8/20) and Overcast to mostly ugly (8/21)
Air Temp: 80F (8/20) and 66F (8/21)
Water Temp: no reading
Totals: 9 bass (7 on 8/20 and 2 on 8/21)
Lures:
Booyah Buzz Buzzbait (Snow White shad) – 8 bass
5” Senko wacky rig (pumpkin with black flake) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 5-11 Senko
Top 5 Weight: 9-9 (5-11,1-1,1-1,1-0,0-12)

Notes & Nonsense

The Plan – Three days, two nights flying solo camping and fishing. Leave Sunday afternoon (left home at 5:00pm), camp overnight, fish Monday through Eclipse and return home to meet the kids at 3:00pm after school. Return to campsite that evening after Julie finishes up a back to school activity at 6:00pm. Overnight again and fish all day Tuesday with an evening return.

Best laid plans thwarted by Mother Nature, this pic does not do justice to the weirdness and ensuing ugliness.

Reality – Hour of fishing Sunday as planned after setting up camp. Peaceful and uneventful overnight with a nice campfire and some Miller Lites. One hour of fishing on Eclipse Day morning before some wicked skies sent me packing. Tried to wait out the storm but waved the white flag at 10:30am amidst thunder, lightning and some heavy rains. Tear down and pack in a shower and home by noon. Monday night camping called off with more t-storms forecast the bulk of overnight but looking to be casting Tuesday morning at sunrise if storms have run their course as predicted.

Eclipse Eve – solid start and looking forward to bigger and better things…

Eclipse Eve Fishing – 7:00pm to 8:00pm on a lake I haven’t visited for a while with an all-out buzzbait blitz due to limited window until sunset. Conditions are favorable with partly cloudy skies, a little color to the water and light chop. Seven bass come aboard but lacking a lunker with Top Bass at 1-1. Solid start, happy with the results and looking forward to the next launch in about ten hours.

Eclipse Day Fishing – Thought it would be fun to fish through the partial eclipse just to say I did, if nothing else. The fun started right off the bat with a 5-11 on a Senko wacky rig but was short lived with only one more fish (11.5” on a buzzbait) before the skies got scary, opened up and sent me home.

Eclipse Day Bass – short lived outing but got the bite you dream of when the heavens align

Top Bass – I caught my 5-11 less than ten minutes into my outing after my first two proven buzzbait spots failed to produce a strike. Stop number three is a solid Senko wacky rig area amidst some overhanging bushes so I changed it up and it came through yet again on the first cast to the tune of my largest Senko bass and the fifth biggest bass ever. Pretty wild as I never felt the hit, just saw the line moving to the right and reeled down and set the hook anticipating the usual pound and a half fish from the spot. A few tense moments with the 10-pound Trilene on my spinning rig before I got a look and knew I had something special. Airborne at one point and a missed first attempt with my Boga Grip had me nervous but it was meant to be and saved what would be a real short day on the water.

Casualties – Unfortunately no GoPro footage on the Top Bass as it bit the dust somehow while editing footage around the campfire the previous night. Julie mentioned that the fellow dropped it at purchase and said bring it back if any issues so got that on my to-do list. In addition, I thought I knocked my Fuji camera overboard after taking a spill on my tripod and crushing it when I lost my balance as my boat coasted into the bank. Not really sure on this one but had replaced the batteries after shooting pics of the big fish and apparently (and fortunately) did not re-attach to the tripod. I was kicking myself for the last half hour about losing the camera and all the pics on it before finding it safe and sound in one of my utility boxes. Thank goodness, strange turn of events, some days the mind and body let you know that they’ve seen better days.

Some highs and lows all in the span of about sixteen hours, better than being at work but some real weird and nervous outdoor moments had me wondering if I was better off inside. But still made the right choice in the overall evaluation of this adventure and hopefully it’s not over yet. If you are reading this as it hits the press, I intend to be on a pre-dawn drive to chase some more of those Knox County, IL strip mine bass, same as it ever was. Talk to you later. Troy

Summer Wrap – Lake Storey

Posted on by Troy Jackson

A visit to Lake Storey is always a treat for our family. I was born and raised in Galesburg, IL and spent 47 of my 50 years living and working in the community. All of our kids were born there and my folks, siblings and their kids still call Galesburg home. Therefore, a visit to the campground, park and pool is typically a mini family reunion and a good time is had by all.

  

Rating: 5.0 Marshmallows (scale 1-5 Marshmallows with 5 being tops, rating is average of six family member votes)

Location: Lake Storey near Galesburg, IL (Knox County)
Camping: Allison Lake Storey Campground with 149 sites (21 full hookup, 88 electric and 40 primitive)
Attractions: Lakeside Pool (passes included with camping fee), Lake Storey Beach and Pavilion, park and athletic fields, paved lakeside trail, nearby Bunker Links Golf Course
Fishing: Lake Storey (133 acres) featuring largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, bullhead, muskie and some trophy carp. Trolling motor only restriction with watercraft rental available (johnboat, canoe and paddle boat).
Hiking/Trails: Just over 2.5 mile paved path on north side of lake and numerous unmarked trails through the surrounding timber

  

Our late July three day-two night camping trip was a winner once again. Plenty of family members stopped by to hang out and/or swim, a welcome bonus to the overall outdoor fun. A daybreak fishing trip with my brother, Brent, was also a success although our destination was some Knox County strip mines as opposed to Lake Storey as one drawback to the lake is the abundant weed growth in the summer. Give it a few more weeks when the annual fall drawdown drops the water level and I’ll likely be headed back for a traditional fall visit or two.

Many stories and adventures at this area over the years and a few more every time we return. This time around it included one of the kids getting sick behind the tent and another actually “watering” a tent during a bathroom break. Never a dull moment with kids in the outdoors. I’m sure my Mom and Dad can attest as well.

Family Poll: What did you like most about Lake Storey?

Helena: “I like Galesburg even though there’s nothing there anymore, Bath and Body even left the mall.”
Carly: “I like that you can walk to the pool and that we had enough room for two tents.”
Jayce: “Swimming.”
Zac: “Swimming.”
Mom: “Love the pool, amenities are close and the rebuilding of the campground playground equipment.”
Dad: “A lot boils down to nostalgia having camped or fished at Lake Storey as far back as I can remember. Some locals run the area down but I think it truly is a gem for all ages.”

Our family is sold on this location both for the fun and the homecoming aspect of the visits. Been on the return list since moving to the Quad Cities area (IL side) and no doubt will remain a favorite destination. Talk to you later. Troy

Summer Wrap – Johnson Sauk Trail

Posted on by Troy Jackson

About a 40-minute drive into neighboring Henry County, IL is Johnson-Sauk Trail State Recreation Area which features a little bit of everything for the outdoor enthusiast. Over the years, I’ve had the occasion to do some camping, hiking and boating at the spot along with a little bit of fishing quite a few years ago. I had not visited the park since the early 2000’s so I was interested to see how my recollection matched up with the current state of the site. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised, our family enjoyed the day exploring and I definitely feel that it is on the “return visit” list at some point.

Rating: 4.0 Marshmallows (scale 1-5 Marshmallows with 5 being tops, rating is average of six family member votes)

Location: Johnson-Sauk Trail State Recreation Area, north of Kewanee, IL (Henry County)
Camping: 70 sites with electrical hook-ups (Class A) and 25 walk-in/tent only (Class C)
Attractions: Red Earth Café restaurant (check ‘em out on Facebook), camp store and Ryan’s Round Barn
Fishing: Johnson-Sauk Trail Lake (58 acres) featuring largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, bullhead, muskie and northern pike. Trolling motor only restriction with watercraft rental available (johnboat, kayak and paddle boat).
Hiking/Trails: Well signed, well maintained, easy to moderate rating and less than a mile on most trails, all aspects were a perfect fit for our crew

This will get your attention regarding fishing potential, 48″ muskie caught in 2003

Loons fit the bill

 

Ottawa Trail featured a very interesting tree 

Attached the GoPro to the boys on the trails, got some very interesting footage

Family Poll: What did you like most about Johnson-Sauk Trail?

Helena: “There were many trails so lots of options to choose from.”
Carly: “All the flowers and trees and the way they named the trails.”
Jayce: “Hiking with a GoPro.” (That’s a video camera, not his term for either of his folks.)
Zac: “The picnic because of the Mountain Dew.”
Mom: “I liked getting back to some plant ID.”
Dad: “Tree and plant ID with the girls as well as the lake which looked quite appealing unlike a visit many years ago when it was extremely weed choked. Several fishing pics in the camp store also caught my eye.”

(Note: plant ID mentioned by both parents, more on that aspect in future postings.)

Been many years since Julie and I had paid a visit and a different lifestyle back then in the days before kids. Several times in the past we had camped with a large group of friends who were all kid-free as well. Just a bit more of a challenge these days in terms of logistics and entertainment whether a day trip or overnight outing. I’d say that Johnson-Sauk Trail has what it takes for this bunch and some further exploration in the future. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Good news and bad news for this week’s update.

Good news first, we have an August bass. Our first of 2017 and only the sixth entry for August over the history of the Top 5 dating back to 2014.

Bad news is, we have an August bass, as in one lone fish for the month. Still over half a month to boost that total so what do you say we give it a go? Now, on to an example of how to get it done.

Weight: 2-5
Angler: Paul Kessler
Date: August 5
Location: Emiquon Preserve
Lure: Bass Pro Crack Craw (Blue Flex)
Top 5 Weight: 10-15 (3-4,2-12,2-10,2-5)

Well done, Paul, and thanks for continuing to plug away and fool one during the dog days. Here’s the challenge to anyone who wishes to play along, let’s shoot for at least five more August bass to break our 2014-2016 running total of five bass on our way to a strong finish in the remaining months of our 2017 quest. Talk to you later. Troy

Summer Wrap – Hennepin Canal

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Now, when you talk Hennepin Canal, it can mean a whole lot of locations as the waterway consists of a main canal and feeder canal that traverse five northern Illinois counties and cover just over 100 miles.  The canal terminates at the Rock River near Colona, IL just a few miles from our home and several of us paid a visit earlier this year to that section for some fishing (click here).  However, this time our stop on the canal was just northeast of Sheffield, IL for a relatively brief walk around.

Unfortunately, the Visitor Center was closed at the time of our visit.  It’s been quite a few years since I took in the displays it offers but recall that it was certainly worth a look as it features a neat mix of the area’s history, both the natural and the man-made kinds.  We did take a hike across the bridge at the site, found some “secret” steps leading to the towpath and, of course, threw some sticks and walnuts into the water from high up on the bridge and low down at the lock.

   

Rating: 3.1 Marshmallows
(Scale of 1-5 Marshmallows, 5 is tops, rating is average of six family member votes)

Location: Hennepin Canal State Parkway near Sheffield, IL
Attractions: Visitor Center and Bridge #15
Camping: none at our stop but several along the length including a campground north of Geneseo, IL where our family camped back in 2007 (only two girls way back then).
Hiking/Trails:  The entire length of the canal is bordered by a towpath providing 155 miles of level hiking path.  Bikes and horses are also welcome although there are some stipulations.


Family Poll: What did you like most about the Hennepin Canal State Parkway?

Helena: “The bridge because of how old it was and liked throwing walnuts off of it.”
Carly: “I liked the big bridge because you could ride bikes on it and I liked looking down at the water and watching the sticks float by that we threw in.”
Jayce: “The view from the bridge and the face someone made on a tree.”
Zac: “The caterpillar hanging over the water and finding a knife.” (see pic below, kind of a weapon theme on our outings along with earlier Wildcat Den review)
Mom: “I liked throwing stuff from the bridge.”
Dad: “Fun to look at structures that were built between 1892 and 1907 and think of the human effort and ingenuity involved in the feat.  While it never panned out as a feasible commercial waterway it sure provides an extensive outdoor corridor over a hundred years later.”

Similar to Wildcat Den (click here), a weapon found by Zac, luckily, also not real

Tough for the kids to get an overall feel for this spot as it was a brief stop at the end of a full afternoon and they were just antsy to get home.  I would like to give it a return trip at some point when we can take in the Visitor Center and perhaps give camping a go somewhere along the line.  I’ve also been interested in giving fishing a try but never got around to it and not really sure where best to invest my time.  Got a few ideas but always open for any tips that anybody out there wants to send me via the email link on the page.

Top 5 Update tomorrow and another park review later in the week.  Talk to you later.  Troy

Summer Wrap – Wildcat Den

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Kind of overdue on this project which was intended to provide a family oriented review and evaluation of our park visits throughout Summer Break. In fact, I had a rough draft of an introductory posting in my “In Progress” folder that was originally scheduled to post in mid-June. Oh well, too many fishing reports in the meantime put the concept on hold, nice problem to have. So, instead, you get a sort of “what we did on our Summer vacation” blitz as we complete our final days before back to school.

Kicking it off is a look back at a pre-Summer visit (actually Mother’s Day weekend) to Wildcat Den State Park in Muscatine County, IA. This marked our first ever trip to this location which was recommended by a couple folks more familiar with the Quad City area nature attractions as we are relative newcomers (still tough to believe this is our fourth summer up here though).

The plan was an afternoon/evening trip for some hiking, a picnic supper and some general exploring. The short jaunt did not disappoint as related in the following review.

Rating: 4.2 Marshmallows (scale 1-5 Marshmallows with 5 being tops, rating is average of six family member votes)

Location: About 8 miles east of Muscatine, IA and 15 miles west of Davenport, IA
Camping: Old school with no electrical service, pit toilets, no showers
Attractions: Pine Creek Grist Mill (built in 1848) and old Melpine Schoolhouse, several picnic areas and two playgrounds
Hiking/Trails: Our limited hike featured a well-kept trail with towering bluffs, a sidetrack to Pine Creek, several bridges and wooden steps along with a walk through “Fat Man’s Squeeze.”

       

Family Poll: What did you like most about Wildcat Den?

Helena: “The old schoolhouse.”
Carly: “Everything.”
Jayce: “The bluffs, the rocks, climbing over the roots and seeing a dead duck.”
Zac: “The weapons.” (see pic below for further explanation)
Mom: “It was a positive experience for our first family hiking trip. I liked hearing all the kids talking about how much fun they had, how cool it was and that they want to return.”
Dad: “Fun to see how the plant life finds a foothold on the towering bluffs, nature always finds a way to get it done.”

And to complete the trip, a snake and some “weapons” (butcher knife, boomerang, staff and katana)

Just can’t beat the great outdoors as the boys enjoyed running wild and imagining while the girls got a kick out of gaining some knowledge about the flora and history of this unique piece of The Hawkeye State. It’s definitely worth a peek if you are looking for a cool changeup in the typical landscape. I’m guessing we’ll be back as there are plenty more trails and landmarks to explore. Talk to later. Troy

Top 5 Stats

Posted on by Troy Jackson


July 8 Terry Jackson (aka Dad) 3-8 Senko

Another month, another update as July proved to be a comeback sort of month after a disappointing June where no new entries showed up in the Inbox (or on the end of my line).

2017 Totals (* = new record)
*January = 1 bass (no previous entries)
*February = 13 bass (old record 7 in 2016)
March = 10 bass
April = 11 bass
May = 13 bass
June = 0 bass
July = 11 bass


July 8 Troy Jackson 5-0 Buzzbait

Top 5 Weight by Month (* = new record)
*January = 2-11 (2-11) no previous record
February = 21-5 (5-2,4-14,4-2,3-15,3-4)
March = 22-15 (6-2,4-11,4-9,4-3,3-6)
April = 25-0 (6-0,5-15,5-9,3-14,3-10)
May = 26-14 (6-15,5-8,5-4,5-2,4-1)
June = no submissions
July = 21-0 (5-0,4-12,4-7,3-8,3-5)


July 15 Brent Jackson 1-5 Buzzbait

Boat vs. Bank
Boat = 49 bass
Bank = 10 bass

Boat vs. Bank Weight
Boat = 30-9 (6-15,6-2,6-0,5-15,5-9)
Bank = 20-2 (5-2,4-1,3-14,3-10,3-7)


July 15 Brent Jackson 1-6 Senko

Public vs. Private
Public = 29 bass
Private = 30 bass

Public vs. Private Top 5 Weight
Public = 27-3 (6-0,5-15,5-4,5-2,4-14)
Private = 29-4 (6-15,6-2,5-9,5-8,5-2)


July 16 4-12 Randy Sampson Sr. Fluke

The Baits (* = new record)
Crankbaits = 15 bass (Top Bass 6-0 Randy Sampson Sr.)
Jigs = 9 bass (Top Bass 6-2 Troy Jackson)
Plastic Worm = 7 bass (Tie-Top Bass 3-5 Troy Jackson, Terry Jackson)
Jerkbait = 5 bass (Top Bass 5-4 Jake Bresson)
Swim Jigs = 5 bass (Top Bass 5-2 Jake Bresson)
*Buzzbaits = 5 bass (Top Bass 5-9 Troy Jackson)
Old record 5-8 Terry Isbell 9/14/14
Lipless Crankbaits = 3 bass (Top Bass 4-3 Bruce Zilkowski)
Spinnerbait = 3 bass (Top Bass 2-12 Paul Kessler)
Underspins = 2 bass (Top Bass 5-2 Mark Balbinot)
*Creature Bait = 2 bass (Top Bass 6-15 Mark Balbinot)
Old record 6-1 Jeff Marshall 5/23/14
*Propbait = 1 bass (Top Bass 4-7 Troy Jackson)
No previous record
Swimbait = 1 bass (Top Bass 4-12 Randy Sampson Sr.)
Tube = 1 bass (Top Bass 4-1 Jake Bresson)

Monthly Top Bass (* = new record)
January
*2-11 Mark Balbinot (no previous record)
February
5-2 Mark Balbinot
March
6-2 Troy Jackson
April
6-0 Randy Sampson Sr.
May
6-15 Mark Balbinot
June
No submissions
July
5-0 Troy Jackson


July 17 Troy Jackson 4-7 Whopper Plopper

Top 10 Bass (* = new Top 10 all-time)
*6-15  Mark Balbinot 5/13 (#7 all-time)
6-2   Troy Jackson 3/4
6-0   Randy Sampson Sr. 4/15
5-15 Mark Balbinot 4/14
5-9   Troy Jackson 4/25
5-8   Mark Balbinot 5/13
5-4   Jake Bresson Late May
5-2   Mark Balbinot 2/26
5-2   Jake Bresson 5/20
5-0   Troy Jackson 7/8

Angler Weights
27-10   Mark Balbinot (6-15,5-15,5-8,5-2,4-2)
24-10    Troy Jackson (6-2,5-9,5-0,4-7,3-8)
23-11   Randy Sampson Sr. (6-0,4-14,4-12,4-11,3-6)
22-1    Jake Bresson (5-4,5-2,4-1,4-0,3-10)
18-0    Bruce Zilkowski (4-9,4-3,3-15,3-0,2-5)
8-10    Paul Kessler (3-4,2-12,2-10)
8-4 Brent Jackson (3-2,1-6,1-5,1-5,1-2)
5-6 Terry Jackson (3-5,1-3,0-14)


July 23 Troy Jackson 3-8 Buzzbait

Bonus Species – Northern Pike
Total = 54.5” Jake Bresson (33.5”,21.0”) both on Tubes

Bonus Species – Green Sunfish
0-13 Jayce Jackson

Bonus Species – Muskie
Total = 131” Jake Bresson (47”,31”,29”24”) on Rapala X-Rap
 
Bonus Species – Walleye
Total = 118” Jake Bresson (26.5”,26.0”,25.5”,20”,20”) on Rapala X-Rap or jig & minnow
 
August is usually a rough one for the Top 5 with only 5 entries in the first three years.  Of course, if you’ve racked up a decent batch of fish already, it’s not quite as easy to beef up your haul.  But the fish don’t go on vacation, just got to find ‘em and fool ‘em as usual.  Best of luck to anyone out there giving it a shot, send ‘em this way if you get ‘em.  Talk to you later.  Troy

Strip Mine Report 7/30

Posted on by Troy Jackson

All of the kids went to my folks’ for the weekend so I got a shot at another unexpected fishing trip (and Julie and I actually got to go out for dinner two nights in a row, been many years).  My fishing destination was the Knox County, IL strip mines bright and early last Sunday morning to see if I could find some more bass.

Stats

Date: July 30, 2017
Locations: Knox County, IL strip mines (2 private, 1 public)
Time: 5:35am-11:45am (5.25 hours fishing)
Weather: Sunny/breezy to windy
Air Temp: 60-78F
Water Temp: no reading
Totals: 12 bass
Lures:
Booyah Buzz Buzzbait (chartreuse white shad) – 7 bass
Mann’s Baby 1- crankbait (copper) – 2 bass
5” Senko wacky rig (pumpkin with black flake) – 2 bass
Zoom Baby Brush Hog (green pumpkin) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 1-13 Mann’s Baby 1- crankbait
Top 5 Weight: 6-8 (1-13,1-5,1-3,1-3,1-0)

Notes & Nonsense

6:35am 14.5″ 1-3 Senko                                                                                           6:44am 12.5″ 1-0 Buzzbait

On Time Arrival – My intent on these early morning outings is to get on the water right about the time that it is getting light enough to see what I’m doing.  With a drive of roughly an hour, that means getting up around 3:30am to put the finishing touches on breakfast, pack a lunch, get dressed and load the few remaining pieces of gear.  This time around I hit everything just about right and made my first cast at 5:35am.  First bass showed up twenty five minutes later on a buzzbait after my first three go to spots let me down.  The first “keeper” came aboard at the one hour mark amidst a bite that was enough to keep me interested but not the daybreak flurry I was seeking.  At times I wonder if I actually get up before the bass and if that whole early bird thing does not apply when it is man versus fish.


7:05am 14.5″ 1-3 Buzzbait                                                                                                   8:15am 15″ 1-5 Baby Brush Hog  

Plan B – By 9:10am it was time to shift gears as two typically productive lakes had failed to give up any of the big bites I was seeking on the buzzbait.  I had nine bass on several different presentations with four at 12” or better but the heaviest was only 1-5.  I still had at least a couple more hours to fish so I decided to wing it and tackle a reunion trip I’d contemplated since 2011, the last time I fished an off the beaten path, public spot that I call Locust Lake.

Locust Lake – This destination requires a portage from another body of water and upon dragging my boat to the area I was met with a frequent hint of something dead wafting through the air.  I figured it might be a dead deer or something until I caught a glimpse of Locust Lake through the surrounding reed forest.  Dead bass and bluegill littered the nasty brown water and a dying mat of slimy surface vegetation covering the majority of the lake.  Well, I’d invested about twenty minutes to get there so I decided to go ahead and explore although I didn’t hold out much hope for success.

Dead Sea Results – Rowing through the mossy surface I spooked a handful of bluegill and several bass when crossing the scattered open water areas on the lake.  And about ten minutes into casting I had a 12.5” keeper on a buzzbait.  Several minutes later I landed a second bass at 13.5” on the Mann’s Baby 1- crankbait.  But my strangest and final catch would be the best of the day at 17.5” as the crankbait came through again.  The fish was so gaunt and sickly looking though that I was truly a little hesitant to even lip the thing as it just looked nasty.  I guess it was healthy enough to eat, possibly starving, but I sure think its days are numbered.

11:27am 17.5″ 1-13 Baby 1- crankbait  – Three pics of the same fish still don’t do justice to how scrawny and sickly this bass looked.  It easily should have weighed two and a half pounds with even a modest build.  The lake facing shots serve to display a few of  the dead fish in the background as well as a look at the nasty dying weeds, pretty messed up but somehow two other bass also bit.

Theory of a Dead Lake – The area around the south bank of Locust Lake had been completely bulldozed with trees and nasty strip mine soil perched on the rim above the lake.  My guess is that whatever got stirred up in that dozing process has found its way into the lake and put a real hurting on the fish (largest dead bass was likely around four pounds, pretty sad).  If you’ve never roamed the strip mines, let me tell you, there are some pretty weird looking pieces of ground scattered around despite reclamation efforts.  I’ve long referred to them as “patches of the lunar landscape” as they are devoid of life and have a color that doesn’t resemble real dirt.  In addition, you find runoff areas that have water that don’t look like water if that makes sense.  At any rate, something ain’t right as there is a second body of water nearby that was surrounded by bulldozed terrain and, you guessed it, a bunch of dead bluegill, bass and a few walleye.  Strip mines have provided me with countless hours of outdoor enjoyment but the whole process has really done a number on some areas.

At any rate, I thought I’d get an answer on whether Locust Lake was still worth the effort but I must admit that I walked away rather confused.  Perhaps a revisit next spring may be worth a shot before the vegetation kicks into gear and to assess if cool weather has a revitalizing effect or simply finishes the job.  Stay tuned on that one I guess and tune in tomorrow for the latest monthly Top 5 stat wrap.  Talk to you later.  Troy

Fishing Lines Revisited

Posted on by Troy Jackson

(Note: This is a posting originally submitted on August 1, 2011 while blogging for HeartlandOutdoors.com.  Sentiments still the same, just some more water under the bridge.)

Borrowing a standard rock concert ploy, I’m calling out for a little audience participation.

If you anticipate mulling over the merits of monofilament or brooding about the benefits of braids, I’m afraid you’re out of luck.  No, the lines I’m after are song lyrics.  If anyone is willing to play along feel free to enlighten the rest of us with any fishing related lyrics that you may enjoy.  It’s entirely up to you whether it is an entire fishing song, a couple lines in a non fishing related tune, metaphor, innuendo or whatever.  You see, in addition to fishing, I also truly enjoy music so today provides a reason to combine a pair of passions.  If you are interested in my inspiration feel free to read on as I get kind of lost in the next couple paragraphs.  If not, I’m warning you in advance to either skip to my picks at the end of this posting or simply escape while you can and hopefully come back for something else on another day.

It was thirty years ago today when a fourteen year old music fan (and millions of others) was introduced to something completely different; MTV – Music Television.  August 1, 1981 opened the floodgates to an eclectic mix of rock legends (The Who, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie), legends to be (John Cougar, U2, Tom Petty), lady rockers (Pat Benatar, Stevie Nicks, Debbie Harry), future pop superstars (Madonna, Prince), strange new wave acts (Devo, Adam & The Ants, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Talking Heads) and one hit wonders (The Buggles, Aldo Nova, Taco, Dexy’s Midnight Runners).

Prior to this rock around the clock menagerie of television tunes I’d had to get my weekly fix via programs such as “The Midnight Special”, “Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert”, “Night Flight”, “Solid Gold’’, “American Bandstand” and an occasional dose of “Soul Train.”  In addition, there were also the brief glimpses of performers on Saturday Night Live.  For a kid raised on these bits and pieces of musical performance and Chicago’s classic WLS 890AM, music television was a revolution.  And, yes, unlike today it was videos all day, every day.  For an impressionable teenaged music lover it was “Just What the Doctor Ordered“(can’t help a bit of an assist from Uncle Ted Nugent).

Forgive me for that bit of introduction concerning my inspiration but I hope you’ll understand that I’m a man who just gets to ramblin’ at times.  Anyway, here’s a few of my favorites.

Second Runner Up – “Fishin’ in the Dark” – The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (1987) – This one was popular back when me and my buddies were into fishing, country music and a few beers (once I turned twenty one), thus it is certainly a slam dunk for my list.  However, I’m still not sure this tune is all about fishing.

First Runner Up – “A Country Boy Can Survive” – Hank Williams, Jr. (1982) – Fishing lines such as “I can catch catfish from dusk ‘til dawn” and “we can skin a buck and run a trotline” are classics.  (Note: In the interest of honesty though I don’t know the first thing about processing deer.)  Even without the fishing references, you’ve still got to love a song that also includes “I’d love to spit some Beechnut in that dude’s eyes.”

Winner – “He Went to Paris” – Jimmy Buffett (1973) – I’m no Parrothead but have simply always loved a good story song.  While not entirely a “fishing” song I dig these lines near the end; “Now he lives in the islands, fishes the pilin’s/And drinks his Green Label each day/Writing his memoirs, losin’ his hearin’/But he don’t care what most people say.”  Fishing, booze, writing and a bit of a recluse; there have been occasions when I’ve aspired to be that guy.

Now it’s your turn.  Talk to you later.  Troy

(Note: I could go on and on, maybe next August…)

Lost Grove Lake Report 7/25

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Another Tuesday evening outing worked its way into the schedule for the fourth time this summer. And yet again, way too much sun for my liking also worked its way into my fishing trip but you get what you get and you don’t throw a fit. I’ll also tell you up front that I didn’t get much but such is fishing and I will stick to my commitment of a fishing report for every outing through thick or thin.

Stats
Date: July 25, 2017
Location: Lost Grove Lake, IA
Time: 6:16pm-8:31pm
Weather: Sunny/windy
Air Temp: 80F
Water Temp: no reading
Totals: 1 bass
Lures:
5” Yamasenko wacky rig (pumpkin with black flake) – 1 bass
No bass at 12” or better

Notes & Nonsense

Crank Bank Revisited – In the report from my previous visit to Lost Grove I noted that “I discovered a spot that could certainly pay further dividends and will be a regular stop.” Just as planned, I stuck with the “regular stop” portion of that statement.  In fact, I made two runs through the stretch. However, the “regular dividends” aspect did not pan out as it failed to give up a fish. I did get one decent strike on a buzzbait but couldn’t hook up with several follow up casts with a Senko and Whopper Ploppper. Got some neat footage of the strike with my GoPro but need to find some editing software (and time) to mess with that stuff as well as decide just how to utilize video in this whole venture, if at all…


Gotta admit that the GoPro thing is pretty cool as this buzzbait strike shows, even though the fish had bad aim. Proud of myself though for not setting the hook as I never felt the fish on, did make me jump a bit though as I observed in the video footage.

Last Gasp Cast – As sunset loomed and I neared my two hour window that I’d looked to fish, the bass still had the upper hand in dealing me a shutout and one lone missed bite as noted above. With a bit of sunlight remaining I decided a final cruise down a stretch in proximity to the launch was going to be my last chance. 8:30pm was originally quitting time but zero bass had me lingering for a few more desperate casts. At 8:31pm my quest was fulfilled with a bite on the Senko wacky rig and I truly didn’t care that the bass was a whole 10”, at least I avoided the embarrassing shutout. That was good enough for me as it is always rewarding to catch a bass on the last cast and perhaps even more so when it’s the only fish of the evening.


8:31pm Lone bass 10″ on the Senko, anyone remember that old show “My Favorite Martian” where the guy would sprout antennae from his head?

No sense in milking this one out any more than necessary as the buzzbait strike and final catch were pretty much the only items of note and admittedly not overly noteworthy to anybody but the guy in the boat.

Thought this was finally gonna get me caught up on fishing reports but guess where I am this morning? Yep, sitting in a boat in the strip mines as the stars aligned once again and all the kids are gone to my folks. Actually a tough call to fish or sleep in but think I am doing the right thing. Besides, no kids when I get home means I can even take a nap. Hopefully, my outing today will provide something for a Monday Top 5 update as I have not received any fish from the “fans.” If not, full report up later next week anyway. Talk to you later. Troy