Hennepin Canal Report – May 10 & 12

Posted on by Troy Jackson

The Canal bass continue to outsmart me in 2023 as I am really struggling to find bites on the waterway. The latest results consist of three short bass over two trips for a combined four hours. As always, I promise a fishing report no matter the “luck” so here we go.

Lone catch of May 10 but good to get on the water with a fishing partner

Stats
Date: May 10 & 12
Location: Hennepin Canal (two locations)
Time: 5:00-6:45pm & 4:55-6:55pm
Totals: 3 bass
Weather: Sunny/breezy & mostly cloudy/breezy
Lures: Booyah Buzzbait (white) – 2 bass, Whopper Plopper 110 (bone) – 1 bass
Top Bass: not applicable as none at or > 12”
Top 5 Weight: not applicable

May 12 Top Bass but half-inch shy of a “keeper” at 11.5″

Notes and Nonsense

May 10 – I was able to get one of my boys, Jayce, out for a quick evening trip and chose a section of The Canal that we had fished last spring. On that previous outing, he shut me out two bass to zero including a Top Bass of 2-3 along with a 1-4, both on a Whopper Plopper. Well, the bass turned the tables on Jayce this time around as they dealt him a shutout. I didn’t fare much better with one short bass and a decent bite winding up being “the one that got away.”

Hopes were running high with some evening cloud cover but I couldn’t get much going

May 12 – As noted above, I hit The Canal on this evening with expectations running high due to overcast skies, decent water clarity, and warm stable weather. It then took me an hour and a half to get my first bite. Twenty minutes later, I had my second fish in the boat, both short. Ten minutes later, I loaded up to head home and tune in on the radio to the Cubs game. Those Canal bass left me perplexed again but the Cubs came through with a victory over the Twins thanks to some late innings run production.

Relied heavily on topwater but just couldn’t find many bites

Topwater Time – While the results weren’t especially convincing, topwater time is in full swing and much of The Canal is well suited for such an approach. Jayce and I relied almost exclusively on such presentations during our trip although sunny conditions are not prime. I call this “force feeding” or the “swing for the fences” approach. We had a couple hours, I wanted to cover a lot of water quickly, and I was hoping for at least one or two quality bites. I employed a similar tactic on the May 12 outing with much more favorable conditions but struggled yet again. That’s just the way it goes sometimes but we will be back for another try as the year rolls on.

New life jacket will be much more angler friendly for my young fishing partners

New Gear – The outing with Jayce featured an overdue item to enhance his fishing experience. I purchased an A/M 24 Auto/Manual Life Jacket which is much more comfortable than the older life vests I have on hand. Jayce had borrowed one from my brother, Brent, on an outing for several hours last year and I could see that it was the way to go. In addition, I have pieced together a pair of reasonably priced baitcasting setups, we just need some practice. He opted to stick with the spinning rigs he has but one of these days we will find some wide-open space and open his eyes to a new approach.

This guy bounced into my passenger seat at about 40mph, would have been exciting if I had a partner along, right in their lap

Even if the fish are not cooperating, it is always good to get some fresh air and take your shot. Also cool to get one of the kids on the water and hope to do so more once school wraps up. Stay tuned for the latest Top 5 Update and more. Talk to you later. Troy

Strip Mine Report – May 6

Posted on by Troy Jackson

 

Back in the 1970s and 1980s, I used to think I was a baseball player. In those days, we didn’t say someone was “in the zone”, we would say “Have a day”. Well, no matter what lingo you use, last Saturday was one of those days for a guy who now thinks that he is a bass fisherman.

 

Stats
Date: May 6, 2023
Location: Knox County, IL public strip pits (5 lakes)
Time: 7:15am-3:50pm (6.50 hours fishing)
Weather: Overcast to sunny/very windy
Air Temp: 58-76F
Water Temp: not available
Totals: 27 bass, 3 crappie
Lures: Whopper Plopper 110 (bone) – 12 bass, War Eagle Spinnerbait (chartreuse/white) with a BPS XPS double tail grub trailer (Houdini) – 4 bass, Lunker Hunt Finesse Swimbait (perfect pumpkin) – 4 bass and 3 crappie, 5” Yamasenko wacky rig (natural shad) – 4 bass, 5” Yamasenko weighted wacky rig (natural shad) – 2 bass, 5 3/8” Stik-O weighted wacky rig (candy corn) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 4-10 Whopper Plopper
Top 5 Weight: 17-15 (4-10,4-2,3-7,3-1,2-11)

Notes and Nonsense

Plan B – I rolled out of bed at 4:14am for some prep and roused my son, Jayce, at 4:52am as we had planned. By 5:08am, I was on the road flying solo as he elected to go back to bed. I was looking forward to getting one of the kids out for the first time this year but no hard feelings on the change of plans. I suspect that over forty years ago when I was his age, I may have reconsidered as well.

A good day when your ninth largest bass is just shy of two pounds and the Whopper Plopper bite is on

Dual Approach – I started my morning rowing around a couple strip pits from 7:15am-11:15am. Before the wind ran me off the water, I was laughing at my good fortune as my haul consisted of a dozen bass including a Top 5 of 15-13 (4-2,3-7,3-1,2-11,2-8). Quite a start but little did I know that my Top Bass of the day was yet to come. A hike from 12:45pm-3:50pm produced fifteen more bass with a Top 5 of 11-8 (4-10,1-15,1-14,1-11,1-6). The overall 17-15 Top 5 for the day stands as my best Top 5 weight for public waters.

Winning Lures

Quote of the day: “Boy, that looks like an ideal spot for a spinnerbait.”
As I landed, photographed, and logged a 2-11 bass at 8:20am, I drifted across where I had hooked the fish. In the process, I spotted a laydown about a foot under the surface, and it did not surprise me that a good fish called it home. Such a spot set up perfectly for a parallel retrieve with a spinnerbait. I don’t know if I said the above quote only in my head or out loud (yes, I do talk to myself on the water), but I hit the log again after letting it settle for a bit. At 8:39am, my second cast back to the spot resulted in a 2-8 on a spinnerbait. Tough to beat when things work out that way.

Changeup – As the wind was beating me up and making boat control tough, I opted to let it push me up into the bank in a pocket with some deep water (meaning I couldn’t see the bottom). My natural anchor allowed me to fancast along and across the oval shaped area. I worked it over with a Whopper Plopper as it had been my top lure up to that point but no takers. The spot looked too good to not hold a bass, so I shifted gears to a spinnerbait. A cast to a ledge with the back-up presentation worked out well to the tune of a 3-7. Tough to beat when things work out that way.

Not all about the bass

After the above catches, I moved from boat to bank, but I will save elaborating on that aspect for a couple other blog posts I have in the works. But bass were not the only species encountered as I also landed three “accidental” crappies, found a pair of ticks, and watched a snake swim past.

By the time I pulled back into the driveway at 5:24pm, it had been a long, productive day with a good workout. Just over twelve hours of driving, rowing, dragging, hiking, and battling some quality fish had me worn out. In fact, I passed on a Sunday morning outing on The Canal to sleep in like Jayce had elected to do the previous day. Some days my body is eager to remind me that I am a long ways from being a teenager. But it’s worth it and I am ready to do it again when I get the chance. More to come from this fishing trip so stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy

Prowl the Canal – April Stats

Posted on by Troy Jackson

2023 Top Canal Bass at 2-14 from April 26 on a spinnerbait

After landing over three hundred and fifty bass on The Canal last year, I was fired up to see open water in January this year. I figured that I would get a much earlier and better start than 2022 when I didn’t land my first Canal bass until April 15. Well, I haven’t been as successful as I hoped. Read on for the first of the monthly wrap-ups. This one covers February through April but my two outings in February were shutouts and I only landed one bass in three March trips (1-0 on March 5).

Top Canal lure of 2023

April Totals Breakdown
2023 April Totals: 11 bass in 15.75 hours (0.70 bass/hour)
2022 April Totals: 29 bass in 9.50 hours (3.05 bass/hour)

2023 Top March Bass: 1-0 March 5 Lipless crankbait
2022 No March bass

2023 April Top Bass: 2-14 April 26 Spinnerbait
2022 April Top Bass: 3-5 April 23 Spinnerbait

2023 April Top 5: 7-2 (2-14,1-3,1-1,1-0,1-0)
2022 April Top 5: 13-12 (3-5,3-2,2-12,2-5,2-4)

2023 Best April Top 5 Day: 5-2 (1-3,1-1,1-0,1-0,0-14) – April 29
2022 Best April Top 5 Day: 10-8 (3-5,3-2,1-9,1-6,1-2) – April 23

All-time April Top 5 Weight
14-6 (3-5,3-2-2-14,2-12,2-5) culls a 2-4

Worth a try but not sure it will meet the goal

Lessons

Water – Each of the stretches that I have fished early in the year have had lower than normal water levels. Some pre-season hiking provided information that at least one of the pools had been intentionally lowered to combat excessive aquatic vegetation. I am not an aquatic biologist (although I do have a biology degree) but I am not optimistic that the approach will have much of an effect. A couple stretches are already ugly by this time of the year such that a drop, dredge and do-over may be the only solution. I do hope for the best and will keep an eye out to see how things progress.

Weeds – As far as the state of aquatic vegetation in my early start to the year, it was pleasant to see open water from “shore to shore.” However, the bright green slime that I call “snot grass” was still around waiting to foul retrieves. As noted above, however, one of my stretches was so low that I did not bother to take advantage of the early start. Instead, I opted for stretches that had more water around shoreline wood cover. In the end, it didn’t matter as I could only find one bite in March. Now as the weeds begin to reclaim The Canal, it is simply time to adjust my approach accordingly. Weeds and slime are just a fact of life when fishing many of my spots on The Canal.

A Canal prowl update often includes items from the “Lost and Found”

All-Time Canal Stats (June 21, 2021, to present)
431 bass in 168.75 hours (2.55 bass/hour)
Top Bass: 3-6 on 7/21/21 Senko wacky rig
Best Top 5 Day: 11-3 (2-15,2-10,2-3,2-1,1-6) 6/24/22
Top 5 All-Time: 16-8 (3-6,3-5,3-5,3-4,3-4)

Yearly Top 5 Weights
2023 Top 5 Canal Weight: 7-2 (2-14,1-3,1-1,1-0,1-0)
2022 Top 5 Canal Weight: 15-15 (3-5,3-5,3-4,3-2,2-15)
2021 Top 5 Canal Weight: 15-6 (3-6,3-4,3-1,2-14,2-13)

As far as the 2023 Top 5 Weight, the Vegas over-under was set at 12-8.5 as I noted in the video clip below back in February when the odds were released. I am certainly struggling to begin the year, so perhaps the Vegas oddsmakers were onto something.

 

But I’m not buying that I’m on the downswing yet so I bet the over although I doubt that I will spend as much time on The Canal as last year. My prediction is 14-4 and looking on the bright side, I’m already halfway there with plenty of year to go. Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Well, it was quite a week for the trio of anglers that make up this year’s Top 5 project. Bass were added on five of the seven days during the week to the tune of over thirty-five pounds combined for the nine entries. Along the way, Jim and Brent landed their new Top Bass for the year and I came up just a bit short on mine. Read on for the details.

Weight: 5-9
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: May 2
Weather: Besides the wind, the weather was very reasonable with a wind breaker.
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Chatterbait
Structure: Weedy flat
Angler Comments: Weather might not have been bad, but the bite was tough. In 2.5 hours of fishing, I only managed one, but it was an impressive one. This 5-9 beauty came on a chatterbait. Pulling over weeds on a flat adjacent to a windblown cove.

Weight: 4-14
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: May 5
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Chatterbait
Structure: Weed tops

Weight: 4-4
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: May 5
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Dark Sleeper
Structure: Weed tops
Angler Comments: I went after work for a couple of hours and managed four bass. Two dinks and two that were photo worthy. Weeds are growing quickly but was still able to pull a chatterbait and Dark Sleeper over the weeds and the snot moss.
Top 5 Weight: 25-9 (5-9,5-5,5-1,4-14,4-12) culls 4-8 and 4-5

Weight: 4-10 (21″)
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: May 6
Weather: Overcast/very windy
Location: Knox County public strip pit
Lure: Whopper Plopper 110 (bone)
Structure: Windblown ledge/dropoff
Angler Comments: A strong south wind was a direct hit on a narrow finger of this lake. I was hoping it would get some bass fired up and I was not disappointed. I initially thought this one was going to beat my current Top Bass of 2023 (5-3) but not quite. An entire upcoming post dedicated to this specific scenario and catch is in the works so stay tuned.

Weight: 4-2 (20.5″)
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: May 6
Weather: Overcast/very windy
Location: Knox County public strip pit
Lure: Whopper Plopper 110 (bone)
Structure: Flooded trees
Angler Comments: Roughly ten minutes after arriving at an unfamiliar lake, I had this four-pounder in hand. I really had no idea what to expect from the lake other than I had observed a bass during a brief peek while walking the bank prior to putting in the boat. More quality bass followed as noted below.

Weight: 3-7 (18.5″)
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: May 6
Weather: Overcast/very windy
Location: Knox County public strip pit
Lure: War Eagle spinnerbait (chartreuse/white) with twin tail trailer (Houdini)
Structure: Point/dropoff
Angler Comments: I let the wind push me up against the bank in a pocket with decent depth as I was tired of fighting for boat control. The natural anchor provided for fan casting, and I had already thoroughly worked the area with a Whopper Plopper without a bite. However, the area looked like it should hold a fish and a change of presentation proved me right. Cool when it works out like that.

Weight: 3-1 (17.5″)
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: May 6
Weather: Overcast/very windy
Location: Knox County public strip pit
Lure: Whopper Plopper 110 (bone)
Structure: Flooded trees
Angler Comments: In less than an hour, I had landed a 4-2, 2-11, and 2-8 on new water and was feeling quite fortunate about my stroke of luck. Next up was this 3-1 on a Whopper Plopper and I just had to laugh. I’ve been fishing for a long time and kind of know what I am doing but stretches like this still don’t come along every day. And with that stroke of luck, I am back in the 20-pound club after missing the mark the last year.
Top 5 Weight: 20-7 (5-3,4-10,4-2,3-7,3-1) culls 3-0,2-14, and 2-7

Weight: 1-10
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: May 4
Location: Knox County public strip pit
Lure: Senko wacky rig
Angler Comments: Looks like forty-seven total bass on the day, but the good one got away.

Weight: 3-8
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: May 7
Location: Knox County public strip pit
Lure: Buzzbait
Angler Comments: The buzzbait is the bait today. Nine bass this morning, one on Chug-N-Spit and eight on buzzbait. Seven of the eight were between 1-6 and 2-1, the other was 3-8.
Top 5 Weight: 14-2 (3-8,2-13,2-13,2-12,2-4) culls 2-3

Jim added a picture with his 4-4 catch from May 5 noting the bloody tail indicative of a bass engaging in the spawn. Another of his submissions, a 5-5 from April 23 exhibited the same affliction. Cool observation of both physical characteristics as well as behavioral factors that influence bass location and mood over the calendar year. Kudos to Jim for releasing those quality bass to continue their contribution to the gene pool of an impressive fishery.

And with that I conclude another Top 5 Update and set my sights on the latest strip mine report and other fishing related stuff. Talk to you later. Troy

Hennepin Canal Report – April 29

Posted on by Troy Jackson

I had a good day on the strip mines yesterday but since I have been unable to keep up with the latest fishing reports, I am still wrapping up April. So, here we go with my most recent Canal visit where I found a solid number of bites when I had a couple afternoon hours to spare.

Stats
Date: April 29
Location: Hennepin Canal
Time: 2:30pm-4:45pm
Totals: 7 bass
Weather: Partly cloudy/windy, 59F
Lures: War Eagle Spinnerbait (chartreuse/white) with a BPS XPS double tail grub trailer (Houdini) – 7 bass
Top Bass: 1-3
Top 5 Weight: 5-2 (1-3,1-1,1-0,1-0,0-14)

Winning Lure

Notes and Nonsense

Wind – This day was extremely windy which is generally less of a factor on The Canal than any other waters I fish with a boat. However, if the wind is from the west, even The Canal gets pounded on many of the stretches that I visit. Such was the case, so I chose a stretch bordered by trees on both sides and a high bank on the west end. In addition to the windbreak, this choice also gave me an opportunity to explore. I had fished this section twice before but both times were later in the year when the weeds really took hold. The lack of weeds in late April provided ample open water cover to fish and resulted in enough bites to keep me interested.

3:06pm Top Bass at 1-3 (14.5″) on a spinnerbait

Top 5 Quest – In just under two years of fishing The Canal, I have landed bass in many stretches of the waterway from Colona to Wyanet. Being a stat guy, I log all catches and track the Top 5 from each section that I have designated (that’s another story on how I divide The Canal). Anyway, the section that I fished on this trip only had two “keepers” in the log (keeper = 12” or better and always released) totaling 2-1 (1-1,1-0). Thus, I was in search of at least three more keepers to establish a Top 5. Each of the seven bass that I fooled on this outing were between 12-14.5” so I met my goal. The Top 5 for this section now stands at 5-5 (1-3,1-1,1-1,1-0,1-0). Not a particularly impressive Top 5 but it gives me something to shoot for on my next visit as I try to boost my weight.

 

Spinnerbait Holdout – All seven of the bass landed on this trip came on a spinnerbait. In fact, a spinnerbait was about all I threw due to a combination of “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” along with the abundant wood structure setting up ideally for the presentation. I cut my bass fishing teeth throwing spinnerbaits just like the pros back in the 1980s. While the lure has faded over the years on the paid circuit, this amateur, wannabe bass angler still wears them out when conditions warrant. And much of The Canal screams out, “Spinnerbait!”

Bites on The Canal this year have been tough to come by so seven bass in a couple of hours was a winner. Time will tell if this gets me back on track as I headed away from The Canal on my next outing. The strip mine bass treated me well so stay tuned for Monday’s Top 5 Update and a full report later next week. Talk to you later. Troy

Top Bass #1000

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Congratulations to our Top 5 leader, Jim Junk, as he was the fortunate angler to reel in Bass #1000 all-time for the Top 5 project. And it was quite a fish as noted by the pic and details below.

Weight: 4-12
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: April 9
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Chatterbait
Angler Comments: Wish I had a great story for #1,000 but it was really a typical, or above average, early spring day at Banner. Fast moving baits over emerging weeds. Ended up with a few that day, but glad the biggest one made #1,000!

It’s fitting that Jim wound up with the milestone bass as he has been the most prolific contributor over the years. Jim took part in the initial Top 5 back in 2014 and has submitted fish every year except for 2017. In that span he has racked up a whopping 215 bass added to our database and is our two-time defending champion.

This whole thing started back in March of 2014 while I was blogging for the Heartland Outdoors website. I invited readers of my “Meandering” column to share their catches in the format that remains to this day. I left Heartland Outdoors to start my own website in 2017 and the Top 5 project has continued to this day unlike that old website.

The concept was inspired by a fellow angler that I met through my blogging, corresponded with for a few years, and shared a boat with a couple times. I’d long kept stats and even tracked my best bass of each year but never thought of tracking the Top 5 from year to year. Thanks, Terry, for the inspiration.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a trivia (and baseball) guy. So, how about a tangent for another milestone that occurred forty-eight years ago today.

Do you know which of these players scored run #1,000,000 in baseball history? (Note: my card collection lacks a 1975 Topps Bob Watson so I picked my favorite poses of both players instead, Concepcion – 1974 Topps with Wrigley Field backdrop, Watson – 1977 Topps)

As we headed towards Bass #1000, I couldn’t help but think of the 1975 Major League Baseball quest to see what player would score MLB run number one million. I won’t fill up space here with the tale, but it is a cool event from the days before the internet provided instant feedback on game status. However, I will leave you with a few details and a link. Run number one million came down to a footrace between the two players above as they simultaneously headed for home in separate cities. And it occurred on May 4, 1975, hence my decision to reveal our Top 5 milestone on May 4, forty-eight years later. Check out the link below to see which of these two guys crossed the plate first.

MLB Run #1,000,000

And speaking of trivia, here is the answer to who submitted Bass #1 for the Top 5.

From the original March 24, 2014 Top 5 Update
Weight: 4-3
Angler: Bruce Zilkowski
Date: 2/19
Location: Newton Lake
Lure: Strike King Red Eye Shad (sexy shad)
Structure: Shallow point
Angler Comments: “First thing in the morning we pulled up on a shallow underwater point that extended out from the shoreline. I think it was less than 5 casts before it hooked up.”

It’s been a fun ten-year ride for the Top 5 and the hits keep coming. As I typed this post up, I received a text and pic of the new 2023 Top 5 Top Bass. But you’ll have to wait until the Monday update for that to be revealed. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Stats

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Behind schedule on my monthly Top 5 Stat Updates as I failed to post any of the numbers for February or March. So here we go to catch up on the data for the forty-one bass submitted through April.

2023 Totals
January = no submissions
February = 2 bass
March = 7 bass
April = 32 bass

Top 5 Weight by Month
January = no submissions
February = 6-10 (3-9,3-1)
March = 19-8 (5-1,4-5,4-4,3-5,2-9)
April = 24-0 (5-5,5-3,4-12,4-8,4-4)

Boat vs. Bank
Boat = 6 bass
Bank = 35 bass

Boat vs. Bank Weight
Boat = 12-3 (2-14,2-13,2-4,2-3,2-1)
Bank = 24-13 (5-5,5-3,5-1,4-12,4-8)

Public vs. Private
Public = 41 bass
Private = 0 bass

Public vs. Private Top 5 Weight
Public = 24-13 (5-5,5-3,5-1,4-12,4-8)
Private = no submissions

The Baits
Lipless Crankbait = 22 bass (Top Bass 5-1 Jim Junk)
Chatterbait = 5 bass (Top Bass 5-5 Jim Junk)
Grub = 5 bass (Top Bass 5-3 Troy Jackson)
Jerkbait = 3 bass (Top Bass 2-13 Brent Jackson)
Spinnerbait = 3 bass (Top Bass 2-14 Troy Jackson)
Jig = 1 bass (Top Bass 2-13 Brent Jackson)
Plastic Worm = 1 bass (Top Bass 2-4 Brent Jackson)
Swimbait = 1 bass (Top Bass 2-0 Jim Junk)

Monthly Top Bass
January
No submissions
February
3-9 Jim Junk
March
5-1 Jim Junk
April
5-5 Jim Junk

2023 Top 10 Bass
5-5 Jim Junk 4/23
5-3 Troy Jackson 4/7
5-1 Jim Junk 3/5
4-12 Jim Junk 4/9
4-8 Jim Junk 4/1
4-5 Jim Junk 3/11
4-4 Jim Junk 3/26
4-4 Jim Junk 4/9
4-0 Jim Junk 4/2
3-13 Jim Junk 4/23

Angler Weights
Jim Junk 23-15 (5-5,5-1,4-12,4-8,4-5)
Troy Jackson 16-9 (5-3,3-1,3-0,2-14,2-7)
Brent Jackson 12-13 (2-13,2-13,2-12,2-4,2-3)

More than a few years of fishing for our current Top 5 crew but hoping as the spring rolls on to get some younger anglers on the list including a lady or two or three. Stay tuned and if anyone out there wishes to join up just send your pics, catch details or any questions my way at troy@troyjacksonoutdoors.com. Just note that a picture is required along with a weight. Bass minimum length is twelve inches and other species can be submitted as well.

And it looks like this is going to be a Top 5 sort of week here on the blog. Stay tuned for the reveal of Top 5 Bass #1000. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

While the Hennepin Canal has had a solid Top 5 showing the last two years, this year the bass have been stubborn for our resident Canal angler. But knowing that some quality bass call it home means you keep on casting. This week it paid off.

Weight: 2-14
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: April 26
Weather: Sunny/breezy, 57F
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: War Eagle Spinnerbait (chartreuse/white) with double tail trailer
Structure: Logs
Angler Comments: This year’s up and down weather was on a down trend but having an afternoon off work prompted me to spend a couple hours on The Canal. Fifteen minutes into casting, I fooled this bass and had my hopes riding high. However, I could only muster one more bite on the two-hour trip.
Top 5 Weight: 16-9 (5-3,3-1,3-0,2-14,2-7) culls 1-4

Good to get a solid Canal bass that provided a significant boost to my Top 5. The weather has taken a downturn as I put this post together, but it looks like a real warm-up on the horizon. Here’s hoping the bite warms up along the way. Talk to you later. Troy

Hennepin Canal Report – April 26

Posted on by Troy Jackson

I keep waiting for a chance to open one of my reports from The Canal with something like, “Boy, The Canal bass really turned things up a notch…” Well, this report doesn’t feature such an intro as the bass in that old trough continue to outsmart me in 2023.

3:40pm – Top Bass at 2-14 on a spinnerbait

Stats
Date: April 26
Location: Hennepin Canal
Time: 3:25pm-5:40pm
Totals: 2 bass
Weather: Sunny/breezy
Lures: War Eagle Spinnerbait (chartreuse/white) with a BPS XPS double tail grub trailer (Houdini) – 2 bass
Top Bass: 2-14
Top 5 Weight (only 2 at 12” or better): 3-14 (2-14,1-0)

Winning lure

Notes and Nonsense

Canal Struggle – Last year, by April 26 I had landed twenty-nine Canal bass during seven hours of April trips. In contrast, this year I have a total of four bass in just over thirteen hours of fishing The Canal starting on February 11. Water conditions have been solid and while weather conditions have been up and down, I have hit the water during a couple favorable warming trends. Just one of those things that I chalk up as “that’s fishing.” Some days you look like you know what you’re doing, and other days the fish prove to be elusive.

 

The Beauty of Bass – As the years have passed, I have found myself becoming more appreciative of my favorite fish. I could write a substantial post on this aspect of my fishing evolution but today I will simply touch on observing the coloration of my catches. As I lipped the Top Bass of this outing, I commented on how dark the fish looked. Just a casual, unrehearsed remark on camera that says a lot about my approach to this hobby. After landing thousands of bass over the past forty plus years, each one deserves a pat on the back and a little more than just unhooking and tossing back over the side of the boat. I’m proud of this progress in my fishing approach and hope that I am not alone in complimenting the catch.

April 26, 2023 bass sandwiched by two similarly sized April 23, 2022 bass from same stretch of The Canal highlight coloration differences

Not much more to add to this report other than to say that I will keep plugging away on The Canal as I know there are friendlier bass to find. Fortunately, the strip mine bass have been winners for me in 2023. Perhaps they felt neglected during my focus on The Canal last year. Who knows? Just keep trying to think like a fish and keep on casting. Talk to you later. Troy

4:18 pm and 1-0 on a spinnerbait – When you only land two bass, you can include pics of them all in your report.

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

After getting spoiled by some unseasonably warm weather, the area temperatures have taken a real dip and some snow flurries/sleet even made a recent appearance. But those unfriendly fishing conditions did not stop our Top 5 leader from taking his shot and reeling in the rewards.

Weight: a pair in the two-pound range
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: April 16
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Dark Sleeper and chatterbait
Angler Comments: Bet you didn’t expect a fishing report from me today. Miserable temperature and winds really had me thinking of just staying home today. However, really hard to pass up a free day this time of the year, so was just looking for a reason to go. Wound up looking at the weather and noticed that the wind had changed to West direction from a consistent wind out of the South for the past couple weeks. An old saying came to mind, “wind from the west, the fish bite the best.” Headed out about 11:00am-3:00pm. With layers and rain gear, it really wasn’t terrible…as long as the wind was at my back. Ended up with four bass, two dinks that I didn’t take a picture and two that I took pics but didn’t weigh. Notice the wind blowing the fish and my jacket in the first pic.

Weight: 3-13
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: April 23
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Chatterbait (white)
Structure: Flat
Angler Comments: Long cast and hit came just after one or two cranks of the reel.

Weight: 5-5
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: April 23
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Chatterbait (white)
Angler Comments: Not exactly where I would expect a bass this time of the year but notice the bloody tail fin. This hog was definitely on the bed.
Top 5 Weight: 23-15 (5-5,5-1,4-12,4-8,4-5) culls a 4-4

Well done by Jim, as the 5-5 not only adds over a pound to his creel, but it also establishes a new Top Bass mark for 2023. To go along with Jim’s “wind from the west” comment, I would add another item related to his inclement weather success. “The best time to go fishing is anytime you can.” Talk to you later. Troy

Tough to take my own advice with the weather on Saturday