Finally getting around to posting the Top 10 Video Highlight reel from 2020. Check out the YouTube link below for the first half of the video clips. Talk to you later. Troy
Friday Flashback – March 28, 1976
Going back a ways today to The Bicentennial with a pic featuring a pair of my outdoor heroes. The guy on the left is my dad, Terry Jackson, while the guy on the right is his brother, Richard Jackson.
There’s lots that I could say about this photo and these guys but not enough time or space. After all, a blog loses a little luster when a post turns into a novel.
This photo was shot in my uncle’s backyard in Berwick, Illinois. If you’ve never been to Berwick, you are not alone. If you are familiar with Berwick, kudos to you for getting out and straying more than a little off the beaten path.
Further off the beaten path, not far from Berwick, was a fishing hole called Griswold’s Pond, the former home to these guys’ stringer of bass. The pond drew its name from the resident, Clark Griswold. No, not the Christmas Vacation guy, but the real-life Clark Griswold. I can’t say that I know much about Mr. Griswold beyond recalling that he was a talented golfer. In fact, the landscape on one side of the pond was manicured to the point that it looked like a fairway.
Back of the above photo
As far as this fishing trip, I’m guessing that a Rapala Floating Minnow and/or a Mepps spinner were involved. Fishing tackle was certainly a lot less complicated in 1976 and lacked the advertising hype of today’s connected society. Those two lures never needed much hype anyway. The bass provided plenty of feedback and us kids took whatever these two said to heart.
Which brings me around to saying that such unwavering and often wide-eyed trust and belief in their tales can get you fooled every once in a while. For this pair of outdoor brothers are more than prone to a little leg pulling and fish stories. From alligators in Cedar Fork to effectively running off the elephants, hippos or rhinos that used to call West Central Illinois home, a few tales are rather tall. Then again, some of their tall tales are actually true, so you just never know.
Regardless of the veracity of the stories, they have been told time and time again and are still as entertaining today as ever. And as the years have passed, it’s been a treat to watch a new generation of outdoor kids get the wool pulled over their eyes every now and then.
All part of the fun when under the tutelage of two one of a kind outdoor mentors. Talk to you later. Troy
Snakeden Hollow Report – March 20
Reading on social media of the early season success of other anglers sure had me chomping at the bit to get on the water. Unfortunately, it took until the first day of spring to get an opportunity. The weather was pleasant and one of my brothers was free, so we had a mid-afternoon meet up at some old stomping grounds to bike and hike. We didn’t find many bass who were as enthused as us, but any day on the water is a good day.
A jig is a winner this time of year
Stats
Date: March 20, 2021
Location: Snakeden Hollow (4 lakes)
Time: 3:00pm-6:45pm (3.00 hours fishing)
Weather: Sunny/windy
Air Temp: 56F
Water Temp: no reading
Totals: 3 bass
Lures: Rapala Shad Rap (shad) – 2 bass, Googan Squad Gridiron Jig (PB&J) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 1-10 Shad Rap
Top 5 Weight (only 2 at 12” or better): 2-11 (1-10,1-1)
The winning Shad Rap from the “lost and found” as noted later in the report
Trip Lyric
“It’s kinda like a lost and found in a border town…” – Lost and Found, Brooks & Dunn (1991)
Notes and Nonsense
First Bass – Tops on my list for this trip was a revisit to a spot where I lost a good one last summer. It is a lake that I hadn’t fished much in recent years as I found it to be largely populated by small bass. But that one bite last year was an eye opener as at least one of the residents had grown up. Well, I didn’t find the one that got away and it took close to 40 minutes of casting but I did get my first bass of the year. Always good to get that first bite no matter the size and to get back on the board after 107 long days without a bass (12/3/20 at Lake Fork, TX).
On the board with the first bass of 2021
Recovered Rapala – I figured that at some point I would likely employ a Rapala Shad Rap to fool some cold-water bites. Instead of my customary blue pattern, however, I opted for a shad-colored bait. The lure was actually one that I had found tangled in a rocky bank last October on a family hike around Sylvan Island in the Quad Cities. I thought, wouldn’t it make a good fish story to catch some bass on a lure from the local “lost and found.” My first two bass turned that vision into a success story.
October 2020 – A Sylvan Island find (the bait, not the boy)
Close Shave – Earlier this month, I told Julie that I was waiting to shave my beard until I landed my first bass of the year. Let’s just say that she might have been more eager for me to get on the water than I was. So, after landing my first bass I sent her a pic to “brag”, completely forgetting my previous promise. In return, she responded with the pic below. And, yes, I did follow through in discarding most of the shaggy mess.
The Question – My youngest boy, Zac, likes to hit me up on occasion with a repeated fishing question. Offered up with a bit of a grin, it goes something like this, “Dad, who is a better fisherman, you or Uncle Brent?” I grin a bit too while seeking creative ways to avoid a definitive answer as it is indeed a complicated query. Kind of like when he asks the “Dad, who is your favorite kid” question. In the end, the best I can do is state that it depends on the day. Let’s just say that on this trip the bass took a bit more of a liking to Dad rather than Uncle Brent.
Bass number two with my fishing partner in the background, get ’em next time
Great to get on the board and enjoyable to wander some familiar turf with my brother. I hope to do it again as the year progresses as I tossed about some fishing adventure ideas that walk the fine line between epic and foolish. Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy
Top 5 Update
A half dozen submissions this week from a pair of anglers give the Top 5 a boost. While a couple of the half dozen aren’t quite as heavy as the others, you’ve got to start somewhere. Personally, I’m ecstatic to just get on the board as it has been a long winter. Read on for the latest entries as open water in the region is back to stay.
Weight: 3-13
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: March 18
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Lipless Crankbait
Angler Comments: Went out for a couple hours. Rain had stopped but still windy and cold. Ended up with three bass, two were around two pounds and this one that came in at 3-13.
Weight: 3-10
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: March 19
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Lipless Crankbait
Weight: 3-11
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: March 19
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Lipless Crankbait
Weight: 4-2
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: March 19
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Lipless Crankbait
Angler Comments: My lipless crankbait wasn’t working nor other presentations I tried in my go to spots. Talked to a guy loading his kayak and he said he got a couple on a bluegill Rat-L-Trap. Tied on a similar lure and landed three bass in about 45 minutes.
Top 5 Weight: 19-11 (4-2,4-2,3-15,3-13,3-11) culls 3-10, 3-4 and 3-1
Weight: 1-10
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: March 20
Weather: Sunny/windy 56F
Location: Snakeden Hollow
Lure: Rapala Shad Rap (shad)
Structure: Dropoff
Angler Comments: My first bass of the year hooked up about an hour into the outing on a classic cold-water lure (more about the lure in the fishing report later this week).
Weight: 1-1
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: March 20
Weather: Sunny/windy 56F
Location: Snakeden Hollow
Lure: Googan Squad Gridiron Jig (PB&J) with twin tail trailer
Structure: Brush
Angler Comments: Some unfamiliar water with a fair amount of wood cover accessible from the bank was a winner on the jig.
Top 5 Weight: 2-11 (1-10,1-1)
Way to go, Jim, and pretty cool that another quality fish should cover those five ounces needed to hit the 20-pound mark. And it’s not even April. As for the other guy, I’m hoping that his pair of entries are displaced before the 2021 Top 5 runs its course. Ideally, its just a matter of time. As in finding time to get on the water. Here’s to others getting on the water as well and sending their catches my way. Talk to you later. Troy
Friday Flashback – March 23, 2016
An impromptu outing five years ago on a quality fishing hole with a generous host provided a welcome escape. Read on for the report from “The Rock” as originally submitted on March 30, 2016.
A couple weeks ago I chalked up my 3/12 outing as my lone shot at some March bass. Work and family commitments for the rest of the month meant a wait until sometime in April for round two. And I was good with that after a successful debut both in terms of quantity (19 bass) and quality (established my initial Top 5 limit). However, during a work trip down to Peoria County I had the good fortune of crossing paths with a fishing friend, Chris Rock, who invited me out to The Rock for a couple hours of casting once my job duties were completed. I wasn’t sure considering it being an awfully long day but upon texting Julie, she gave me the boost I needed by texting in return, “You gotta do it.” So, I did.
2:49pm – first bass and a March bonus on an ad lib outing
Stats
Date: March 23, 2016
Location: The Rock
Time: 2:40pm-4:40pm
Weather: Overcast/very windy
Air Temp: Low 50’s (may have qualified for wind-chill)
Water Temp: 48-49F
Totals: 11 bass (Chris similar if not more)
Lures: Spinnerbait (firetiger) – 11 bass, others on chatterbait, jig or jerkbait
Top Bass: 1-11 (Chris likely got me by a few ounces on one of his bass)
3:16pm – Top Bass 15″ and 1-11 on a spinnerbait
Notes and Nonsense
Foul Weather Fishermen – While some are referred to as “fair weather fishermen”, in our experience on the water together, Chris and I would definitely not fit the bill. About midway into our gray, windy, cold front afternoon Chris commented, “I don’t think we’ve had a nice day yet” in reference to our two previous outings together. I’d had the same thought running through my head as this day was no exception. For proof it took until somewhere between Wyoming and Toulon on the drive home before I could once again feel all my fingers. Even so, it was certainly worth delaying my after work drive by a couple hours.
Generous Guide – Chris not only knows a thing or two about his fishing holes, but he is also simply a good angler. As such he is also an excellent guide, helping to put his guests in a solid position to catch some fish. But despite Julie advising me to take my fishing gear to work “just in case”, I had left it at home. Of course, when offering up the invitation to go fishing, Chris also added that he had “plenty of fishing stuff”. On the water he opened up his tacklebox for my selection along with the advice that we were going to start our quest in some areas featuring 3-6’ depths. I chose a spinnerbait in firetiger, was rewarded with my first bass about ten minutes into casting and stuck with the bait the entire trip. It served me well which was fortunate as most of my fingers wound up so numb that I don’t believe I could have tied on another lure anyway.
Makeshift log as I can’t ditch the documenting, old habits are hard to break
Improvisation – An impromptu trip calls for some adjustments on my part in terms of my fishing habits. One somewhat unnerving matter was not having the regular tools with which I document my catch, no tape measure, no scale, and no log. Years of tracking fish is too much to disregard even for one trip so I did the best I could. After eyeballing thousands of bass, I felt confident in my estimates on the lengths of my catches. Anything worth weighing was taken care of via Chris’ scale and my log consisted of a piece of scrap paper as included above. I did have my good luck floppy hat in the truck, however, even though a stocking cap may have been more weather appropriate.
A winning choice from my fishing partner’s tacklebox
All in all, a cool finish to a long day which saw me get out of bed at 2:00am, hit the road for Peoria County at 2:55am, work from 4:30 am until 2:00pm, cast from 2:40pm until 4:40pm and get back home at about 6:30pm. Took me a couple days to get rested but definitely worth it and many thanks to Chris for the invite and the generosity. Always a good time hanging out on the water and some bonus bass to boot.
Fun to look back on one of those outings that prove the saying that “the best time to go fishing is anytime you can.” I also like to think that winging it with a lone borrowed lure and getting it done deserves a little pat on the back. Then again, it may be more about the fishing hole than the fisherman, as it is quite a special place. Talk to you later. Troy
Friday Flashback – March 12, 2016
The first open water fishing trip of the year is always an eagerly awaited event. And in the case of my first trip of 2016, I just happened to be in the midst of blogging through a chronological rundown of “first bass” from 1997 through 2015. Secretly, I thought it would be an excellent finale to that series if my first bite was a good one to lead off 2016. Well, I did catch a good one, but it showed up one bite too late which was just fine.
Read on for some stats, pics and excerpts from the original blog entry posted on March 17, 2016.
A great start to another year on the water
Well, I finally got my shot to get out and wound up with a real solid day. I’d sure been chomping at the bit with the combination of above average weather and a rousing start for the anglers who’ve joined the Top 5. As a result of some cooperative fish, I was able to establish my initial five fish limit and leave myself ready to cull next time out. In the case of four of my Top 5 creel I suspect they won’t be around for many more outings. Now that’s not bragging, they just aren’t that big. But I count ‘em all and you gotta start somewhere. On the other hand, the kicker bass of my day, well, it could be around for a while. Here’s the stats and the story.
Stats
Date: March 12, 2016
Location: Knox County strip mines (2 private, 2 public)
Time: 9:45am-6:05pm (5.25 hours fishing, the rest relocating)
Weather: Overcast/windy/scattered rain
Air Temp: 46F-55F
Water Temp: 51-52F
Totals: 19 bass
Lures: Strike King Red Eye Shad (sexy shad) – 15 bass, Spinnerbait (salt and pepper) – 2 bass, Chatterbait (white) – 2 bass
Top Bass: 5-9 Strike King Red Eye Shad (sexy shad)
Top 5 Weight: 10-13 (5-9,1-6,1-5,1-5,1-4)
9:57am – First bass
Notes & Nonsense
First Bass – Rather than keep you in suspense for the 2016 entry if you are still hanging in there with the First Bass series, I present the above fish as the winner. At 8” it winds up as the smallest of the first bass in the last twenty years of fishing. Here I was setting the stage for a repeat of my 2015 First Bass (that one was 5-13, by the way) and it just didn’t work out. No matter though, the first catch of the year is always a winner and this winner came off an underwater ridge on the Strike King Red Eye Shad only twelve minutes into casting.
Strike King Red Eye Shad – Can’t go wrong cranking this one around to start the year
The Sound of Silence – My second bass of the year was quite a jump in size as it could have eaten that first bass. Once again, the Red Eye Shad did the trick when worked across a sharply dropping point where I also landed a 4-13 in July of 2014 on the same bait. Pretty cool, one lure, one point, two bites and over 10 pounds of fish. What was also cool was the way the fish hit the lure. The water and weather conditions were just right to hear the rattle of the lipless crank as it did its thing about five feet under the stained water. I’ve experienced this before at Emiquon where you hear the bait skip beat before you ever feel a strike as the fish hits the lure coming at you. I knew I had a fish via my ears before I ever felt it in a tactile sense. I had no idea how large it would turn out from the lack of rattle but sure knew it was good when I instinctively put the hooks to it. I’ve never caught a six-pounder (got really close with a 5-15 and a 7-3) but sure thought this one had a chance when it broke the surface and later came aboard. I weighed it twice to make sure but only 5-9, I’ll take it.
10:23am – Second bass, just a bit larger than the first
Looking back, it is funny that I noted the lack of a six-pounder to close that old fishing report. Would you believe that my first bass of 2017 achieved that milestone and currently stands as my best ever first bass? Of course, that’s another story and one that you will get in the 2022 version of Friday Flashback.
But hey, before we worry about that, we’ve got thirty-eight more Fridays to cover as the series runs its course. Still looking to get that first bass of 2021 but may be a couple weeks away before I can get my shot. Talk to you later. Troy
Friday Flashback Returns
Back on March 16, 2018, I kicked off a blogging project that I called “Friday Flashback”. Now, in its fourth year, the 2021 version of the project launches tomorrow. Remaining true to the original concept, the upcoming Friday blog posts take a look back at outdoor adventures in five-year increments. As the year progresses, I will reminisce and revisit tales from 5, 10, 15…30 years ago or more.
Thus far, the Friday Flashback collection has featured 115 posts and hundreds of pictures. A handful of those photos are passed along in the slideshow below as a sample and there are plenty more to come in 2021.
Tune in tomorrow and every Friday through November for plenty of fish, family, friends and fun. Talk to you later. Troy
Top 5 Update
Although a bit delayed from our regular Monday Top 5 slot, better late than never with a couple more quality bass. Jim Junk is back up to his old tricks in a new year and now sits one catch away from his limit.
Weight: 3-1
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: March 7
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Lipless Crankbait
Weight: 4-2
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: March 7
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Lipless Crankbait
Angler Comments: Finally got two today, both came on the trusty lipless crankbait in the same area.
Top 5 Weight: 14-6 (4-2,3-15,3-4,3-1)
Well done, Jim. I hope you and other anglers are getting in some more casts during this recent and welcome warm-up. Lots of area fishing holes are opening up and some predicted rain should do a number on those that are still in ice out limbo. Here’s to a productive 2021 for all and send ‘em my way when you catch ‘em. Talk to you later. Troy
2020 Fishing Recap – Partners
You just can’t beat a good fishing partner and I had plenty in 2020. Too many tales and not enough time to write. But you know, they say, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Let’s go with that as this slideshow speaks volumes.
Talk to you later. Troy
2020 Fishing Recap – Lures
No fishing recap would be complete without a look at the tools that fooled the bass. The full breakdown follows, working from fewest to most catches by lure type.
Stickbaits
Zara Spook (black shore minnow or natural frog) – 10 bass
Top Bass: 15” 1-9 May 3 & 15 Knox County. IL public strip pit
Comments: Me and the Zara Spook go back to the mid-80s. It is one of my legendary lure selections but that’s another story. Mid-spring, a shallow, expansive flat with scattered weeds and a sky with scattered clouds were just the ticket to tie on an old friend.
Jigs
Strike King Rattlin’ Jig (black/blue or green pumpkin) w/ craw trailer – 33 bass
Top Bass: 21” 4-12 April 26 Knox County, IL public strip pit
Comments: I don’t slow down much, but when I do, it’s hard to beat a jig and trailer. These compact bottom bouncers are a winner, particularly early and late in the season. 2020 saw the jig land Top Bass, a lake record that kind of surprised me in a pothole and topped the old record by more than a pound.
Buzzbaits
Booyah Buzz (snow white shad or bleeding shad) – 34 bass
Top Bass: 20.5” 4-0 July 1 Snakeden Hollow
Comments: I force feed these topwater winners once the bass show interest in the spring. Throughout the summer, they are a mainstay with the anticipation of some explosions running high in those first few hours around sunrise. One of those explosions was a new personal best on an old lake at 5:32am on Snakeden Hollow’s 30th birthday.
Plastic Worms
Senko wacky rig (primarily smoke) – 39 bass
Top Bass: 20.5” 3-11 July 1 Snakeden Hollow
Comments: For various reasons, the Senko wacky rig just didn’t rack up the numbers like it has over the past 15 years. Other lures were productive and a strange year in terms of diminished water clarity on a lot of my fishing holes left the Senko on the bank or boat deck. However, come April I always have one ready and I don’t expect that to change in 2021.
Chatterbaits
Z Man Chatterbait (bluegill with various Zako trailers) – 43 bass
Top Bass: 19” 2-12 September 12 Knox County, IL public strip pit
Comments: Despite glowing reports from many other anglers, I’ve never really relied too much on chatterbaits. However, in 2020 I did commit to tossing one around more frequently and was not disappointed. The 43 bass total and the 2-12 Top Bass both represent high water marks on the lure and here’s to topping both in 2021.
Spinnerbaits
Stanley Vibra Shaft or War Eagle (Blue Glimmer or white/chartreuse) – 70 bass
Top Bass: 17” 2-7 May 4 Knox County, IL private strip mine
Comments: The good, old spinnerbait seems to have seen a decline in publicity since its heyday in the 80s. That will never happen with me as I cut my bass fishing teeth on these lures. In fact, 42 of the 70 spinnerbait bass came on Stanley Vibra Shaft spinnerbait that I call the “Blue Glimmer” that is nearly 30 years old.
Lipless Crankbaits
Strike King Red Eye Shad (sexy shad or orange craw) – 89 bass
Top Bass: 17.5” 2-8 May 14 Knox County, IL private strip pit
Comments: If I can fish fast, I do. In terms of retrieve speed and effectiveness, it is tough to beat a lipless crankbait. They produce all through the year and have always amazed me at being able to nab a few in the cold water of early spring.
Crankbaits
Various (see above) – 100 bass
Top Bass: 19” 3-9 Aug 3 Lake Storey
Comments: A fair collection of these lures put this category on top as they fooled nearly one quarter of my 418 bass. From shallow (Mann’s Baby 1- and a new Strike King wake bait) to mid-depth (Shad Rap, Bomber Flat A and Strike King Squarebill) to deep (Strike King Pro Model) this crew of crankbaits found a lot of fish. Once again, these lures allow me to fish at a fairly rapid pace, cover a lot of water and bang into as much stuff as I can on the way back to the boat.
And the 2020 wrap-up is not quite done yet. I still have a look at my 2020 fishing partners and hope to post some video highlights when I get time to edit. Hope you will tune in again and talk to you later. Troy