Top 5 Stats

Posted on by Troy Jackson

As we reach the end of the first week of April, it is time for a belated monthly Top 5 Stat update. Thus far, we have three anglers who have contributed a total of sixteen largemouth bass. The Jackson brothers have managed to land a limit and are set to continue culling fish to boost their weights. Defending champ, Jim Junk, has yet to round out his initial limit but has staked a claim to the Top Bass of 2026. In an interesting development, every single bass submitted this year has been caught on a chatterbait. Read on for the full breakdown of the numbers.

2026 Totals
March = 11 bass
April = 5 bass

Top 5 Weight by Month
March = 14-8 (4-4,2-13,2-10,2-7,2-6)
April = 12-2 (4-1,2-9,2-5,2-0,1-3)

Boat vs. Bank
Boat = 6 bass
Bank = 10 bass

Boat vs. Bank Weight
Boat = 13-7 (4-1,2-9.2-7,2-6,2-0)
Bank = 14-7 (4-4,2-13,2-10,2-6,2-6)

Public vs. Private
Public = 16 bass
Private = 0 bass

Public vs. Private Top 5 Weight
Public = 16-5 (4-4,4-1,2-13,2-10,2-9)
Private = Not applicable

The Baits
Chatterbait = 16 bass (Top Bass 4-4 Jim Junk)

Monthly Top Bass
March
4-4 Jim Junk
April
4-1 Brent Jackson

2026 Top 10 Bass
4-4 Jim Junk 3/2
4-1 Brent Jackson 4/3
2-13 Troy Jackson 3/22
2-10 Troy Jackson 3/22
2-9 Brent Jackson 4/3
2-7 Troy Jackson 3/29
2-6 Jim Junk 3/22
2-6 Troy Jackson 3/22
2-5 Brent Jackson 4/3
2-3 Troy Jackson 3/22

Angler Weights
Troy Jackson 12-7 (2-13,2-10,2-7,2-6,2-3)
Brent Jackson 12-2 (4-1,2-9,2-5,2-0,1-3)
Jim Junk 6-10 (4-4,2-6)

A solid start and looking forward to some stable warm weather on the horizon locally. Hopefully we can take advantage and dodge the storms in the forecast to add more catches. Good luck out there, send your catches my way at troy@troyjacksonoutdoors.com, and talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Brent had a great Friday on Good Friday as he got on the water for the first time, trying his luck at the Knox County strip pits. He selected a spot that allowed kayaking access rather than opting for a hike and/or bike trip. As the results show, his approach worked out quite well.

Weight: 4-1
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: April 3
Weather: Overcast/breezy
Location: Knox County public strip pit
Lure: Chatterbait

Weight: 2-9
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: April 3
Weather: Overcast/breezy
Location: Knox County public strip pit
Lure: Chatterbait

Weight: 2-5
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: April 3
Weather: Overcast/breezy
Location: Knox County public strip pit
Lure: Chatterbait

Weight: 2-0
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: April 3
Weather: Overcast/breezy
Location: Knox County public strip pit
Lure: Chatterbait

Weight: 1-3
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: April 3
Weather: Overcast/breezy
Location: Knox County public strip pit
Lure: Chatterbait
Angler Comments: A pretty good day. The wind was tolerable and my hands did not get cold. I think two of the two-pounders and the four-pounder came from about the same place. The spot where a log comes out in the deeper bowl area. (Editor’s Note: Fortunately, I know exactly where that spot is and it has long been a winner.)
Top 5 Weight: 12-2 (4-1,2-9,2-5,2-0,1-3)

Great to get a report from Brent and all told he logged just over two hours on the water and landed six bass with the five above being “keepers” to fill out his initial Top 5 limit of 2026. Thus far, it looks to be the Year of the Chatterbait as all sixteen of our 2026 Top 5 submissions courtesy of three different anglers have been caught on the lure. Good luck out there and talk to you later. Troy

Hennepin Canal Report – March 30

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Following a morning appointment and before having to pick up the boys from school, I took advantage of a few open hours to make a short trip to The Canal. Weather was pleasant although quite windy but when walking The Canal, it typically doesn’t cause any issues beyond slightly affecting casting accuracy. Read on for the results and notes from a solid outing.

10:26am – First bass and Top Bass at 1-15 (16″) on a chatterbait

Stats
Date: March 30
Location: Hennepin Canal
Time: 10:20am-12:40pm
Totals: 5 bass
Weather: Sunny/very windy, 57F
Water temperature: Not available
Lures: Z-Man Chatterbait (sexy shad) with BPS Speed Shad trailer (sight fish) – 5 bass
Top Bass: 1-15 Chatterbait
Top 3 Weight (only 3 bass at 12” or better): 5-4 (1-15,1-13,1-8)

And on my fifth visit of the year, The Canal said, “Let there be slime.”

Notes and Nonsense

Slime Time – The shallow, fertile waters of The Canal on the stretch where I was fishing sport an extensive collection of aquatic vegetation as the water begins to warm. Well, apparently, it has already warmed enough to see an explosion of slimy, green algae that I appealingly refer to as “snot grass.” In addition, clumps of surface vegetation are floating throughout the waterway and are beginning to extend out several feet from the shoreline. The snot grass fouls deeper presentations, and the surface clumps require yanking your lure from the water several feet before it reaches the bank.

Shoreline scum, submerged slime, and dingy water greeted me on this visit

Dirty Water – I have fished this stretch of The Canal multiple times this year and on those previous trips the water clarity was quite clear. This aids me in spotting the submerged pieces of wood that are among my primary targets. The added visibility is particularly helpful when windy conditions cause chop on the surface. On this trip, the wind was really whipping and seemed to have stirred up the shallows causing a noticeable decline in water clarity.

Winning lure again, and all year thus far

Chatterbait Streak – In landing all five bass from this outing on a chatterbait, the lure has now caught every one of my bass in 2026. The 32 for 32 streak to begin the year is unheard of as other lures such as a lipless crankbait, spinnerbait, jig, or Ned Rig have always pitched in to start the season. Part of the equation is that the chatterbait is an effective presentation on The Canal in the shallow and increasingly weedy water. However, I have also spent several hours on Lake Storey and the strip mines where the chatterbait had success as well. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

12:17pm – Top Bass Runner-up at 1-13 (15.5″) on a chatterbait

Early on, April has left much to be desired in terms of weather and other priorities have prevented me from getting on the water. But there’s plenty of month left to see if I can work in another Lake Storey trip and put in some time on the strip mines. Speaking of the strip mines, Brent took a shot recently and had impressive results. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s Top 5 Update that features a batch of his catches. Talk to you later. Troy

Lake Storey Report – March 29

Posted on by Troy Jackson

After a productive late summer and fall on Lake Storey last year, I made a goal to spend more time on the old lake this year. I am hoping to get out there once a month and so far so good with this March outing. An added wrinkle on this trip was fishing out of the old johnboat on the lake for the first time in over thirty-five years.

Stats
Date: March 29
Location: Lake Storey, Knox County, IL
Time: 11:20am-3:50pm
Totals: 2 bass
Weather: Overcast/very windy, 57-60F
Water temperature: Not available
Lure: Z-Man Chatterbait (sexy shad) with BPS Speed Shad trailer (sight fish) – 2 bass
Top Bass: 2-7 Chatterbait
Top 2 Weight (only 2 at 12” or better): 4-2 (2-7,1-11)

Starting lineup

Tune of the Trip
“Old days, good times I remember”
Old Days – Chicago (1975)
It has been a long time since I rowed around Lake Storey as we got spoiled back in the late 1980s when Dad bought a bass boat. Good times back then, and a good time all these years later.

11:55am – First bass at 1-11 (15″) on a chatterbait

Notes and Nonsense

Drawdown – Normally the lake would be near full pool as winter snowmelt and runoff bring the water level back to normal. However, the lake remains close to full drawdown. The explanation that I have heard is that the lake will remain lowered to facilitate the construction of a walking path extension on the south side of the lake. Currently, there is a path that runs along the west and north sides of the lake. Completion of the project will make a circuit around the entire lake area.

Brush clearing along the south side of the lake

Ramps – As a consequence of the lake remaining lowered, launching a boat is not possible at the east ramp and at your own risk on the west ramp. The east ramp is high and dry, and the west ramp has a nasty drop at the end which could damage your boat trailer. For this reason, I opted to go old school and drag my little johnboat down in proximity to the west ramp to take my shot. In addition, I stuck with oars rather than having to lug around a trolling motor and battery. It worked fine, just as it did all those years ago.

1:37pm – Top Bass at 2-7 (16″) on chatterbait

Float Trip – The plan on this outing was reminiscent of the float trips we used to enjoy on some Henderson County creeks. Mom and Dad were kind enough to help me out with a vehicle move. After I launched the boat at the west ramp, Dad drove his truck to the east ramp to leave it for me and hitched a ride with Mom. This approach allowed me to fish the entire length of the lake without having to turn around and row back to where I launched.

Winning lure as the chatterbait has landed all twenty-seven of my 2026 bass to date

A squadron, pod, scoop, or pouch of pelicans (yes, I had to cheat and look that up on the internet)

While I did not fool many bass on this early season visit to Lake Storey, I was pleased that I gave it a shot. One month down and hopefully more to come whether I must stick with the little boat or can get Dad’s boat back on the water. Next up is another Hennepin Canal visit to round out my March fishing. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Trip Tunes – March

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Trip Tunes are back for another year with the first batch of 2026. Rather than covering a specific outing, I have compiled a Top 5 list of tunes from the airwaves over my collection of trips from the month of March.

5. 1985 – Bowling for Soup (2004)
Jayce and I heard this tune as we headed out for our March 8 trip, and he mentioned that the sound reminded him of the Phineas and Ferb theme song. Well, I looked it up and sure enough Bowling for Soup contributed the cut. I complimented Jayce on his identification as the boy does have an ear for tunes. An added note is that 1985 holds a special spot for me as that was the year that I graduated high school.

4. Summer of ’69 – Bryan Adams (1985)
Sticking with the 1985 theme, I saw my first real concert at the Five Seasons Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in the summer of ’85. Me and some guys from school took in Bryan Adams with John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band as the opening act. Per John Junk, one of the friends that attended the concert, the Beaver Brown Band is the lone band to be named after a color of paint (check out Wikipedia if you don’t believe John, also see Eddie and the Cruisers).

 

3. Time – Alan Parsons Project (1981)
Although this group has an impressive catalog, you rarely hear an APP cut on the airwaves. This track represents how your interpretation of a song changes over the years and how it can take you back in time. Hearing this tune on the radio at fourteen years old versus hearing it on the radio with sixty on the horizon just hits differently. It also brings back memories of WLS 890 AM beginning to split time on my clock radio with a fledgling radio station called “Q-93.” I knew exactly how far to turn the dial when switching between the AM to FM bands as I enjoyed my tunes while drifting off to dream in the dark.

2. Oh, Sherrie – Steve Perry (1984)
Does anyone else have instances where you can go back in your mind to an exact scenario when you heard a song? Interestingly, this instance was on a fishing trip. I was with some buddies on a summer mission to Henderson County to chase some catfish on a creek and the Mississippi River. Funny thing is, I recall hearing this tune, but I do not recall our fishing results as they must not have been particularly productive. It was far from the first time that I’d heard this tune as it was all over the airwaves in the summer of 1984.

1. Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man) – Styx (1978)
The classic Styx lineup consisted of two primary songwriters, Dennis DeYoung and Tommy Shaw. I have favorites penned by either member but if I had to choose, I would go with the Shaw tunes, hands down. Primarily due to Shaw having a more rock approach, while DeYoung was more showtime or theater. Nothing is wrong with either style, I just prefer the rock angle. As far as the song and a possible interpretation of the message, here we are again (or still) nearly fifty years after the release. And that’s all I have to say about that.

While that wraps up the March tunes, there are still a pair of March fishing reports in the works. Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

One bass to report this week as I was able to boost my creel with a quality catch from Lake Storey.

Weight: 2-7 (16”)
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: March 29
Weather: Overcast/windy, 57F
Water Temp: Not available
Location: Lake Storey
Lure: Z-Man Chatterbait (sexy shad) with Bass Pro Shops Speed Shad trailer (sight fish)
Structure: Brush
Angler Comments: Had a tough afternoon on Lake Storey with only two bites but at least this one provided a boost to my Top 5. The bass came on some shoreline brush adjacent to an abrupt drop into deep water.
Top 5 Weight: 12-7 (2-13,2-10,2-7,2-6,2-3) culls 2-1

March visits to Lake Storey are a rarity for me, so it was good to visit my old home lake and find this bite. Full report on the outing later this week and good luck to anyone who gets out on the water as we head towards a new month. Talk to you later. Troy

Hennepin Canal Report – March 22

Posted on by Troy Jackson

After struggling to find bites on the strip mines during 80-degree weather the previous day, I set my sights on The Canal to try my luck. While the weather took a downturn to more normal temperatures, the bite sure had an uptick as I had one of my best days ever hiking the old waterway.

Stats
Date: March 22
Location: Hennepin Canal
Time: 12:15pm-3:30pm
Totals: 10 bass
Weather: Sunny/very windy, 57-51F
Water temperature: Not available
Lures: Z-Man Chatterbait (white) with BPS Speed Shad trailer (sight fish) – 10 bass
Top Bass: 2-13 Chatterbait
Top 5 Weight: 12-1 (2-13,2-10,2-6.2-3,2-1)

 

Tune of the Trip
“Every day’s a new day…” – More Today Than Yesterday, Spiral Starecase (1969)
A disappointing previous day in great conditions did not deter me from chasing bass again the following day when conditions left much to be desired. Some days the angler wins, other days the fish win but I still say that “the best time to go fishing is any time you can.”

Winning lure

Notes and Nonsense

Chatterbait Dominance – Adding ten bass to my creel brings my 2026 total to 25 bass. Interestingly, every single bass this year has been caught on a chatterbait. That is a record for consecutive catches to start the year on one lure. Typically, I would have landed bass on a diverse collection of early season baits such as a lipless crankbait, jig, Rapala Shad Rap crankbait or more recently, a Ned Rig to start the year. I have tossed around a lipless crank and a Ned Rig a bit this year but the chatterbait success is one of those “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” situations. The bass will tell you what they like and this March it is loud and clear that they like a chatterbait.

12:16pm – First Bass at 2-1 (16.5″) on a chatterbait

Wood is Good – My approach on the stretch of The Canal that I have been fishing to start the year is not too complex. Walk the bank, look for offshore wood, and work it over with multiple casts from different angles, at different speeds and different depths. A perfect example was the first bass that I landed on this outing that weighed in at 2-1. It was caught on the tenth cast to a lengthy offshore log. On the fifth cast, I had a fish bump the lure and perseverance paid off with repeated casts to reap the reward. I am confident that this spot and many others will hold fish, so I work them over thoroughly, often hitting them twice. One time on the walk away from the lot, and again on my way back hoping to find some fish in a biting mood.

2:03pm – Second Chance Bass at 2-10 (18″) on a chatterbait

Second Chance Bass – This section features a large, visible stump/log sticking out of the water that looks like it should hold a bass. I have worked that stump over many times, and I do not recall ever catching a fish. As I positioned myself for the latest attempt, that thought entered my mind, but the spot is just too good to pass up. On my second cast to the cover, I got a solid strike but wound up with a swing and a miss on the hookset. Hoping the bass wasn’t stung by the hook, I made a follow up cast, got a second chance and landed a bass weighing 2-10.

3:00pm – Top Bass at 2-13 (18.5″) on a chatterbait

Top Top 5 – This outing represented my best daily Top 5 ever on the Hennepin Canal. The previous record was on a different stretch of The Canal on June 24, 2022, with a Top 5 Weight of 11-3. For this stretch, my previous best was 10-1 on April 24, 2002. One of my goals is to land a double-digit Top 5 on each trip and this day was a winner as I was able to do so in just over three hours of casting.

The Canal bite had been lukewarm and lacked many quality bass to start the year. It was rewarding to hit double-digits in both quantity and quality for the first time in 2026. Shout out to the bass on The Canal and here’s hoping it translates into some more success as we head towards more consistent and warmer temperatures. Talk to you later. Troy

Strip Mine Report – March 21

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Got my son, Jayce, out for another hike in search of his first bass of 2026. The destination of choice on this outing was a collection of remote strip mines. We ended up rather wore out and unfortunately did not wear the bass out in the process. Read on for the catches and lessons from a balmy March afternoon.

Stats
Date: March 21
Location: Knox County public strip pits (3 lakes)
Time: 2:00pm-4:05pm
Totals: 3 bass
Weather: Sunny/very windy, 81F
Water temperature: Not available
Lures: Z-Man Chatterbait (sexy shad) with BPS Speed Shad trailer (sight fish) – 3 bass
Top Bass: 0-14 (only keeper of the trip)

Starting lineup

Movie Quote of the Trip
“Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads.” – Dr. Emmett Brown, Back to the Future (1985)
This quote from one of Jayce’s favorite movies pretty much sums up our strip mine adventures.

At least we got some exercise

Notes and Nonsense

Tour Guide – I tried not to get too carried away with stories on the drive to the fishing holes and during our walk around. But when it is new ground for Jayce and I’ve amassed close to forty years of fish stories in the area, a lot of that stuff just comes out. Tales like the following:
“Took a wrong turn here the first time I ever tried to find the strip mines.”
“A lot has changed since I first hiked around here back in 1990.”
“One dusky evening, I may have heard Sasquatch in that patch of timber.”
“Uncle Brent saw a big muskie in the lake several years ago.”
“I caught a four-pounder over there.”
“Caught my biggest bass out here, a 5-2, in that lake in the 90s and never caught anything close out of there since.”

The winning lure was a chatterbait again

Dead End – Despite all the years of experience, I took the wrong lane on the way to what was to be our first stop. As a result, we had to back track a considerable distance to try an alternate route. It was a bit frustrating but a rite of passage in strip mine hiking. Even though a destination may be “right over there as the crow flies”, it often requires a half mile walk around ravines and wetlands to get there.

2:55pm – Top Bass at 0-14 (12.5″) on a tough day

Tadpole Factor – I passed along another observation during a brief stop on our first lake. I had caught some decent fish in it back in 2017, the last time I had visited that specific lake. In the clear water, the only signs of life were large bunches of chunky tadpoles that would scatter as we walked the bank. I told Jayce that we would move on to try our luck elsewhere as the abundance of tadpoles indicated that there must not be enough bass in there to eat them and their parents.

Tough Bite – While the eighty-degree temperatures were pleasant for the fishermen, it did not translate into a flurry of bass activity. The lake where I was sure we’d get some bass failed to produce a single bite and we observed very little fish activity at all. A larger windblown lake did give up our three fish but also produced a couple backlashes as Jayce worked on getting his baitcaster dialed in.

Nice to get off the beaten path where even the weather app can’t find you

A second good hike with my fishing partner in the last two weeks but I am still failing to put my “client” on some fish. He is putting the right lure in the right places as the chatterbait has been a winner this March. I assured him that the bite will pick up soon and we will nab some bass for our efforts. That’s not a fish story to keep him interested, either. And I don’t think he needs the pep talk as he is still ready to go even after I wore him out a bit with a hike that can test one’s mettle. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

This past week produced a good batch of bass. To start with, our defending champ, Jim Junk, is on the board with a pair of bass from his old stomping grounds. In addition, I managed to complete my Top 5 and cull my original catches all in the span of a short afternoon. Read on for all the details.

Weight: 4-4
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: March 22
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Chatterbait (red/black)
Structure: Flat
Angler Comments: First cast, on typical Banner flats produced a nice 4-4 bass that picked up the chatterbait close to the end of the retrieve.

Weight: 2-6
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: March 22
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Chatterbait (black/red)
Structure: Flat
Angler Comments: Third cast produced another bass at 2-6. This one was about mid-retrieve.
Top 5 Weight: 6-10 (4-4,2-6)

Weight: 2-13 (18.5”)
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: March 22
Weather: Overcast/very windy, 56F
Water Temp: Not available
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: Z-Man Chatterbait (sexy shad) with BPS Speed Shad trailer (sight fish)
Structure: Open
Angler Comments: I was targeting a log in the middle of The Canal, but this fish hit well away from the cover as I completed my retrieve.

Weight: 2-10 (18”)
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: March 21
Weather: Overcast/very windy, 56F
Water Temp: Not available
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: Z-Man Chatterbait (sexy shad) with BPS Speed Shad trailer (sight fish)
Structure: Stump
Angler Comments: This was my highlight of the day on a great looking piece of offshore cover. I had gotten a solid strike on the previous cast but came up empty on the hookset. I was bummed but hoped that the fish was still there and not spooked as I made a follow-up cast. It all worked out just fine.

Weight: 2-6 (18”)
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: March 21
Weather: Overcast/very windy, 56F
Water Temp: Not available
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: Z-Man Chatterbait (sexy shad) with BPS Speed Shad trailer (sight fish)
Structure: Log
Angler Comments: I made a long cast parallel to the riprapped shoreline primarily to address some loose line down in the spool of my reel. This “maintenance” cast proved to be a winner in more ways than one.

Weight: 2-3 (16.5”)
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: March 21
Weather: Overcast/very windy, 56F
Water Temp: Not available
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: Z-Man Chatterbait (sexy shad) with BPS Speed Shad trailer (sight fish)
Structure: Log
Angler Comments: This was my final bass of the day, and it was icing on the cake as I had already reached my daily goal of posting a ten-pound Top 5. Nothing wrong with being a bit greedy and this bass was right where it was supposed to be as I ran my chatterbait along a log that lay perpendicular to my spot on the bank.

Weight: 2-1 (16.5”)
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: March 21
Weather: Overcast/very windy, 56F
Water Temp: Not available
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: Z-Man Chatterbait (sexy shad) with BPS Speed Shad trailer (sight fish)
Structure: Log
Angler Comments: On my first spot of the morning, I made a total of ten casts at various angles to an offshore submerged log. A fish had bumped my chatterbait on the fifth cast, and perseverance paid off with a quality catch to start my afternoon.
Top 5 Weight:12-1 (2-13,2-10,2-6,2-3,2-1) culls 1-13,1-8, and 1-4

Now that’s more like it and hopefully a sign of good things to come. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Well, here in the Midwest we are amid another batch of weird weather. I managed to add one more bass to my Top 5 last Monday during a 70-degree day. Not quite a week later, as I type up this post we are under a Blizzard Warning and forecast to receive five to six inches of snow. But stay tuned as we are back in the sixties headed into next weekend. Anyway, read on for the latest Top 5 submission.

Weight: 1-8
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: March 9
Weather: Sunny/windy, 70F
Water Temp: Not available
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: Z-Man Chatterbait (sexy shad) with Bass Pro Shops Speed Shad trailer (sight fish)
Structure: Open water
Angler Comments:  I am not sure what (if any) cover held this bass as my aim was to work my chatterbait parallel to a submerged log. I cast towards the middle of The Canal well beyond my intended target so as not to spook any fish near the log. Luck was on my side as the cast produced a bite as soon as the lure hit the water.
Top 5 Weight (only three at 12” or better): 4-9 (1-13,1-8,1-4)

Three bass down and two more to go to round out my initial Top 5. I am keeping my fingers crossed that next weekend will present another opportunity to get on the water with some warm weather. Talk to you later. Troy