2026 Fishing Prep – Part I

Posted on by Troy Jackson

March is here and the time is right to get after the first bass of 2026. However, before hitting the water each year, there is ample preparation to cover ahead of those initial casts. I will explore these preseason tasks over a pair of submissions that detail the work behind the scenes. Today’s post covers the general aspects of inventory, repair, and getting in fishing shape. The second post will cover more specific tasks.

Tackle Inventory
Based on when, where, and how I am fishing, I gear up a bit differently prior to each trip. Lure selection changes over the course of the year and the types of water that I am fishing also dictate what I am casting. In addition, I alter the amount of tackle that I haul depending on whether I am hiking, biking, rowing the little boat, or trolling the big boat. As the year progresses this makes for a mess in my tackle bag and tubs. The offseason gives me a chance to organize, determine what needs to be replaced, and discard any broken-down baits.

The Canal’s Lost and Found
As I made my way through my tackle clutter, I came across a collection of lures that I had gathered over the last couple of  years on the Hennepin Canal. In fishing out of a johnboat, I have access to many lures that bank bound anglers have lost to trees and logs. The collection makes for a solid batch of lures and clues me in to what fellow anglers are casting. Although a few of the lures that I have gathered over the last four years have left me scratching my head. But what do I know after forty plus years of thinking that I am a bass fisherman.

A reel in need of repair or replacement

Three new reels for 2026 at the low, low price of only $50.10 combined (even cheaper than the sticker prices listed below)

And the listed retail price of the above three reels is…$150.89, for a whopping savings of $100.79

Reel Assessment
I do not have to replace reels on an annual basis but every once in a while one will give out. In some instances, I have had them repaired at a local tackle shop. In other cases, I have decommissioned them in favor of a new reel. This year, I found some great deals at the local department store that were too good to pass up. I purchased two spinning reels and one casting reel for the low combined price of $50.10. Total retail price of the trio was $150.89 so the savings were significant. I am putting the casting reel to use as I have a reel with a thumb bar that fails to reset when I engage the reel handle. As far as the two spinning reels are concerned, I have yet to determine if they are in the starting lineup this year or to be stashed away as spares.

Before picture #1 of the damaged and unusable rear bench in my little johnboat

Before picture #2 showing that that seat was no longer attached to the side of the boat

Welded and back in business, feels as solid as a rock

Boat Repair
This year featured a new task as the back bench seat of my little johnboat needed repair. It had come detached on one side as the mounting bracket had snapped away from the side of the boat. I was clueless on an approach to fixing it but lucked into a conversation with a co-worker who mentioned that her boyfriend was a welder. A few days later, I had a solidly repaired boat seat meaning that Brent, Julie, or the kids can hop aboard with me once again. Next up is a trolling motor issue on Dad’s boat that I need to see if me and Brent can fix. In this case, the contact on the thrust pedal is broken meaning that the trolling motor is either continuously running or not running at all. It is not a make-or-break deal when fishing but is a considerable hindrance when it comes to boat control.

Hopefully can keep up this pace to help me tackle that strip mine terrain

Exercise
The final task for this list involves getting in shape as the bulk of my fishing involves walking, pedaling, or rowing. I am way behind schedule on this goal and carrying about twenty-five more pounds than I would like. I’ve got no problem hauling that much gear as I have been known to over pack. However, packing it around on my gut is not as appealing.

Coming your way next is part two of this series. In that submission I will look at the remaining tasks needed in pursuit of another successful, legal, and documented year on the water. Talk to you later. Troy

2025 Lake Storey Top 5 Trip Tunes

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Playing catch up with a neglected list of tunes from my visits to Lake Storey last summer and fall. All told, I made eight trips to that old fishing hole and what follows are the tunes that made the cut for a Top 5 from those drives.

5. Fresh Air – Quicksilver Messenger Service (1970)
As me and the Summer of Love are the same age, the psychedelic rock scene pre-dates any true radio or record listening experience from a time when this song was fresh. But a handful of tunes from that era do appeal, including this one. I am not much of a jam band guy either but this one features a pair of enjoyable breaks, one with a Santana vibe to my ears, Fresh air has long been my escape, so hearing this cut on the way to the fishing hole was right on target. And while I get my hit enjoying Mother Nature in the literal sense, I suspect that this California crew had a few alternatives as well. One of which I see on billboards and buildings on my way to the old fishing hole these days.

4. If Hollywood Don’t Need You – Don Williams (1982)
It doesn’t get any better than the smooth sound of “The Gentle Giant.” Don Williams songs bring back a lot of memories that combine tunes and trucks. In the 1970s, that meant tagging along with Dad listening to a radio show called “Country Crossroads” featuring songs and an entertaining host in Jerry Clower. In the 1980s and 1990s, there were country tunes on the radio as me, Dad, and Brent headed out trapping or fishing. Riding around with my buddy, Hack, in his old Chevy S10 pickup listening to some country cuts and then pulling up a few more on the jukeboxes at the East End or Green Diamond taverns. And on this drive to fish Lake Storey, it was a treat to hear an “oldie” and get to reminisce with the radio.

3. Who Made Who – AC/DC (1986)
My first thought is that it is wild that this song is forty years old this year. Second thought is that this tune ranks in my all-time AC/DC Top 5 list. Not sure what place it would hold in that list though without reviewing the band’s catalog as much of it blends together. Which reminds me of a conversation I had with a co-worker close to twenty years ago that still sticks with me. He commented that AC/DC had been making the same song for thirty years. As that sounded a bit critical, he added, “But it’s a darn good song.”

2. Bad Time – Grand Funk (1975)
This is one of those songs that comes to mind when asked “What is your favorite musical decade?” Granted, I was only eight years old when this song hit the charts, but older cousins, a radio, and WLS 890AM all left a lasting impression. According to the internet, this one came in at #55 on the WLS Big 89 Countdown in 1975. That 1975 list also includes several songs that I’ve pulled up on the internet in just the past twenty-four hours. With the passing of Neil Sedaka, I listened to “Bad Blood” (#9 on the WLS 1975 countdown) and “Laughter in the Rain” (#32) along with a couple other random 1975 tunes “Someone Saved My Life Tonight” – Elton John (#9) and “Jackie Blue” – Ozark Mountain Daredevils (#14). Fifty years and those tunes never get old.

1. Conquistador – Procul Harum (1967)
Me and this song are the same age (although it did not chart until 1972), but I did not “discover” it until I was an adult. I am not sure where I first caught wind of this song, but it may have been one of those exciting occasions when a “new” old tune came on the radio. The live versions of this song with full orchestral accompaniment are a listening treat.

I believe that wraps up any loose ends from the 2025 fishing year. Time for thoughts and posts to turn to 2026 as March arrives. Last year, I was able to land my first bass on March 14, and I am hoping to beat that date in 2026. Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy

2025 Random Wrap-Up Notes II

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Read on for the second of two posts intent on wrapping up some loose ends from 2025. This batch of notes, pics, and video covers details on fish, lures, and fellow anglers that deserve more mention than what was offered in earlier posts.

Old Dog, New Tricks
For better or worse, I am a creature of habit when it comes to fishing. Actually, that is my general lifestyle but that’s a whole different story. Anyway, in terms of fishing, I have what I call my confidence baits, and I rely on them heavily as I like the way they fish and usually, they work. However, during 2025 I did step out of my comfort zone to employ three new presentations as detailed below.

Dark Sleeper
My friend, Jim Junk, submitted the bass pictured below, caught on April 6, 2025, as his second Top 5 entry of 2025. A bass of that size will get your attention, and it also piqued my curiosity as Jim reported that it was landed on a Dark Sleeper swimbait. This prompted me to pick one up as I had never tried the lure before. I made two casts with the bait on a strip pit before I broke it off on a hookset. I was proud of myself for giving it shot (albeit quite brief) but have yet to catch a bass on the lure as I have not purchased a replacement.

Jim Junk Dark Sleeper Bass caught on 4/6/25

 

Dice Bait
Another friend, John Kirkemo, initiated a text conversation last summer regarding a new lure fad known as a dice bait. Basically, these baits are spheres or cubes riddled with strands or tentacles. What sort of forage they are supposed to mimic is a source of debate, but they have caught plenty of anglers and even a few bass. John took to making his own versions and I followed his lead as the real deal can be very expensive. I did give my homemade model a shot on a clear, deep strip pit and had success in catching several bluegill but have yet to fool any bass.

A pair of John Kirkemo’s designs

And the suggested retail price for this dice bait is…nope

My first catch on one of my homemade dice baits, still seeking my first bass

Shaky Head
During the heat of summer, I found myself on some deeper strip pits when fishing from my little johnboat. I wanted a backup plan in case my frog pattern in the shoreline weed beds and lily pads faded after the early morning bite. Insert the shaky head worm presentation pairing a ball head jig and the old reliable plastic worm. The bait did exactly what I was seeking in landing twenty bass throughout the year and giving me some confidence to employ it again.

Shaky head success and yes, I did fool bass that were bigger than the lure

Species Title
It is a rarity that I fish for something other than largemouth bass. Even so, there are instances when an “accident” occurs and another species is landed while targeting bass. After all, if you have a lure in the water, anything can happen. Over the years, when fishing with Dad or Brent, we would have an unofficial “species title” designation if we inadvertently ran into something other than a bass. So, the following are a shout out to those other fish that Brent and I encountered in 2025. We tied with four species apiece as Brent lost a muskie at boatside (is kayakside a word?) in April that would have given him the title. However, I believe that I may have won courtesy of an obscure, and made-up tiebreaker rule. You decide from the photos below.

Species One – Largemouth Bass – Troy (3/14/25), Brent (4/6/25)

Species Two – Brent Walleye (4/13/25), Troy Crappie (4/19/25)

Species Three – Smallmouth Bass (5/18/25)

Species Four – Brent Channel Catfish (9/22/25), Troy Bluegill (6/7/25)

And for the Species Title win…I caught a sock

In Memoriam – Blue Glimmer (1994-2025)
The 2026 fishing season will be dedicated to an old 3/8 oz. Stanley Vibra Shaft Spinnerbait in the blue glimmer pattern. I broke out this classic bait from the 1990s at Lake Storey on October 6, 2025, and it proceeded to fool eight bass in less than two hours, just like old times. Shortly after landing that eighth bass, I broke off the lure on a hookset, possibly on a muskie. Such is the danger of using a “one of a kind lure” on Lake Storey. It was a tough pill to swallow as I thought it was the last bass that I would ever land on a “Blue Glimmer.” However, while doing a tackle inventory earlier this month, I found two more. One featured a skirt that was a replacement from the original model but the other was a bait still in the original packaging. While I may employ the first of these two baits, the packaged bait will remain tucked away.

One more piece of 2025 housekeeping to add later this week before the posts turn to 2026 fishing. Talk to you later. Troy

2025 Random Wrap-Up Notes I

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Over the course of the year, I post fishing reports for every trip that feature stats, lures, pictures, videos, and a batch of notes. However, there are details that don’t make the final edit for whatever reason, primarily to keep the reports from being too lengthy. So, before 2026 fishing kicks off, it’s time to catch up a batch of random notes and observations. This two-part series begins with a look at the aspects beyond the catches.

Sasquatch evidence?

Sightings
I have been running around Lake Storey for fifty years starting with family camping trips and wetting a bobber as a kid. Too many stories to tell but I had a pair of new encounters in 2025. In September, while Brent and I were chasing bass, we observed three otters swimming across the lake. Initially, they gave themselves away via their chirping. I had a video clip but accidentally erased it while editing the day’s footage. While these fish eaters can admittedly do a number on a lake, it was a cool sighting. I have seen them on the Hennepin Canal in the past and Dad had an encounter at Lake Bracken back in the early 2000s.

First pelican sighting at Lake Storey

Another new sighting was a pelican spotted in October. These birds are fellow fish chasers and the bird pictured below was on a fishy looking spot. Every year I look forward to seeing other fish-eating birds with my favorite being an osprey and I was not disappointed in 2025. In addition, I spotted several great blue herons and a couple of little green herons.

Sunrise drive with Venus and Jupiter on left, Mercury was visible as well prior to first light

Conditions
An important aspect that turns casting into catching is adapting to the numerous variables that you encounter on the water. Time of the year, time of the day, water temperature, water clarity, water depth, weather, cover, and structure are among the conditions to take into consideration. For much of my fishing there are also the challenges of getting to the water. These can include less than level terrain, terrestrial vegetation, walking distance, and finding makeshift “boat ramps.” Below are examples of the conditions encountered during 2025.

My ride to many fishing holes

This is called a boat ramp

By summer, the weeds hide some fishing holes right up until you reach the water’s edge

A respite from the rain on the Hennepin Canal

Summer on a strip pit (and several pools on the Hennepin Canal as well)

Low water made for better access on several strip pits in 2025

Last fall, the strip mine crew obliterated the weeds and reeds around some previously unreachable waters, I’ll be back soon

Tough to see but there is a cable across this strip pit marking the public/private border

No Trespassing  – Temptation is a constant companion in strip mine country

Next up, are additional notes that pertain to the catches. Talk to you later. Troy

2025 Locations – Knox Co. Strip Pits III

Posted on by Troy Jackson

I did not spend nearly as much time on these waters in 2025 as I have during most of the past dozen years. There are several reasons for the drop in time investment and most of those details will be detailed in the rest of this post.

April 19 – Top Bass at 4-14 (20.5″) on a Chatterbait

Knox County, IL Public Strip Mines III
(6 visits, 6 lakes – 4/13 through 9/21)
112 bass
16.25 hours
6.89 bass/hour
Top Bass: 4-14 Chatterbait on 4/19
Top 5 Weight: 15-10 (4-14,3-13,2-12,2-3,2-0)

 

Overview
There are plenty of bites to be had on this collection of waters, but return on investment in terms of quality bites makes for some tough decisions. I record every catch and get a weight on each bass that I classify as a “keeper” (12” or better and all released). The overall keeper rate on the six lakes that I visited was a paltry 21% (24 keepers out of 112 total bass). This rate was heavily skewed by one lake which only produced 3 keepers out of 83 bass. However, those three keepers combined to tip the scales at just shy of ten pounds (4-14,3-13,1-3). This lake is easy to reach and easy to fish so it is tough to pass up on a hike. Just for comparison, keeper rates for all the locations in 2025 shook out as below.
Hennepin Canal = 76% (50 of 66 bass at 12” or better)
Strip Pits II = 72% (39 of 54)
Lake Storey = 63% (54 of 86)
Strip Pits I = 63% (26 of 41)
Strip Pits III = 21% (24 of 112)

Lures
A wide variety of lures were productive as the seasons progressed and conditions changed. I leaned heavily on grubs/Ned rigs and lipless cranks in April before shifting to the Whopper Plopper, frog and plastic worms as the bass became more active and the water got weedier. A chatterbait fooled my largest bass at 4-14 which equaled my Top Bass of the Year (tied with a Lake Storey catch). In addition, I landed a few on a buzzbait and a swimbait. Every lake on the site has its own “personality” and years of experience combined with continued experimentation keep on putting plenty of bass in the logbook.

Videos
For today’s post I am including a pair of rare August catches as I don’t get out on these waters much in the heat of summer. The long hikes, chest high weeds and hot weather make for an exhausting day, so I generally invest my time elsewhere. In addition, I’ve posted the footage of my three largest 2025 catches from these waters in previous submissions, so I like to provide some fresh clips.

The clip below features a bass landed on a topwater frog in a narrow finger of a strip pit. The finger represents a scaled down version of the prototype strip mine layout. A V-shaped cut that features steep banks on each side. By design, I am fishing on the less steep side, but it still consists of a roughly seven-foot drop from my flat perch atop the ridge down to the water. I always fish my frogs on braided line for no stretch hooksets along with the increased strength to drag the bass out if they get buried in the aquatic vegetation. An added braid bonus on this catch is the ability to lift the bass up the incline without fear of the line breaking.

 

Today’s second clip also features a frog bass in a similar setup with the added challenge of a twelve-foot drop to the water. It was caught on the same day as the fish in the previous clip and it was the bite I needed to push me to a double-digit Top 5 for the day of 10-9. I had a hard stop to my outing (was heading to my folks to watch the Cubs) and this bass came with about twenty minutes to spare. As I had met my Top 5 goal and had run out of water on this lake, I opted to make the catch my final cast and headed for my truck.

 

2026 Outlook
These walk-in fishing holes require considerable effort and are easiest to fish in April and early May before the terrestrial weeds get out of control. And that’s likely when I will spend my time chasing these bass in 2026. I have a handful of “milestones” within reach that provide incentive to make the hikes. Two lakes are just shy of 200 total bass (one sits at 189, the other at 188). Another pair are close to the century mark (96 bass and 88 bass). In addition, I have a lake that needs a couple quality bites to reach a double-digit Top 5 (current weight is 7-14) and there are at least four lakes that I have not spent a great deal of time fishing. Too many lakes, so time will tell.

May 16- Top Bass Runner-Up at 3-13 (20″) on a Whopper Plopper

There will come a day when I elect to leave some of the harder to reach fishing holes behind. Let’s just say that I am neither as young as I used to be nor in as good physical shape as needed for some of these treks. With that said, I am not ready to bid farewell quite yet. Well, at least until I find myself a couple of miles from the truck, hot, tired, and stuck knowing that I walked in so I must walk out. At such times, I find an REO Speedwagon line running through my brain saying, “I do believe that I’ve had enough.” (Time for Me to Fly – 1978) But then I find myself pecking away on a keyboard all these months later and think that it wasn’t all that bad. We’ll see how long that feeling lasts in 2026. Talk to you later. Troy

2025 Locations – Lake Storey

Posted on by Troy Jackson

On the heels of 2024 being my most productive year on Lake Storey, I decided to take it up a notch in 2025 by investing in a near weekly visit from August 31 through November 4. The commitment was worth it as I exceeded my previous yearly bass total, had my best Top 5 year ever on the lake, established a new Top Lake Storey Bass for a pair of lures and landed my all-time Top Lake Storey Bass. An exciting year on an old favorite body of water.

September 29 – Lake Storey 2025 Top Bass Runner-Up at 3-12 (20.5″) on a lipless crankbait 

Lake Storey – Knox County, IL
(8 visits – 8/31 through 11/4)
vs.
5 visits in 2024
86 Bass (80 bass in 2024)
56.25 hours (35.50 hours in 2024)
1.53 bass/hour (2.21 bass/hour in 2024)
Top Bass: 4-14 Spinnerbait on 10/12 (2024 Top Bass 2-15)
Top 5 Weight: 18-2 (4-14,3-12,3-6,3-4,2-14)
vs.
2024 Top 5 Weight: 13-6 (2-15,2-15,2-10,2-8,2-6)

 

Overview
During the late summer, I was able to alter my work schedule to free up some time. As a result, I managed to get on Lake Storey eight times from August 31 through November 4. As noted in the intro, 2024 was a record year in terms of numbers and featured an impressive 2.21 bass/hour rate. While 2025 ended with a lower bass/hour rate of 1.53, the quality was outstanding. Considering that 1997 through 2023 showed an overall bass/hour rate of 1.11, 2025 was well above average. And five of my outings met my goal of a double-digit daily Top 5 Weight as noted below with four of those residing in the Top 10 all-time Lake Storey daily hauls.
13-13 October 12 (2nd all-time)
11-5 September 29 (7th all-time)
10-15 September 15 (8th all-time)
10-5 September 22 (10th all-time)
10-1 September 8 (12th all-time)

Lures
I cut my bass fishing teeth on chunking a spinnerbait back in the 1980s, so it is great to spend time on water that sets up well for the presentation. When I put the spinnerbait down, a lipless crankbait got the job done. While I used to fish crankbaits a great deal on Lake Storey, there wasn’t really much reason to pick one up in 2025. Below is the breakdown of the winning lures for Lake Storey from 2025.
Spinnerbaits = 59 bass (new Top Lake Storey spinnerbait bass at 4-14)
Lipless Crankbaits = 22 bass (new Top Lake Storey lipless crank bass at 3-12)
Crankbaits = 2 bass
Jigs = 2 bass
Buzzbait = 1 bass

Videos
The clips included in today’s post each feature a quality catch on one of the top two lures of the year at Lake Storey. The first clip below shows a bass landed on some offshore structure on a lipless crankbait. The footage is edited down from a lengthier clip as this was my fourth cast to this general area. My target was a significant piece of cover on an expansive flat. The water level was dropping but the target was still not visible, so I relied on experience as I do not have all the bells and whistles of advanced sonar or GPS to locate and mark spots. I fan cast the area, with each cast slightly further out from the bank in search of the sweet spot, and I found it. This catch sported some neat dark coloration, referred to as a “melanistic” trait.

 

Clip two is a bass landed on a spinnerbait in one of my favorite spinnerbait scenarios, shoreline wood. This tree features many nooks and crannies among the abundant large limbs extending out from the bank. The visible aspect of the cover provides ample targets, and it is a treat to see how precisely I can cast to drop my bait into a spot where it can find a bass instead of a branch. In addition, there is a lot going on below the surface with a tree of this size as there are numerous other branches hidden or barely visible below the surface. It gets me excited just writing about such a spot. This footage is edited down as this was the seventh cast that I had made as I moved along the tree from right to left. Like the bass in the previous clip, this catch featured the melanistic look along with a yellowish hue known as a “xanthic” trait.

 

2026 Outlook
It will be tough to top 2025 in terms of quality, but those bass are in there. They are just hard to find and fool. It would also be fun to land 100 Lake Storey bass in 2026 but time and a boat issue (foot-controlled trolling motor thrust button not working) may hinder that quest. For years, nearly all my Lake Storey fishing has occurred after Labor Day when the lake undergoes a fall drawdown which lowers the water level. In 2026, it would be fun to make additional visits throughout the year, but time will tell.

October 12 – Lake Storey all-time Top Bass at 4-14 (20.5″) on a spinnerbait

If I were to pick an all-time favorite lake, it would be Lake Storey. Experience, confidence, degree of difficulty, and nostalgia all factor in my fondness for that old lake. Last year, my “home lake” treated me well. I ran my spots, worked them over thoroughly and effectively, and it paid off. The highlight was my new Lake Storey Top Bass that tipped the scales at 4-14. Even better, it came on a newer spot that Brent and I found a couple of years ago. It goes to show you that there is always something new to learn in this hobby, even after forty-plus years of exploring a fishing hole.

One more location recap on the way with a look at another batch of strip mine waters that produced the largest quantity or bass for 2025. Talk to you later. Troy

2025 Locations – Hennepin Canal

Posted on by Troy Jackson

The Hennepin Canal features a lot of water, making it tough to decide where to invest my time when able to make some casts. My obsession with stats plays a significant role in such decisions and in 2025 I leaned heavily on hitting some numerical milestones. I managed to boost my Top 5 weight on two areas into double figures and landed Bass #100 on another stretch but overall, The Canal bass played hard to get both in terms of quality and quantity.

June 7, 2025 – Hennepin Canal 2025 Top Bass at 3-4 (19″) on a Senko wacky rig (Bass #100 on this stretch)

Hennepin Canal – Henry County, Bureau County, IL
(20 visits, 14 pools – 3/14 through 10/27)
66 bass
54.25 hours (0.50 to 4.25-hour trips)
1.22 bass/hour
Top Bass: 3-4 Senko on June 7
Top 5 Weight: 13-7 (3-4,2-12,2-11,2-6,2-6)

 

Overview
I have divided The Canal into twenty-six sections as it runs from the Rock River at Colona to the Feeder Junction just northwest of Sheffield. Currently, I have achieved a ten-pound Top 5 in sixteen of those sections. All told, I visited six spots that lacked a double-digit Top 5 in 2025 but could only get the bites that I was seeking on two of the pools. When visiting areas that already had an established ten-pound Top 5, I did manage to find a few quality bites to give three of the spots a boost.

Lures
The Canal is a shallow waterway with abundant aquatic vegetation. These features make for ample opportunity to employ a topwater approach once the water warms. Forty-eight of my bass were landed between May 3 and July 19 and twenty-nine of those fish came on either frogs or buzzbaits. Rather than getting too deep into the variables that influenced my lure choices, here is a breakdown of the numbers.
Frogs – 18 bass
Buzzbaits – 13 bass
Spinnerbaits – 13 bass
Chatterbaits – 11 bass
Lipless Crankbaits – 5 bass
Plastic Worms – 5 bass
Swim Jig – 1 bass

Videos
For The Hennepin Canal videos, I chose a pair of bass that pushed me over the ten-pound Top 5 mark on two different pools. For the first clip below, my starting weight sat at 9-3 and this bass tipped the scales at 2-6 to give me the boost that I was seeking. One item to note in this clip is the delayed hookset. When fishing a topwater lure, you don’t want to set the hook based on the visual and auditory aspects of the strike. Instead, you want to make sure that you feel the fish to ensure that it has a good bite on lure. Otherwise, you run the risk of yanking the lure away prematurely. It takes some steady nerves and some practice to delay the hookset as the natural reaction to an exciting topwater strike is to immediately set the hook. In this case, there is quite a lengthy pause (perhaps too long) but all that matters is that the bass made it to the boat.

 

For the next clip, I was on a stretch with a Top 5 Weight of 9-6 to start my day. I had missed a good fish on a frog early that may have done the trick before landing a 2-0, also on a frog, that pushed me up to 9-9. This meant that I needed a 2-3 to reach the ten-pond mark. The frog came through again with a 2-12 to achieve my goal and along with being the Top Bass on the pool.

 

2026 Outlook
June 5, 2026, will mark the five-year anniversary of my first bass on The Canal. Since that day, I have landed 912 bass so one goal for 2026 is log Canal Bass #1000. In addition, I have ten stretches that still fall shy of a ten-pound Top 5. Two of these areas, I have never fished and the remaining spots have established weights ranging from 1-3 to 8-14. I have my work cut out for me to achieve my goals and the dilemma of too many fishing holes and not enough free time.

The 2025 time and results (66 bass in 54.25 hours) were a far cry from the totals of the previous year (270 bass in 136.00 hours) as the focus was shifted away from The Canal in favor of other bodies of water. Even so, I feel that the bass outsmarted me on that old waterway. Perhaps I will get my “revenge” in 2026. In the meantime, we move on to the results from Lake Storey for the next post in the Locations series. Talk to you later. Troy

2025 Locations – Knox Co. Strip Pits II

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Next up, we look at another batch of strip mine lakes. A few of these lakes, I first fished thirty-five years ago but had neglected in more recent years. The return trips were worth the time and the effort required in walking and/or dragging around a boat.

July 24 – Top Bass from these waters at 3-5 (19″) on a frog

Knox County, IL Public Strip Mines II
(5 visits, 11 lakes – 5/15 through 9/6)
54 bass
15.00 hours (0.25 to 5.00 hours on each water)
3.60 bass/hour
Top Bass: 3-5 Frog on 7/24
Top 5 Weight: 12-6 (3-5,2-13,2-4,2-2,1-14)

 

Overview
This batch of strip pits consisted largely of water that I had not fished for quite a few years. Looking at my logbook data showed that the most recent visit to any of these waters was 2021. Several went back to 2016, and one I had not tried since 2004. I invested most of my time (10.25 hours total) on three lakes that needed several quality bites to establish a ten-pound Top 5. I did manage to get the boost on one of the three spots and caught plenty of fish on the other two but couldn’t muster good enough bites to meet my overall goal.

Lures
Like the previous post, I fished most of these strip pits from May through July, so a frog dominated the haul on those that I fished from a boat. Even on the steeper, deeper, waters, the shoreline weedbeds and lily pad fields harbored plenty of bass that were susceptible to the topwater presentation. When I shifted gears to fishing the depths, a swimbait and shaky head worm did the trick. On a pair of lakes featuring accessible flats when fishing from the bank, a chatterbait was effective during a September visit.

 

Videos
Since frogs caught 31 of the 54 bass from this area, I have posted a pair of clips highlighting frog catches. The video above demonstrates that it doesn’t have to be shallow vegetation for this topwater presentation to be effective. The weed clump where this bass was hanging out was in 6–8-foot water and dropping sharply into nearly 20 foot of water. The video below showcases a more common setup with a heavily weeded flat extending to a point before dropping into 12-14 foot of water. I really didn’t get my cast as close to the weed edge as I’d intended but in this case it didn’t matter. In fact, I did not even have to impart any action to the frog as the splashdown was enough to get the attention of an active bass.

 

2026 Outlook
As noted in the overview, I had neglected a lot of this water in favor of other haunts for the last four years or more. Upon returning, the bass treated me well as I established a couple new personal lake records as well as hitting my goal of a ten-pound Top 5 on one of the spots. Many others still need some work with current Top 5 Weights ranging from 6-9 to 8-13, meaning that a good bite or two is all that I need to hit the mark. And I know those quality fish are in there. Time will tell for 2026 as the strip mines offer the dilemma of too many fishing holes and not enough hours of free time.

Next up we shift gears and look at 2025 on the historic Hennepin Canal. Talk to you later. Troy

2025 Locations – Knox Co. Strip Pits I

Posted on by Troy Jackson

For a more granular look at the 2025 stats, I have elected to expand the scope of the Knox Couty public strip pits by dividing them into three geographical locations. First is an area where I fished two of several bodies of water offered. The spots produced forty-one bass, and the numbers will increase for each location in the remaining posts to follow.

Knox County, IL Public Strip Mines I
(4 visits, 2 lakes – 5/25 through 7/23)
41 bass
13.25 hours (2.00 to 6.25 hour trips)
3.09 bass/hour
Top Bass: 3-6 Frog on 7/23
Top 5 Weight: 14-7 (3-6,3-1,3-1,2-11,2-4)

 

Overview
These two bodies of water allow me to drag in an eight-foot johnboat and have produced well over the years. One of the lakes lends itself to better quality bites while the other trends towards a numbers lake. In 2025, I spent more time on the quality lake (9.75 hours versus 3.50 hours).

Lures
During the timeframe that I fished these waters, the weed growth was abundant, particularly on the shallower, quality fish lake. As a result, topwater lures dominated the haul in landing 30 of the 41 bass (24 on a frog, 5 on a buzzbait, and 1 on a propbait). The remaining eleven bass were fooled on plastic worms (10 on a shaky head and 1 on a wacky rigged Senko). Six of the worm bass came from the deeper, numbers lake and five from the other body of water.

Video
The clip below is the Top Bass Runner-Up from this area as the Top Bass was previously submitted for the “12 Days of Lures” series as it represented the Top Frog Bass of 2025. For this catch, I had previously been working a buzzbait over an expansive submerged weed bed when I saw/heard a fish break the surface near a weed edge within casting distance. Such an observance always warrants a cast as I describe this as a bass “giving itself away.” The behavior typically reveals a “hot” fish, one that is feeding and susceptible to a striking a lure cast in proximity. I rapidly reeled in my buzzbait, picked up my frog rod, and fired away to the surface weeds near where I had observed the splash. Right on cue, as my frog buzzed off the weed tops into open water the bass blasted it and hooked up.

 

2026 Outlook
The larger, deeper lake lacks enough quality bites to have a ten-pound all-time Top 5 (currently sits at 7-7) so that is a goal. It did receive a boost with a 2-2 in 2025, which stands as the largest bass that I have landed on that body of water. In addition, there are a pair of lakes in the area that I have only fished sparingly but both take some work to access. I would like to visit them again in the future, but terrain, weather, and energy are factors that can be a challenge. When it comes right down to it though, it is hard to stay away from the quality lake in the area (all-time Top 5 of 17-6 and 19-10 when combined with my brother, Brent). This one’s up in the air for 2026 so I guess that I’ll see what my gut tells me when I get there.

Next up is another batch of strip pits so stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy

2025 Location Recap Intro

Posted on by Troy Jackson

2025 saw 359 largemouth bass landed on a batch of Illinois waters. In December, I covered the lure portion of the 2025 recaps and now it is time to cover the locations. Overall, these consisted of Lake Storey (north of Galesburg), numerous Knox County public strip pits, and many pools on the Hennepin Canal running through Henry and Bureau Counties. What follows in today’s post is a general overview of the numbers as an introduction to a five-part series of 2025 location recaps that are on the way.

First Bass of 2025 – March 14 on the Hennepin Canal

 

2025 Bass Stats
Largemouth Bass = 359
Outings = 40 (ranging from 0.50-hour to 8.00-hour trips)
Bodies of water = 34
Bass Fishing Hours = 155.50
Bass/hour = 2.31
First Bass of the Year: March 14 at 5:54pm on the Hennepin Canal
Last Bass of the Year: November 4 at 12:18pm on Lake Storey
Comments: Thirty-four bodies of water are a bit deceiving as a lot of my time is spent casting on the Hennepin Canal and Knox County strip mines. The Canal consists of a series of pools separated by locks, tubes, and inverted siphons. In 2025, I fished fourteen of these stretches via bicycle or boat. Similarly, the Knox County public strip mine ground included nineteen different bodies of water reached on foot, either fishing from the bank or dragging in a boat.

Top 5 Bass (Weight, Length, Location, Date, Lure)
4-14 (20.5″) Knox County public strip pit 4/19 Chatterbait
4-14 (20.5″) Lake Storey 10/12 Spinnerbait
3-13 (20″) Knox County public strip pit 5/16 Propbait
3-12 (20.5″) Lake Storey 9/19 Lipless Crankbait
3-6 (20″) Knox County public strip pit 7/23 Frog
Top 5 Total Weight: 20-11
Comments: My Top 5 bass goal each year is to hit the twenty-pound mark, and I made it in 2025 after falling short in 2024 (16-5 Top 5 Weight). In looking over this year’s list, I found it cool that my Top 5 bass were landed on five different types of lures and during five different months. Two of the Top 5 coming from Lake Storey (including a tie for 2025 Top Bass) was also rewarding as it can be a challenging fishing hole. The Hennepin Canal came up just short of contributing to the Top 5 creel as the Top Canal Bass weighed in at 3-4.

2025 Top 5 Bass

 

Access
Bank Bass (hiking and biking) = 143 bass
Little Boat Bass (over 40-year-old 8’ johnboat) = 130 bass
Big Boat Bass (1987 Bass Tracker Pro 17) = 86 bass
Comments: Hiking and biking produced the most fish, but I had to weed through a lot of fish to find a few good ones. I took my little boat to several strip pit lakes that I had not visited for quite a few years, and it paid off with good numbers and several quality fish. The Canal fishing was primarily from the little boat, but I struggled to find a consistent bite. I finished the year with a lot of hours on Lake Storey fishing out of Dad’s Bass Tracker and wound up with a solid batch of bass, including my Top Lake Storey Bass of all-time at 4-14.

Public vs. Private
Public Water = 359 bass
Private Water Bass = 0 bass
Comments: For the second straight year, all my catches were from public water. I do have access to quality private waters at Little John Conservation Club but opted to stick to where everybody can fish. My fishing log indicates that my last Little John bass came on September 30, 2023 with 1,060 bass being landed on public fisheries in the meantime.

Last Bass of 2025 – November 4 on Lake Storey

 

Stay tuned for an in-depth look at the numbers. Headed your way are a series of five location recaps covering the waters. These will appear in order of fewest to most bass caught and will consist of Knox County Public Strip Pits (Part I, II, and III), the Hennepin Canal, and Lake Storey. Talk to you later. Troy