Month: March 2020

Lure Lunacy-Emiquon Region Round 2

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Emiquon Region – Round Two

The second of the Saturday regions draws to a close as detailed below.

Rat-L-Trap (1) vs. Swimbait (8)
Honorary Captains: Ed Ratleff & Bob Lanier


Matchup: Tried and true lipless crankbait takes on some of biggest baits in bass fishing.
Result: Too many lipless cranks, need to pick a favorite and this one isn’t it. The Swimbait pulls off the upset as I try to get the picture on the big bass potential of these lures.

Alabama Rig (12) vs. Creatures (4)
Honorary Captains: John Mengelt & Skeeter Swift/John Roche


Matchup: The multi-lure Alabama Rig (limited to only two hooks in Illinois) was billed as unfair by some when it burst onto the tackle market. Fending off this wild collection of baits is a lure type with varied body plans and versatile presentations.
Result: Oh, to have wielded an Alabama Rig back in the early bass feeding frenzy days of Emiquon. But those days are no more so the consistency of the creatures moves them on to the next round.

Wooly Curl Tail (6) vs. Rapala DT Series (3)
Honorary Captains: Neal Walk & Dave Twardzik


Matchup: Slow and steady for the curl tail, retrieved just fast enough to keep the bait off the bottom and the tail twisting. The broad bodied DT series keep you up to speed on depth with the estimated running depth etched right on the bill.
Result: Fast over slow takes this matchup as the curl tail puts up a solid effort but is not effective at the pace set by the Rapala DT.

Power Worm (10) vs. Red Eye Shad (2)
Honorary Captains: Moses Malone & Red Robbins


Matchup: Power is a bit deceiving in a plastic worm offering but it sounds good. And that’s what helps sell a product. Does have a powerful scent though. The Red Eye Shad, however, is typically all about power fishing, cast it, crank it and rip it.
Result: The Power Worm is easily outmatched as it just can’t go the distance like the Red Eye Shad which can produce all year long.

On more day and two more regions to complete the opening weekend. Hope you’ve got a couple more reads in you before I give the lunacy a break. Probably have some other stuff though. Talk to you later. Troy

Lure Lunacy-Storey Region Round 2

Posted on by Troy Jackson

New wrinkles up for Round Two with a new backdrop, expanded rosters and honorary basketball captains for the contenders in each matchup. The results of the Storey Region are in the books with the Emiquon Region winners to come later tonight.

Storey Region – Round Two

Zara Spook (1) vs. Sidewinder Worm (8)
Honorary Captains: Zelmo Beatty & Jamal (Keith) Wilkes


Matchup: Lures from the original 80s jump into bass fishing slug it out with contrasting styles.
Result: The explosiveness of the Spook and a late scoring run .edge out the slower, methodical pace of the Sidewinder.

Mepps (5) vs. Bomber Flat A (4)

Honorary Captains: John Havlicek & Louie Dampier


Matchup: A solid starting five and some inspired sixth man play highlight an experienced Mepps squad pitted against the cold and calculated “bombs away” approach of the Flat A.
Result: Inspired play up and down the Mepps roster are too much for a Flat A team that relies too heavily on star player, Baby Bass.

Rattlin’ Rogue (11) vs. Blue Glimmer (3)
Honorary Captains: Darryl Dawkins & Tarheel Greats


Matchup: Occasional strikes that typically require intense angler attention take on a bait with some potential rod rattling ability when worked tight to laydowns or dropped over limbs.
Result: Too many memorable catches for the Blue Glimmer lead to an easy victory over the Rogue which tests my patience on the rod handle.

Mann’s 20+ (10) vs. Booyah Spinnerbait (2)
Honorary Captains: “Downtown” Fred Brown & “Pistol” Pete Maravich


Matchup: An experienced team of deep threats takes on a younger batch of baits that has come of age in recent years.
Result: The Booyah remains focused and stays the course leading to the much anticipated matchup of legendary spinnerbaits. Folks, this is what Lure Lunacy is all about.

Time for these surviving contenders to relax and recuperate. But no rest for those in the remaining regions as the action continues tonight and through tomorrow. Talk to you later. Troy

Lure Lunacy-Snakeden Region Round 1

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Round One concludes with a region featuring more than a few “classic” baits. How will they fare against some mainstream opponents?

Read on…

Senko Wacky Rig (1) vs. Mystery Lure (16)
Matchup: Okay, so this one really isn’t fair but that’s how it goes. A strange bass catching rig competes with a lure I found in an old tacklebox somewhere that has yet to be identified. If anyone has a clue, pass it on.
Result: The mystery lure goes the way of all but one 16 seed in the history of the “real”, but missing, tournament of 64. The Senko moves on to do its wacky thing.

Pop R (8) vs. Skitter Pop (9)
Matchup: A matchup of poppers exemplifies the overlap in creations among lure manufacturers. The success of Rebel’s Pop R spawned a batch of imitations such as Rapala’s stab at a topwater bait.
Result: Flattery will get you nowhere in this case as there’s nothing like the original.

Rattlin’ Rap (5) vs. Underspin (12)
Matchup: Similar to the above matchup, Rapala also took a shot at a lipless crankbait with the Rattlin’ Rap as an imitation of the Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap. The opponent in this duel is also an imitation of sorts in taking a page from an ultralight bait known as The Roadrunner and markedly upsizing the concept.
Result: Personally, I have always preferred the Rattlin’ Rap over the Rat-L-Trap and for the life of me, I can’t get the hang of an Underspin. I know it’s a confidence thing but no go for the Underdog in this matchup.

Rapala Floating Minnow (4) vs. Devil’s Horse (13)
Matchup: While the Floating Minnow ripples the surface to work its magic, the Devil’s Horse relies on ripping the water. Subtle versus commotion, both can be effective. You just need to observe what the bass tell you.
Result: No way that one of the first bass baits that I ever learned about is going to bow out in the opening round. Shout out to Dad on this one as the Rapala remains a classic.

Yum Dinger (6) vs. Jitterbug (11)
Matchup: Yum’s wacky worm offering is a bit friendlier on the piggybank than its competitor the Senko which is always a consideration for a frugal fisherman. And the old Jitterbug (actually Jitterstick pictured here) can also be found these days at a knock off rate.
Result: I found fishing back in a time when a lure like the Jitterbug was a regular in your Dad’s or your grandpa’s tacklebox. Too many “can’t miss” and “cutting edge” baits these days gets me nostalgic for the classics, thumbs up for the Jitterbug.

Mann’s Baby 1- (3) vs. Flukes (14)
Matchup: While the Mann’s 20+ (a Storey Region winner) took cranking to unheard of depths, its smaller cousin took it to the other extreme. A big wobble just under the surface proved effective on bass who were already wise to many other shallow presentations. The Fluke also staked a claim to the barely below the surface zone with an erratic and effective action.
Result: Never was much of a Fluke guy and the Mann’s Baby 1- has been the fodder for a couple lasting “fish stories” so this one is a no doubter. In fact, the Mann’s Baby 1- was featured once upon time in a “Legendary Lures” series piece. Perhaps I should revisit that concept someday.

Hula Popper (7) vs. Pop N Frog (10)
Matchup: Another matchup of similar baits and darn close to the Pop R/Skitter Pop battle earlier in this region. Another classic from another generation’s tacklebox in the Hula Popper meets what is essentially a topwater frog with a big mouth.
Result: Nostalgia is on a roll in the Snakeden Region as the Hula Popper hangs on to down the noisy amphibian.

Baby Brush Hog (2) vs. Touchdown Worm (15)
Matchup: A bit of a slowdown game in this matchup with a relatively recent mutation of the plastic lizard in Zoom’s Baby Brush Hog. The Touchdown worm represents a variation on the old worm gang and could be viewed as a bit of a precursor to the Wacky Worm.
Result: Shout out to an old baseball teammate, friend and fisherman, “Clubber Joe” as I believe he introduced me to the Touchdown Worm once upon a strip mine wander. However, the Baby Brush Hog is just too good of a lure and outdoes its foe in this matchup.

Well, that’s a late night wrap on Round One which is fitting. The first weekend of the real tourney can certainly make for some long days. Been there done that. I must say that I feel a lot better than some of those 80s and 90s tourney weekends. And while I do miss the hoops with the cancellation this year, I am sure glad that I no longer partake in some of the extracurricular enjoyment of yesteryear. Talk to you later. Troy

Lure Lunacy-Little John Region Round 1

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Better late than never, right?

Okay, maybe don’t answer that one.

Anyway, the big, wild world made for a long day at work but I’m in this loony lure thing to win it. I may have to burn a little midnight oil but Round One will conclude tonight. Just in time to consider a look at Round Two.

Jig & Pig (1) vs. Vampire (16)
Matchup: Now, this one just sounds like a cool matchup. A legendary lunker producer with a throwback quality in a pork over plastic trailer. Then you have an obscure spinnerbait that unfortunately never caught on. Would’ve been cool to tell folks at the boat ramp that you were really onto a Vampire bite.
Result: No contest here, after all, the Vampire is certainly no University of Maryland Baltimore County Retriever.

Shadow Rap (8) vs. Dropshot (9)
Matchup: Sleek meets slim in a battle of subtlety. The suspending Shadow Rap and the dropshot rig are both designed to tantalizingly stare bass in the face and barely make a move.
Result: The dropshot edges out the Shadow Rap as while not a fast paced bait it generally outpaces the slowdown jerkbait game. Leaving a lure in place for more than about ten seconds is too much for me to take, I need a shot clock of sorts.

Whopper Plopper (5) vs. Moss Boss (12)
Matchup: The Whopper Plopper has sure caused a commotion over the last years and can definitely be a blast. Same for the Moss Boss although a substantially lower profile and not quite raising as much of a ruckus.
Result: Threes win this game, as in the pair of treble hooks sported by the Whopper Plopper. When a bass hits this one, it’s less likely to get away than striking the single hooked Moss Boss often through surface vegetation.

Shad Rap (4) vs. Smoo (13)
Matchup: One of the best cold water crankbaits in the Shad Rap takes on an interesting fat-lipped, bug-eyed caterpillar?
Result: I caught a bass on the Smoo. Once. Back in 1988. Caught one on the Shad Rap earlier this month and expect to continue to fool a few more. Victory to another classic Rapala design.

Topwater Frogs (6) vs. Ned Rig (11)
Matchup: Topwater explosions on the frog are exciting and frustrating at the same time. Cool blowups but low hooking percentages are the name of the game. Little Ned on the other hand gets his strikes out of sight and often barely noticeable, just kind of heavy.
Result: Ned comes through for his ability to elicit cold and tough bites. Frogs are fun but I can find plenty of other ways to fool my summertime bass.

KVD Squarebill (3) vs. Tornado (14)
Matchup: Squarebills are one of the latest trends in crankbaits, lauded for their ability to bounce off cover and avoid snagging of the treble hooks. This Strike King model is endorsed by perhaps the best tournament angler of all-time, Kevin VanDam. The Tornado, on the other hand, was created by a backyard Louisiana lure maker named Eugene “Shoestring” DuBois.
Result: I have to admit the pull of sentimentality for “Shoestring” who appeared with his Tornado in the old Bass Pro Shops catalogs. A great story but in the end, KVD and his Squarebill come out on top.

Bomber Long A (7) vs. Mann’s Augertail (10)
Matchup: For a couple years I really got into some strip mine bass by ripping a Long A in what I called a “frantic retrieve.” Alas, I couldn’t make it last. The Augertail didn’t last either but left a lasting legacy. I remember using it to catch my first ever Texas rigged worm bass on a pond owned by a fellow named Les Vicary.
Result: How can you argue with the nostalgia of learning how to fish the tried and true Texas rigged worm presentation? You can’t, and the Augertail advances.

Booyah Buzzbait (2) vs. Flies (15)
Matchup: Talk about opposite ends of the spectrum. A buzzbait is about as boisterous and obnoxious as one can get on the water, the polar opposite of the dignified, graceful presentation via fly rod.
Result: Flyfishing looks cool and I actually own a fly rod. I think it is in the rafters of Dad’s garage. Nope, I’m chunking a buzzbait until my arms get tired in search of a big bite.

Back rather soon with the Round One finale the Snakeden Region. Talk to you later tonight. Troy

Friday Flashback – March 29, 2005

Posted on by Troy Jackson

The latest flashback via an excerpt from the original report posted on March 31, 2005.

Upon catching a fish, I wanted to brag as well as let Dad know that I’d found something the bass seemed willing to hit. However, he was a couple hundred yards across the lake as we had headed in opposite directions upon arriving. With the wind screaming, there was no way to give him a yell but I did have my cell phone in my pocket. Upon dialing what I thought was the number, I got no answer and put the phone back in my pocket. The entire time from when I caught the fish through making my call, Dad had been in the timber with his back turned and had no idea I was trying to get his attention. I thought he had got a lure snagged in a tree or something but such was not the case. No sooner had I put my phone back than it produced one of those annoying tunes indicating an incoming call. It was Dad, who had been trying to read the display on his phone the entire time he’d had his back turned. A combination of glare and no glasses had made the task a bit more complicated but he got through. I relayed my info and in a matter of minutes he was on my side of the lake and casting a Rat-L-Trap. As it turned out, I had called Mom’s cell phone anyway as I didn’t realize that Mom and Dad now have their own phones. Nevertheless, a first, cellular communication to share the day’s fishing tips.

Dad 1-14 on a Rat-L-Trap

Turns out my generosity cost me Top Bass. A few minutes after Dad arrived on “my side” of the lake he caught a 1-15 and later reeled in a 1-14 to push me to third place on the list for 2005. I did manage to catch three more bass but the best of the bunch was a 1-5. We headed for a pothole that I think is called Axle Lake after wearing out our welcome on Hopper. I had one good strike on a jig but missed and Dad ended up donating his jig to a tree before we decided to call it quits. The stop at the last lake was essentially exploring, as we weren’t sure if the lake even had a bass population. Final results for our day were nine bass with eight coming on lipless crankbaits in a brown crawfish pattern and one on a jig (black/blue). Three additions to the record book was also a pleasant surprise and Dad’s 1-15 established a new lake record for Hopper Lake besting Tim’s 1-10 caught on 3/10/04.

Dad 1-15 on a Rat-L-Trap

Short and sweet on the outro as lots of blogging and more going on these days. Talk to you later (and soon). Troy

Lure Lunacy-Emiquon Region Round 1

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Another region in the books per the rundown below.

Emiquon Region

Rat-L-Trap (1) vs. Flying Lure (16)

Matchup: Perhaps best described as a matchup of “As seen on TV…” versus as proven on the water. Yes, I donated some dollars to the infamous Flying Lure although I can’t recall whether I bought the hype or just had some extra fishing cash lying around. At any rate, I don’t think I ever caught a bass on the marketing sensation

Result: The original Bill Lewis lipless crank wins this one in a blowout. The Flying Lure was quoted after the thrashing that “it was just happy to be here and be remembered.” Of course, how could those of us who viewed those old advertisements ever forget.

Swimbait (8) vs. Quad Shad (9)

Matchup: I’ve seen some monster bass on swimbaits but never on the end of my line. Actually, I rarely ever have a swimbait on the end of the line. Perhaps that explains my lack of success. The Quad Shad did spend time on the end of the line and while a winner wasn’t quite as strong as some other spinnerbaits.

Result: I’m going with the swimbait on this one as the general lure type has many offerings from gaudy and gargantuan to sleek and modest. As such it lives to fish another day.

Triple Ripple Worm (5) vs. Alabama Rig (12)

Matchup: One of the original worm designs to grace the tacklebox, a lot of Triple Ripple worms arrived via mail at my folks’ house shortly after we received the Bass Pro Shops catalog. Many years later, the Alabama Rig took the fishing world by storm. The Emiquon Region is a perfect fit for such a multi bait lure as those Emiquon Preserve bass sometimes went into an absolute feeding frenzy.

Result: Every year it seems that there is a 12 seed upset over a 5 seed and this is it. Sure wish I had ventured into tossing the Alabama rig in the early days of Emiquon but I missed my chance. But today the A-Rig gets its due in a fantasy fishing sort of daydream

Creatures (4) vs. Poe’s Crankbait (13)

Matchup: Not sure what some of those plastic appendaged baits are truly supposed to represent but the bass sure take a liking to them when bounced around some structure. And the Poe’s crankbait, endorsed by the legendary Rick Clunn, promised to bounce off structure with its “coffin” bill and elicit bone jarring strikes.

Result: The creatures take the win as I never have figured out how Rick Clunn made those Poe’s baits into bass fooling machines. Then again, at 73 years old, Rick Clunn is still out there doing a lot of things that the rest of us wannabe Bassmasters will never understand.

Wooly Curltail (6) vs. Tubes (11)

Matchup: A lure that is best fished at a crawl for those tough bites takes on a bait that, well, is fished kinda slowly for those tough bites.

Result: This one plays out like one of those classic Princeton Tiger contests that go down to the wire courtesy of their controlling, methodical pace. In the end, the curltail comes out on top as it just has a little something extra, leaving the tubes (and Ivy Leaguers) “this close” to an upset.

Rapala DT Crankbaits (3) vs. Dancin’ Eel (14)

Matchup: The DT (“Dives To”) series of baits from the early 2000s traces its roots to 1930s Finland and legendary luremaker, Lauri Rapala. The Eel arose in the 80s, taking part of its name from a legendary angler, Bill Dance. Folks, that’s a couple heavy hitters from the fishing world.

Result: Despite the Eel’s famous name, it never really caught on, or caught many bass in my case. A Rapala DT6, on the other hand, is responsible for my largest bass of all-time. No contest.

Swim Jig (7) vs. Power Worm (10)

Matchup: Swim jigs were a hit and a bit of a rage when they hit the scene but seem to have faded in the wake of swimbaits in recent history. The Power Worm entered the market looking to capitalize on a rising interest in a bass’ sense of smell.

Result: Well, I don’t know about the bass but I smell a winner in the Power Worm from this matchup. Recognizable right out of the bag, I also smell an upset as we say so long to the Swim Jig.

Red Eye Shad (2) vs. Jigging Spoon (15)

Matchup: The largely horizontal commotion of the Red Eye Shad takes on the methodical, vertical lift and drop of a jigging spoon. Relatively shallow versus relatively deep as well, entirely different approaches.

Result: If ever there was a slowdown, milk the clock, Princeton Tiger upset brewing this would be the matchup. Close, but only a moral victory as the Red Eye Shad is just too talented at fooling fish.

Stay tuned as two more opening round regions to go. Talk to you later. Troy

Lure Lunacy-Storey Region Round 1

Posted on by Troy Jackson

We kick off “Lure Lunacy” with the early results via the wonder of scheduling blog posts in advance. Yes, I am at work but through the magic of technology and a dose of imagination I am able to share a makeshift substitute for our missing madness.

Storey Region – Round One

Zara Spook (1) vs. Vibratron (16)

Matchup: A classic topwater with origins dating back to the 1940’s takes on a funky spinnerbait that I have no idea when I purchased or if it ever hit the water.

Result: Vast experience and some great catches easily push the Spook to victory over the largely unknown spinnerbait

Sidewinder Worm (8) vs. Rapala Fat Rap (9)

Matchup: An 80s flashback here with both of these baits being mainstays in my meager tackle collection back when I first decided that I would try to be a bass fisherman.

Result: A heated old school battle with the Sidewinder eking out a victory amid memories of learning how to fish a Texas rigged plastic worm.

Mann’s 4- (12) vs. Mepps – (5)

Matchup: An original lure from the 80s tacklebox competes with a precursor to the current batch of squarebilled crankbaits.

Result: Dad made sure I was well-versed in the effectiveness of a Mepps inline spinner and it stills has a spot in the tacklebox. The Mepps moves on to the next round while the 4- moves back into the garage.

Bomber Flat A (4) vs. Lizards (13)

Matchup: A favorite cold water crankbait battles a slow moving bait that has given way to more interesting creatures over the years.

Result: I’m more into cranking and reeling so the Flat A pulls out an easy victory over the flipping and bed fishing presentations often used with lizards.

Chatterbait (6) vs. Rattlin’ Rogue (11)

Matchup: A versatile moving bait in the chatterbait matches up with the slow twitch and suspend profile of the jerkbait.

Result: I know folks swear by the chatterbait and I’ve seen their results but I just haven’t got it to work for me. I’m not a slowdown guy either but we have an upset in this case as the Rogue also sets up well for a more frantic retrieve at times.

Blue Glimmer (3) vs. Dardevle Spoon (14)

Matchup: The Blue Glimmer is no longer in production so I have guarded my last intact model to the point of not taking it out of the package. Some nostalgia on the spoon though as I discovered a couple in a tacklebox of my grandpa’s when he passed away in the 80s and they would fool more than a few farm pond bass along the way.

Result: Despite the longevity of the Dardevle Spoon, it is no match for the good, old Blue Glimmer spinnerbait.

Rat (7) vs. Mann’s 20+ (10)

Matchup: Another pair of 80s baits in a classic battle on completely opposite ends of the spectrum in the water column. Rat explosions on the surface mat are a blast while the pole bending retrieve of the original deep diver made it feel like you already had a fish as the Mann’s 20+ dredged formerly uncharted crankbait territory.

Result: The Mann’s 20+ was a revolution and takes the victory by going where a crankbait had never gone before.

Booyah Spinnerbait (2) vs. Ghost Minnow (15)

Matchup: The Booyah Blade represents my go to spinnerbait over the last decade or so while the Rebel Ghost Minnow was a flash in the pan. The Ghost Minnow just tore up the strip mine bass for me and Dad in 2003 but then completely fell off the radar after its “One Shining Moment.”

Result: Booyah in a runaway victory after the Ghost Minnow darted out to an early lead.

One region in the books courtesy of a couple clicks to launch the previously compiled results during lunch hour. Back to work shortly as lunch hour fades. Tune in later tonight as the Emiquon Region results head your way for a nightcap. Talk to you later. Troy

Line, Lure, License, Lose, Log (Lockout?)

Posted on by Troy Jackson

The latest in a series of letdowns in our strange spring

This time of year always gets the fishing feeling flowing. Mid-February means the local Quad City Conservation Alliance Outdoor Show, which I skipped upon finding that Al Lindner was unable to make a scheduled appearance for medical reasons.

Of course, then there is baseball spring training which also turns my thoughts to better weather and getting on the water. The pre-season of my favorite past time was fun while it lasted but is now out of action.

Don’t forget the Bassmaster Classic which has lost it’s luster for me with the departure of most of the guys I followed for many years. I did tune in for the final weigh-in but overall it just doesn’t appeal to me like it did with the old roster.

And now the powers that be have shut down the outdoors as I can’t even go fishing at Snakeden Hollow State Fish & Wildlife Area. One of the places I enjoy maintaining my social distance and rarely see another human on my hikes is now off limits.

Despite the above series of letdowns, I have stuck to my pre-fishing ritual to insure that I put my best foot forward when it comes time to cast. My annual alliterative preparations consist of the following.

Line

Also threw in a new reel courtesy of a Field & Stream gift card from Christmas

Lure

Boys got new tackleboxes and we all got some new tackle

License

Illinois – check! Iowa – Check! Club Dues- Check!

Lose

Back in shape although I did get a little lax during the holidays (see below)

Once my public strip mines are out of quarantine, I’m ready for battle

Log

Here’s to 2020…

Talk to you later. Troy

Lure Lunacy

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Normally, hoops fans and other interested prognosticators would be feverishly filling out brackets right about now in preparation for the madness tipping off next week.

Alas, the climate around the nation and the world has changed considerably in the last several days. Certainly a degree of madness is still in the air, just bit more concerning no matter how you assess or address the current health situation.

So, in an effort to satisfy the need for some sort of March competition I present “Lure Lunacy.”

Mirroring the traditional hoops format (minus “play-in” contests) I have seeded a 64 lure bracket consisting of a batch of bass catching creations. Same as the battles on the hardwood, a pair of lures will go head to head with the victor moving on to the next round. I have attached downloadable regional brackets below in the perhaps unlikely event that anyone would wish to play along with their personal preferences or predictions.

 

 

http://troyjacksonoutdoors.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/031520-Bracket-LJ-Region.jpg

 

 

http://troyjacksonoutdoors.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/031520-Bracket-Emiquon-1.jpg

 

 

http://troyjacksonoutdoors.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/031520-Bracket-Snakeden.jpg

 

 

http://troyjacksonoutdoors.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/031520-Bracket-Storey.jpg

Regardless of any active audience participation, the Lure Lunacy tourney will launch on Thursday and move through the upcoming weeks just like the real deal. Winning and losing lures meet their fate solely based on a combination of my experience and imagination as it relates to each bait. Stay tuned for end of day results and commentary Thursday through Sunday.

In addition, I hope to get a chance to relay some other fishing related items along the way. However, I do get to work amidst the ever evolving situation so time may be limited. Kind of weird but even if I was off for a while, I would be unable to fish at some of my stomping grounds. Yep, the doggone outbreak has even closed some of the outdoors per the Illinois Department of Natural Resources website. March Madness, indeed. Talk to you later. Troy

Fill the Void-Content, Content, Content

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Click here for my latest stunt, a YouTube channel

Interesting times these days with the dearth of current entertainment for those who are typically dialed in to arguably the most wonderful sports time of the year.

Interesting times as well, in the fact that folks can take a shot a filling that entertainment void from the comfort and relative safety of their own home. As a blogger, I loosely categorize myself as an entertainer and educator. In the world of digital media, I guess that the current designation assigned to us blogger, tweeter, social media ramblers is “content creator.”

Unfortunate and bizarre as the circumstances may be, there is substantial block of time out there that folks are looking to fill. Plans have been altered, you can only watch so many highlight reels and well, who really wants to watch the news these days? Without the escape of Cinderellas, buzzer beaters, heartwarming profiles and eventually “One Shining Moment” the made up mainstream media mumbo jumbo just gets depressing.

So, guess who has been spending more time than he should over the last few days creating content?

Your escape from reality and my effort to claim a bit of your “free time” begins now with my plunge into the world of YouTube.

And it doesn’t stop there!

A significant reveal looms on the horizon as I attempt to fill a bit of the void left behind by the missing madness.

Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy