A half dozen submissions this week from a pair of anglers give the Top 5 a boost. While a couple of the half dozen aren’t quite as heavy as the others, you’ve got to start somewhere. Personally, I’m ecstatic to just get on the board as it has been a long winter. Read on for the latest entries as open water in the region is back to stay.

Weight: 3-13
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: March 18
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Lipless Crankbait
Angler Comments: Went out for a couple hours. Rain had stopped but still windy and cold. Ended up with three bass, two were around two pounds and this one that came in at 3-13.

Weight: 3-10
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: March 19
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Lipless Crankbait

Weight: 3-11
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: March 19
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Lipless Crankbait

Weight: 4-2
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: March 19
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Lipless Crankbait
Angler Comments: My lipless crankbait wasn’t working nor other presentations I tried in my go to spots. Talked to a guy loading his kayak and he said he got a couple on a bluegill Rat-L-Trap. Tied on a similar lure and landed three bass in about 45 minutes.
Top 5 Weight: 19-11 (4-2,4-2,3-15,3-13,3-11) culls 3-10, 3-4 and 3-1

Weight: 1-10
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: March 20
Weather: Sunny/windy 56F
Location: Snakeden Hollow
Lure: Rapala Shad Rap (shad)
Structure: Dropoff
Angler Comments: My first bass of the year hooked up about an hour into the outing on a classic cold-water lure (more about the lure in the fishing report later this week).

Weight: 1-1
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: March 20
Weather: Sunny/windy 56F
Location: Snakeden Hollow
Lure: Googan Squad Gridiron Jig (PB&J) with twin tail trailer
Structure: Brush
Angler Comments: Some unfamiliar water with a fair amount of wood cover accessible from the bank was a winner on the jig.
Top 5 Weight: 2-11 (1-10,1-1)

Way to go, Jim, and pretty cool that another quality fish should cover those five ounces needed to hit the 20-pound mark. And it’s not even April. As for the other guy, I’m hoping that his pair of entries are displaced before the 2021 Top 5 runs its course. Ideally, its just a matter of time. As in finding time to get on the water. Here’s to others getting on the water as well and sending their catches my way. Talk to you later. Troy