Month: June 2022

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

“It’s a family affair” – Family Affair, Sly & The Family Stone (1971)

A recent family camping trip provided an opportunity for our crew to take a shot at fishing the Hennepin Canal. As their “guide,” I offered panfish and bass options as gear was prepped and all were set on trying to fool some bass. By the end of our two-hour hike, everybody had landed at least one bass, and several met the 12” minimum length limit for a Top 5 entry. Read on for those catches and a couple courtesy of the older Jacksons from a pair of more recent outings.

Weight: 0-14 (12.5”)
Angler: Carly Jackson
Date: June 18
Weather: Sunny/breezy
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: 5” Yamasenko wacky rig (blue pearl/silver flake)
Top 5 Weight: 0-14 (0-14)

Weight: 1-0 (12.5”)
Angler: Zac Jackson
Date: June 18
Weather: Sunny/breezy
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: Bass Pro Shops Stik-O wacky rig (candy corn)
Top 5 Weight: 1-0 (1-0)

Weight: 1-3 (14”)
Angler: Helena Jackson
Date: June 18
Weather: Sunny/breezy
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: 5” Yamasenko wacky rig (lavender/watermelon)
Top 5 Weight: 1-3 (1-3)

Weight: 1-3 (13”)
Angler: Jayce Jackson
Date: June 18
Weather: Sunny/breezy
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: Bass Pro Shops Stik-O wacky rig (candy corn)
Top 5 Weight: 4-10 (2-3,1-4,1-3)

Weight: 2-15 (18”)
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: June 24
Weather: Sunny/calm
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: Special K Spinnerbait (bold bluegill) with Zoom Creepy Crawler trailer (root beer pepper green)
Structure: Laydown
Angler Comments: A few casts and a change of retrieve angle after a good fish rolled on the spinnerbait and this catch came aboard. Same fish? Hard to tell but makes for a good fish story.
Top 5 Weight: 14-14 (3-5,3-2,2-15,2-12,2-12) culls a 2-11

Weight: 3-3
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: June 26
Location: Snakeden Hollow
Lure: Senko wacky rig
Top 5 Weight: 17-6 (5-4,3-9,3-3,2-11,2-11) culls a 2-9

Fun to watch the kids catch some fish on a fishing hole that has become my primary stomping ground in 2022. And thanks to my “kid brother” for another solid contribution. Talk to you later. Troy

Friday Flashback – June 29, 2002

Posted on by Troy Jackson

 

The final year of “Friday Flashback” just wouldn’t be complete without a revisit to a Henderson County spot that we called “Pat’s Creek.”

 

Over the years, we enjoyed many a wade from “Where We Get In” to “Where We Get Out” and all points in between. Even though we lost access many years ago, the memories remain of places like “The Roots”, “The Culvert”, “The Bridge”, “The Deep Hole”, and “The German Torpedo.”

Toss in a dew worm and you never know what will show up on the end of the line. Channel catfish, common carp, flathead catfish, and freshwater drum were the most popular catches, but the occasional smallmouth bass, walleye, green sunfish, or bluegill would also show up from time to time.

Documenting such trips took some care and planning as we waded the stained water. I always took a spare fishing log and tried to pack the camera in a Ziploc bag in the event I took a tumble on an unseen underwater obstruction. Back when the creek was deep, I also had to hold my gear over my head or stick to the shallow side when such a feature existed.

Scaling down on your gear was also a priority as you pretty much had to have everything you needed on your person as you waded. In some spots you could find a place on the bank to stash an item as you fished but for the most part the banks were steep or bordered with gunk where you could sink to your knees. In a couple of the photos from today’s post, I do see what Dad called “The Supertub.” This plastic tub provided a floating platform for gear and was towed around the creek via a rope as needed.

Good times, good memories, good fishing partners, and some good fish. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Angler John Kirkemo resets his original Top 5 with five new bass that nearly double his former total. A phenomenal stringer of close to sixteen pounds adds just over seven pounds to his limit. Read on for more details.

Weight: 1-13
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: June 13, 2022
Weather: 70s, humid
Water Temperature: N/A
Location: West Central Illinois public lake
Lure: Wacky Worm

Weight: 2-11
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: June 13, 2022
Weather: 70s, humid
Water Temperature: N/A
Location: West Central Illinois public lake
Lure: Wacky Worm

Weight: 2-11
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: June 13, 2022
Weather: 70s humid
Water Temperature: N/A
Location: West Central Illinois public lake
Lure: Wacky Worm

Weight: 2-14
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: June 13, 2022
Weather: 70s, humid
Water Temperature: N/A
Location: West Central Illinois public lake
Lure: Wacky Worm

Weight: 3-5
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: June 13, 2022
Weather: 70s, humid
Water Temperature: N/A
Location: West Central Illinois public lake
Lure: Wacky Worm

Weight: 4-2
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: June 13, 2022
Weather: 70s, humid
Water Temperature: N/A
Location: West Central Illinois public lake
Lure: Wacky Worm
Angler Comments: The fish tended to be in deeper water about ten yards from shore near sub-surface weed beds. Weather was warm with temperatures headed for the 80s and increasing humidity. Sky was cloudy with sun at times.
Top 5 Weight: 15-11 (4-2,3-5,2-14,2-11,2-11) culls 2-5,2-0,1-13,1-3,0-15

Way to go, John, that certainly hits the spot as we head towards summer. This makes for thirteen straight weeks with a Top 5 Update as our anglers continue to get it done. And stay tuned next Monday as we already have some fish to make it fourteen weeks in a row with a few new anglers joining the fun. Talk to you later. Troy

Saturday Flashback – June 7, 2012

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Today is a stat and photo heavy supplemental post to yesterday’s Friday Flashback. The point of the post is to convey that those bass down there were built differently, bit differently, and generally behaved differently. Basically, the length to weight ratio was more robust and it was highly unusual to catch any that were not “keepers” (under twelve inches). The latter feature was what we found most phenomenal, especially for a public fishery. Most places require running through a batch of “dinks” (short fish under 12”) to fool a few good ones.

Excerpt below from the original June 13, 2012 blog post

While I have learned a thing or two about bass fishing during the last four decades, the numbers to follow say a heck of a lot more about the fishery than the fisherman. I don’t know where most anyone out there fishes but I have never experienced a body of water (especially a public access body of water) that can hold a candle to the mix of quantity and quality that can be found at Emiquon. Mind you, it still takes some work and knowhow but oh the reward for paying your dues.

 

Back in the day, you had to make sure that you had plenty of space on the SD card in the camera as the quality catches could add up in a hurry.

The Numbers from June 7, 2012

0-14 Average weight of a 12” bass (2 fish sample)
1-8 Average weight of a 14” bass (11 fish sample)
1-12 Average weight of a 15” bass (7 fish sample)
1-15 Average weight of a 16” bass (7 fish sample)
2-9 Average weight of a 17” bass (3 fish sample)
3-6 Average weight of a 19” bass (2 fish sample)
98% Percentage of bass caught 12” or better (54 of 55)
78% Percentage of bass clustered between 13.5” to 16” (43 of 55)
14 Number of bass equaling or exceeding two pounds
7.1 Bass per hour (55 bass in just under 8 hours on the water)
1:18 Longest stretch without a bass (1:07pm-2:25pm)
2 Number of bass in first two hours on the water (12:25pm-2:25pm)
17 Number of bass in last hour plus (7:00pm-8:13pm)
99-13 Total weight of the 54 bass 12” or greater (throw in the 10” oddball and Emiquon gave up over 100 pounds of bass on the trip. How cool is that?

The place ain’t normal, which suits a guy in a goofy hat just fine.

Enough said. Well, at least until another Friday Flashback post or two featuring Emiquon as 2022 rolls on. Talk to you later. Troy

Friday Flashback – June 7, 2012

Posted on by Troy Jackson

As 2022 represents the final trip through the Friday Flashback series, a spot called “Emiquon” deserves a few more posts. After all, ten years ago, the one-of-a-kind fishing hole was still in its heyday. Here’s a portion of the original report posted June 10, 2012.

1:07pm – Top Bass at 3-8 on a Bass Pro Shops Kermy Frog

Stats
Date: June 7, 2012
Location: The Emiquon Preserve
Time: 12:25pm-8:15pm
Weather: Sunny/calm-breezy
Air Temp: 80F-68F
Water Temp: 77F
Totals: 55 bass
Lures: Booyah Counter Strike Spinnerbait (snow white) – 33 bass, Bass Pro Shops River Bug (roadkill camo) – 15 bass, Bass Pro Shops Kermy Frog (measles) – 2 bass, Hart Jig & Rat-L-Chunk (kitchen sink) – 2 bass, Strike King KVD 2.5 Squarebill Crankbait (sexy ghost minnow) – 1 bass, Frank’s Inline Spinner (Emiquon Equalizer) – 1 bass, Danc’n Eel – 1 bass
Top Bass: 3-8 (Bass Pro Shops Kermy Frog – Measles)
Top 5 Weight: 14-15 (3-8, 3-4, 2-13, 2-13, 2-9)

1:01pm – First bass and fooled on a Bass Pro Shops Kermy Frog

Fooled By Frogs – It took me about a half hour to get my first bite and successfully land the 14” (1-13) bass pictured above on a Bass Pro Shops Kermy Frog (measles). Six minutes later I was lipping a 3-8 that completely engulfed, and literally destroyed, Kermy causing him to fill with water if not skipping atop the slop. These two fish and a steady chorus of explosions all around me kept me casting Kermy and a Spro Bronzeye Frog (Halloween pumpkin) for the next hour as I committed to the frog bite. Bad move, as I had only one more bite before shifting gears to a productive spinnerbait pattern. It doesn’t take much to hook this angler on a topwater bite and I made the wrong decision in sticking with it too long, but such is part of the quest.

Note from a blog reader that accompanied his handcrafted lures

Emiquon Equalizer (top) and Snakeden Slash (bottom)

3:45pm – The “Emiquon Equalizer” comes through

The Equalizer – Frequent blog reader and commenter, Frank Harvey, hooked me up with a couple homemade inline spinners earlier this year. His “Snakeden Slash” had already come through on Snakeden Hollow’s Lake McMaster and his “Emiquon Equalizer” performed as named on this trip. I ran it through some schools of small baitfish on a ditch edge and about the third cast landed the fish pictured above. My spinnerbait bite was pretty hot so I didn’t stick with the Equalizer but it’s good to know that I have another effective weapon in the Emiquon arsenal.

Flying Frog – If you frog fish, you can likely relate to the above picture. The scenario goes like this: frog hops among slop, bass explodes on lure, hook is set, bass dives into thick weeds, tug of war ensues, the bass lets go, the moss-covered projectile comes flying in my direction and in this case nails me right in the ribs with a watery thud. I couldn’t help but laugh aloud and just had to take a silly snapshot for the blog.

4:00pm – Even broke out the old “Dance’n Eel”, an 80s flop but a winner on one Emiquon dummy

Late Night – The Emiquon rules stipulate access from sunrise to sunset so after landing bass number 55 at 8:13pm it was time to fire up the trolling motor and head for the truck. I usually don’t pay much attention when the bite is on and down there you can wind up a long way from the launch. So, by the time I got loaded up (with an assist from a pair of helpful fellow anglers) it was nearing 9:00pm. With a beef jerky/soda stop in Lewistown it wound up being close to 10:30pm when I pulled into the driveway. It’s probably a good thing that they run you out at sunset because even after nearly eight hours in a johnboat I think I could’ve stayed all night with the way the bass were cooperating at the end of my day. Of course, if I would have pulled such a stunt, I may not have been able to get back in the house anyway, so it was a wise decision to abide by the rules for several reasons.

Emiquon fishing trips were something to behold. In fact, this particular outing needs two posts to cover. So, tune in tomorrow for a bonus “Saturday Flashback.” Talk to you later. Troy

The Yurt Life

Posted on by Troy Jackson

 

yurt (noun) – a circular tent of felt or skins on a collapsible framework, used by nomads in Mongolia, Siberia, and Turkey (or Geneseo)

As we await another summer reservation at “The Yurt,” let’s look back at last summer’s nomadic, family adventure. For a family that has spent all our camping trips in a tent or two, the prospect of “glamping” in a yurt seemed quite appealing. Even better, we didn’t have to travel to Mongolia. Instead, we trekked a whole 15.8 miles from the crib to the yurt. Now, that’s my kind of trip. Less time driving and more time living large like a spoiled Mongol (air conditioning, microwave, mini-fridge, bunkbeds…).

 

Not only was the yurt a hit (although the air conditioner gave out) but we kept plenty busy with outdoor activities. The list included a canoe ride, fishing, pedaling surrey carts, cooling off in a sprinkler pad, smores, burning stuff in a fire pit and hiking.

A fun time was had by all, including Daniel Tiger who was a stowaway. His presence made for an entertaining bit of hide and seek as each finder would stash him away in a new location.

The plan is to do it again this summer. Perhaps Daniel Tiger will tag along and maybe bring a friend or two.

Stay tuned as I intend to post the new adventure in a bit timelier fashion than a year later. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Another quality fish makes for a dozen straight weeks with a Monday Top 5 Update. Several of us took a shot over the past weekend but only Brent was able to come up with a catch that gave his weight a boost.

Weight: 2-9
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: June 11
Location: Snakeden Hollow
Lure: Senko wacky rig
Top 5 Weight: 16-12 (5-4,3-9,2-11,2-11,2-9) culls a 2-7

Official summer looms on the horizon, but this week it looks like some summer heat is going to arrive a bit ahead of schedule. Get out there early or late to improve your odds of finding some quality bites. Talk to you later. Troy

Friday Flashback – June 11, 2007

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Friday Flashback comes in rather late this week. In fact, it is only an hour from technically being a Sunday Flashback. A work week on the road followed by a graduation party makes it better late than never for reminiscing. Today we revisit a longtime fishing hole with a longtime fishing partner.

Original fishing report below from 2007:

Date: June 11, 2007
Location: Lake Bracken
Weather: Sunny/breezy
Air temp: 82F
Time: 4:45pm-7:45pm
Totals: 8 bass, 1 green sunfish (Troy – 5 bass, 1 green sunfish, Dad – 3 bass)
Lures: Zoom Baby Brush Hog (chartreuse/pumpkinseed) – 4 bass, Chatterbait (white) – 2 bass, Tube – 1 bass, Rapala DT 10 (parrot) – 1 bass, Senko wacky rig – 1 green sunfish
Top Bass: 4-5 Troy (Brush Hog)
Top 5 Weight: 7-10 (4-5,1-0,0-15,0-14,0-12)

5:42pm – Top Bass at 4-5 (21″) on a Zoom Baby Brush Hog

Dad and I hit Lake Bracken for three hours, fishing from 4:45 pm until 7:45 pm. I actually took the day off work for some reason which escapes me at this point, maybe to go fishing. I have difficulty remembering a few days ago let alone over a month ago. Kind of busy these days. Anyway, we struggled to get bit on most of our standard offerings. My Senko only managed to fool a green sunfish and I nabbed a 13” bass on a Rapala DT10 crankbait (parrot). Dad’s new friend, the Booyah Boogie produced a pair of bass for him that came in around a pound apiece. While such approaches were rather disappointing, it is worth noting that we came to the lake with a mission. That mission was to try our hand at some flipping as described in a prior post. Mission accomplished at 5:42 pm. My Baby Brush Hog (chartreuse/pumpkinseed) produced a 4-5 when flipped along a fallen tree in Spillway Cove. Four of my five bass for the trip fell to this offering. Dad also employed the technique with a tube bait to catch one of his three fish. Though the quantity was below expectations, we left the lake with a boost in confidence. Our results would have been dismal had we not focused on a different presentation. To Dad’s credit, he has given this technique a chance in the past, while I’ve typically been more set in my ways. However, a four-pounder will knock some sense into you real quick. I’m hooked.

While the Friday Flashback came in tardy this week, we have a Monday Top 5 Update that is right on time. Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

We reach eleven consecutive weeks with a Top 5 Update as Brent comes through with a trio of solid Snakeden bass. His three largest provided a near three-pound boost to his 2022 Top 5 weight while his overall Top 5 bass for the day came in at a solid 11-10 (2-11,2-11,2-7,2-0,1-13). Not bad at all for a few Saturday morning hours on the fishing holes.

Weight: 2-11
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: June 4
Location: Snakeden Hollow
Lure: Senko wacky rig

Weight: 2-11
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: June 4
Location: Snakeden Hollow
Lure: Buzzbait

Weight: 2-7
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: June 4
Location: Snakeden Hollow
Lure: Senko wacky rig
Top 5 Weight: 16-10 (5-4,3-9,2-11,2-11,2-7) culls 1-12,1-11 and 1-11

Way to go, and thanks for the update. Brent also reported plenty of aquatic vegetation on the waters he fished. However, that set up well for the one-two punch of a Senko wacky rig and a buzzbait as they turned out to be winners. The classic late-spring, morning bite has kicked into full gear so get out there and send ‘em my way when you catch ‘em. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Stats

Posted on by Troy Jackson

As June rolls on, it is time for another Top 5 Stat Update that takes us through May with a look at our totals of 57 bass and one trout.

2022 Totals
January = no submissions
February = no submissions
March = 15 bass
April = 35 bass
May = 7 bass

Top 5 Weight by Month
January = no submissions
February = no submissions
March = 14-2 (3-3,2-15,2-14,2-12,2-6)
April = 28-10 (6-9,6-0,5-12,5-4,5-1)
May = 11-9 (2-12,2-11,2-5,2-0,1-13)

Boat vs. Bank
Boat = 21 bass
Bank = 36 bass

Boat vs. Bank Weight
Boat = 14-11 (3-5,3-2,2-12,2-12,2-12)
Bank = 28-10 (6-9,6-0,5-12,5-4,5-1)

Public vs. Private
Public = 57 bass
Private = 0 bass

Public vs. Private Top 5 Weight
Public = 28-10 (6-9,6-0,5-12,5-4,5-1)
Private = not applicable

The Baits (* = new record)
Lipless Crankbait = 15 bass (Top Bass 4-6 Jim Junk)
*Chatterbait = 13 bass (Top Bass 6-9 Jim Junk) tops 5-15 Jim Junk 6/22/20
Spinnerbait = 7 bass (Top Bass 5-4 Brent Jackson)
Crankbait = 5 bass (Top Bass 2-12 Troy Jackson)
Jerkbait = 4 bass (Top Bass 2-5 John Kirkemo)
Jig = 4 bass (Top Bass 3-9 Brent Jackson)
Plastic Worm = 3 bass (Top Bass 5-12 Jim Junk)
Propbait = 2 bass (Top Bass 2-3 Jayce Jackson)
Buzzbait = 1 bass (Top Bass 2-11 Troy Jackson)
Swimbait = 1 bass (Top Bass 4-3 Jim Junk)
Grub = 1 bass (Top Bass 0-13 Troy Jackson)
Underspin = 1 bass (3-12 Jim Junk)

Monthly Top Bass
January
No submissions
February
No submissions
March
3-3 Jim Junk
April
6-9 Jim Junk
May
2-12 Troy Jackson

2022 Top 10 Bass
6-9 Jim Junk 4/4/22
6-0 Jim Junk 4/15/22
5-12 Jim Junk 4/21/22
5-4 Brent Jackson 4/24/22
5-1 Jim Junk 4/4/22
4-7 Jim Junk 4/4/22
4-6 Jim Junk 4/19/22
4-3 Jim Junk 4/21/22
3-15 Jim Junk 4/19/22
3-12 Jim Junk 4/13/22

Angler Weights
Jim Junk 27-13 (6-9,6-0,5-12,5-1,4-7)
Troy Jackson 14-10 (3-5,3-2,2-12,2-12,2-11)
Brent Jackson 13-15 (5-4,3-9,1-12,1-11,1-11)
John Kirkemo: 8-4 (2-5,2-0,1-13,1-3,0-15)
Jayce Jackson 3-7 (2-3,1-4)

Other Species – Trout

John Kirkemo 12” (12”)

Some movement in the standings over the course of May although our leader, Jim Junk, remains firmly entrenched atop the list. I leapfrog my brother with a couple catches from The Canal, but he will have the last laugh in tomorrow’s Top 5 Update with some June Snakeden catches. And John Kirkemo fills out his limit to pass our youngest angler, Jayce. Guess I need to get that boy back out on The Canal with his Whopper Plopper. As always. send your fish my way when you catch them at troy@troyjacksonoutdoors.com. Talk to you later. Troy