This week’s update features a late spring South Carolina bass that I was unable to add to the previous update and our first summer bass of the year. Read on for the details on a pair of bass, one spotted, and one largemouth.
Spotted Bass
Weight: 1-13 (16”)
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: June 11
Weather: Setting sun with some clouds
Water Temp: 85F
Location: Lake Hartwell, SC near Coneross Corps of Engineers Campground
Lure: Shallow running silver and black Rapala
Angler Comments: This fish was caught while trolling at 1.6-1.7 mph along the shoreline in nine feet of water.
Top 5 Weight: 10-9 (2-8,2-7,2-0,1-13,1-13)
Weight: 2-8
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: June 23
Weather: Partly cloudy/calm
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: Spro Flappin Frog 65 (albino)
Structure: Weed bed/sticks
Angler Comments: The Whopper Plopper bite had been good, but I was concerned that the disappearing cloud cover would end the bite. Therefore, I opted to go after some “shady bass” in a weed mat under cover of some trees. I was rewarded on the very first cast after shifting gears with what would be my Top Bass of this outing.
Top 5 Weight: 13-6 (3-0,2-12,2-9,2-9,2-8) culls a 2-6
This week’s submissions bring our 2024 bass total to fifty-one fish. The annual goal is to see if we can hit one hundred bass entries for the year. Well, we are halfway there in terms of numbers and halfway there in terms of the calendar. I hope to get another member or two of our household on board as we head through summer and anyone else out there is welcome to join as well. Just send pictures and details of your catches to troy@troyjacksonoutdoors.com. Talk to you later. Troy
Hey Troy – nice fish! I have been stuck inside for over a week now. Not happy. We’ve had a lot of rain here in Ottawa… how is the water clarity in the canal by you? I was thinking about things after a recent outing that was chocolate-milkey… does it get really clear in the summer when the rains slow down and it gets super hot? Or does it turn into algae pea soup? This will be my first summer fishing in the canal, so any and all insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
My experience finds the water to get progressively dingier as I head east from Colona. Colona to Geneseo has some pretty clear water. Geneseo to the east gets greener. This year the water that I have visited around Annawan to the east has been dirty with consistent rains preceding my visits. In one case, I turned around between Annawan and Mineral without making a cast to head west towards Geneseo for some better water conditions. Yes, as far as algae and green in the summer, once again, more pronounced as you head east from Geneseo.