Month: July 2024

Hennepin Canal Report – June 23

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Some recent evening success on a stretch that I had neglected in 2023, had me interested in checking out the lowlight morning bite as well. I was not disappointed as the bass were all revved up for a topwater bite.

8:08am – Top Bass Runner-Up at 2-2 (17″) on a Whopper Plopper

Stats
Date: June 23
Location: Hennepin Canal
Time: 6:40am-10:10am
Totals: 14 bass
Weather: Partly cloudy to sunny/breezy 75F
Lures: Whopper Plopper 110 (bone) – 13 bass, Spro Flappin Frog 65 (albino) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 2-8 (Frog)
Top 5 Weight: 10-2 (2-8,2-2,1-15,1-13,1-12)

Winning Lures

Notes and Nonsense

Top 5 Decision – My ongoing commitment to establish a double-digit Top 5 on each stretch of The Canal played a primary role in choosing my destination. Pre-2024, my Top 5 of 5-5 on this stretch needed a boost and an earlier outing with Julie was an eye opener as she landed her own Top 5 tipping the scales at 8-12. I also made a rain-soaked visit on June 19 and boosted my Top 5 to 7-7 so I still lacked a couple quality bites to reach my goal.

9:26am – Top Bass at 2-8 (17″) on a Spro frog

Top 5 Update – I had quite a morning as I landed a double-digit Top 5 on this trip alone. My five best bass topped any of my previous Top 5 catches so the mark for this pool now stands at 10-2. As an added bonus, every bass on this outing was a “keeper” (12″ or better and all released).

Catch chronology, just short of 9:30am the bite completely dried up with no bass in the last forty minutes

Record Results – Prior to this year, the Top Bass for this pool was a less than impressive 1-3 after three visits (two in 2022 and one in 2023). During four visits this year, Julie and I have landed twenty-three bass exceeding that 1-3 mark. On one hand, the pool is connected via tubes to water with quality fish so it makes sense that these fish should be able to move freely between pools. On the other hand, it has been like night and day this year compared to previous years. My best guess for the positive change is an influx of water that has raised the level of the pool. In prior years, the bottom could be seen on nearly the entire stretch. This year, the level appears to be up 8-12” which is a significant amount considering much of the area was maybe three feet deep maximum during my previous visits.

 

So, mark another pool off the list as I have achieved my goal of a double-digit Top 5. That doesn’t mean that I won’t be back though as The Canal changes from year to year and if a spot is hot, you take advantage. And that aspect leads to a lesson to remember about The Canal. Refrain from first, second, or even third impressions as there are surprises all along those miles of water. Talk to you later. Troy

Hennepn Canal Report – June 22

Posted on by Troy Jackson

For this outing, I was able to complete full exploration on a lengthy stretch of water that I had only partially covered on a previous visit. In the process, I was able to complete a Top 5 for the pool as I previously had just two keepers for a 2-13 weight. Following this trip, my Top 5 Weight for the stretch stands at 7-15. Read on for some notes on the trip as well as some general observations and stats from The Canal.

6:09am – First bass at 1-12 (16″) on a buzzbait

Stats
Date: June 22
Location: Hennepin Canal
Time: 6:00am-12:00pm
Totals: 13 bass
Weather: Partly cloudy to sunny/windy 73-88F
Lures: Strike King Red Eye Shad (red craw or sexy shad) – 6 bass, Booyah Buzz Buzzbait (snow white shad) – 3 bass, 7” Berkley Power Bait Power Worm (blue fleck/firetail) – 2 bass, Spro Flappin Frog 65 (albino) – 1 bass, War Eagle Spinnerbait (chartreuse/white) with Bass Pro Shops Twin Tail trailer (Houdini) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 1-15 (Red Eye Shad)
Top 5 Weight: 7-1 (1-15,1-12,1-7,1-0,0-15)

Winning Lures

Notes and Nonsense

Row, Row, Row, Your Boat – I looked at the map when I got home just to get a feel for how far I traveled on this outing. For this trip, I selected a pool with the intent of covering the entire distance from a tube on one end to a lock on the other end. Turns out there was roughly nine thousand feet. Now multiply that by two as when I row out from my launch point, I also need to row back. Converting the footage equates to right around 3.4 miles. Good exercise whether my quarry is cooperative or not.

8:54am – Top Bass at 1-15 (17″) on a lipless crankbait

Gently Down the Stream – The Canal does have current and the pools west of the feeder junction near Sheffield all flow to the Rock River in Colona. Depending on which end of a pool I launch, I either get help on the row out or on the row back. In this instance, I was working against the current as I fished my way east to start the morning. Therefore, I had some help from the flow on the way back to my truck. If I had my druthers, this is the best way to approach a trip but the choice on many stretches is typically based on launch accessibility. Now, I can make a launch most anywhere if I want to work hard enough. But I opt for easier access this time of the year largely due to poison ivy taking over areas that were clear in the spring.

Been a while since I collected anything from the “Lost and Found” on The Canal

Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, Merrily – I caught my first bass on the Hennepin Canal on June 5, 2021, so this trip marks just over three years of fishing the waterway. I’ve really grown to enjoy my time rowing, walking, and biking along the miles in those three years. For me, each section represents a different, long, narrow lake. Some stretches are more well-travelled by other anglers, hikers, and bikers depending on proximity to towns and parking areas. On some stretches, I may not see or hear another person the entire time that I am on the water. Such peace and quiet is a welcome break from busy days. Oh, and by the way, with thirteen bass landed on this trip, my all-time Hennepin Canal bass total stands at seven hundred and eighteen.

Life is But a Dream – With thirteen bass landed on this trip, my all-time Hennepin Canal bass total stands at seven hundred and eighteen. As a stat guy, I am always dreaming of new targets as I pore over the data. I’ve still got a ways to go but I now have my sights set on the one thousand bass mark from The Canal. I have no predictions on when I may reach that goal, but I intend to keep on casting when the opportunity arises. Hopefully some of those two hundred and eighty bass that I am seeking live in the “uncharted” sections of The Canal that are part of the dream to cover every mile from Colona to the Feeder Basin.

 

A bit of a departure from most reports and I didn’t really cover the baits and bites in the above notes. A quick recap of those aspects was running through my tackle bag as it took some work to fool thirteen bass on six different lures. Always learning out there and stay tuned for two more reports as my on the water education continues. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Stats

Posted on by Troy Jackson

We hit the midway point of the year with a total of fifty-four bass submitted along with a handful of other species. Read on for a closer look at the numbers.

Bass Totals (largemouth and spotted)

2024 Totals
March = 15 bass
April = 16 bass
May = 11 bass
June = 12 bass

Top 5 Weight by Month
March = 18-3 (4-6,3-14,3-10,3-4,3-1)
April = 11-0 (2-8,2-7,2-4,2-0,1-13)
May = 14-15 (3-6,3-4,3-0,2-12,2-9)
June = 14-7 (3-12,3-0,2-10,2-9,2-8)

Boat vs. Bank
Boat = 37 bass
Bank = 17 bass

Boat vs. Bank Weight
Boat = 16-0 (3-12,3-4,3-4,3-0,2-12)
Bank = 17-5 (4-6,3-14,3-10,3-1,2-6)

Public vs. Private
Public = 54 bass
Private = 0 bass

Public vs. Private Top 5 Weight
Public = 19-0 (4-6,3-14,3-12,3-10,3-6)
Private = no submissions

The Baits
Jerkbait = 17 bass (Top Bass 2-8 John Kirkemo)
Chatterbait = 10 bass (Top Bass 4-6 Jim Junk)
Propbait = 6 bass (Top Bass 3-0 Troy Jackson)
Plastic Worm = 5 bass (Top Bass 3-4 Brent Jackson)
Popper = 5 bass (Top Bass 3-12 Brent Jackson)
Lipless Crankbait = 4 bass (Top Bass 2-6 Jim Junk)
Buzzbait = 2 bass (Top Bass 2-9 Troy Jackson)
Frog = 2 bass (Top Bass 2-8 Troy Jackson)
Spinnerbait = 2 bass (Top Bass 3-0 Troy Jackson)
Crankbait = 1 bass (Top Bass 1-11 Troy Jackson)

Monthly Top Bass
March
4-6 Jim Junk
April
2-8 John Kirkemo
May
3-6 Brent Jackson
June
3-12 Brent Jackson

2024 Top 10 Bass
4-6 Jim Junk 3/3
3-14 Jim Junk 3/18
3-12 Brent Jackson 6/27
3-10 Jim Junk 3/3
3-6 Brent Jackson 5/4
3-4 Jayce Jackson 3/31
3-4 Brent Jackson 5/5
3-1 Jim Junk 3/17
3-0 Troy Jackson 5/4
3-0 Troy Jackson 6/29

Angler Weights
Jim Junk 17-5 (4-6,3-14,3-10,3-1,2-6)
Brent Jackson 15-4 (3-12,3-6,3-4,2-7,2-7)
Troy Jackson 13-14 (3-0,3-0,2-12,2-9,2-9)
John Kirkemo 10-9 (2-8,2-7,2-0,1-13,1-13)
Julia Jackson 8-12 (2-10,1-10,1-10,1-8,1-6)
Jayce Jackson 3-4 (3-4)

Other Species

Bowfin
Troy Jackson 3-13 (3-13)

Channel Catfish
John Kirkemo 2-3 (2-3)

Gar
John Kirkemo 28” (28”)

Striped Bass
John Kirkemo 6-11 (3-5,2-6,1-0)

Trout (brown and rainbow)
John Kirkemo 24” (12”, 12”)

A solid June with a dozen bass added to the project. At fifty-four bass thus far, we are just over halfway to the annual target of one hundred bass for the year. However, we need to pick up the pace as the latter half of the year is typically leaner on submissions with most anglers already establishing an initial Top 5. Of course, there’s always room for others to join the quest. Good luck as we continue into the dog days of summer and talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Three more bass give a couple of Jackson brothers a summer boost for their respective Top 5 weights.

Weight: 3-12
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: June 27
Location: Knox County public strip pit
Lure: Mann’s Chug-N-Spit (black/chrome belly)

Weight: 2-7
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: June 27
Location: Knox County public strip pit
Lure: Mann’s Chug-N-Spit (black/chrome belly)
Top 5 Weight: 15-4 (3-12,3-6,3-4,2-7,2-7) culls 2-4 and 2-1

Weight: 3-0 (18.5”)
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: June 29
Weather: Overcast/calm
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: Whopper Plopper 100 (bone)
Structure: Submerged brush
Angler Comments: Tough to beat having your first bite of the morning tip the scales at three pounds.
Top 5 Weight: 13-14 (3-0,3-0,2-12,2-9,2-9) culls 2-8

Folks, topwater time is in full swing. Get up early or stay out late to improve your shot at some exciting strikes. The monthly Top 5 stat update is in the works as well as a few more fishing reports so stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy