Month: April 2026

Lake Storey Report – March 29

Posted on by Troy Jackson

After a productive late summer and fall on Lake Storey last year, I made a goal to spend more time on the old lake this year. I am hoping to get out there once a month and so far so good with this March outing. An added wrinkle on this trip was fishing out of the old johnboat on the lake for the first time in over thirty-five years.

Stats
Date: March 29
Location: Lake Storey, Knox County, IL
Time: 11:20am-3:50pm
Totals: 2 bass
Weather: Overcast/very windy, 57-60F
Water temperature: Not available
Lure: Z-Man Chatterbait (sexy shad) with BPS Speed Shad trailer (sight fish) – 2 bass
Top Bass: 2-7 Chatterbait
Top 2 Weight (only 2 at 12” or better): 4-2 (2-7,1-11)

Starting lineup

Tune of the Trip
“Old days, good times I remember”
Old Days – Chicago (1975)
It has been a long time since I rowed around Lake Storey as we got spoiled back in the late 1980s when Dad bought a bass boat. Good times back then, and a good time all these years later.

11:55am – First bass at 1-11 (15″) on a chatterbait

Notes and Nonsense

Drawdown – Normally the lake would be near full pool as winter snowmelt and runoff bring the water level back to normal. However, the lake remains close to full drawdown. The explanation that I have heard is that the lake will remain lowered to facilitate the construction of a walking path extension on the south side of the lake. Currently, there is a path that runs along the west and north sides of the lake. Completion of the project will make a circuit around the entire lake area.

Brush clearing along the south side of the lake

Ramps – As a consequence of the lake remaining lowered, launching a boat is not possible at the east ramp and at your own risk on the west ramp. The east ramp is high and dry, and the west ramp has a nasty drop at the end which could damage your boat trailer. For this reason, I opted to go old school and drag my little johnboat down in proximity to the west ramp to take my shot. In addition, I stuck with oars rather than having to lug around a trolling motor and battery. It worked fine, just as it did all those years ago.

1:37pm – Top Bass at 2-7 (16″) on chatterbait

Float Trip – The plan on this outing was reminiscent of the float trips we used to enjoy on some Henderson County creeks. Mom and Dad were kind enough to help me out with a vehicle move. After I launched the boat at the west ramp, Dad drove his truck to the east ramp to leave it for me and hitched a ride with Mom. This approach allowed me to fish the entire length of the lake without having to turn around and row back to where I launched.

Winning lure as the chatterbait has landed all twenty-seven of my 2026 bass to date

A squadron, pod, scoop, or pouch of pelicans (yes, I had to cheat and look that up on the internet)

While I did not fool many bass on this early season visit to Lake Storey, I was pleased that I gave it a shot. One month down and hopefully more to come whether I must stick with the little boat or can get Dad’s boat back on the water. Next up is another Hennepin Canal visit to round out my March fishing. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Trip Tunes – March

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Trip Tunes are back for another year with the first batch of 2026. Rather than covering a specific outing, I have compiled a Top 5 list of tunes from the airwaves over my collection of trips from the month of March.

5. 1985 – Bowling for Soup (2004)
Jayce and I heard this tune as we headed out for our March 8 trip, and he mentioned that the sound reminded him of the Phineas and Ferb theme song. Well, I looked it up and sure enough Bowling for Soup contributed the cut. I complimented Jayce on his identification as the boy does have an ear for tunes. An added note is that 1985 holds a special spot for me as that was the year that I graduated high school.

4. Summer of ’69 – Bryan Adams (1985)
Sticking with the 1985 theme, I saw my first real concert at the Five Seasons Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in the summer of ’85. Me and some guys from school took in Bryan Adams with John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band as the opening act. Per John Junk, one of the friends that attended the concert, the Beaver Brown Band is the lone band to be named after a color of paint (check out Wikipedia if you don’t believe John, also see Eddie and the Cruisers).

 

3. Time – Alan Parsons Project (1981)
Although this group has an impressive catalog, you rarely hear an APP cut on the airwaves. This track represents how your interpretation of a song changes over the years and how it can take you back in time. Hearing this tune on the radio at fourteen years old versus hearing it on the radio with sixty on the horizon just hits differently. It also brings back memories of WLS 890 AM beginning to split time on my clock radio with a fledgling radio station called “Q-93.” I knew exactly how far to turn the dial when switching between the AM to FM bands as I enjoyed my tunes while drifting off to dream in the dark.

2. Oh, Sherrie – Steve Perry (1984)
Does anyone else have instances where you can go back in your mind to an exact scenario when you heard a song? Interestingly, this instance was on a fishing trip. I was with some buddies on a summer mission to Henderson County to chase some catfish on a creek and the Mississippi River. Funny thing is, I recall hearing this tune, but I do not recall our fishing results as they must not have been particularly productive. It was far from the first time that I’d heard this tune as it was all over the airwaves in the summer of 1984.

1. Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man) – Styx (1978)
The classic Styx lineup consisted of two primary songwriters, Dennis DeYoung and Tommy Shaw. I have favorites penned by either member but if I had to choose, I would go with the Shaw tunes, hands down. Primarily due to Shaw having a more rock approach, while DeYoung was more showtime or theater. Nothing is wrong with either style, I just prefer the rock angle. As far as the song and a possible interpretation of the message, here we are again (or still) nearly fifty years after the release. And that’s all I have to say about that.

While that wraps up the March tunes, there are still a pair of March fishing reports in the works. Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy