In my 2026 quest to fish Lake Storey once a month, I was able to check off May right away. And, as a bonus, my sixteen-year-old son, Jayce, was along for the row. Read on to see how we fared on this day along with a flashback memory as well.

2:06pm – Dad Top Bass Runner-Up at 2-4 (17.5″)  on a chatterbait

Stats
Date: May 3
Location: Lake Storey, Knox County, IL
Time: 12:15pm-4:30pm
Totals: 13 bass (Dad – 7, Jayce – 6)
Weather: Sunny to partly cloudy/very windy, 63-70F
Water temperature: Not available
Lure: Z-Man Chatterbait (white or sexy shad) with swimbait trailers – 13 bass
Top Bass: 2-9 Chatterbait
Top 5 Weight: 10-3 (2-9,2-4,1-15,1-12,1-11)

Winning lure

Notes and Nonsense

Learning Curve – No matter how long you fish, you will never be able to avoid mishaps, and you should never stop learning a thing or two along the way. Between the two anglers in the boat, we wound up snagged several times. I told Jayce that means that we were casting where the bass live and the advantage of fishing out of a boat means that we can get those lures back. One that we won’t get back now lies on the bottom of the east end of the lake. Jayce experienced a pronounced backlash that abruptly halted his cast, breaking the line and launching the lure. On a windy day, even the best of us cannot avoid such “professional overruns.” On the upside, Jayce got a better feel for casting and catching on a chatterbait along with being right on target with the dipnet on our Top Bass of the trip.

2:28pm – Jayce Top Bass at 1-8 (14″) on a chatterbait

July 26, 2019 – Jayce with a Lake Storey bass flashback

Fishing Flashback July 26, 2019 – Jayce and I have teamed up in a boat on Lake Storey a few times, and only one other instance where our focus was on bass fishing. That trip took place on July 26, 2019, and Jayce out fished me on that evening to the tune of four bass to zero. On our latest outing, I got an early lead, but Jayce landed our last two bass of the day, leaving him one bass shy of a tie at seven to six before we ran out of lake. However, if you combine that 2019 outing, he has the edge at ten bass to seven. I’d say, “Who’s counting”, but I am pretty sure we both are.

4:13pm – Dad Top Bass at 2-9 (17.5″) on a chatterbait

Narration and Conversation – I always enjoy fishing with Jayce and an eight-foot johnboat made for much closer quarters than our previous bank fishing trips this year. Beyond just hanging out, I got a kick out of providing insights into our approach and relating fish stories gathered over the years. I try not to lay it on too thick, but I could talk fishing all day long and when you are within less than a rod’s length on the water, it’s just what you do. Earlier this year after a visit to my folks’, Jayce said, “I really like listening to Papa tell his stories.” I do as well, and hopefully days like this will spur Jayce to carry on the tradition.

4:30pm – Jayce Top Bass Runner-Up at 1-2 (13″) on a chatterbait

Chalk up some more memories on Lake Storey. Feels good to keep things going with the next generation. Talk to you later. Troy