What is it like to spend nine and a half hours on your favorite lake?

Well, if you elect to tag along here on the blog. I’m going to run it down for you with the regular stats and a chronology of the catches.

Stats

Date: October 14, 2021
Location: Lake Storey – Knox County, IL
Time: 7:20am-4:50pm
Weather: Overcast/rainy/breezy to sunny/breezy
Air Temp: 57-70F
Water Temp: 67F
Totals: 8 bass
Lures: Strike King Rattling Squarebill Crankbait (natural pumpkinseed) – 4 bass, War Eagle Spinnerbait (white/chartreuse) with twin tail trailer – 2 bass, Berkley Havoc Pit Boss (green pumpkin) – 2 bass
Top Bass: 2-3 Squarebill crankbait
Top 5 Weight: 7-5 (2-3,2-0,1-2,1-0,1-0)

Chronology

7:21am – Bass #1 (12.5″ and 1-0)

7:21am – The second cast of the day produces the first bass of the day on a spinnerbait. If you have fished Lake Storey, perhaps you know the log across from the boat ramp. It’s been a spinnerbait winner many times and had my hopes high in the dingy water resulting from a substantial amount of recent rain.

10:23am – Bass #2 (15.5″ and 2-0)

10:23am – Bass number two hits the two-pound mark, once again on a spinnerbait off some sunken trees. However, it took me over three hours and most of the lake to get the bite. Numerous good spots had let me down and I had wandered to spots further than my normal rounds. My early high hopes were trending back to my initial outlook of a tough bite in the stained water but it was good to get bit “uplake.”

11:07am – Bass #3 (13.5″ and 1-2)

11:07am – Not nearly as long a wait between bites and wood in the water comes through again. This time it requires slowing down with a Texas rigged Yum Crawdad bounced through some brush. I don’t slow down much and must admit it was kind of fun to find success on a different approach.

12:19pm – Bass#4 (17″ and 2-3)

12:19pm – The Top Bass of the morning comes on a crankbait cast to a submerged rockpile near a main lake point. This spot gets a look during every visit and if you bang a crankbait around it enough you can often get a bite. The timing was fun also as I had just finished an on the water chat with my friend, John Kirkemo, and he trolled back over to shoot a few pics.

12:31pm – Shortly after recording my Top Bass and chatting with John, I fired another cast to the rockpile and was rewarded with a second bass from the structure. This one was smaller than his fellow resident and at 11.5” narrowly missed being my fifth “keeper.”

2:15pm – Fishing a submerged stump for the second time produced my sixth bass of the day. However, this one kind of surprised me as I had cast nearly twenty feet past the stump so as not to land on top of the structure and then planned to work my bait into the prime spot. My Yum Crawdad never made it to the stump as the bass hit almost as soon as my cast entered the water. Another short one but a bonus open water fish from an intentional off target cast that produced before it was intended.

3:30pm – Bass#7 (13″ and 1-0)

3:30pm – Time was running out on finding a fifth “keeper” to round out my regular goal of a Top 5 of bass at 12” or better. While an early morning pass along the dam did not produce, the afternoon stop proved to be a winner on a crankbait. The 13” bass came in right at one pound to complete my Top 5.

3:46pm – Continuing my pass along the dam, I caught my final bass of a long day. It was short and no help to my weight, but any bite is a good bite on Lake Storey as those bass can be tough to fool. It was also satisfying to still be dialed in after a long day on the water.

Winning Lures

Could I catch more bass somewhere else? Sure.

Would I catch more quality bass on my other fishing holes? Most likely.

But I have a long-standing affliction with what I still call my “home lake” even though it requires a bit more of a drive than it once did. There’s something satisfying about fooling those wary bass along with the focus, perseverance and execution required to do so. This likely completes my 2021 Lake Storey visits but myself and my fishing partners did alright, and I think we came out on top in our efforts. Beyond the catches there is always more to report so stay tuned for the “extras” from this latest trip coming to the blog next week. Talk to you later. Troy

Still trying to play catch up with the fishing reports due to a combination of being busy with work and striving to get in my final fishing trips of the year. Today, we take another look at The Canal via the combined reports from September.

Jayce joined up on 9/6 but even two lures in the water only resulted in one total bass

Stats
Date: September 6, 18 & 25, 2021
Location: Hennepin Canal – Henry County, IL
Time: 5.50 hours total (2 mornings, one evening)
Weather: Sunny/breezy each day
Totals: 7 bass (9/6 – 1 bass, 9/18 – 3 bass, 9/25 – 3 bass)
Lures: 5” Yamasenko wacky rig (green pumpkin/white crème laminate) – 4 bass, Rebel Pop’R Zell Rowland Model – 2 bass, Mann’s Baby 1- crankbait (red craw) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 3-1 (Pop’R)
Top 5 Weight (only 4 at 12” or better): 8-14 (3-1,2-11,2-3,0-15)

Had to get new boots for my son, Jayce, same size as mine.

Notes and Nonsense

September 6 – For a change, I was able to convince some company to join me on a prowl as my oldest boy, Jayce, came along for a scenic bike ride. Unfortunately, a bit of exercise was what this trip was all about as we only got one bite. It was also too bad that it was my bite instead of Jayce’s but a quality fish at 2-3 on a Senko wacky rig.

A disappointing small bass day on 9/18

September 18 – A cool, pleasant mid-September morning would rank as one of my favorite times to fish. However, this morning was not one of the favorite times for the fish to bite. Two stops resulted in a disappointing haul of three small bass between eight and nine inches. Just one of those days that make no sense when you can’t figure out those fish.

September 25 at 6:30am, first cast bass at 2-11

September 25 at 6:34am, second cast bass at 3-1

September 25 – The bass redeemed themselves from the previous week as I had a couple early morning hours to get away. My first two casts resulted in two quality bass that totaled nearly six pounds (2-11 and 3-1). The cool thing was that the bass bit on an old topwater popper known as the Pop’R. It’s always rewarding when a plan comes together as in this case, I chose the lure as I wanted something that caused a commotion and stayed right in the bass’ face. The right lure at the right time got the job done.

Rebel Pop’R Zell Rowland Model, fun to put an old lure to work and land a couple good ones 

Some ups and downs on The Canal for the month but a few more quality catches added to the 2021 Hennepin haul. It’s been a fun few months of exploring and I hope to make a few more casts on the waterway before the fishing year ends. However, it is my understanding that the leaves on the water become a hindrance as they begin to fall. Only one way to find out. Talk to you later. Troy

For quite a few years, I used to do a series similar to Bassmaster’s “Day on the Lake” where I would log the details of every fish caught by me and my fishing partner that day. I then shifted gears to a similar project that I called “Lake Lowdown”, and last year I missed compiling such a post altogether. Well, the concept returned on this trip to Lake Storey minus any sort of fancy name.

Stats

Date: September 27, 2021
Location: Lake Storey – Knox County, IL
Time: 6:35am-1:50pm
Weather: Sunny/windy
Air Temp: 65-86F
Water Temp: 70F
Totals: 18 bass (Troy = 10 bass, Brent = 8 bass)
Lures: Emiquon Special Spinnerbait – 5 bass, War Eagle Spinnerbait (white/chartreuse) – 5 bass, Strike King Rattling Squarebill Crankbait (natural pumpkinseed) – 3 bass, Bomber Flat A crankbait – 3 bass, Berkley Havoc Pit Boss (green pumpkin) – 2 bass
Top Bass: 2-14 Pit Boss
Top 5 Weight: 8-13 (2-14,2-7,1-4,1-2,1-2)

The Starting Lineup for the morning

Chronology of the Catch – a slideshow below of every bass from #1 through #18

 

Notes and Nonsense

Picnic Fishing – While I do not condone vandalism, submerged picnic tables have been a winner on Lake Storey. Quite a few years ago, Dad reeled in several bass from one that has since been removed. However, there is one that remains hidden until the full extent of a drawdown is in effect. On this day, about six inches of the beams of the legs was visible and right on time, a bass that called it home took a liking to my spinnerbait.

Close Call – It has been quite a few years since we have hooked an “accident” with teeth. Lake Storey contains some quality walleye and a few muskies that are downright scary and occasionally, one takes a liking to our bass lures (truly, if it is in the water, they are kind of every species lures). Brent had a muskie strike near boatside and had it briefly hooked before it came undone. His estimate was upper 20s to low 30s in length and unfortunate that it let go as it is always a treat to get one in the boat.

Last trip a rock, this trip a sock

For My Next Trick – On the previous trip to Lake Storey in September, I somehow managed to “catch” a rock. It had me scratching my head as I reeled it in and we had a laugh once it was “landed.” This time around, I wound up reeling in a sock. Not quite as exciting as the fight was more like a leaf and not particularly heavy. Once again, we had a laugh and I mentioned to Brent that at least it didn’t have a foot in it. He agreed saying that it would cause undue hassle as there would likely be some paperwork involved with the authorities. Jokingly (sort of), I said perhaps I would be better off in such a case to just throw it back. We also landed some decent logs.

Best logs of the day, at least they didn’t claim any lures

Another enjoyable day fishing the fall drawdown and a decent haul in fooling a good batch of those wary Lake Storey bass. I am hoping to get one more shot at them before the year is done but time will tell. And time is also a factor in my efforts to post another “Prowl the Canal” update along with the latest Top 5 Update courtesy of Brent chasing Snakeden bass before the gates are locked in mid-October. Talk to you later. Troy

September means the annual drawdown at Lake Storey and calls for at least a visit or two back to my “home lake.” My brother, Brent, and I caught our first fish in Lake Storey sometime in the 1970s and we’re still going strong all these years later.

 

Stats

Date: September 19, 2021
Location: Lake Storey – Knox County, IL
Time: 6:25am-1:40pm
Weather: Sunny/calm to windy
Air Temp: 66-89F
Water Temp: 76-78F
Totals: 27 bass (Troy = 14 bass, Brent = 13 bass. 1 crappie)
Lures: Strike King Rattling Squarebill Crankbait (natural pumpkinseed) – 12 bass, Bomber Flat A crankbait – 8 bass, Emiquon Special spinnerbait – 4 bass Strike King Red Eye Shad (orange craw) – 2 bass, 5” Yamasenko wacky rig – 1 bass,
Top Bass: 2-9 Troy Crankbait
Top 5 Weight: 10-10 (2-9,2-8,2-3,1-11,1-11)

Notes and Nonsense

The Prediction – My boy, Zac, always harasses me about his Uncle Brent being a better fisherman than me. I play along knowing that years of firsthand observation show that trip by trip it varies as to who is “the best”. Prior to the trip I asked Zac how many bass he thought we would catch, and he answered “twenty-five.” His optimism exceeded mine and I offered up that a ten bass outing for me at Lake Storey is a solid day. He then grinned and offered up that Uncle Brent would outfish me 7 to 2. It turns out the Zac’s original prediction was close as we landed 27 bass. However, I was the one grinning when I told him that I had the most bass. Of course, he was quick to add that the difference was “only” one fish. All in good fun, and who’s counting anyway? At least until we get back to the boat ramp.

Bonus crappie caught on a spinnerbait

The Presentations – The drawdown leaves the shoreline structure high and dry which means that you need to fish the contours, any still submerged visible structure and those “secret spots” that are never visible to the naked eye. And in our case, we fish fast unless the bass tell us otherwise. Fortunately, for us they were quite responsive to a batch of “power” presentations including crankbaits, a spinnerbait, and a lipless crank. The successful Senko wacky rig offering got left behind as a result. Whether it is not as effective on Lake Storey or whether we just don’t throw it enough out there is up for debate. But if the bass are biting on my other choices, I’ve got no problem saving the Senko for another day.

I guess that’s about all I’ve got to say for today. The bass did the talking and we’ve been listening and learning for many years. This day was our day but Lake Storey can be a finicky fishing hole so who knows what lies in store should we get another shot this fall. I expect we will so stay tuned and also watch for another post of some additional Lake Storey stories from this outing. Talk to you later. Troy

Labor Day offered a chance to get away and chase some bass. This time around I was able to share the day with one of my boys as well as a couple fishing friends. A great way to celebrate the holiday as detailed below.

Stats
Date: September 6, 2021
Location: Knox County, IL public strip mines
Time: 7:10am-9:20am (1.75 hours fishing, the rest hiking)
Weather: Sunny/breezy
Air Temp: 63-70F
Water Temp: no reading
Totals: 12 bass (Jim = 6, Jayce = 3, Troy = 3)
Lures: Senko wacky rig (various colors) and Bass Pro Shops Speed Shad (small mouth magic) with Berkley 3/0 weighted swimbait hook
Top Bass: 1-13 Jayce (Senko)
Top 5 Weight (only 1 at 12” or better): 1-13

7:14am – Jayce with his first bass of the morning on a Senko

Notes and Nonsense

Guide Fails – Having my son, Jayce, along for the outing allowed me to partially assume the role of guide. I got off on the wrong foot as he awoke me at 5:09am, well after I had silenced my 4:04am alarm. I knew what we were getting into in terms of weedy hiking, but I decided to give it a go and test our endurance. After navigating some tough terrain, I couldn’t put my client on very many fish before the decision was made to head for the truck.

Even Jayce’s “juice”, given to him by Papa, couldn’t help us fool those stubborn bass 

Guide Success – Jayce did land our largest bass of the trip and he gets all the credit for getting it done. He picked the lure; he selected his spot on the bank and he did the work to fool the fish. As with any of my “guide trips”, this one was on the house. Payment is always received via an excited young fisherman battling his catch and a big grin upon landing it (same for the guide behind the camera).

7:52am – Jayce with our Top Bass of the day, caught on a Senko

Meet Up – Many of the famous YouTubers do a thing called a “meetup” where they meet and greet subscribers and viewers of their channel. While I do have a YouTube channel, my 24 subscribers indicate that I am far from famous. Even so, I can kind of pretend as my buddy, Jim, joined us for our two hours of strip mine roaming (and was the top angler of the morning). In addition, Jayce and I headed over to a nearby boat launch to visit with our friend, John, to end our trip. Good to see both fellows and even better to have Jayce along to be “one of the guys.”

8:58am – The “Senior” guide gets on the board…barely

Lost and Found – Along the way we lost a pair of shades. Not the first time but the first lost in a long time. We lost a couple Senkos along the way as well, one to the weeds and one to a fish. But we also gained a few items during the morning. Jim provided me with a collection of classic fishing reading material while John offered up an edible souvenir from his recent trek to The Land of Enchantment. Thanks, guys, for the treasures and treats.

Treasures and treats from a good morning of visiting

I sure do like to catch fish and I am a dedicated compiler of notes and stats regarding those catches. But as time rolls on, I’ve come to realize that there’s a lot more to a fishing trip than fish. Talk to you later. Troy