I enjoy this time of year as the longer days allow me to work in a few hours of fishing after the typical workday ends around 5:00pm. And twelve days was long enough between trips so off to The Canal I went.

7:44pm – Top Bass at 2-9 (17″) on a buzzbait

Stats
Date: June 11
Location: Hennepin Canal
Time: 6:05pm-8:35pm
Totals: 17 bass
Weather: Partly cloudy to sunny/breezy, 80F
Lures: Booyah Buzz Buzzbait (snow white shad) – 15 bass, 5” Yamamoto Senko wacky rig (pumpkin black flake) – 2 bass
Top Bass: 2-9 (Buzzbait)
Top 5 Weight: 8-4 (2-9,1-8,1-8,1-6,1-5)

Winning Lures

Notes and Nonsense

The Plan – I was lukewarm on my intended destination as two previous visits hadn’t produced much to brag about. In fact, my Top 5 sat at a mere 5-5 (1-3,1-1,1-1,1-0,1-0), barely over one pound per bass. That was part of my goal; to give that Top 5 a boost. In addition, the water levels in this area looked to be higher than previous years, which was to my liking. Higher water on The Canal may only amount to half a foot but it brings new cover into play and makes existing cover more appealing. And it is always fun to visit a body of water under varied conditions to see what you can learn.

Plan B – So, with all that said regarding my initial plan, I never made a single cast at my intended destination. I spotted another angler in the area and as there is not much of a “passing lane” on The Canal, I opted to fish in the other direction instead. Like the intended stretch, this area also had much room for improvement with a Top 5 of only 6-8 (1-6,1-6,1-6,1-3,1-3) from three prior visits.

Top Bass Runner Up clip below

 

Close But No Cigar – Seventeen bass in a two-and-a-half-hour trip is a definite winner, especially after a slow start of only three bass in the first hour on the water. I also shattered the Top Bass mark for the pool with the 2-9 more than doubling the previous record of 1-3. However, I still fell short of the boost needed to push my all-time Top 5 for the pool to the ten-pound mark. The Top 5 mark now stands at 8-5 (2-9,1-8,1-8,1-6,1-6). Which means that I need a return trip. That prospect became more encouraging as the results of this trip were much better than the prior visits. By the way, did you know that the phrase “close but no cigar” is said to have originated on the carnival midway? Apparently, cigars were once given as prizes and if a patron fell short on a game, well, there you go.

 

This impromptu outing on a low-ranking stretch of The Canal turned out to be an eye opener with a dozen “keepers” and a new Top Bass for the spot. It just goes to show that my previous struggles to find a good bite on this stretch don’t mean that they aren’t there. More like it simply wasn’t my day. I took this lesson and put it to work on the next visit as I hit the area I originally intended to fish on this outing. And I had a special guest angler along for the row. Stay tuned for that report as well as a Top 5 Update to begin next week. Talk to you later. Troy

The Canal is an interesting body of water to fish as there are many choices when deciding where to go. It’s like having thirty long, skinny ponds to choose from within about forty-five minutes from home. This time around, I chose two pools covering two miles of water in an area that showed up as Atkinson on my weather app. I’d fished each a pair of times but was still lacking a few quality bites to push the Top 5 Weight for each pool into double digits.

Stats
Date: May 25
Location: Hennepin Canal (two pools)
Time: 6:15am-11:05am
Totals: 11 bass
Weather: Sunny/breezy, 51-70F
Lures: Booyah Buzz Buzzbait (snow white shad) – 4 bass, Strike King Red Eye Shad (red craw) – 3 bass, War Eagle Spinnerbait (chartreuse/white) with Bass Pro Shops Twin Tail trailer (Houdini) – 2 bass, 5” Yamamoto Senko (blue pearl/silver flake) – 1 bass, 3.75” Strike King Rage Tail Swimmer (pro blue/red pearl) with 3/8 oz. belly hook – 1 bass
Top Bass: 1-8 (Spinnerbait)
Top 5 Weight: 5-15 (1-8,1-7,1-3,0-15,0-14)

Winning Lures

Notes and Nonsense

6:26am – First bass and Top Bass at 1-8 (15″) on a spinnerbait

“That’s close enough to perfect for me.”
Close Enough to Perfect – Alabama (1982)
I would say that if you are looking for perfection on a fishing trip, you aren’t going to find it. Like most any endeavor, there are far too many variables for the stars to be precisely aligned. On the positive side of this outing, the gnats were not bad, the water was nearly devoid of cottonwood fuzz, and the wind was manageable for a guy rowing a boat. Room for improvement included poor water clarity, too much sun, and a lack of quality bites. But, hey, I was on the water doing what I enjoy, getting some exercise, fresh air, and peace of mind.

“Losing” lures but they are really “winners”

“He’s a loser but he still keeps on trying.”
Lonesome Loser – Little River Band (1979)
I hit the water armed with six lures tied on to my rods and reels: Senko, chatterbait, lipless crankbait, buzzbait, spinnerbait, and topwater frog. Four of them landed a bass and a swap to a swimbait late in the day also fooled one fish. The “losers” on this trip turned out to be the chatterbait and the topwater frog. Of course, those two baits are not “losers.” Instead, they are vital weapons in my arsenal, just not the ticket on this morning.

8:24am – Top Bass Runner-Up at 1-7 (15″) on a buzzbait

“And there ain’t no road too long, when we meet in the middle.”
Meet in the Middle – Diamond Rio (1991)
Technically, I suppose my version of the lyric would be “ain’t no ‘row’ too long.” One of the stretches that I fished on this trip covers roughly a mile and a quarter between roads/tubes. During my two previous visits, I had launched from the western end and fished about midway down the pool to the east. Therefore, on this outing I elected to put in at the east end and fish west to cover the portion of the pool that I had yet to see. New water is always exciting, but I found more of the same bass in the one-to-one-and-a-half-pound range.

 

A fair amount of bass was fooled but I still need better bites to hit the double-digit mark for each spot (currently sitting at 6-12 and 8-8). I suspect that those bites are there, just a matter of finding them, so I will be back. Talk to you later. Troy

Last Saturday I took a shot at three adjacent sections of The Canal. Beyond just trying to outsmart some bass, I was also in search of the quality bites needed to meet some Canal goals. For now, I will stick to the regular report format but anticipate a future post outlining just what those Canal goals encompass.

7:57am – Top Bass at 2-1 (16″) on a topwater frog

Stats
Date: May 18
Location: Hennepin Canal (three sections)
Time: 6:30am-10:20am
Totals: 17 bass
Weather: Sunny/calm, 61-77F
Lures: War Eagle Spinnerbait (chartreuse/white) with Bass Pro Shops Twin Tail trailer (Houdini) – 8 bass, Spro Flappin Frog 65 (albino) – 8 bass, 5” Yamamoto Senko (blue pearl/silver flake) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 2-1 (Spro Frog)
Top 5 Weight: 7-11 (2-1,1-14,1-7,1-4,1-1)

Winning Lures

Notes and Nonsense

Pool One – A solid start on a return trip to a spot that I had first fished two weeks prior resulted in nine bass from 6:30am-8:15am. A spinnerbait was the ticket around abundant wood as it fooled seven of the nine bass. Rounding out the haul was one short bass on a Senko wacky rig and Top Bass of the Day at 2-1 on a Spro Flappin Frog.

9:10am – Top Bass Runner-up at 1-14 (16″) on a topwater frog

Pool Two – One hour on this section produced five bass, all on the Spro Flappin Frog. I buzzed the frog through any open water between riprap banks and the emerging lily pads to elicit strikes. Top Bass among the five catches weighed in at 1-14.

Pool Three – I wrapped up the morning with three bass in one hour on the last section, two on the frog and one on a War Eagle spinnerbait. Top Bass for the pool was a 1-4 on the frog but I lost another fish in the two-pound range that threw my spinnerbait on the way to the boat.

Video below from 9:02am – My favorite bass of the trip as he was one brave and greedy guy

 

Synchronized Fishing – My brother, Brent, was on the water at Snakeden Hollow during the same time that I was trying my luck on The Canal. And I’ve got to say that while technology has its pros and cons, it is cool to text real time updates back and forth from thirty-five miles away. I fished slightly longer than Brent this morning, but our totals were quite similar. We each landed seventeen bass. Brent’s Top 5 Weight was 7-1 while mine was 7-11. He got me on Top Bass of the Day with a 2-7 edging out my 2-1.

Logs below – Brent at Snakeden (left), Troy at The Canal (right)

Nature – Mother Nature’s spring fling was on full display. Cottonwood fuzz littered the surface and frequently needed to be removed from lures and lines which can be a challenge at times. The gnats were so bad that I considered calling it quits after about an hour on the water (and mind you, I love fishing). Aquatic vegetation had taken hold affecting lure decisions and presentation as it varies from pool to pool. On a positive note, I did get to observe a Bald Eagle as it flew across The Canal about thirty feet in front of me. Such a cool bird and still a big deal to me even though they aren’t as big a deal in terms of sighting frequency as back in the day.

 

A successful day on the water although a batch of big bites still eluded me. But The Canal continues to impress as I invest more hours on new spots. And it didn’t take long to return for some more casts as I was back on the water the following day. Stay tuned for that report. Talk to you later. Troy

 

Work has been hectic this year, resulting in longer days and weekend duty. For the effort, my boss suggested that I take a weekday off and “go fishing.” No sense arguing with that directive, so I headed to The Canal last Wednesday to try my luck on unfamiliar waters.

Stats
Date: May 8
Location: Hennepin Canal (two pools)
Time: 7:50am-10:50am, 1:30pm-4:30pm
Totals: 14 bass
Weather: Sunny to overcast/windy to very windy
Lures: Z-Man Chatterbait (sexy shad) with a Zoom Z Swimbait trailer (electric blue chartreuse) – 10 bass, War Eagle Spinnerbait (chartreuse/white) with Bass Pro Shops Twin Tail trailer (Houdini) – 2 bass, 5” Yamamoto Senko (blue pearl/silver flake) – 2 bass
Top Bass: 2-12
Top 5 Weight: 9-1 (2-12,1-15,1-9,1-7,1-6)

Winning lures

Notes and Nonsense

Row, Cast, Repeat – I chose a destination that would allow me to check another uncharted spot off my Canal quest. The main factor that has kept me off this stretch is that it is devoid of shoreline windbreaks. As the forecast predicted a mere 3-4 mph breeze, it was time to give it a shot. However, I should know better as 2024 has been windy as ever and the weather prognosticators were way off the mark.

8:46am – Top Bass Runner Up at 1-15 (16″) on a Senko

Dirty Water – In addition to the wind factor, the water was quite dirty due to recent rains. The Canal does have a green color in this area, but the cleaner green was replaced by a dingier green. I’ve got to admit that the wind and clarity gave me fits and the bass weren’t cooperative. I fought the challenging conditions for three hours and three bass before deciding to switch to Plan B.

2:53pm – Crooked Canal bass, may have been a “keeper” if straight

Plan B – My aim was to head east to another unexplored stretch once I had taken a shot at my initial destination. Unfortunately, the water clarity got worse as I drove east and checked a pair of spots. Therefore, I headed west for Plan C.

4:04pm – Top Bass at 2-12 (18″) on a chatterbait

Plan C – I ended up on a stretch that I had only partially explored by boat and bank for a few hours. The wind was still ugly, but the water clarity was improved, and I had driven enough that it was time to get back in the boat. Three hours produced eleven bass, a welcome improvement over my three bass morning shift. Included in my haul were four of the day’s Top 5 and Top Bass of 2-12.

 

Endangered Species – As I ended my day, I ran into a rare sight, someone who reads my blog. I believe that we had met previously on a winter hike while scouting a mile or so upstream. On this afternoon we swapped Canal information and experiences as I rowed near the ramp. Once I reached dry ground, we chatted a bit more and I was able to witness the angler land a bass on a topwater propbait just before I hit the road. It’s always fun to chat with fellow Canal anglers and I was happy to see his success on a topwater presentation. I’d employed a similar bait throughout the day and never got a single strike. It’s good to know that I am not wasting my time throwing such a lure too early. I guess that I just need to work on my touch and keep plugging away.

4:30pm – Last cast bass, a good way to call it a day

A slow start followed by a change of scenery saved the day. I only managed three “keepers” on my first stop which means a return trip in the future to complete a Top 5. In contrast, I did complete a Top 5 on the second stretch. However, the 8-7 Top 5 Weight leaves me within striking distance of the ultimate goal of a double-digit Top 5 from each section of The Canal. So, I guess that I will pencil in both stretches for future visits. Talk to you later. Troy

The Canal offers dozens of potential spots so it can be tough to decide on a destination when I get a chance to hit the water. Things like the amount of time available to fish, the time of year, and the urge to explore are factors that can influence my decision. On this outing, I had about a three-hour window with drive included so a spot close to home was the first item to consider. Beyond that, I had four other factors that came into play. Read on for those considerations and the results of my choice.

11:06am – First bass at 1-1 (13″) on a chatterbait

Stats
Date: April 27
Location: Hennepin Canal
Time: 10:20am-12:20pm
Totals: 2 bass
Weather: Sunny/breezy
Water temperature: Not available
Lures: Z-Man Chatterbait (sexy shad) with a Zoom Z Swimbait trailer (electric blue chartreuse) – 2 bass
Top Bass: 1-2
Top 2 Weight (only two bass at 12” or better): 2-3

Winning Lure

Notes and Nonsense

Everyone knows it’s windy, every single day that I get to fish

Factor One: Wind – The wind has been brutal this year and this day was no different. For a guy rowing around in an eight-foot johnboat, it can be a source of frustration. I chose this stretch of The Canal as it provided substantial wind break for wind from the south southwest. My choice was a winner as I barely noticed the wind other than one short stretch where the cover on the southern bank grew sparse. The wind did shift to more directly from the west at the end of the trip and was beneficial in heading back to the lot. In fact, the wind gusts exceeded the modest canal current and actually pushed me upstream.

Subsurface weeds are abundant and will soon take over much of the surface of this pool

Factor Two: Weeds – By mid-May, this stretch will be so choked with weeds that it is a chore to even row a boat through the surface mats. Therefore, I figured that if I was going to get to it before the weeds took over, this was a good opportunity. In addition, lure presentation is pretty much limited to topwater frogs once the aquatic vegetation takes hold. Frogs are an exciting presentation, but I don’t like to put all my eggs in one basket as would be the case for most of this stretch of water in a couple of weeks.

A look at the less than impressive all-time Top 5 for this pool

Factor Three: Weight – In previous posts, I have noted that a goal is to post a Top 5 for each pool on The Canal. Expanding on that goal is striving to push that Top 5 mark to double digits. For the stretch I chose, I had already established a Top 5 mark during a pair of 2022 visits (May 1 and July 13). However, that Top 5 weight of only 6-8 left much to be desired. I decided that a return visit was the ticket to find the bites needed for the three and a half pounds required to reach the ten-pound goal. Not even close though as I could not muster a bite to boost my weight at all.

Worth a shot but no luck, won’t be long though…

Factor Four: Topwater – Shallow water, warming weather, and emerging vegetation had me looking to get my first topwater bass of 2024 in the log. By mid-April, topwater offerings begin to come into play and with the shallow waters of The Canal, those bass are often ahead of schedule for such a bite. In fact, on my April 15 outing I had spoken to a couple of anglers in a boat who noted a few topwater catches and stated that the water was “really warm.” They didn’t specify how warm it was, but the feedback prompted me to tie on a Whopper Plopper for this trip. Apparently, the bass on this stretch did not get the memo as I got zero response. However, the lack of success will not discourage me as I know it is just a matter of time.

11:50am – Second bass at 1-2 (14.5″) on a chatterbait

In the end, I was disappointed in my results but not in my reasons for selecting my destination. As I often say, “That’s fishing.” The stretches that connect to this spot have quality fish, but they have yet to show in my three visits to this area. I am torn on whether it is worth another visit this year. On one hand, I have a bit of a chip on my shoulder. On the other hand, I have several uncharted stretches on my list in need of an initial Top 5. Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy