Got out on the strip mines to hike with my brother to start the month. Read on to see how it went with a bit of a musical twist for fun.

Pre-walk predictions, results below

Stats
Date: April 2, 2023
Location: Knox County, IL public strip pits (5 lakes)
Time: 11:10am-4:25pm (4.00 hours fishing)
Weather: Sunny/very windy
Air Temp: 49-63F
Water Temp: not available
Totals: 6 bass, 1 crappie (Brent – 4 bass, Troy – 2 bass, 1 crappie)
Lures: Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap (gold shad) – 3 bass, Jig (black/blue) with split double tail trailer (black/blue flake) – 1 bass, Mepps spinner (white) – 2 bass, Rapala Shad Rap (blue) – 1 crappie
Top Bass: 2-13 Brent (lipless crankbait)
Top 5 Weight (only 3 at 12” or better): 7-8 (2-13,2-12,1-15)

Top Bass 2-13 on a Rat-L-Trap

Notes and Nonsense

“All the right junk in all the right places” – All About That Bass, Meaghan Trainor (2014)
Our results were right on target with Brent’s Total Bass prediction while I was much more optimistic with my guess. It certainly wasn’t for lack of effort as we employed a batch of tried-and-true early season lures in proven spots but just couldn’t get much going.

Classic baits get the job done on a tough day

“And I’m never going back to my old school” – My Old School, Steely Dan (1973)
Our meager haul of bass came on a trio of “old school” lures, a Rat-L-Trap, a Mepps spinner, and a black/blue jig. There’s a reason that these lures are still around as they continue to produce many decades after their arrival. I got a kick out of Brent’s Rat-L-Trap as it may be from last century and I had to do a fair amount of internet searching to determine the color. And the classic Mepps spinner saved my day as I would have been shut out without it. So, contrary to the Steely Dan lyric above, Brent and I are not above going old school to get it done.

Roughly 3900 steps per bass for me, not too impressive

“Blow away, blow away, blow away” – Blow Away, George Harrison (1979)
The day started windy and got windier. On the upside, windblown banks can hold some fish and fishing on foot takes the boat control issue out of the equation. On the downside, casting into the wind can be a challenge. Baitcasting reels can result in the occasional backlash and casting distance can suffer. The lighter lures that I throw on my spinning setups are also prone to inaccuracy in such conditions as you must play the wind for the bait to land in the intended spot.

What is a collection of pelicans called? Read on for the answer.

Not technically a spider (but an arachnid at least) and garter snake, both firsts for 2023

“I don’t like spiders and snakes” – Spiders & Snakes, Jim Stafford (1974)
While the warming weather did not really perk up the bass, other creatures were taking advantage of the conditions. I saw my first snake of the year, a small garter snake, and found my first tick upon arriving back at the truck. We also spotted a beaver along with a couple squadrons of pelicans (had to look that one up).

Not the greatest results but always good to chase fish with one of my little brothers

“Two out of three ain’t bad” – Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad, Meatloaf (1978)
Our pre-walk predictions found me significantly more optimistic than Brent in predicting our total bass. Although he won that part of the prognosticating, I was closer on the Top Bass and Total Weight guesses. While he clearly outfished me, I can brag about my two winning predictions as well as the unofficial species title courtesy of an accidental crappie catch.

Top Bass Runner Up at 2-12 on a jig

Brent came through with a trio of solid bass but 2023 continues to be a struggle. That won’t deter us though, as we are headed out again a time or two during Easter weekend. Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy

Well, I am on the board with my first bass of 2023 after a recent outing courtesy of early open water. In fact, in terms of open water, I was able to make some casts in February which is unusual in my neck of the woods. However, three and a half hours of chasing those February bass resulted in zero bites. But that’s all water under the bridge as I post my first fishing report of 2023.

Stats
Date: March 5
Location: Hennepin Canal
Time: 4:00pm-5:30pm
Totals: 1 bass
Weather: Partly cloudy/very windy
Lures: Strike King Red Eye Shad (red craw) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 1-0

Winning Lure

Notes and Nonsense

Bike Over Boat – While I had my boat on the water once in February, the conditions for this March trip were more conducive to bank fishing (high winds and limited time). As such, I aired up my bike tires, repaired my kickstand, drove to a stretch of The Canal that is conducive to bank fishing, and pedaled to a productive area. About twenty minutes into casting, I had my first bass of 2023. After another hour or so of fishing, it remains my only bass of 2023 as I could fool no others.

GoPro No Go – Earlier this year, I was able to obtain a replacement GoPro as my Hero9 Black model had ceased functioning. Unfortunately, the replacement device that was provided had issues of its own, shutting down repeatedly while recording. A resolution is in the works and hopefully I will be back on track for video once the bass bite and the weather begin to pick up.

The best I could muster with a faulty GoPro

 

Weedless – Prior to this outing, the earliest that I had ever fished The Canal was April 15 last year. The entire Canal is quite shallow, and many stretches become choked with surface vegetation by summertime. Of course, the fish don’t go anywhere but the vegetation gives them more places to hide and can make for some challenges with lure presentations. In contrast, early March finds The Canal waters wide open and quite appealing. Better weather will certainly change those conditions but will also see an uptick in bass activity. Such are some of the many variables that come into play in chasing these green fish.

It’s great to be on the board and a couple weeks ahead of the 2022 results as my first bass last year didn’t show up until March 20. Only 553 bass to go to top the 2022 results. That’s a tall order, and probably not realistic as 2023 may see some changes in time and approach. As always, stay tuned for the results. Talk to you later. Troy

 

It is always enjoyable to share the fishing hobby with others as detailed in today’s recap.

Date: March 20 (with Brent)
Location: Snakeden Hollow (5 lakes)
Time: 12:10pm-6:00pm (4.50 hours fishing from boat, the rest walking)
Weather: Sunny/breezy to windy
Air Temp: 59-71F
Water Temp: no reading
Totals: 11 bass (Troy – 6, Brent – 5)
Lures: Rapala Shad Rap (blue) – 5 bass, Spinnerbait (green) – 3 bass, Strike King Red Eye Shad (chartreuse sexy shad) – 2 bass, Chatterbait (white) with twin tail trailer (root beer pepper green) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 1-11 Rapala Shad Rap (Troy)
Top 5 Weight (only 4 at or > 12”): 4-5 (1-11,1-3,0-12,0-11)
Comments: Always good to get on the water with my brother. We’ve been doing this for a long time as 2022 marked thirty-five years of fishing at Snakeden Hollow together. The bass didn’t welcome us back with a flurry of activity but good to get on the board with my first bass of the year (Brent already had several from an earlier trip).

 

Date: April 29 (with Jayce)
Location: Hennepin Canal
Time: 5:45pm-8:00pm (fishing from boat)
Totals: 2 bass
Weather: Overcast/breezy, temp 64F
Lures: Whopper Plopper (I Know It) – 2 bass
Top Bass: 2-3 (Jayce)
Top 5 Weight: 3-7 (2-3,1-4)
Comments: I introduced my son, Jayce, to The Canal and while the bass were stubborn, he did get a quality fish and the Whopper Plopper found a new fan. In the interest of providing an honest fishing report, he also outfished me two bass to zero.

Date: May 14 (with Dad and Jayce)
Location: Lake Storey
Time: 5:45pm-7:30pm
Totals: many bluegill and a few golden shiners
Weather: Sunny/calm
Lures: Waxworms on a jighead hung from a slip bobber
Comments: Jayce and I joined Dad at one of his panfish spots amidst some ugly water conditions after a nasty storm the previous evening. Fortunately, panfish can usually be found even on tough days. We fooled enough to keep us interested as icing on the cake to hanging out, telling tales, talking trash, and goofing off.

Date: June 18 (with family)
Location: Hennepin Canal
Time: afternoon hiking and fishing from bank
Totals: 8 bass – Carly (3), Jayce (2), Julie, Helena, Zac (1 each)
Weather: Sunny/calm
Lures: 5” Yamasenko or Bass Pro Shops Stik-O wacky rig (various colors)
Top Bass: 1-3 (Helena and Jayce) – wacky rig
Top 4 Weight: 4-4 (1-3,1-3,1-0,0-14)
Comments: A camping trip allowed for an afternoon family hike and prowl on The Canal. Success all around as everyone landed at least one bass. June, the Senko wacky rig, and a walk along The Canal are an effective combination.

 

Date: June 26 (with Jayce)
Location: Hennepin Canal
Time: 5:45pm-7:30pm (fishing from a boat)
Totals: 1 bass (Jayce – 1 bass, Dad – 0 bass)
Weather: Partly cloudy/windy
Lures: Whopper Plopper 90 (Terminator)
Top Bass: none at 12” or better
Top 5 Weight: none at 12” or better
Comments: Our second outing together on The Canal wound up with Jayce as the winner again. During our two boat trips on The Canal, he has been the only angler to land a bass. I have to wonder, is he bad luck for me, or am I good luck for him? Still haven’t taken him to my best spot yet and not sure if I want to.

Date: September 4 (with Brent)
Location: Knox County, IL public strip pits (6 lakes)
Time: 6:15am-1:30pm (5.00 hours fishing, the rest walking)
Weather: Overcast/breezy
Air Temp: 66-69F
Totals: 73 bass (Brent – 44, Troy – 29) 1 green sunfish (Brent)
Lures (Troy): 5” Senko wacky rig (natural shad) – 17 bass, Chatterbait (white) with Zako trailer (Tennessee Shad) – 8 bass, Whopper Plopper 110 (bone) – 1 bass, Rebel Pop R (rainbow) – 1 bass, Strike King Red Eye Shad (sexy shad) – 1 bass, Special K Spinnerbait (bleeding shiner) with Zoom Creepy Crawler trailer (root beer/pepper/green) – 1 bass
Lures (Brent): Senko wacky rig – 16 bass, Mann’s Chug n’ Spit Popper – 15 bass, Spinnerbait (white) – 13 bass
Top Bass: 3-10 Senko
Top 5 Weight: 14-5 (3-10,2-14,2-12,2-10,2-7)
Comments: The best day of the year in terms of both quantity and quality along with exceeding our pre-dawn parking lot Top 5 Weight and Top Bass predictions. On this outing, I also provided catch by catch Top 5 updates on social media and the bass sure made it look like we knew what we were doing. Such success is extra satisfying on the walk-in strip pits as you pay your dues in terms of exercise navigating the challenging terrain.

 

Date: September 17 (with Brent, Jayce, and John Kirkemo)
Location: The Rock, Peoria County private water
Time: 7:15am-12:15am
Totals: 70 bass, 1 crappie combined
Weather: Partly cloudy/very windy 66-72F
Water Temperature: 73-74F
Lures: Senko wacky rig (various colors) – 35 bass, Spinnerbaits (various) – 25 bass, Mann’s Popper – 5 bass, Chatterbait (white) – 3 bass, Whopper Plopper 110 (Terminator) – 2 bass
Top Bass:2-4 Brent (Spinnerbait)
Top 5 Weight: 8-2 (2-4,1-11,1-8,1-7,1-4)

The way things shake out, I spend a lot of my fishing time flying solo. Other obligations for some of my partners, distance, and not interested in getting out of bed before sunrise are a few factors that limit partnering up. So when I do get a chance to share bank or boat, it’s always fun to have some company, and another lure in the water. 2023 is off to a good start as Jayce and I just hit the hard water. Stay tuned for the first fishing report of the year and talk to you later. Troy

While I achieved my goal of a 2022 November bass during a trip earlier in the week to Lake Storey, I had never fished The Canal in November. Thus, I had a new challenge in mind and the warmer than normal temperatures had me optimistic that at least one Canal bass would come through. Read on for the results.

 

Stats
Date: November 6
Location: Hennepin Canal (two spots)
Time: 12:00pm-2:00pm, 2:50pm-4:50pm
Totals: 10 bass
Weather: Sunny/breezy to windy, 60-53F
Lures: Special K Hammer Spinnerbait (chartreuse) with Zoom Creepy Crawler trailer (watermelon seed) – 10 bass
Top Bass: 2-8 Spinnerbait
Top 5 Weight: 9-3 (2-8,2-3,1-9,1-8,1-7)

Notes and Nonsense

Spot 1
My plan was to fish two spots and invest roughly two hours on each stretch of water. For my first stop, I decided to step away from my regular stomping grounds and hit a stretch that I had only fished once. A May 29 visit had produced a 2-8 among the four bass landed in just over an hour of casting. But what caught my eye on that outing was a solid collection of wood cover. And that is what brought me back for some November spinnerbait fishing. The return trip resulted in six bass in two hours with a Top Bass of 1-9 and a Top 5 of 6-12. Funny thing was, only one of those bass came off wood cover. Not a bad sign in showing that there is more going on in this pool than trees, brush, and laydowns. Nothing big but I was pleased with the mood of the bass and looked forward to my second stop.

 

Quite a few casts end like this at this time of the year on The Canal

Spot 2
Launching at 2:50pm meant that I was right on target for my intended two hour shot at a regular stretch of water (sunset at 4:49pm on the first day of turning the clocks back an hour). Seven minutes into casting, I had a solid 2-8 in the boat on my spinnerbait and my hopes were high for more quality bites. I did get one more good fish at 2-3 but my overall haul of four bass did not meet my expectations. But hey, no complaints when I’m still getting to reel in some November bass.

I don’t want to say it is over until it is over, but the chances of getting back on the water seem slim at this point. Temperatures are supposed to drop considerably this weekend into more of a normal November range. Perhaps a fluke warm-up or the early onset of Cabin Fever may get me back on The Canal but no guarantee. Whatever happens, its been quite year. And even if I am not fishing, I suspect that I can come up with something to blog about. Talk to you later. Troy

Nice weekend weather found me back on The Canal last Sunday for the first time in two weeks. Of course, fishing came only after completing a family yard work project on Saturday. Results and rambles below.

Saturday work earns a Sunday fishing trip

Stats
Date: October 30
Location: Hennepin Canal
Time: 12:30pm-4:00pm
Totals: 14 bass
Weather: Overcast/breezy/rain, 59-60F
Lures: Booyah Blade spinnerbait (bleeding shiner) with Zoom Creepy Crawler trailer (root beer pepper green) – 14 bass
Top Bass: 2-4 Spinnerbait
Top 5 Weight: 8-15 (2-4,2-3,1-10,1-7,1-7)

Notes and Nonsense

Wood is Good – I like to fish fast, and it doesn’t get much better than pitching a spinnerbait around wood cover. The stretch of The Canal that I fished on this outing features plenty of trees, laydowns, logs, and brush along the shorelines. These targets really shine when the vegetation dies back this time of year to allow better coverage of the cover with a spinnerbait. Short casts, some nearly flips, to the cover are the ticket with the lure worked as tight to the wood as you can, even bumping it at times. Keep firing away and hold on as sooner or later, the bites will show up.

1:39pm – Top Bass at 2-4 (17.5″) on a spinnerbait

Ones That Got Away – While I did land a pair of two-pounders, I also lost another pair. I am not sure what happened as they felt like solid hooksets, and I had them on the way to the boat. Neither jumped but simply came off while in sight just below the surface. It’s always disappointing to lose a fish but those two cost me a shot at a double-digit Top 5. I ended at 8-15, so if both were right on the money at two pounds apiece that would have produced a Top 5 Weight of 10-1. Still a good evening but I wind up with another fish story of what might have been.

3:31pm – Top Bass Runner-Up at 2-3 (18″) on a spinnerbait

Damp Finish – I did not pay attention to the forecast of rain as I was more focused on the pleasant temperature hoping it would get the bass in a biting mood. The fish cooperated but the weather took a wet turn for my last thirty-five minutes on the water. As a result, I ended up rather soaked but landed my final four bass during the showers. Brent was out on Lake Storey during the same time and wound up getting rained on while in his kayak as well.

Brent’s report from Lake Storey also featured some precipitation

 

A solid day even with a couple that got away. Pleasant weather beyond a shower but I could sure feel November on the way. Conditions like these bring back the feel of the old trapping days. At least this time, I only had to drag a boat about fifty feet back to the truck instead of a pack basket with over fifty pounds of fur.

 

And now, it’s on to the quest for a November bass. Stable weather for the next week means there is no better time than the present to take my shot. Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy