I launched my boat at The Canal on the morning of October 2 in search of five bass to reach five hundred for the year. After catching four in regular fashion, that final bass turned into quite a challenge. As I struggled to get that last bite, I couldn’t help but wonder how Albert Pujols or Aaron Judge felt in their recent home run milestone quests. In baseball parlance, my mindset was “stick to your swing, don’t press and it will happen.”

Eventually, it did.

My milestone turned out to be the largemouth bass equivalent of a swinging bunt but as the old baseball saying goes “it looks like a line drive in the boxscore.”

Once again, with a little lyrical accompaniment from the band Boston, here’s how it all went down.

8:09am – Bass #499, one more to go and I sure didn’t care if it was big or not

Stats
Date: October 2
Location: Hennepin Canal
Time: 7:10am-9:25am
Totals: 5 bass
Weather: Sunny/breezy 48-60F
Lures: War Eagle spinnerbait (white/chartreuse) with Zoom Creepy Crawler trailer (watermelon seed) – 4 bass, 5” Yamasenko wacky rig (smoke shad) – 1 bass
Top Bass: none at 12” or better
Top 5 Weight: none at 12” or better

Winning Lures

Notes and Nonsense

Party
“And there’s nothing like a party when its kicking into gear.”
(Don’t Look Back – 1978)
Arriving at The Canal shortly after sunrise, I was surprised to find a table set up with refreshments opposite my point of launch. I thought that word of my quest had spread, and the media and fans would arrive shortly to cheer me on towards my goal. That’s not how the whole setup turned out, but more on that in a bit.

Long Time
“I’ve got to keep on chasin’ that dream, though I may never find it.”
(Boston – 1976)
Five bass didn’t seem like a whole lot considering I had decent weather, quality water, and about forty years of chasing bass in my favor. I fished the length of my chosen pool and landed four of the five I needed in my first hour of fishing. At that point, I was confident that I could retrace my water on the return to the lot and get that final fish. Not so fast, as I covered the mile of water back to the launch and never had a bite. My last shot was an area with increased current around a tube which runs under a roadway. And I had about ten minutes left to fish until I had to head home and get the boys to religious education class.

9:25am – That’s a 10″ winner for Bass #500

Feelin’ Satisfied
“So come on, put your hands together, you know it’s now or never.”
(Don’t Look Back – 1978)
I hit the heavier current in search of one more bite with a couple of decisions to make. First, what lure was I going to use? That turned out to be Senko wacky rig. Secondly, was it more important to get my bass or to get my boys to church on time? Luckily, the Senko came through right away and I didn’t have to weigh the consequences related to a poor decision on question number two. While there was neither a cheering crowd nor even a triumphant fist pump, there was relief. After a picture and release of the bass, I put down my pole and rowed for the launch feeling satisfied upon reaching my goal.

I Had a Good Time
“And I, I just wanted you to know, I had a really good time.”
(Corporate America – 2002)

 

Throughout my morning I had seen an increased number of walkers and runners along the towpath that parallels the length of The Canal. I suspected that the crowd was part of an event called the “The Hennepin Hundred,” a hundred-mile ultramarathon. And yes, the refreshment table was for their benefit and not related to my quest after all. As I loaded my boat, a vehicle pulled up with a couple of guys who looked like runners. I said, “Hello” and inquired about the race. One individual confirmed that it was indeed The Hennepin Hundred with the finish line located several miles to the west. He also noted that he was from Michigan, had finished his hundred miles earlier that morning and was now ready to cheer on fellow participants. I congratulated him and marveled at his achievement, electing to keep my fish story to myself. It just kind of paled in comparison.

I am still looking for Bass #501 and beyond as I have yet to get back on the water. Time will tell where the final tally for 2022 ends. Talk to you later. Troy

Four days prior to this outing, I finished a day of casting in a ninety-eight-degree heat index. In the meantime, the seasons changed, and I hit the water hoping that the fall bite would be kicking into gear.

Stats
Date: September 24 (two pools)
Time: 3:20pm-7:00pm
Totals: 12 bass
Weather: Partly cloudy to overcast/breezy 71-69F
Lures: War Eagle spinnerbait (white/chartreuse) with Zoom Creepy Crawler trailer (watermelon seed) – 9 bass, Whopper Plopper 110 (bone) – 3 bass
Top Bass: 1-5 Spinnerbait
Top 5 Weight (only 3 at 12” or better): 3-4 (1-5,1-3,0-12)

5:07pm – Top Bass at 1-5 (14″) on a spinnerbait

Notes and Nonsense

Short Stop – As I was having difficulty choosing between a pair of pools for my destination, I opted to fish both. My aim was to speed fish the first stretch by investing an hour to spot hop between the most productive areas. It turns out that my shortened visit only produced short fish with a seven-inch bass and two ten-and-a-half inchers. Not the start that I was anticipating, so on to stop number two.

Feeling Good – My evening finished on my best stretch of The Canal in overcast conditions that just felt right for something good to happen. I even commented with the GoPro running that I sensed I was on the verge of a big bite. After all these years, I trust my gut feeling, but on this day, the anticipated bite never showed. I felt that I had the right presentations, and I was putting the lures in the right places, but the bass weren’t interested. Just one of those things that leads me to frequently say, “That’s fishing.”

Winning Lures

Fall Fail – Last year was my first year fishing The Canal. I caught my first ever Canal bass in June 2021 and found a good batch of quality bass throughout the summer. I recall looking forward to a solid bite when the cooler fall temperatures kicked in, but it never materialized. This trip has me concerned that the quality fall bass are going to get the better of me again in 2022. However, I’m not ready to give up just yet.

Local Legend – As I loaded my boat in the parking area, I had the pleasure of meeting a fellow angler who was getting ready to wet a line. He introduced himself and we briefly compared some notes on The Canal. As we both headed our ways, I mentioned that I had a website (did not have my cards in my tackle bag, duh!) and he noted that he did as well. He stated that it was J-Mac Lures and of course I did a bit of internet prowling when I got home. Turns out that Tom has quite a history regarding fishing and fishing tackle in the Quad City Area. Not being an area native, I had no idea who I was speaking with but perhaps we may get a chance to cross paths again.

 

I did manage a dozen bass in my three hours of casting which overall isn’t that bad, but I just couldn’t find any big bites. With those twelve bass, however, I began pondering a milestone that was well within reach. Back on September 17, I had landed bass #420 to establish a new personal record for bass caught in a year (topping 419 in 2020). Following several other trips and including the dozen bass landed on this Canal outing, I stood only nine bass from #500. Stay tuned for the details on that quest later this month. Talk to you later. Troy

I took a Monday off from work and hit The Canal after getting the boys to school. My plan was to spend a couple of hours in the boat, nab a Top 5, and let the Knox County strip mine grass dry out for a hike that afternoon. Two out of three ain’t bad as the old Meatloaf song goes. The Canal bass proved tough to fool on the sunny morning and I ended up with a “Top 3” instead.

Stats
Date: September 19
Time: 9:15am-11:15am
Totals: 3 bass
Weather: Sunny/calm 68-76F
Lures: War Eagle spinnerbait (white/chartreuse) – 2 bass, Whopper Plopper 110 (bone) – 1 bass
Top Bass:1-14 Spinnerbait
Top 5 Weight (only 3 at 12” or better): 4-11 (1-14,1-10,1-3)

Notes and Nonsense

First Bass – I figured that the sun beating directly down on The Canal would push the bass tighter to the weed cover. I also wasn’t overly confident that my Whopper Plopper would be effective with the sun having risen above the tree line. However, about fifteen minutes into casting I had a solid 1-10 on the plopper. Such success can send mixed signals so I was cautiously optimistic that a few more would show up on the presentation. Not surprisingly, none did as I tossed the bait around a fair amount hoping for that one big bite.

10:29am –  Long but lean Top Bass

Top Bass – My Top Bass was an emaciated eighteen-and-a-half-inch fish. As is customary I shot my pics of the fish broadside, so it is not entirely apparent how gaunt the fish was when looked at ventrally. As an experienced fisherman, I can see from the photo that something just isn’t right with the body plan of the fish in terms of healthy proportions. At least it was still fit enough to be looking for a meal (or perhaps it was starving). In terms of weight, it was significantly lighter than a healthy bass of the same length. Typical weight on a filled-out fish would have been pushing three pounds but this catch only tipped the scales at a scrawny 1-14.

Scale Settings – I like the compact size and lip gripping clamp of my Rapala scale but I sure have a heck of a time getting readings. For starters, I regularly must turn it on and off multiple times before it registers a fish hanging from the clamp. In the process of trying to get a weight, I occasionally switch the weight settings on accident. The worst-case scenario is when I wind up with metric weight. This requires the calculator app on my phone as those conversion factors that I learned in fifth grade (1977) have long gone by the wayside. On this outing I managed to switch the scale to decimal settings but at least I can figure the ounces in my head (although I always check on the calculator app just in case). In the case of the Top Bass described above, the weight was 1.86 pounds.

More than a few frustrating casts out there these days

Debris – I have found The Canal to be a dynamic fishing hole as it changes considerably as the year progresses. Aquatic vegetation really takes hold as the water warms and it can get quite ugly on many stretches. In addition, recent outings have seen an uptick in duckweed drifting and collecting throughout the pools. But the most frustrating development has been an abundance of floating vegetative debris. It is difficult to see from a distance and routinely fouls casts as the lure collects the weeds during the retrieve. And the leaves are on the way…

 

As I head into my second fall of fishing The Canal, I am looking forward to finding a good fall bite (fall starts at Labor Day in my book). Last year, I struggled in the fall while prowling via bike. We’ll see how this fall pans out with the advantage of having a boat on the water. Another pair of fall outings are in the books so stay tuned for those reports. Talk to you later. Troy

I grew up in Galesburg, Illinois and developed a fondness for chasing bass on Lake Storey just north of town a long time ago. This time of year, it calls me back to match wits with the bass during the annual “fall” drawdown that typically starts just after the Labor Day holiday. The lake gets plenty of pressure throughout the year, making for some educated bass and a fun challenge. Read on to see who came out ahead on my recent visit.

Thanks, John, for the leftover breakfast from our trip to The Rock the previous morning

Stats

Date: September 18
Time: 8:05am-3:50pm
Totals: 18 bass
Weather: Partly cloudy to sunny/windy 66-83F
Water Temperature: 74-75F
Lures: Strike King Special K Spinnerbait (bleeding shiner) with Zoom Creepy Crawler trailer (root beer/pepper/green) – 7 bass, War Eagle spinnerbait (white/chartreuse) – 5 bass, Strike King Squarebill crankbait (sexy shad) – 3 bass, Mann’s Baby 1- crankbait – 2 bass, Lunkerhunt topwater frog – 1 bass
Top Bass:2-12 Topwater Frog
Top 5 Weight: 9-4 (2-12,2-3,1-8,1-7,1-6)

Winning Lures (one other noted later in post)

Notes and Nonsense

Those Dam Bass – During the summer of 2021, my son, Jayce, joined me and his Uncle Brent for a couple of hours of bass fishing on Lake Storey. He and Brent came through with a pair of bass along the dam. Of course, we had fun with these catches, referring to them as some “nice dam bass.” Well, on this day I was fortunate to start out my morning with another Dam bass.

Top Bass (see below)

Bookend Top Bass – My first bass of the day came at 8:27am after about twenty minutes of casting and weighed 2-3. A solid start had me optimistic on my prospects for a good day. And while it would be a good day, I couldn’t outdo that first bass until my final bass of the day at 2:43pm came in at 2-12.

My Special K spinnerbait bit the dust but went out a hero as it landed a bass as the blade arm broke off

Targets and Angles – I’ve fished Lake Storey for a long time and have a customary batch of targets that I hit as I make my way around the lake. For one spot, I always have a Mann’s Baby 1- crankbait at the ready. Roughly three hours into my trip, I reached the spot and made my first few casts of the day with the Baby 1-. Right on cue, a fourteen-inch bass that weighed in at 1-2 took the bait. Ten minutes later, on the same spot, I employed another favorite Lake Storey trick as I switched lures and hit the spot from the opposite direction after drifting past. In this case, a spinnerbait retrieved past the structure fooled another “keeper” at twelve inches and 0-12. While not the largest bass, I sure dig the feedback when all those years of experience pay off.

Amy day that I can land eighteen bass on Lake Storey is a winner. Per my data going back to 1997, my Lake Storey catch rate is 1.02 bass/hour. On this trip, my catch rate jumped to 2.32 bass/hour.

As I have noted previously, my daily goals on a fishing trip are as follows:

1. Don’t get shutout – twenty-two minutes in I had achieved that goal
2. Land a Top 5 (five bass at 12” or better) – completed at the four-hour mark
3. Post a ten-pound Top 5 – missed it by twelve ounces but had one fish break off on a hookset and a two-pounder come off at the boat. I have no guess on the size off the first missed fish but the second may have boosted my total by the twelve ounces that I was lacking.

No matter on the ones that got away, as I fished hard and found what the bass would bite. In fact, my final bite (and Top Bass) came on a topwater frog which is a seldom used presentation for me, particularly at Lake Storey. I had to pat myself on the back for that decision as I had a weedy stretch that made any other presentation frustrating and ineffective. Setting aside my stubborn streak, I picked up my frog rod and was rewarded with a good fish. Perhaps there is a lesson there.

 

Ideally, I would like to hit Lake Storey one more time in 2022, but weekend free time will be limited during the remainder of my fishing year. At least I have The Canal close to home. And I still have several more fishing reports to pass along so stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy

With a bonus day off courtesy of the Labor Day holiday, I had to invest at least a couple of hours chasing bass. A Labor Day parade commitment to watch the United Township High School Marching Panthers meant a sunup trip on a local section of The Canal was just the ticket. Conditions were perfect and things worked out well as detailed below.

Stats

Date: September 5
Time: 6:35am-9:05am
Totals: 17 bass (6.8 bass/hour)
Weather: Overcast/breezy 64-66F
Lures: Whopper Plopper 110 (bone) – 10 bass, Special K Spinnerbait (bleeding shiner) – 6 bass, 5” Yamasenko wacky rig (natural shad) – 1 bass
Top Bass:2-1 Whopper Plopper
Top 5 Weight: 8-14 (2-1,1-14,1-13,1-11,1-7)

Winning Lures

Notes and Nonsense

Near vs. Far – One of my favorite Sesame Street lessons was Grover demonstrating the difference between “Near” and “Far.” The poor monster winds up pooped for his efforts in the memorable piece. In terms of The Canal, the lesson on the stretch I fished on this outing is not to let the “far” view prevent you from getting a “near” look. From a distance, this section looks clogged with surface vegetation making my typical presentations a challenge. However, upon closer inspection, there are many troughs, pools, and shoreline channels that offer open water. These features also make for quite a collection of edges, which are key on The Canal and to bass fishing in general.

Exciting Edge – Speaking of edges, one of the most pronounced in the world of the bass is where their habitat meets ours. I am talking the surface of the water. And this time of the year, that specific edge comes into play in the form of topwater lure presentations. In the case of this outing, I employed my newly purchased Whopper Plopper 110 to fool over half of my bass. Not only is it an effective presentation, but it is also quite addictive.

Sometimes a talk with the bass will produce some bites (see below)

Insulting the Bass – There are some tips that I am reluctant to reveal for various reasons. In the case of what I am about to tell you, the hesitation comes from a combination of giving up a secret technique along with the possibility of folks questioning my sanity. What I did was trash talk the bass by stating on camera that “Maybe I’ll say this to help me out, but I usually don’t get much down in here; I’ve already passed my better water.” Right on cue, I landed what was then my Top Bass of the day less than thirty seconds after my statement. Hey, whatever works to convince those bass to bite.

 

A solid day as The Canal comes through in terms of both quantity and quality on another short getaway. And now begins what I call the “home stretch” of 2022 fishing. Once Labor Day passes, prospects for getting on the water become limited by shorter evenings and weekend activities. But I have several fishing trips in the works and as always, I will have fishing reports and more for you dedicated readers. Thanks for tuning in and stay tuned. Talk to you later. Troy