Category: Fishing Reports

Prowl the Canal – August 28 & 29

Posted on by Troy Jackson

 

After more than a month away, I was able to hit the canal again on back-to-back evenings last weekend. And the canal education continues each time that I look to fool some of the bass that call the lengthy stretch of water home. Despite a lull to start each evening, the results turned out alright and included the Top Bass runner-up of my short canal “career.”

Stats
Date: August 28 & 29, 2021
Location: Hennepin Canal – Henry County, IL
Time: 6:10pm-7:55pm both outings
Weather: Sunny/breezy, 80s
Totals: 11 bass (8/28 – 5 bass, 8/29 – 6 bass)
Lures: 5” Yamasenko wacky rig (various colors) – 10 bass, Mann’s Baby 1- crankbait (rainbow) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 3-4 (Senko)
Top 5 Weight: 8-6 (3-4,1-10,1-4,1-2,1-2)

Trip Lyric
“And it was late in the evening, and I blew that room away.”
Late in the Evening. Paul Simon (1980)

Notes and Nonsense

August 28 – Following 15 minutes without a bite on some proven spots, I noticed a school of bluegills rippling the surface in a broad opening among the scattered surface vegetation. Several minutes later they all scattered in a hurry, leaving me to surmise that a predator was in their midst. Sure enough, I landed back-to-back bass and four of my five catches in the next 20 minutes.

August 29 – My first stretch only produced one blow-up on a topwater frog as the formerly open water area was nearly covered in duckweed and vegetation stacked up by the current. Plan B was to move to some deeper, open water and the Senko wacky rig was a winner when cast tight to whatever “edges” I could find.

 

Lessons

1. Last month I noted, “Packing a dipnet along on a canal prowl can be beneficial as you encounter some interesting bank access. The lengthening of your ‘arm’ can save the day.” Well, I forgot to follow my own advice and had to hold my breath as I hoisted a 3-pounder up to my perch along the canal on 10-pound test. While I was successful in landing the bass, I was also lucky.

2. A nice blowup near the bank on a frog got my attention although it didn’t get a bass. I was tossing a small, cheap topwater frog and know that I should probably use this presentation more frequently and perhaps a larger bait to make more commotion among the thick surface vegetation. Any advice is welcome.

3. I am still pondering the risk/reward equation when it comes to the limited bank access along the waterway. While some “easy” spots have paid off, I also have my eye on some off the beaten path areas. Poison ivy, hidden holes, sloped edges, and unsteady riprap make for some tough decisions, but the wheels are turning upstairs…

August 29 at 6:54pm. my second largest canal bass to date at 19″ and 3-4 on a Senko wacky rig

The Canal continues to impress and provides a perfect evening getaway that is closer to home than the hour plus drive to my regular Knox County strip mine stomping grounds. I intend to make several more canal visits as the year progresses and hope that you continue to stop by the blog for the latest fishing reports. Talk to you later. Troy

Snakeden Report – August 15

Posted on by Troy Jackson

My brother and I took on Snakeden back in mid-June to the tune of a 55 bass outing that included a two, a three and a four-pounder. Well, on this trip we were able to up the quantity but just couldn’t find any real big bites. Plenty of solid, healthy bass though made for quite a day.

6:03am – First Bass

Stats

Date: August 15, 2021
Location: Snakeden Hollow (5 lakes)
Time: 5:55am-12:15pm (5.25 hours fishing, the rest walking)
Weather: Sunny/breezy
Air Temp: 59-75F
Water Temp: no reading
Totals: 61 bass (Brent – 32, Troy – 29)
Lures: Senko wacky rig (various) – 26 bass, Emiquon Special Spinnerbait – 14 bass, Strike King Red Eye Shad (sexy shad) – 9 bass, Buzzbait (chartreuse or white) – 7 bass, Strike King Pro Model Series 4 Crankbait (sexy shad) – 3 bass, War Eagle Spinnerbait (white/chartreuse) – 2 bass
Top Bass: 1-12 (Brent – Senko)
Top 5 Weight: 7-12 (1-12,1-10,1-8,1-7,1-7)

Winning Lures

Trip Lyric
“And there’s not another living soul around.” – Say That You Love Me, Fleetwood Mac (1976)

Notes and Nonsense

Senko Stealers – Combined, we lost at least half a dozen Senkos to either bluegill or small bass just grabbing an end, avoiding the hook, and pulling the worm from the O-ring on the hookset. It could have been worse had we not wised up to the fact that on a couple lakes there was a substantial amount of interested small fish. The “tap, tap, tap” feeling of their hits, observing our Senkos darting around under the surface or seeing our lines taking little jumps were telltale signs to refrain from setting the hook as best we could resist. Each of the above are markedly different than watching your Senko disappear in clear or shallow water or feeling a solid thump, both of which are characteristic of a “real” bite.

Keepers – I have long called any bass at or over 12” a “keeper” although they all get released. I refer to any over two pounds as a “good” fish. We didn’t get any of the latter variety, but a late flurry of quality bites made for a good day in terms of “keeper” percentage (KP value). 29 of our 61 bass met the mark for a KP value of 47%. Many factors come into play when pond hopping on the collection of Snakeden fishing holes. Of the five lakes we fished, I categorize one as a smaller bass lake, one with potential quality bites, and three where the jury is still out due to limited “sampling.” Those latter three, however, have gotten our attention on our two recent trips with some solid results. Even after thirty years of running around out there, there’s still plenty to learn about Snakeden Hollow.

 

Old School – I must laugh sometimes at our somewhat ragtag approach to chasing these green fish. Our boat is probably close to fifty years old, but no one really knows as it was discovered washed up in a logjam on creek in the late 1970s/early 1980s. The ends of the oars we use to propel the boat are completely chewed up, kind of gives them some personality in my opinion. And then Brent is chucking a buzzbait that he made thirty years ago with a half-melted skirt and still reeling in the bass. His old Emiquon Special spinner bait has gone through several skirts and is darn near threadbare, but he can still fool those bass. I’ve got a couple reels that make sounds they shouldn’t make and one the sometimes takes several attempts to get the spool to engage after a cast. I guess it don’t have to be pretty (or expensive) as long as it works, and you have fun.

12:05pm – Last bass

And fun, it was. It took us a while to find some decent bites, but we ended up fooling a solid batch of healthy bass on our final stop. The fact that several strikes came on buzzbaits or in close proximity to the boat just added to the enjoyment. Hope to do it again a couple times before Snakeden locks out the anglers in about two months. Talk to you later. Troy

Strip Mine Report – August 1

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Last Saturday I headed back home for an overnight with my boys in tow for the second weekend in a row. While they slept in and hung out with their cousins on Sunday morning, me and Dad took our first tag team shot of 2021 at an old Knox County strip mine stomping ground.

6:44am First bass on a Senko

Stats
Date: August 1, 2021
Location: Little John Conservation Club – Knox County, IL
Time: 6:15am-11:00am
Weather: Sunny/calm to breezy
Air Temp: 64-75F
Water Temp: 80F
Totals: 17 bass (Troy = 11, Dad = 6)
Lures: 5” Yamasenko wacky rig (various colors) – 15 bass, Strike King Red Eye Shad (sexy shad) – 1 bass, Booyah Buzzbait (snow white shad) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 0-15 Troy Senko
Top 5 Weight (only 3 at 12” or better): 2-10 (0-15,0-14,0-13)

7:27am Bonus redear on a Senko

Notes and Nonsense

The Ride – Going anywhere with two young boys is a trip as they keep you entertained with their banter. As usual, I had the tunes going on the radio prompting Jayce to implement a “no singing” challenge. I made it roughly one minute into Sammy Hagar’s “Your Love Is Driving Me Crazy” before I was out. The boys lasted the remaining 40 minutes of the drive although Jayce barely survived Journey’s “Any Way You Want It” and Queen’s “We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions.” At one point I stated that if the Cubs were playing I would have it made. Jayce disagreed, saying that I wouldn’t be able to resist chiming in with a Pat Hughes home run call and then proceeded with his own imitation, “That ball’s got a chance…Gone!” Yep, he’s probably right, except the Cubs aren’t knocking many out of the park these days.

7:59am my first bass and sporting my lucky shirt on the 40th anniversary of MTV

Oops – A misstep in the well of the boat resulted in me tramping on one of Dad’s poles and busting the rod tip. Always a bad break but even worse as the pole is probably 30 years old, possibly a hand-me-down from Brent when he upgraded a set up. Boat launching and loading also gave me some trouble on the makeshift ramp. Both aspects took a couple tries to hit the narrow and slightly concealed spot. It is also a fine line between not far enough and too far for the trailer as there is a rapid dropoff. To end our day, it took three tries to load the boat but fortunately there was no crowd of observers as might be the case on some public waters.

8:07am Dad’s Top Bass on a morning where we couldn’t find any big ones

Cubs Question – As we prepped to hit the road, a shore angler noticed Dad’s cap and commented on the Cubs recent dump of their veterans and others. Certainly, a shame for me as a lifelong fan and still hard to accept in my fifties that baseball is a business and career loyalty is a thing of the past. Those days are long gone, and I miss the one team players of my youth: favorites like Jim Rice, Robin Yount, George Brett, Johnny Bench, Willie Stargell and Mike Schmidt. I’d hoped that Kris Bryant could join the ranks, but I guess that I should know better. I’m not sure if even the likes of Pat Hughes and Ron Coomer can keep me entertained enough to maintain my regular radio following for the rest of the year. Maybe more evenings on the water instead.

9:53am Dad with our double and two of the only three “keepers” we managed to fool

Our morning ended with a decent quantity, but we had to work for them and just couldn’t find any quality bites. That’s August for you, but always good to get out on the water with Dad no matter what we catch. Talk to you later. Troy

Lake Storey Report – July 25

Posted on by Troy Jackson

My family made a trip back “home” to Galesburg last Saturday for a birthday party that included an overnight for me and my boys. While they slept in and later hung out with their cousins, me and Dad launched his boat at daybreak on the old stomping grounds.

6:13am – Dad with our first bass at 12″ and 0-14 on a crankbait

Stats
Date: July 25, 2021
Location: Lake Storey – Knox County, IL
Time: 5:40am-10:55am
Weather: Sunny/calm to light breeze
Air Temp: 73-88F
Water Temp: 83-84F
Totals: 7 bass (Dad = 5, Troy = 2)
Lures: Strike King Rattling Squarebill Crankbait (sexy ghost minnow or natural pumpkinseed) – 3 bass, 5” Yamasenko wacky rig (green pumpkin) – 2 bass, Strike King Red Eye Shad (orange craw) – 1 bass, Vicious Muskrat creature bait (green pumpkin) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 1-2 Dad Senko
Top 5 Weight (only 3 at 12” or better): 2-12 (1-2,0-14,0-12)

Winning Lures

Part of the reason I got outfished by Dad? This stuff may be older than some of his grandkids.

Notes and Nonsense

Back-to-Back Bass – Less than a half hour into our casting, Dad had already lured several strikes, but the bass had shaken off before reaching the boat. Things were looking pretty good in terms of action and proceeded to get better when he landed our first two bass on back-to-back casts. I was busy doing my logging of the first fish when I realized bass number two was on the line. Pretty cool to have it on video as shown below.

 

One That Got Away – As it sometimes happens on a fishing trip, there was “one that got away.” Shortly after 7:00am, Dad set the hooks on a bite that he indicated felt like a good one only to have it somehow come unbuttoned without a glimpse. It was one of several that got loose on crankbaits, and we still marvel at how those bass can avoid the treble hooks. It leaves you scratching your head sometimes considering the ability of those hooks to find purchase in your tacklebags, boat carpet, life jackets, shirts, and so on.

6:31am – Dad with Top Bass at 13″ and 1-2 on a Senko

Big Birds – Over the course of the morning, we spotted several of the larger birds in our area that have an affinity for water. These included a bald eagle, a cormorant, and a blue heron (as well as its smaller cousin a green heron). However, missing on this day was an osprey, a unique bird that we frequently see fishing alongside us at Lake Storey.

The New Armada – We were the first watercraft to arrive at the ramp but were joined by several others before we called it a day. The final tally showed a 2 to 1 ratio of kayaks to boats (10 to 5). Recent years have seen quite the kayak explosion as they are a regular sight on the water or being transported around town awaiting their next dip.

9:02am – The best I could fool but just shy of 12″, not a “keeper”

Nothing stellar on this trip and no problem getting easily outfished by Dad. The dog days of summer are always a challenge and Lake Storey can be a tough one no matter the season. After many years of casting together, the catches can just be icing on the cake. In between bites, there were plenty of what I call “Remember That One Time” tales. Dad told of slaying the crappies with Uncle Bill in a rowboat well over 50 years ago, landing a muskie off Dump Point, losing a Wyoming Cowboys baseball cap in the lake, catching bass off a picnic table, catching a bass from the top of a stump sticking out of the water…

Don’t get us started. Talk to you later. Troy

Prowl The Canal – July 23

Posted on by Troy Jackson

I was able to take birthday number 54 off from work to make for a three-day weekend and spent the first half of the day fishing and exploring on the Hennepin Canal. While the bite was tough during the hot, muggy morning and early afternoon, I learned plenty.

Not the only one to “Prowl the Canal”

Stats
Date: July 23, 2021
Location: Hennepin Canal – Henry/Bureau County, IL
Time: 6:15am-2:15pm (4.25 hours fishing, the rest exploring)
Weather: Sunny/calm and reaching the upper 80s
Totals: 4 bass
Lures: 5” Yamasenko wacky rig (pumpkin with black flake) – 3 bass, Strike King Squarebill crankbait (sexy shad) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 1-9 (Senko)
Top 5 Weight (only one bass at 12” or better): 1-9

11:53am – Little bass but good to get one on a new stretch of the canal

Trip Lyric
“How you feeling? Hot, hot, hot.” – Hot, Hot, Hot – Buster Poindexter (1987)

Notes and Nonsense

Gut Feelings – As noted in the last “Prowl the Canal” report, I struggled during the start of an evening outing. However, despite forty minutes without a bite, I just had this feeling the something good was going to happen. Right on the money, as the bite kicked in and I posted my new Top Bass from the canal along with my heaviest limit (all released). In contrast, on this outing, my confidence was lacking. I was hot, fatigued and just didn’t have that same vibe. Similarly, my feeling was right on target as I just couldn’t get anything going in terms of a solid bite.

An entertaining catch on a tough day, I’ll take whatever I can get to bring a smile

Senko on the Half Shell – When you can’t fool the fish, the mind wanders, and you may find yourself seeking anything that can salvage the day and provide something of interest. On this day it was a clam shell that I snagged with my Senko. I was so desperate to catch something that I was secretly urging the shell to stay hooked as I hoisted it up to my perch on a lock wall high above the water. I know that I have seen a clam shell catch but I believe that this is the first time I have personally achieved such a feat.

1:26pm – Top Bass on a Senko at 1-9

Top Bass – While not a trophy at 1-9, the day’s Top Bass was an entertaining catch. The fish hit a crankbait and a spinnerbait several times right in front of me without getting hooked. This prompted me to reach for my Senko as it is a bit less of a mouthful and I figured that it would improve the odds of getting a hook into a lip. Sure enough, the bass was still hanging out and interested in an offering that often proves too hard to resist.

Lessons

As always, my “Prowl the Canal” features include some bits of information and observation gleaned from my time on the waterway.

1. Fishing or not, the historic corridor is cool piece of engineering at over 100 years old. There’s plenty to see at the multitude of access points along the way.

2. If your normal stomping grounds aren’t cooperating, it doesn’t hurt to explore in hopes of finding some new spots.


End of the prowl…

When it was all said and done, I wandered quite a ways from home for a mere four bass. However, a tough day fishing beats a day at work, and I am confident that my legwork will pay some dividends as my prowls continue. Talk to you later. Troy

Prowl the Canal – July 4, 18 & 21

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Just getting around to posting the report covering a batch of trips to the Hennepin Canal earlier this month.

Stats
Date: July 4, 18, 21, 2021
Location: Hennepin Canal – Henry County, IL
Time: Evenings (4.25 hours total)
Totals: 14 bass (5 bass 7/4, 5 bass 7/18, 4 bass 7/21)
Lures: 5” Yamasenko wacky rig (various colors) – 7 bass, Mann’s Baby 1- Crankbait (red craw or rainbow) – 3 bass, Whopper Plopper (I Know It) – 3 bass, Strike King Squarebill crankbait (sexy shad) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 3-6 (Senko on 7/21)
Top 5 Weight 10-11 (3-6,2-10,2-0,1-7,1-4)

 

Notes and Nonsense

July 4 – Two spots and an hour and fifteen minutes of fishing up until sunset produced five bass with a Top Bass at 1-7 on a Senko wacky rig. Two other “keepers” (12” or better and always released), one on a Senko and the other on a Strike King Squarebill crankbait. A decent, abbreviated evening for me with plenty of action and plenty of mosquitoes.

July 18 – Two spots again on this evening with a slightly earlier start to give me an hour and forty-five minutes of casting. Five more bass with four “keepers” although the largest was only one pound even. A fair bite from the bass while the mosquito bite was over the top. Spoke to a fellow canal angler on this evening who was employing a Thermacell Mosquito Repellent device. He provided a rave review and I have since purchased one as a birthday gift to myself, but I have yet to put it to use.

New Top Bass from the Canal, a slim 3-6 at 20″ could have weighed considerably more

July 21 – I committed to one stretch of water on this evening from 6:25pm to 8:40pm. It was an odd night as the first forty minutes failed to produce a bite. However, I just had a feeling that things were going to turn out well in the end (even made such a prediction on my GoPro video to be released one of these days). As it turned out, I caught my Top Bass from the canal at 3-6. At 20”, it was a slim specimen and likely would have weighed near four pounds if filled out. In addition, a 2-10, 2-0 and 1-4 joined the log for my heaviest daily total despite being one bass shy of my five bass target limit (always catch and release).

Lessons

As a part of each “Prowl the Canal” report, I intend to pass on some lessons learned along the way, regardless of the results of the outing. The concept of this feature is to reinforce that you should learn something new each time you hit the water.

1. Packing a dipnet along on a canal prowl can be beneficial as you encounter some interesting bank access. The lengthening of your “arm” can save the day.

2. Dipping bass caught on lures sporting treble hooks can make for a tangled mess. The pic below is the result of having to snip a Mann’s Baby 1- crankbait out of the dipnet.

3. You should have spare treble hooks amongst your terminal tackle.

A couple days after the July 21 trip, I was back on the canal to celebrate my birthday. Stay tuned for that report along with a Lake Storey report featuring a special guest. Talk to you later. Troy

New York Report – July 11 to July 14

Posted on by Troy Jackson

The Permit

Work took me to the Buffalo, NY area this week and as I needed to haul a batch of IT equipment, I drove. Fortunately, there was some extra room in the vehicle, so I packed along some fishing gear as well. With a little internet research and a NY non-resident permit, I was off at 5:00am Sunday morning with hopes of some evening casts and beyond.

The Plan

Stats

Date: July 11-14, 2021
Location: Buffalo, NY area (3 locations)
Time: Evenings (6.00 total hours)
Weather: Everything
Air Temp: 80s
Water Temp: No reading
Totals: 7 bass
Lures: War Eagle Spinnerbait (white/chartreuse) – 5 bass, 5” Yamasenko wacky rig (pumpkin with black flake) – 2 bass
Top Bass: 4-10 (Spinnerbait)
Top 5 Weight (only 3 at 12” or better): 7-0 (4-11,1-7,0-14)

Trip Lyric
“Back in the New York Groove”– New York Groove, Ace Frehley (1978)

July 11 – Sprague Brook Park, first bass, 6:40pm on a spinnerbait

July 11 – Sprague Brook Park 6:51pm, Top Bass at 20″ and 4-10 on a spinnerbait

Notes and Nonsense

July 11 – Sprague Brook Park (near Glenwood, NY) – 2 bass
Located about 40 minutes south of my work destination made this spot a good start on the Sunday drive. After a handful of casts with a Strike King Red Eye Shad lipless crankbait came up empty, I decided to switch to a War Eagle spinnerbait. Immediately, I was rewarded with my first catch, mission accomplished. It took another 55 minutes to get another bite but what a bite it was as the spinnerbait produced my Top Bass of 2021 at 4-10.

July 12 – Walton Woods Park Top Bass at 0-14 on a spinnerbait

July 12 – Walton Woods Park (two ponds in Amherst, NY) – 3 bass
For Monday, I had to stick close to my work destination to make the most of a short evening after a near 10-hour workday. The first pond, a nicely manicured fishing hole produced one small bass on a Senko. Next up was a walk into the woods to a slightly larger and more appealing looking spot. During my 45 minutes of casting, it gave up a pair of bass roughly three minutes apart with my Top Bass of the evening coming in at 13” and 0-14.

July 13 – Endicott Creek Park Top Bass at 1-7 on a spinnerbait

July 13 – Endicott Creek Park (Tonawanda, NY) – 1 bass
Once again proximity was key after a long day and this spot was barely five minutes from work. Unfortunately, about 25 minutes were spent in the vehicle as a nasty, windy thunderstorm raged in from the northwest. Luckily, it passed and allowed me about an hour to fish before dark. The creek portion of the area looked great but failed to produce a bite. However, a backwater pond gave up my lone catch at 1-7 on the spinnerbait with about 20 minutes to spare before quitting time.

July 14 – Sprague Brook Park (two lakes near Glenwood, NY) – 1 bass
My final day of work ended around 5:00pm and I headed back to the site of my Top Bass catch. First, I hit a pond I had not tried on my earlier visit. It gave up a short bass on the Senko to ensure that I would have a skunk free week. With that monkey off my back, I went back for another shot at a big bass but came up empty. I did see a likely four-pounder swim up near me, but I could not entice a bite with Senko.

July 14 – Sprague Brook Park, final bass at 7:05pm on a Senko

While I am not a huge travel fan, being able to pack my poles along makes for a nice way to finish lengthy workdays. Summer sunset times are also beneficial as a late evening start still allows for a fair amount of casting. Overall, I was quite pleased with the haul on a set of sites unseen. Thanks also to the internet for an assist in formulating what was a successful gameplan. More to come from the trip as there was more to experience and observe than reeling in a handful of bass. Talk to you later. Troy

Mautino Report – July 3

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Mautino State Fish & Wildlife Area re-opened last summer after many years of significantly limited access due to much needed interior road repairs. While I didn’t manage to get over there last fall, this past weekend presented a few open evening hours and I decided to give the site a look. I had not fished the area for five years and had high hopes that I would encounter some solid, uneducated bass.

Stats
Date: July 3
Location: Mautino State Fish & Wildlife Area – Bureau County
Time: 6:15pm-8:45pm
Weather: Sunny/breezy to calm
Air Temp: 81F
Water Temp: not available
Totals: 9 bass (2 lakes)
Lures: 5” Yamasenko wacky rig (various colors) – 4 bass, Strike King Red Eye Shad (sexy shad) – 2 bass, Booyah Buzzbait (salt and pepper) – 2 bass, War Eagle Spinnerbait (white/chartreuse) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 0-14 (Buzzbait)
Top 5 Weight (only 1 bass at 12” or better): 0-14

6:21pm – First bass, hoping they’d get bigger, didn’t really happen

Notes and Nonsense

Anticipation – On my last three visits prior to the closure of nearly the whole site back in 2016, I managed a decent Top 5 collection that pushed 13 pounds. Thus, my anticipation was riding high on the ride to the fishing holes. After all, a lot of the fish had not seen many lures over the last five years. Well, the larger fish weren’t quite as dumb as I’d hoped as my lone “keeper” was a 13.5” bass on a buzzbait.

Changes – Of the two lakes that I opted to fish, one was much murkier than the “old days” while the other remained just as murky as it always was. A few other waters were observed from the road and seemed to be the same as I recalled in terms of clarity and aquatic vegetation. I spotted several bank anglers, three trailers at three different lakes and a pair of kayakers on a spot with a rudimentary ramp. The latter approach is certainly a change as those personal watercrafts have really taken off in the last several years.

8:19pm – Last bass of the evening was Top Bass at 13.5″ and 0-14, a tough outing

Stocking – My hopes were that during the downtime in fishing access that fish stocking would continue or perhaps kick up a notch on the site. In checking the IDNR info, it looks like a modest stocking program occurred during the site closure but nothing that really seemed to give the site much of a boost, particularly in terms of my favorite pursuit, the largemouth bass.

So much for my triumphant return to a couple of Mautino’s fishing holes. I’ll chalk it up to the dog days of summer getting an early start as the weather conditions were quite balmy. In addition, a small sample of a few hours on the water may say more about the fisherman than the fish. Perhaps I’ll be back for a second chance in the fall to see if we get along better.

Time will tell. But, hey, the roads are nice. Talk to you later. Troy

Prowl the Canal – June 25 & July 2

Posted on by Troy Jackson

The past week found me on the Hennepin Canal on two occasions as my fishing exploration of the historic corridor continues. Both locales were spots I’d seen previously while on bike rides, but those trips had not seen me wet a line. On the latest trips it was time to bring along the fishing gear to see what would happen.

Stats
Date: June 25 and July 2, 2021
Location: Hennepin Canal – Henry County, IL
Time: 6/25 (7:35-8:50pm), 7/2 (7:40pm-8:55pm)
Weather: Sunny to partly cloudy/calm both days
Air Temp: Mid-80s
Water Temp: not available
Totals: 8 bass (3 bass on 6/25 and 5 bass on 7/2)
Lures: 5” Yamasenko wacky rig (pumpkin with black flake) – 3 bass, Mann’s Baby 1- (rainbow) – 3 bass, Strike King Squarebill crankbait (sexy shad) – 2 bass
Top Bass: 2-13 (Senko on 7/2)
Top 5 Weight (only 4 bass at 12” or better): 6-14 (2-13,1-11,1-9,0-13)

June 25 at 7:35pm – best I could muster, courtesy of a Mann’s Baby 1- crankbait

Notes and Nonsense

June 25 – The first stop had a modest amount of open water which can be a tough summer find among the stretches I have checked out thus far. However, bank access presented some challenges which is another standard canal feature. I fished four or five areas of access and found only three small bites.

July 2 at 7:53pm – Top Bass at 2-13 on a wacky rigged Senko

July 2 – Several “keepers” were caught from another area featuring a fair amount of open water. In addition, the water had some better depth than most stretches of the canal. This allowed me to toss the Strike King Squarebill crankbait and fool a couple decent fish. But it was the Senko wacky rig which once again came through for the Top Bass of the evening. The 2-13 fell one ounce shy of my canal personal best and further proved that there are some quality bass that call the waterway home.

July 2 at 8:30pm – Top Bass Runner-Up at 1-11 on a Strike King Squarebill crankbait

So, what have I learned from my four Hennepin Canal adventures to date?

1. The overall quality of catches has been a pleasant surprise. Previously, I never viewed the local sections of the canal as a regular destination but results and social media posts have opened my eyes.

2. Casting is key as is generally the case in bass fishing. There’s lots of vegetation where the bass can hide or wait in ambush, but that vegetation can also ruin a cast with many lures. Accuracy and repeated casts (at varying angles if possible) have been keys to success.

3. A bike is a bonus as stretches of open water can be few and far between at this time of year. Pedaling cuts down transit time and gets you away from the easy to access spots at the scattered parking areas.

4. While I have several topwater frogs in my tackle backpack, I have yet to put any of them to use. Fortunately, my other presentations have kept me busy with bites, but I do need to see if I can entice some quality strikes from beneath the plentiful surface vegetation.

The evening outings have been a fun way to work in a few weekday casts and I have been pleased with the action. There’s plenty more water to explore so I suspect that I will be back with some future reports as I continue to “prowl the canal.” Talk to you later. Troy

200,000 Mile Fishing Report – June 21

Posted on by Troy Jackson

 

My truck means a lot to me as it came into possession after the passing of my father-in-law back in 2006. Junior Breuer put a lot of miles on that 1998 Chevy Silverado, and I have added over the years with the truck on the verge of 200,000 miles as I set out on this fishing trip. I figured that there was only one way to celebrate the milestone and that was a round trip ride to the fishing hole.

 

Stats
Date: June 21, 2021
Location: Hennepin Canal – Henry County, IL
Time: 7:35pm-8:35pm
Weather: Partly cloudy/calm
Air Temp: Low 60s
Water Temp: not available
Totals: 6 bass
Lures: 5” Yamasenko wacky rig – 5 bass, Mann’s Baby 1- (rainbow) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 2-14 (Mann’s Baby 1-)
Top 5 Weight (2 bass at 12” or better): 3-11 (2-14,0-13)

Trip Lyric
“Long may you run, long may you run, although these changes have come.” – Long May You Run, Neil Young (1976)

Notes and Nonsense

Back on the Bike – I’ve got this plan to explore some more of the Hennepin Canal as I have seen reports of solid bass over the years. The historic corridor covers over 100 miles (including a feeder portion) with a decent section within a half hour drive from home. Such makes for a nice weekday evening shot at wetting a line for an hour or so when I can get away. Open shoreline access is scattered which makes for a perfect excuse to get the bike tires aired up, toss it in the truck bed and get some needed exercise along the way.

4-4 – On new water, my first goal is to get that one bite to get me on the board and avoid the shutout. Well, it sure didn’t take long to get that monkey off my back as I landed a bass on my first cast. And it didn’t stop there as I managed to catch a bass on each of my first four casts. It got me wondering if I had ever had such good fortune once upon a time when I played a little baseball. Among the scattered archives I found an affirmation that such a feat took place at least once. The proof from July 13 is below and it sure is fun to reminisce on the names of teammates from a portion of the Hi-Lo highlight recap of the 1986 season.

Crooked Bass – Top Bass was an interesting specimen with a stubby, crooked back end. I have caught several odd bass over the years including those with a similar affliction but have yet to determine the cause of the crookedness. On the positive side, the bass was eager to eat, otherwise healthy looking and put up a good fight. Here’s hoping it rewards other anglers and leaves them scratching their heads as well.

 

A good hour on the water and mission accomplished on the sunset drive home as I watched the odometer turn. Someday I suppose there will be a post or two in tribute to the old truck but for today I’ll leave it as a fishing report. As a fellow fisherman, I’d like to think that Junior would have enjoyed the drive. Talk to you later. Troy