It is a rare occasion that I can get on the water and land a bass in December. In fact, my log entries total five bass caught during the final month of the year. Today’s flashback takes a look at the last one I fooled.

Stats
Date: December 2, 2017
Locations: Knox County, IL Strip Mines (3 lakes)
Time: 9:55am-2:15pm
Weather: Sunny/breezy
Air Temp: 44-59F
Water Temp: no reading
Totals: 1 bass
Lures: Rapala Shad Rap SR07 (blue)
Weight: 2-4

Excerpts from the original blog post December 3, 2017

Winning Lure – I had a total of three bites, and all were on the Rapala Shad Rap. One came before my catch, and another came after but both of those managed to get loose shortly after the hookset. It never ceases to amaze how a bass can elude those treble hooks, but it happens. What was also fun about the Shad Rap coming through is the fact this particular lure is well over 20 years old as evidenced by the stouter, replacement treble hooks that I used to put on many of my crankbaits back in the day.

GoPro – I got this catch on video like several others this year and have included the footage below. I’m not quite sure what lies in store for my clips but have contemplated working them into some future blog and Facebook postings. Whatever the case, it has been a fun addition to the fishing experience that I hope to expand upon for 2018.

Link below to the entire original blog post

http://troyjacksonoutdoors.com/2017/12/03/strip-mine-report-122/

And just like that, the Friday Flashback posts have reached the end. Well, almost. One more post to go as I try to put a wrap on this project that dates back over five years. Stay tuned for a final collection of stats, pics, and video. Talk to you later. Troy

Many Friday Flashback posts have referenced Emstrom’s Pond. And rightfully so as it was quite a fishing hole. Lots of stories and lots of quality bass. Perhaps someday I’ll comb the logs and memories for a series of blog posts on the old pond. But for today, we’ll start with the regular “X Years Ago This Week”, expand a bit to look at a Top 5 list from 2002 and close with an overall look at Emstrom’s dominance in 2002.

November 9, 2002 at 2:12pm weighing 4-15 (21.5″) on a jig and pig

Per the original fishing report from November 9, 2002:

I had a couple hours to spare while Julie did a stamp workshop today, so I hit Emstrom’s Pond looking for that one bite. I got it about twenty minutes after arriving at the pond. This sounds like a broken record, but the bass was caught on a 1/4-ounce jig (black/blue) with a #11 pork frog (black) while fishing The Beaver Lodge. The bass weighed 4-15 and set a new record for the month of November. The previous record was a 4-8 caught by Brent on 11/3/01 also at Emstrom’s Pond on a Guido Bug (black/blue). I caught one other bass (1-9) on a Mann’s Baby 1- (crystal grey ghost) and had no other bites.

Top 10 Bass of 2002

That bass would end up as my third largest bass of 2002. This catch was many years before I kicked off the Top 5 project which launched in 2014. However, I still have all the data from 2002 so why not look at the year’s Top 5, which totaled an impressive 24-6. Not bad considering that they were all caught from one modest sized farm pond.

5-15 Emstrom’s Pond
5-4 Emstrom’s Pond
4-15 Emstrom’s Pond
4-4 Emstrom’s Pond
4-0 Emstrom’s Pond

Top 20 Bass of 2002

Beyond those Top 5 bass of 2022, nineteen of the Top 20 Bass of 2002 came from Emstrom’s with the lone exception being a 2-8 from Lake Bracken. Quite a fishing hole and it will make one final appearance before the Friday Flashback series reaches its conclusion in a few weeks. Talk to you later. Troy

I first caught the bass fishing bug when I was a teenager in the early eighties. From then until about the mid-nineties, I typically put away the fishing gear sometime in September. Looking back, that was a mistake, but it was a different time with different distractions. Today’s flashback provides proof that good bites are out there if you keep on casting.

Excerpts from original October 29, 2002 post

I decided to hit Emstrom’s Pond today (10/28) despite less than favorable conditions. A string of chilly weather and winds from the north and east typically provide for a tough bite. I prepped myself by thinking that anyone can catch fish under good conditions and today would be a challenge. I chose Emstrom’s for its proximity (it takes longer to load my gear than it does to drive to the pond) and its history. The plan was to fish for an hour or so and I was basically looking for one bite. That may be the only chance you get on a day like this, and you just hope your reflexes are sharp.

The cold front/late fall pattern at Emstrom’s is pretty simple. Row directly to The Beaver Lodge, anchor deep and toss a 1/4 oz jig (black/blue) with a #11 pork frog (blue, black, or purple). If this fails to produce, either move in closer or fish some weed edges before returning for a closer shot. I arrived around 1:50 pm, rowed to The Beaver Lodge, anchored, and cast my jig with a black pork frog. A telltale jump in my line before the lure hit bottom meant something below was hungry. I set the hook twice for good measure and the fight was on. A flash of white let me know it was a good fish and I shortly had a 3-5 bass in the boat. It was 1:58 pm. He was hooked solidly in the roof of the mouth with the entire bait inside of his mouth. Following a couple pictures, he was released to be caught again. We often joke about catching a fish on your first cast and view it as a bad omen. I’m not sure if the statistics would provide any proof, but it seems like we have a slow day after catching one on the first cast. In fact, I laughed after catching this fish, wondering if I should just pull up the anchor and head for home.

1:58pm – Top Bass Runner-up at 3-5 (18.5″) on a jig

I elected to stick around. I retied my jig since the bass had inhaled the lure and potentially caused abrasions with its teeth during the fight. Another twenty minutes produced no other bass although I set the hooks on a couple casts when things on the other end just felt weird. Remember, “When in doubt, set the hook.” The wind had switched directions a bit, so I decided to row to the dam and cast the weedline as I drifted back towards The Beaver Lodge. My weapon of choice was a 3/8 oz Stanley Vibra Shaft Glitter Series spinnerbait (blue glimmer) with a twin tail trailer (white), one of my favorites. Several casts produced nothing but a handful of weeds. Then I noticed fish working the surface and figured they were probably crappies. The last time out at Emstrom’s (10/21), I caught a nice crappie on a Mepp’s #5 (Rainbow trout/white), so I decided to try it.

A couple cranks into my first cast with the Mepp’s and I had a hit. I set the hook and initially felt only slight resistance. I quickly reeled as the fish swam at the boat until it turned broadside, giving me a good look at a large bass. I kept my rod tip high as the bass tried to bury itself in the remaining weeds. I had lost a fish earlier this year when it pulled the same stunt, and I was determined to outsmart this one. I was sitting in only about three feet of water, and I wanted to keep the fish near the surface. The fish earlier in the year had hit bottom and gained the necessary slack to get away. I knew better this time, kept the bass from diving and was able to land it successfully.

2:37pm – Top Bass at 4-4 (21″) on a Mepps spinner

The fish had a large head and mouth leading me to believe it was undernourished or ill, and probably would have been heavier if healthy. Regardless of its condition, it measured 21″ in length and weighed in at 4-4. I snapped a pair of photos and released the fish. I later realized that my camera had switched from auto to spot focus (probably when kicked around the boat fighting one of these fish), so I’m interested to see how the pictures turn out. They could also be interesting considering the bass was defecating all over me as I took the pictures. Can’t say that I’ve ever dealt with this before, but it probably lost a couple of ounces (fortunately it was weighed before pictures). I had quite a mess all over my rain pants and sweatshirt. For those who care, it resembled bird droppings and had a smell like the nasty black mud you find on the bottom of lakes and ponds. I worked the rest of the weedline and tried The Beaver Lodge a second time without getting any bites. A last effort was made along a deep weedline near the dam. I had one bite on the jig, but it got off shortly after the hookset.

Original log entry from October 28, 2002

A productive day during less-than-ideal conditions. Fortunately, I had a couple free hours while Julie was doing some things for work, and I had most of my errands done. Might as well go fishing. Then again, it’s 46 degrees, overcast and windy. Maybe I’ll watch the news, explore the internet, work on outdoor articles, or do something around the house. No, I can do that stuff when it’s 20 degrees and windy. After all, I’ve got gloves to warm my hands when needed, a thermal and a sweatshirt, insulated boots, and a rain suit to handle the wind. I’m glad I went.

There you go. Don’t put those poles away quite yet. Time will tell if I am able to follow my own advice, but I always have my sights on a November bass before I call it a year. Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy

Twenty years ago, I still had a membership at Lake Bracken, located just south of Galesburg, Illinois. Today’s flashback looks at how Brent and I did on a chilly midday outing on the seventh and final visit to Bracken in 2002.

Stats
Date: October 22, 2002
Location: Lake Bracken
Time: 11:05am-2:50pm
Weather: Overcast to sunny/breezy, 45F
Totals: 16 bass (Troy – 9, Brent – 7)
Lures: 3/8 oz Stanley Vibra Shaft (blue glimmer) with twin tail trailer (white) – 9 bass, Mann’s 4- crankbait (red shiner) – 7 bass
Top Bass: 2-8 Spinnerbait (Troy)
Top 5 Weight (only 3 at 12” or better): 4-6 (2-8,1-0,0-14)

Excerpt of original post from October 23, 2002

On October 22, Brent and I decided to give Lake Bracken a try for some bass fishing. We considered muskie fishing at Lake Storey as another option, but we also figured it would be a good time to get the two-man bass boat from the dock at Lake Bracken. The plan was to tie the two-man boat to the back of Dad’s bass boat, pull it to the ramp, load it in my truck and haul it home. This approach is much more favorable than the alternative of carrying the boat up the hill behind the house. If you’ve seen the hill, you’d understand. All went well and the boat is in the garage.

Still have these winning lures in my tackle twenty years later (Mann’s 4- crankbait and Blue Glimmer spinnerbait)

As far as the fishing trip, the temperature barely bested forty, but we decided to head out anyway. We fished from around 11:00 am until nearly 3:00 pm and caught sixteen bass. All my fish were caught on my favorite spinnerbait, a Stanley 3/8 oz Vibra Shaft (blue glimmer) with a twin tail trailer (white). Brent caught all his fish on a Mann’s 4- crankbait (red shiner). While the south side of the lake was most productive, it was also in the shade. With temperatures in the mid-40s and a brisk north to northeast wind, conditions weren’t the best for the fishermen. But once again, it’s all about the fish.

Top Bass at 2-8 on a spinnerbait

The bass were more cooperative than we anticipated. I attributed the decent bite to the fact that the lake is in the process of a drawdown, lowering the water level and drawing the forage out of many places to hide. Best spots to hit were any wood that was still in the water as well as riprap (chunky rock) banks. Big bass of the day was my 2-8. This fish had a fish tail sticking out of its throat and a fat belly but was still eager to try and eat my spinnerbait. Another highlight was what could be called a “textbook bass.” I cast my spinnerbait beyond a pair of logs that formed an “X” just below the surface. I reeled the bait up to and over the logs before letting it flutter down just as it passed the structure. Upon the fall, I was rewarded with a nice 0-14 bass. Just like they show on TV and print in the magazines, bass fishing made easy.

A final highlight was getting a good look at a Pileated Woodpecker as it flew overhead. This species is typically rather secretive but is very easy to identify if you’ve ever seen the more common red-headed woodpecker or watched a “Woody the Woodpecker” cartoon. These guys are big, make a heck of a racket pecking or calling and fly with the typical up-and-down flight of their smaller cousins.

A productive day, considering we spent most of it freezing our (insert whatever parts of the human anatomy you deem appropriate) off.

Fun to reminisce about an old fishing hole. Looking at the location names in the log entry also bring back memories and twenty years later I could take you right back to where I caught each of the bass. In addition, it is cool to see that this trip took place in the heyday of a spinnerbait that I simply refer to as “The Blue Glimmer.” All these years later it still works as I landed a bass at The Rock on the lure last month.

Talk to you later. Troy

I’ve long enjoyed fishing the Lake Storey fall drawdown and today’s flashback details my best day of bass fishing on that old fishing hole. The trip featured a trio of my personal records for a Lake Storey outing. I landed the most bass I’ve caught on a Lake Storey outing, the heaviest Top 5 weight I have ever posted on the lake and a new family Top Bass. In addition, I landed three walleye and a small muskie.

9:16am – Top Bass runner-up on the day at 3-11

Date: September 30, 2007
Tie: 6:30am-3:30pm
Weather: Sunny/windy to very windy, 60-80F
Totals: 27 bass, 3 walleye, 1 muskie
Lures: Bomber Flat A crankbait (baby bass) – 19 bass, Zoom Baby Brush Hog – 7 bass, Rapala Rattlin’ Rap – 1 bass
Top Bass: 4-8 Baby Brush Hog
Top 5 Weight: 14-5 (4-8,3-11,2-7,2-1,1-10)

Chilly Willy Fishing – Years ago at Lake Bracken, we came up with a technique that we labeled “Chilly Willy Fishing.” Basically, we used to just goof around with a simple straight vertical presentation where you drop your line directly into the water next to the edge of the boat, dock, retaining wall, etc. It seems that at some point we’d observed the cartoon penguin utilize this approach to harvest his dinner in one of the old episodes. Anyway, a few days prior to my trip, I watched Dad drop a Baby Brush Hog next to a stump in this fashion as I worked to reposition the boat. He promptly hoisted a 1-8 on board and we had good laugh recalling this nostalgic presentation. It was amazing how the fish remained tight on the piece of structure despite being directly beneath the boat in less than four feet of water. However, upon seeing several large clouds of baitfish in the area, it was obvious that the bass had a prime piece of real estate.

7:48am – quality catch at 2-7 to start the Top 5 for the day

Chilly Willy Point – On my return trip, the spot that we call “Chilly Willy Point” had the added attraction of being pounded by high winds from the south. I spent just over a half hour fishing the area and caught four bass weighing a total of 10-8 on my Baby Brush Hog. Individual weights, in order of catch, were 1-5, 3-11, 4-8 and 1-0. After hauling in the 4-8 back-to-back with a 3-11, I had to laugh aloud at my good fortune. In fact, the bulk of my half hour on the spot was spent weighing, photographing, and recording bass and then having to reposition the boat for another try. I had never gotten around to giving the spot a good name over the years, but it will forever be known as Chilly Willy Point.

September 25, 2007 – bonus shot of Dad from a few days prior with a couple from our 11-5 Top 5 haul at Lake Storey

Chilly Willy Stump – If you know where to look, there is a stump on Chilly Willy Point, and it was home to the batch of bass detailed above. The stump is hollow on top, and Dad once caught a bass by pitching his creature bait into the opening. A classic fish story and further reason to pay homage to Chilly Willy the penguin with the name.

9:26am – Top Bass at 4-8 somehow landed by this goofy looking angler

Top Bass – The 4-8 established a new family Lake Storey record topping Brent’s 4-7 from October 23, 1998. However, Brent would take the record back on October 19, 2018, with a 4-11 that still stands as our lake record.

My original blog entry noted that “My 27 bass on 9/30 pushed me past my goal of 200 as the 2007 total currently stands at 210.” Well, this year, I have already established a new yearly record for total bass. More on that in a future article as I am aiming for a milestone on my next outing. Talk to you later. Troy