Category: Flashbacks

Friday Flashback – March 21, 2012

Posted on by Troy Jackson

I always enjoy the challenge of fishing Lake Storey, my “home lake” situated just north of Galesburg, Illinois. And I’ve fished it for a long time, primarily during the fall drawdown. However, today’s post features a successful early spring outing with Dad from ten years ago.

Original log entry from March 21, 2012

Originally posted 3-22-12

I rarely fish Lake Storey other than the fall drawdown as by the time the water warms in the spring the vegetation makes things quite frustrating. Of course, this is nowhere near a normal year, and it was fun (and a little weird) to get on a favorite (and challenging) fishing hole with some clean, sixty-degree water on the second day of spring.

Stats
Date: March 21, 2012
Location: Lake Storey
Time: 8:50am-3:20pm
Weather: Sunny to partly cloudy/very windy
Air Temp: 65-80F
Water Temp: 63-65F
Totals: 5 bass, 3 walleye, 1 muskie (Troy – 5 bass, 1 walleye, 1 muskie, Dad – 2 walleye)
Lures: Booyah Spinnerbait (snow white) – 4 bass, 1 muskie, Bomber Flat A (baby bass) – 1 bass, Strike King KVD 1.5 Square Bill crankbait (sexy shad) – 1 walleye, Rapala DT10 (parrot) – 1 walleye, Strike King Bleeding Bait spinnerbait (bleeding white) – 1 walleye
Top Bass: 3-1 (Troy)
Weight (2 bass > 12”): 4-6 (3-1, 1-5)

Notes and Nonsense

Walleye World – Dad’s first fish was a 14” walleye on a crankbait, one of three we’d combine for on the outing. I’d later pick up a 19” and Dad would take the crown with a 20” catch on a spinnerbait which was kind of odd.

Figure Eight Success – I am not a muskie fisherman, tried it, spent some dollars, enjoyed the challenge but I’m a bass guy at heart. But good, old Lake Storey has her share of surprises like when I alerted Dad that I had a follow. I instinctively did a rather ugly “Figure 8” to no avail, showed Dad with my hands that it was only about 24” and then realized the fish was back looking at my lure as I had yet to lift it from the water. Cue “Figure 8” number two and the fish exploded on my bait. Having about three feet of line out I hit the thumb bar, let the fish run a bit, Dad dipped him up and I had my first ever successful hookup on the crazy, last-ditch technique. Awesome stuff from a fish that somehow was more clueless than the fisherman.

Top Bass – Our final fish of the day came off of a windblown, riprap bank in less than two feet of water. Wind, weather, and water conditions were good but it’s still hard to believe we got fish so shallow on March 21. I love it as I’m a shallow guy (in angling parlance only) and a firm believer that there is no such thing as too shallow when conditions are right. The stocky 3-1 bass provided a nice finish to what is always a challenge as Lake Storey can be tough. I’m not “Mr. Excitable” but I couldn’t suppress a fist pump as Dad hoisted her aboard with a fine job of dipping.

 

This trip was a perfect example of why you never give up as our last hour and a half on the water produced three bass (two “keepers” although we’re strictly catch and release), two walleye and a muskie. I won’t pretend that I’m always brimming with confidence; I get down just like the next guy, maybe more. But its finishes like this one that get me to thinking that maybe I have learned a thing or two about this pursuit over the last twenty-five plus years.

In the ten years since this outing, I have not made a spring visit to Lake Storey. After reading this fish story, however, the wheels are turning. Talk to you later. Troy

Friday Flashback – March 4, 2017

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Back in 2016, I posted a series of eighteen posts that ran throughout the month of March and revisited the first bass of the year from 1997 to 2015. The plan was to build some anticipation for the first bass of 2016, and it turned out to be quite a catch. And 2017 was even better as described in the original post to follow.

Originally posted 3-8-17

Let’s just say that this whole first bass thing has gotten a little ridiculous the last couple of years. Quality fish to kick off the year in 2015 (first bass 5-13) and 2016 (second bass 5-9) both wound up being my Top Bass for those respective years, wild stuff. Those fortunate catches still sound like fish stories as I type this up and, I too would struggle to believe some goofy blogger. That is, if I weren’t the guy with the front row seat.

First bass from 2015 (left) and 2016 (right)

So, how did 2017 get started?

Well, just for fun, I’m gonna keep you in suspense for several paragraphs before the reveal (no peeking ahead, okay).

Stats
Date: March 4, 2017
Location: Little John Conservation Club
Time: 2:30pm-5:30pm
Weather: Sunny/windy
Air Temp: 48F
Water Temp: 44F
Totals: 1 bass
Lures: Jig & Pig (black/blue) with #11 pork frog (black/blue) – 1 bass
Top Bass: the only bass landed
Weight: stay tuned below

Notes & Nonsense

Company – As I pushed my boat into the lake, another pair of anglers arrived, and I had a decision to make when faced with sharing water. The location lends itself to a couple options that I’ll just call a right turn or a left turn. Both directions have been productive over the years, so it was not necessarily an easy decision on which portions of the lake to give up. I chose to take the figurative left and fate was on my side, winding up with no regrets or second guesses at the end of the day.

Classic, cold water, big bass bait, a jig and pig

Old Faithful – The “Old’ part of Old Faithful is certainly apt when it comes to the pork trailer on my trusty black and blue jig and pig setup. I have no idea how old this piece of pig really is nor how many bass it has fooled but it has been through the wringer as I am about as frugal as it gets when it comes to fishing stuff. The above photo shows the rig from the top where it looks normal. However, the photo below shows the pig portion flipped over to reveal how much it is chewed up and faded to almost white. I’m sure some of those Bassmaster sorts would cringe or shake their heads at my unsophisticated presentation but it fooled another fish and yes, I put it back in the old, weathered jar for next time.

As a frugal fisherman, I prolong my pork to the point that the dye gets chewed off

Perseverance – On these early season days I go out with the mindset of getting one bite knowing that the conditions are such that it is unlikely I will be greeted by a steady stream of bass coming into the boat. A weeklong batch of chilly weather, southeast wind, 44-degree water temps and a warm-up not forecast until the overnight meant it could be a challenging day. But I was glad to finally get on the water. I made my first stop at a productive area which allowed fancasting to a number of spots that have cooperated in the past. I spent 20 minutes anchored where I chose to start and fired away with the jig and pig, slow rolled spinnerbait, squarebilled crankbait, Shad Rap, and underspin with a swimbait trailer all without so much as a bite. Finally, the jig and pig paid off with a bump and a slight sideways movement of the line prompting me to shake the winter rust and set the hook. Initially, I felt I had a decent fish but a dive near the boat left me wondering just how decent this fish was truly going to be. When it surfaced, rolled, and shook its head, it was obvious that I had something special.

Details – At 6-2, this fish was my first ever in the six-pound range and my second largest bass ever landed. As such it broke nearly every personal record. In addition, it got my 2017 Top 5 off to a surprisingly good start as I doubt I’ll be culling this one when it’s all said and done.

The six-pound monkey is off my back

Aftermath – During one of my recent “20 Years of Stats” postings I included some comments about the elusive six-pounder and one fish that “might have been.” Fortune was smiling on me five days later on the first outing of 2017 as I had now caught and released the bass that I’d chased after for a long time. After a brief weigh-in, photo session and texts to Julie, Brent and Mom and Dad, I just sat for several minutes letting it sink in. Maybe a little over the top, sappy or cheesy but those three ounces better than the 5-15 bass on my ledger from February 2002 sure meant a lot to this angler. Sure, some reading this posting have bigger personal bests, and I do too, but the six-pound monkey is now off my back.

After my catch I really didn’t care how the rest of the day panned out. Good thing too, as I never got another bite.

If you are only going to catch one bass, it sure is cool when it’s a trophy fish. In the five years since this catch, I have not caught another six-pounder. However, the catch was released and perhaps has survived and now may hit the seven-pound mark. I plan on hitting this spot a time or two in 2022, so time will tell. Talk to you later. Troy

Friday Flashback – February 26, 2012

Posted on by Troy Jackson

About this time annually, I begin to ponder the first catch of the year. Not being much of an icefisherman, that means open water and that aspect can vary by about a month from year to year. In the case of today’s flashback, I was able to get my first casts in a few days prior to my typical March goal. Below is the original post for the outing as related while blogging on the Heartland Outdoors website. Relying on old blog posts sometimes feels like cheating but it’s hard to beat the fresh, original version of the fish story.

Originally posted 2-28-2012

Early season, clear, frigid water and limited time to fish make for what I generally refer to as a “one bite outing.” Essentially, I’m looking for one bite, hoping it’s a solid hit and counting on being able to execute on my end of the line. I’m certainly not opposed to multiple opportunities but looking at it realistically, other bites would simply be icing on the cake. As pictured below, my one (and only) bite worked out.

Original log entry from February 26, 2012

Date: February 26, 2012
Location: Snakeden Hollow – various lakes (see below)
Time: 2:10pm-5:30pm (1.75 hours fishing, the rest walking/driving)
Weather: Sunny/very windy
Air Temp: 55F
Water Temp: 44F
Totals: 1 bass
Lures: Yum Wooly Curltail (green pumpkin) – 1 bass (12.5”)
Top Bass: 0-12

Notes and Nonsense

Four Targets – Snakeden presents a wide array of options when exploring on foot. So, during the twenty-five-minute drive I usually change my mind several times before arriving at some sort of a gameplan. For this trip I narrowed it down to four rather specific targets.

Target One (2:25pm-2:55pm) – My memory did not serve me too well as a downed tree in West Turkey Lake had deteriorated and was a bit too shallow even for me on February 26. After a handful of casts with the trusty old jig & pig (black & blue) in the deeper water nearby I chalked up my eighteen-minute walk to a waste of time.

Target Two (3:15pm-3:45pm) – A nameless, narrow 100-yard cut that I’ve named Pepper Lake (another story) features one stretch of deeper water where I hoped all of the 12-16” residents would be stacked. I’ve seen bass up to two pounds here, but I was just looking for any bite while hoping to put the jig & pig in front of a taker. The “shooting fish in a barrel” concept didn’t produce either.

Target Three (4:45pm-5:00pm) – A spot I call the South Crater is a depression about the size of a baseball infield and features a small, sunken fir tree that is partially visible in one corner. Despite being a regular early season producer, it also let me down on the jig & pig.

Target Four (5:00pm-5:30pm) – A downed tree in the North Crater (similar setup to its southern companion) was my last chance and a Yum Wooly Curltail (pictured below) broke up the shutout (described below).

Yum Wooly Curltail, a great cold water bait

Sight Fishing – As I crawled my grub around the downed tree a bass came into view in about six feet of water in front of me. Shortly it was joined by four others, so I gently cast beyond the school, dropped the grub amongst them and then proceeded to shake it in place on the bottom. My initial attempt didn’t produce but on my second shot, one of the fish went nose down, picked up the bait and got a surprise (and a photo). Fortunately, I was in a protected area as the windy conditions would have made it impossible to see these fish elsewhere even in the typically clear strip pit waters.

2012 First Bass

“Still the Same” (Different Body Part) – Hearkening back to a blog entry from last year (2011) where I lamented the occasional failings of a forty something body, here we go again. Last August it was a bum knee that prompted me to use the Bob Seger classic “Like A Rock” to contemplate the changes between eighteen and forty-four. Well, the rock legend gives me a hand yet again as I’m “Still The Same” at forty-four only this time around my roadwork/treadmill runs have produced a bad heel that was less than enthused about strip mine terrain fit for a mountain goat.

I always get a kick out of being able to work in some song titles or lyrics in a fishing report, so it is fun for me to revisit these old posts. And speaking of old, the above post is ten years old meaning that by this summer I am going to have to work in a tune that references “55”. And yes, I already have one in mind. Talk to you later. Troy

Friday Flashback – February 18, 2002

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Original log entry from 2/18/2002, short and sweet and just short of a lifetime fishing goal

A six-pound bass is a big deal, and I spent a long time looking for one. At the time of today’s 2002 flashback, I had roughly eighteen years of sporadic bass fishing experience under my belt with a pair of five and a half pounders as my Top Bass. I’d also been fishing Emstrom’s Pond for fourteen years and knew that it had potential as it produced a 6-15 for my brother, Brent, in 1991.

So, when I hooked into the Emstrom’s bass below and saw it surface, I knew that I was going to be close to my six-pound goal. As it turned out, you couldn’t get much closer as the bass came in one ounce shy of six pounds. Sure, I wished that I could have mustered that one more ounce but putting the bass on the scale a pair of times it locked in at 5-15. Not a six, but it still established my new Top Bass mark.

Date: February 18, 2002 (4:00pm)
Location: Emstrom’s Pond, Knox County, IL
Weather: Overcast/windy
Weight: 5-15 (22”)
Lure: ¼ oz. jig (black/blue) with pork trailer (purple)
Structure: Beaver lodge

It would be quite a few more years before I found my six-pounder. And by that time, I already had a new Top Bass as I found one that skipped right over the six-pound range. Details on those catches to come in a Friday Flashback post next month. Talk to you later. Troy

Friday Flashback – The Final Year

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Time flies when you’re telling fish stories so here we go with the final round of the series that kicked off in 2018

I kicked off the Friday Flashback series on March 16, 2018, with the goal of being able to ride it out for a five-year stretch. You see, I figured that by focusing the flashbacks on five-year increments from the current year, I could provide weekly Friday content through 2022.

Well, believe it or not, we’re here.

But much has changed since the inception of Friday Flashback, especially over the last two years. And this year, the major disruption knocked me down for a couple weeks and put a damper on just about everything, including blogging. I just didn’t have the energy for it, and I am still trying to play catch up. Due to the combination of that bump in the road, the annual bout of Cabin Fever and my common practice of avoiding winter, blogging has been sparse. In fact, I recently realized that I had failed to kick off my Friday posts last week as intended.

Therefore, we’re going to go with an intro on Monday and the start of the series on a Tuesday before getting back on the Friday track.

So, whether you’ve missed the blog or not, it’s back. Of course, the events and catches for the 2022 fishing year have yet to unfold. However, count on a final run of Friday Flashback for a weekly read from now through the end of November. Talk to you later. Troy

2021 Fishing Recap – Partners

Posted on by Troy Jackson

What’s a year of fishing without some partners to share the adventure and make some memories?

Primarily, those partners were family. The year started with my brother, Brent, and I hiking into Snakeden Hollow just like we’ve done for over 30 years. As spring rolled on, I got my boys, Jayce and Zac, dialed in to some strip mine fish. We later joined forces with Papa and some waxworms to fool a batch of Lake Storey bluegill. During the summer, it was good to get Dad back out in the big boat for some bass fishing al Lake Storey and Little John, spots we’ve fished together forever. Brent and I also prowled the strip mines on several occasions and Jayce and I joined up with Jim Junk for a morning adventure as well. Fall found me on Lake Storey with Brent and crossing paths with my friend, John Kirkemo, whom I have corresponded with on and off the water for several years. John and I also swapped fish stories and more on a couple occasions including an entertaining night around the campfire with my family.

 

Plenty of highlights but I must say the trips with my boys are a trip. Somehow, we wind up with a focus on sustenance both before and after we focus on the fish. The menu included Oreo Bites, Takis, Hot Fries, beef jerky, sodas, chocolate milk and a Culver’s drive thru. Long ago, I learned that’s what dads do as part of the outdoor adventure. However, when I was kid, the closest thing to a convenience store was The Trading Post in Monmouth which was always good for a soda pop and a bag of Sterzing’s potato chips. Of course, there’s also some bloopers, some trash talk and some entertaining conversation ranging from Fortnite (a video game) to Mr. Beast (a YouTuber) to superheroes to flatulence and more.

Lots of fun as we created a new batch of memories and fish stories.

In closing I would like to give a shout out to an old fishing friend who unexpectedly passed away last August.

RIP to my old friend, Larry Smith (1949-2021). I’ve known Larry and shared fish stories with him since the 1980s. He was the guide for me and my brother, Brent, in July 1987 when we first set eyes on an unnamed and off-limits lake that would later become Snakeden Hollow’s Lake McMaster. For the last dozen years, Larry and I have swapped fish stories via email and crossed paths on an old favorite fishing hole, Lake Storey. We could have easily written a book with the hundreds of longwinded, rambling emails over the years. Just a few days before he passed, I received an email and text about his latest catch on his favorite bait, a Gulp Minnow.

“Two days ago, caught a musky at Lake Storey to complete my catching every species of fish that swims there on a Gulp minnow.”

A good man and a talented fisherman, I sure do miss his fish stories.

Talk to you later. Troy

2021 Fishing Recap – Lures Part II

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Part II of the lure recap moves on to the most productive choices from 2021.

Creatures
Berkley Havoc Pit Boss, Yum Crawdad (green pumpkin) – 8 bass
Top Bass: 18” 2-14 September 27 Lake Storey
Comments: Unless the bass force me to slow down, I don’t. Thus, there are not a whole lot of catches on these slower moving, structure bumping, tight cover lures. The eight catches on these lures came during early fall on either Lake Storey (4 bass) or a pair of Snakeden lakes (4 bass). Each of the bass were caught while jigging the Texas rigged lure through shoreline wood cover. I enjoy catching fish in this fashion but relied more on faster moving baits for nearly all my 2021 bass.

Chatterbaits
Z Man Chatterbait (bluegill or white with various Zako trailers) – 17 bass
Top Bass: 16” 1-12 October 10 Snakeden Hollow
Comments: After a high-water mark of 43 bass on chatterbaits in 2020, the totals dipped again in 2021. The decrease was largely because I rarely threw the lure. In fact, 16 of these 17 catches came during an October 10 hike to a Snakeden lake where the bass just eat this thing up (unfortunately, only one was decent size). The chatterbait has never really took hold in my arsenal although I am aware that other anglers swear by the lure. There were several days in 2021 that I had one tied on to start the day and it never even got wet as other presentations got the job done.

Spinnerbaits
War Eagle WEG02RKTW38 (white/chartreuse) – 31 bass
Top Bass: 17” 2-7 May 4 Knox County, IL private strip mine
Comments: I am about as old school and stubborn as they come in my lure selection and my lone spinnerbait choice bears this out. The fact that I regularly use a spinnerbait is also a bit of a throwback as the lure isn’t as popular as it was when I dove into this bass fishing thing back in the 1980s. However, my spinnerbait arsenal has changed considerably with a new batch of hand-crafted spinnerbaits just received from an old friend and baseball teammate. Stay tuned.

Lipless Crankbaits
Strike King Red Eye Shad (sexy shad or orange craw) and Xcalibur Real Series XR50 (chicken pox) – 45 bass
Top Bass: 20” 4-3 June 19 Snakeden Hollow
Comments: It doesn’t get much faster than a basic lipless crank retrieve and that’s just my speed when I can get away with it. And while you may need to tone it down a bit in colder water, these lures get the job done throughout the entire open water calendar. The 45 bass represent a fifty-percent decline from the 89 bass caught on the lure type in 2020. Much of this has to do with my time spent on the Hennepin Canal as most of the areas that I fish on the corridor do not set up well for such a presentation. In contrast, several strip mines and Lake Storey contain some prime lipless crankbait structure in the form of flats, points, and ledges.

Plastic Worms
Senko wacky rig (various colors) – 82 bass
Top Bass: 20” 3-6 July 21 Hennepin Canal
Comments: Plastic worm exclusively means the wacky rigged 5” Yamasenko (Senko for short) in my arsenal. After a down year of 39 bass in 2020, the Senko wacky rig bounced back by more than doubling the catches of the previous year. What more can I say than it is a winner, catching bass everywhere that I fished from May Day to Halloween. In addition, my new stomping grounds along the Hennepin Canal set up well for this presentation and the Senko got the job done. It currently holds the spot for Top Canal Bass and landed a pair of three-pounders on my prowls.

Crankbaits
Various (see above picture) – 104 bass
Top Bass: 18” 3-1 April 2 Knox County Strip Mines
Comments: A variety of crankbaits pushed this category into triple digits and made it the top producing lure type for the second straight year (100 bass in 2020). From shallow (Mann’s Baby 1-) to mid-depth (Shad Rap, Bomber Flat A and Strike King Squarebill) to deep (Strike King Pro Model), this collection of crankbaits found a lot of fish. These lures are in my wheelhouse as they allow me to fish at a fairly rapid pace, cover lots of water and bang into as much stuff as I can on the way back to the boat. And from the results, it is apparent that these tools work well when employed in the right spots at the right time with the right presentation, that’s fishing.

And with that, we wrap up the recap of the usual set of tools that were used to fool the bass in 2021. On the water, the focus is on finding the right tool at the right time, so I always enjoy the year-end analysis to see how it all shook out in terms of totals. I was pleased with the results and execution even though I did not step to far out of my comfort zone in terms of lure selection. However, in the next chapter of the 2021 recaps, I did take a stab at uncharted waters and was pleasantly surprised. Read all about it as coming up next, we explore “Locations.” Talk to you later. Troy

2021 Fishing Recap – Lures Part I

Posted on by Troy Jackson

As the 2021 recap continues, we look at every single lure or bait that fooled my bass. Staring from the fewest catches and working our way up to the top producers we look at the numbers and notes from last year. Scroll on for the first of a pair of lure posts.

Jigs
Googan Gridiron Jig (PB&J) w/ craw trailer – 1 bass
Top Bass: 13.5” 1-1 March 20 Snakeden Hollow
Comments: Landing a lone bass on a jig was a strange find upon reviewing my 2021 results as this cold-water winner posted 33 bass in 2020. The lone catch of 2021 was my third bass of the year and was logged on my first outing. I did employ it again to end the year on my November outing, but it failed to produce another bite. Overall, an odd year for this lure as I typically lean on it to get an early and late bass bite.

Livebait
Waxworm on a 1/64 oz jighead hung from a slip bobber – 1 bass
Top Bass: none at 12” or better
Comments: Not much to say about this incidental catch while out with my boys prowling the strip pits in search of whatever would bite a waxworm. Which is just about anything if you use them enough.

Propbaits
Whopper Plopper (I Know It) – 3 bass
Top Bass: 13” 1-0 July 18 Hennepin Canal
Comments: Like the Rebel Pop R (see below), this lure causes a commotion and can hover in the bass’ face if needed. The Whopper Plopper’s lone day of glory came on The Canal when catching a trio of bass on a July evening. In my prowling of the internet, I have seen a fellow angler who has much success with this bait at a different location on The Canal, but I have not given it much use beyond that July evening. Part of the reason would be old habits and part of the reason is that several of my spots on The Canal make presentation difficult due to casting from an elevated platform.

Stickbaits
Zara Spook (black shore minnow or natural frog) – 3 bass
Top Bass: 15.5” 1-11 May 1 Knox County, IL public strip pit
Comments: Me and my Zara Spook were tight back in the 80s and 90s but these days it doesn’t get wet very often. I employed it in three specific situations this year and found a trio of takers. The most rewarding of the bunch was the Top Bass on the lure. I had spotted it cruising sub-surface vegetation and needed a lure that would hopefully irritate it and trigger a reaction strike. It took a couple retrieves and one missed strike, but the plan worked as the classic lure did its job.

Poppers
Rebel Pro Pop R Zell Rowland Model (two colors) – 4 bass
Top Bass: 17.5” 3-1 September 25 Hennepin Canal
Comments: I ran into a spot on The Canal where aquatic vegetation hindered many presentations and the bass were not responding to my regular topwater offerings (buzzbaits, stickbaits, frogs). I felt that what I needed was a lure that would make a racket yet stay in their face for as long as I wished to pause. My choice was the old Pop R that is pushing antique status, having resided in my tackle for close to 30 years. The lure and one of its top proponents, tournament angler Zell Rowland, make for an interesting tale but that is for another time. For 2021, the bait was the right tool in a pair of specific situations and came through as intended. Nearly six pounds of bass (3-1 and 2-11) on the first two casts on a fall sunrise canal prowl makes a guy feel like he knows what he is doing after all these years.

Buzzbaits
Booyah Buzz (white or black) – 6 bass
Top Bass: 20.5” 4-4 October 10 Snakeden Hollow
Comments: 2021 saw the lowest total buzzbait catches since 2012 when there was not a single buzzbait bass posted. From 2012 through 2020, I fooled a total of 363 bass on a buzzbait with 2015 being the lowest total (18 bass) and 2017 being the highest total (138 bass). Now, I dig throwing buzzbaits and I have been known to try and force feed these baits to the bass. However, a fundamental tenet of fishing is that the fish will tell you what they want. In the case of 2021, the bass often told me that they weren’t interested in a buzzbait, and in this rare instance, I listened.

Swimbaits
Bass Pro Shops 3” Speed Shad (smallmouth magic) – 8 bass
Top Bass: 16” 1-13 May 23 Knox County public strip pit
Comments: Being a creature of habit, I’ve never really gotten into the swimbait swing of things. But a couple trips with a tough bite can get the wheels turning and even convince me to try something different. While shifting gears did not produce anything brag worthy, it was cool to get rewarded with a few bites when my normal offerings were getting snubbed. The presentation featured a 3/8-ounce belly weighted hook and a moderate retrieve to keep the bait moving over a collection of subsurface vegetation.

Part I in the books and Part II headed your way later this week. Talk to you later. Troy

2021 Fishing Recap – Intro

Posted on by Troy Jackson

It was a tall order to top 2020 as it was my BYOB (Best Year of Bass) on record with 418 bass logged. But the annual goal isn’t focused on how many bass I can catch as there are other factors that are just as important. Time on the water, co-anglers, Top 5 weight, destinations, presentations, and “records” all come into play. The posts headed your way in this year’s recap series will delve into each of these aspects.

Grand Totals (bass fishing only)
41 outings (29 outings in 2020)
136.75 hours fishing (107.75 in 2020)
313 bass (418 bass in 2020)
2.40 bass/hour (3.88 bass/hour in 2020)
Comments: The uptick in outings were a direct result of adding a group of new locations along the Hennepin Canal to my fishing destinations. Seventeen of the forty-one trips this year were at various spots along the historic corridor which proved to be a worthwhile destination (details to come in the location portion of the recap). And while I don’t really have a goal for the number of bass catches, anytime I can exceed three hundred bass, I consider it a rousing success.

March 20, 2021 – First Bass

First Bass/Last Bass
March 20 – Snakeden Hollow 3:50pm 15” 1-10 Shad Rap
November 17 – Little John CC 1:42pm 16” 2-7 Spinnerbait
Comments: Annual mission accomplished with a March bass to start my year and a November bass to end it. For the second straight year, the Shad Rap came through with the first catch. Interestingly, a bass weighing 2-7 was the final catch for the second straight year although they came from spots that were 803 miles apart (2020 – Lake Fork, TX and 2021 Little John Conservation Club near Victoria, IL).

November 17, 2021 – Last Bass

Monthly Breakdown
March – 1 trip, 3 bass, Top Weight (3/17 2 bass) = 2-11
April – 3 trips, 50 bass, Top Day Weight (4/2) = 12-4
May – 3 trips, 28 bass, Top Day Weight (5/23) = 8-4
June – 4 trips, 41 bass, Top Day Weight (6/19) = 11-7
July – 11 trips, 41 bass, Top Day Weight (7/21) = 9-4
August – 4 trip, 51 bass, Top Day Weight (8/15) = 7-4
September – 7 trips, 50 bass, Top Day Weight (9/26) = 9-13
October – 7 trips, 46 bass, Top Day Weight (10/10) = 9-15
November – 1 trip, 3 bass, Top Day Weight (11/17 – 2 bass) = 3-6
Comments: As noted previously, I strive to start with a bass in March and end with a bass in November and was able to do so with lone outings in each month. In between, I took what I could get with summer comprising the bulk of my trips as weekends are freed up from school activities and weeknight sunsets are later. Fall was again reserved for the investment of a few days to cover the Lake Storey drawdown and closing time for much of my strip mine waters as they shift to waterfowl ground. Not a great deal of fluctuation on my Top Weights between the bookend trips of March and November. Several good days as any time I can push or exceed the ten-pound mark, I am pleased with the bite.

 

Top 5 Weight
20-0 (4-10,4-4,4-3,3-9,3-6)
Comments: After three straight years of falling short of my goal of a twenty-pound limit, I made it…barely. Heading towards the middle of October, I needed a 4-4 bass to knock out the lightest member of my Top 5 and reach my goal. Believe it or not, a buzzbait cast on a rain soaked morning at Snakeden found just the bite I needed, right at 4-4. You can’t make this stuff up, and I wouldn’t, anyway. Over a handful of trips to close the year, I couldn’t find any more bass that would boost my weight, ending 2021 right on the money.

 

The recap has just begun as I have several more breakdown posts in the works. Next up, will be a look at the lures that got the job done. Talk to you later. Troy

2021 Recap Slideshow

Posted on by Troy Jackson

As the 2021 outdoor year becomes water under the bridge, it’s time for the annual recaps to fend off Cabin Fever. Stay tuned as we kick off 2022 by looking back at the 2021 fishing stats, lures, locations, partners, and highlights. We will also crown our 2021 Top 5 champ along with catching up on some 2021 adventures that got lost in the shuffle. And looking forward to 2022, there are some fishing projects and challenges in the works.

 

Simply a short slideshow today for reminiscing but plenty to come in the New Year. Talk to you later. Troy