Category: Stats

Top 5 Stats

Posted on by Troy Jackson

As June rolls on, it is time for another Top 5 Stat Update that takes us through May with a look at our totals of 57 bass and one trout.

2022 Totals
January = no submissions
February = no submissions
March = 15 bass
April = 35 bass
May = 7 bass

Top 5 Weight by Month
January = no submissions
February = no submissions
March = 14-2 (3-3,2-15,2-14,2-12,2-6)
April = 28-10 (6-9,6-0,5-12,5-4,5-1)
May = 11-9 (2-12,2-11,2-5,2-0,1-13)

Boat vs. Bank
Boat = 21 bass
Bank = 36 bass

Boat vs. Bank Weight
Boat = 14-11 (3-5,3-2,2-12,2-12,2-12)
Bank = 28-10 (6-9,6-0,5-12,5-4,5-1)

Public vs. Private
Public = 57 bass
Private = 0 bass

Public vs. Private Top 5 Weight
Public = 28-10 (6-9,6-0,5-12,5-4,5-1)
Private = not applicable

The Baits (* = new record)
Lipless Crankbait = 15 bass (Top Bass 4-6 Jim Junk)
*Chatterbait = 13 bass (Top Bass 6-9 Jim Junk) tops 5-15 Jim Junk 6/22/20
Spinnerbait = 7 bass (Top Bass 5-4 Brent Jackson)
Crankbait = 5 bass (Top Bass 2-12 Troy Jackson)
Jerkbait = 4 bass (Top Bass 2-5 John Kirkemo)
Jig = 4 bass (Top Bass 3-9 Brent Jackson)
Plastic Worm = 3 bass (Top Bass 5-12 Jim Junk)
Propbait = 2 bass (Top Bass 2-3 Jayce Jackson)
Buzzbait = 1 bass (Top Bass 2-11 Troy Jackson)
Swimbait = 1 bass (Top Bass 4-3 Jim Junk)
Grub = 1 bass (Top Bass 0-13 Troy Jackson)
Underspin = 1 bass (3-12 Jim Junk)

Monthly Top Bass
January
No submissions
February
No submissions
March
3-3 Jim Junk
April
6-9 Jim Junk
May
2-12 Troy Jackson

2022 Top 10 Bass
6-9 Jim Junk 4/4/22
6-0 Jim Junk 4/15/22
5-12 Jim Junk 4/21/22
5-4 Brent Jackson 4/24/22
5-1 Jim Junk 4/4/22
4-7 Jim Junk 4/4/22
4-6 Jim Junk 4/19/22
4-3 Jim Junk 4/21/22
3-15 Jim Junk 4/19/22
3-12 Jim Junk 4/13/22

Angler Weights
Jim Junk 27-13 (6-9,6-0,5-12,5-1,4-7)
Troy Jackson 14-10 (3-5,3-2,2-12,2-12,2-11)
Brent Jackson 13-15 (5-4,3-9,1-12,1-11,1-11)
John Kirkemo: 8-4 (2-5,2-0,1-13,1-3,0-15)
Jayce Jackson 3-7 (2-3,1-4)

Other Species – Trout

John Kirkemo 12” (12”)

Some movement in the standings over the course of May although our leader, Jim Junk, remains firmly entrenched atop the list. I leapfrog my brother with a couple catches from The Canal, but he will have the last laugh in tomorrow’s Top 5 Update with some June Snakeden catches. And John Kirkemo fills out his limit to pass our youngest angler, Jayce. Guess I need to get that boy back out on The Canal with his Whopper Plopper. As always. send your fish my way when you catch them at troy@troyjacksonoutdoors.com. Talk to you later. Troy

Prowl the Canal – May Stats

Posted on by Troy Jackson

As I near the one-year mark of fishing The Canal, I grow more appreciative of what is has to offer. Proximity is key as I can be on any of the spots that I fished within a half hour after I get off work around 5:00pm and still have ample time to cast. Throw in an activity free holiday weekend to end the month and I was able to find plenty of time to prowl. Read on for the stats portion of the monthly recap.

Stats

May 1 Top Bass at 9:54am weighing 1-6 on a spinnerbait

Date: May 1
Time: 7:40am-10:40am
Totals: 10 bass
Weather: Overcast/windy with 48F air temp
Lures: Special K Spinnerbait (bold bluegill) with Zoom Creepy Crawler Twin Tail (rootbeer pepper green) – 10 bass
Top Bass: 1-6 Spinnerbait
Top 5 Weight (only 4 at 12” or better): 4-15 (1-6,1-,3,1-3,1-3)
Comments: New water on a nasty day still produced some fish on a morning where I nearly needed gloves on May Day. And yes, there was a strong east wind. Is it proper to estimate windchill in May?

May 8 Top Bass at 7:34am weighing 2-11 on a buzzbait

Date: May 8
Time: 6:35am-9:50am
Totals: 9 bass
Weather: Overcast/breezy with 56F air temp
Lures: Special K Spinnerbait (bold bluegill) with Zoom Creepy Crawler Twin Tail (rootbeer pepper green) – 6 bass, Booyah Buzz Buzzbait (snow white shad) – 2 bass, Mann’s Baby 1- Crankbait (red craw) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 2-11 Buzzbait
Top 5 Weight (only 4 at 12” or better): 5-15 (2-11,1-4,1-2,0-14)
Comments: Revisiting a spot that produced a pair of three-pounders in April got another good one and kicked of the 2022 topwater bite.

May 24 Top Bass at 6:57pm weighing 2-2 on a buzzbait

Date: May 24
Time: 5:50pm-8:05pm
Totals: 11 bass
Weather: Overcast/very windy with 66-69F air temp
Lures: Special K Buzzbait – 7 bass, Special K Spinnerbait (bold bluegill) with Zoom Creepy Crawler Twin Tail (rootbeer pepper green) – 4 bass
Top Bass: 2-2 Buzzbait
Top 5 Weight: 7-3 (2-2,1-10,1-5,1-1,1-1)
Comments: Back with a buzzbait on the same spot as the May 8 outing and the bite did not disappoint. Always fun once the topwater bite kicks into gear.

May 27 Top Bass at 7:33pm weighing 2-12 on a buzzbait

Date: May 27
Time: 6:00pm-8:30pm
Totals: 10 bass
Weather: Partly cloudy/breezy with 60-64F air temp
Lures: Special K Spinnerbait (bold bluegill) with Zoom Creepy Crawler Twin Tail (rootbeer pepper green) – 7 bass, Bass Pro Shops Stik-O (candy corn) – 2 bass
Special K Buzzbait – 1 bass
Top Bass: 2- 12
Top 5 Weight: 9-9 (2-12,2-7,1-10,1-7,1-5)
Comments: A second visit of the year to this pool resulted in a pair of bass topping our previous Top Bass for the section (former Top Bass caught by Jayce on April 24 at 2-3).

May 28 Top Bass at 7:43am weighing 2-3 on a wacky rig

Date: May 28
Time: 6:00am-9:00am
Totals: 5 bass
Weather: Partly cloudy/calm to windy with 53-72F air temp
Lures: Special K Spinnerbait (bold bluegill) with Zoom Creepy Crawler Twin Tail (rootbeer pepper green) – 2 bass, Bass Pro Shops Stik-O (candy corn) – 1 bass
Special K Buzzbait – 1 bass, Mann’s Baby 1- Crankbait (red craw) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 2-3
Top 5 Weight (only 2 at 12” or better): 3-3 (2-3,1-0)
Comments: A favorite stretch and decent conditions did not pan out for the solid bite I was anticipating. Fortunately, a tried-and-true area produced a two-pounder on a wacky rig to save the day.

May 29 Top Bass at 7:26pm weighing 2-8 on a spinnerbait

Date: May 29 (two sections)
Time: 4:55pm-6:25pm, 6:30pm-7:15pm
Totals: 6 bass
Weather: Partly cloudy/very windy with 82F air temp
Lures: Special K Spinnerbait (bold bluegill) with Zoom Creepy Crawler Twin Tail (rootbeer pepper green) – 4 bass, Special K Buzzbait – 1 bass, Mann’s Baby 1- Crankbait (red craw) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 2-8 Spinnerbait
Top 5 Weight: 6-8 (2-8,1-9,1-4,1-3)
Comments: I wandered out to a pair of new pools and got immediate feedback with a catch on my second cast of the evening. The remaining two hours only produced five more fish, but I don’t think these stretches revealed their true colors and are worth another shot in the future.

May 30 Top Bass at 7:58am weighing 1-9 on a spinnerbait

Date: May 30
Time: 7:50am-11:05am
Totals: 6 bass, 1 sauger
Weather: Sunny/windy with 73-82F air temp
Lures: Special K Spinnerbait (bold bluegill) with Zoom Creepy Crawler Twin Tail (rootbeer pepper green) – 5 bass, Strike King KVD Rattling Squarebill Crankbait (sexy shad) – 1 bass, 1 sauger
Top Bass: 1-9 Spinnerbait
Top 5 Weight (only 3 at 12” or better): 3-15 (1-9,1-6,1-0)
Comments: Extended exploration on a pool that has produced well from the bank turned out to be a disappointment. However, I am blaming it on a later morning start than normal and blazing sun. On the plus side, I did learn some stuff and happened to hook my first ever sauger on The Canal.

 

May Totals
Time: 20 hours
Totals: 57 bass, 1 sauger
Lures: Spinnerbait (bold bluegill) – 38 bass, Special K Buzzbait – 12 bass, Bass Pro Shops Stik-O (candy corn) – 3 bass, Mann’s Baby 1- crankbait (red craw) – 3 bass, Strike King KVD Rattling Squarebill (sexy shad) – 1 bass, 1 sauger
Top Bass: 2-12 Spinnerbait on May 27
Top 5 Weight: 12-9 (2-12,2-11,2-8,2-7,2-3)

RECORD BOOK UPDATE – NO NEW RECORDS ESTABLISHED
Hennepin Canal (2021-present)
Top Bass: 3-6 Troy Jackson 7/21/21 Plastic Worm
Best Top 5 Day: 10-8 (3-5,3-2,1-9,1-6,1-2) 4/23/22
All-Time Top 5 Weight: 16-2 (3-6,3-5,3-4,3-2,3-1)
Comments: It now takes a bass over the three-pound mark to enter the all-time Top 5 list.

A lot of stuff to digest there as I was extremely fortunate to spend a decent amount of time on the water. Next up, we go beyond the numbers for some “Lessons” learned from the month of May. Talk to you later. Troy

Record Book Roundup-Hennepin Canal

Posted on by Troy Jackson

I kicked off my 2022 pursuit of bass at The Hennepin Canal with an impromptu outing on Good Friday. The way that the evening shook out allowed me a couple of hours to get away for some casts. Julie and Jayce were off to a birthday party, and I left the rest of the crew with a twenty-dollar bill to fend for their supper. So much for the quick ten-minute drive saving me money compared to my fuel expense for Knox County strip mine trips.

While the 2022 edition of “Prowl the Canal” reports will wait until the month is over, The Canal needs a shout out for my Record Book Roundup series.

First up, a little background regarding my experience on the historic waterway. My first casts on The Canal took place late last spring and I would make a total of seventeen visits over the course of the year. These visits covered ten separate locations ranging from Colona to Wyanet spanning 6/5/21 to 10/31/21.

I was pleasantly surprised with the results and look forward to seeing what 2022 holds in store. My internet prowling also found a reliable recent report of a five-pounder from a stretch of The Canal that I am familiar with but haven’t fished yet. Such would be a great fish anywhere but a true trophy on The Canal.

But first things first with the goals to shoot for as 2022 progresses.

Hennepin Canal (2021-present)
Top Bass: 3-6 Troy Jackson 7/21/21 Plastic Worm
Best Top 5 Day (only 4 bass at 12” or better): 9-4 (3-6,2-10,2-0,1-4) 7/21/21 in 2.25 hours
Top 5 Weight: 15-6 (3-6,3-4,3-1,2-14,2-13)

 

Good luck out there and if you wish to contribute to the Top 5 project, you can email your catches to troy@troyjacksonoutdoors.com. A photo must accompany the submission and see the template below for further details. Talk to you later. Troy

Weight: Nearest quarter ounce or better depending on your scale
Angler: Up to you whether actual name or pseudonym
Date: Always good to have an accurate date for monthly stat updates
Weather: Bonus info, up to you
Water Temp: Bonus info, up to you
Location: Site is nice but “Illinois public water” works if not willing to reveal
Lure: Always like to hear what’s working but up to you
Structure: Bonus info, up to you
Angler Comments: I enjoy the fish story, keep it clean for this family friendly blog
Top 5 Weight: I will keep track as you post and update the weight accordingly

Record Book Roundup-April 10 Preview

Posted on by Troy Jackson

As mentioned in a previous entry, a 2022 feature will involve delving into the all-time record book for some stats on the spots that we’ve fished over the years. Last weekend’s trip with Brent resulted in three new entries that boosted the all-time Top 5 weights for three fishing holes. So, maybe the concept is good luck. Time will tell as the spots listed below are potential targets for an upcoming strip mine prowl.

(NOTE: Top 5 weights may represent combined catches with fishing partners)

Twin Lake (2013-present)
Top Bass: 4-6 Troy Jackson 4/12/14 Jig
Best Top 5 Day: 5-7 (4-6,1-1) 4/12/14 0.50 hours
All-Time Top 5 Weight: 10-11 (4-6,1-14,1-10,1-9,1-4)

Horseshoe Lake (2013-present)
Top Bass: 3-13 Brent Jackson 9/29/14 Spinnerbait
Best Top 5 Day: 6-6 (3-13,1-1,0-12,0-12) 9/21/14 with Brent 1.00 hours
All-Time Top 5 Weight: 10-15 (3-13,3-8,1-4,1-3,1-3)

Cedar Lake (2014-present)
Top Bass: 1-11 Troy Jackson 5/3/20 Plastic Worm
Best Top 5 Day: 4-12 (1-9,1-1,1-1,1-1) 9/21/14 with Brent 0.50 hours
All-Time Top 5 Weight: 6-9 (1-11,1-9,1-3,1-1,1-1)

The Craters (2011-2017)
Top Bass: 1-12 Troy Jackson 3/31/13 Jig
Best Top 5 Day: 5-2 (1-12,1-6,1-3,0-13) 3/31/13 2.00 hours
All-Time Top 5 Weight: 7-3 (1-12,1-8,1-6,1-5,1-4)

In addition to these spots, there may be a few others that may get some casts depending on how the day develops. Stay tuned for the next fishing report to see if any of the waters get a boost. And tune in on Monday for a Top 5 Update that you don’t want to miss. Talk to you later. Troy

Record Book Roundup – April 3 Preview

Posted on by Troy Jackson

An added feature on the blog and the fishing trips this year is a look inside the record book. My aim is to give you some stats for my upcoming destination(s) and give me and my fishing partners some targets to shoot for in terms of Top Bass and all-time Top 5 Weight for the bodies of water (plus I dig stats and fishing pics).

Some of the lakes have “real” names while others have been given names for assorted reasons, which is a whole other blog series. At any rate, here is the scoop on the next fishing holes on my radar.

(NOTE: Top 5 weights are combined catches with fishing partners)

Maiden Lake (2013-present)
Top Bass: 4-0 Brent Jackson 4/2/21 Crankbait
Best Top 5 Day: 5-12 (4-0,1-12) 4/2/21 with Brent 1.00 hours
All-Time Top 5 Weight: 11-10 (4-0,2-5,1-14,1-12,1-11)

2X4 Lake (2013-present)
Top Bass: 4-3 Troy Jackson 9/29/13 Stickbait
Best Top 5 Day: 11-7 (4-2,3-0,1-9,1-7,1-5) 4/12/14 with Brent 1.50 hours
All-Time Top 5 Weight: 19-12 (4-3,4-2,4-0,4-0,3-7)

Kentucky Lake (2013-present)
Top Bass: 2-8 Troy Jackson 9/26/21 Spinnerbait
Best Top 5 Day: 7-10 (2-5,1-9,1-7,1-4,1-1) 9/29/13 with Brent 0.75 hours
All-Time Top 5 Weight: 10-0 (2-8,2-3,2-1,1-13,1-7)

Molar Lake (2013-present)
Top Bass: 3-5 Troy Jackson 9/29/13 Jerkbait
Best Top 5 Day: 5-8 (3-5,1-4,0-15) 9/29/13 with Brent 0.75 hours
All-Time Top 5 Weight: 12-0 (3-5,3-2,2-0,1-13,1-12)

From here, it is just a matter of getting on the water and taking a shot. Here’s hoping to do that real soon. Stay tuned for a Top 5 Update and the latest fishing report, complete with any updated record book data. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 All-Time Stats

Posted on by Troy Jackson

While a bit late, I am excited to present the annual Top 5 all-time record book update.

For 2021, we added ninety-two bass from a group of eight anglers. Our eight years of fish stories have brought a grand total of 868 bass submissions to the Top 5.

2021 also marked the fourth year of a Top 5 expansion to include species beyond bass. However, only one fish joined to the “Other Species” portion of the record book, but it was quite a fish that showed up in the final Top 5 update of the year. Jim Junk’s muskie was certainly a highlight and we’ll kick things off with a look at that “Other Species” portion of the record book before moving on to the bass breakdown.

Other Species All-Time Records

Bluegill
1-8 Teagan Mills 6/2/19 Private Pond

Channel Catfish
13-0 Teagan Mills (2019)
13-0 Teagan Mills (2018)
8-2 (25”) Chris Schwarz (2018)
6-9 Chris Schwarz (2019)
34-35” Chris Schwarz (2019)
3-7 Troy Jackson (2020)

Common Carp
10-5 Jim Junk (2020)

Crappie
1-2 Troy Jackson (2020)

Green Sunfish
0-13 Jayce Jackson (2017)

Muskie (* = new entry)
*17-10 (43”) Jim Junk (2021)
131” Jake Bresson (47”,31”,29”24” – 2017)
70+” John Kirkemo (40”, 30+” – 2018)
12-12 (36”) Troy Jackson (2020)
29” Troy Jackson (2017)
6-4 Chris Schwarz (2019)

Northern Pike
167.25” Jake Bresson (37.0”,35.25”,33.5”,32.0”,29.5” – 2017)

Rainbow Trout
22” John Kirkemo (11”,11” – 2018)

Walleye
118” Jake Bresson (26.5”,26.0”,25.5”,20”,20” – 2017) on Rapala X-Rap or jig & minnow

Moving on to the bass, let’s look at how our fish stack up with respect to the calendar, conditions, lures and more. Eight years, thirty-nine different anglers and 868 bass (nearly all from Illinois waters) make up the all-time record book.

Group Totals = 868 bass
2014 = 154
2015 = 106
2016 = 136
2017 = 79
2018 = 116
2019 = 95
2020 = 90
2021 = 92

Submissions by month (2014-2021)
183 April (43/33/31/11/12/14/25/14)
149 May (27/23/19/13/24/12/18/13)
115 June (34/14/15/1/10/14/17/10)
99 March (13/11/34/10/0/8/4/19)
89 July (18/11/8/11/8/11/10/12)
63 September (6/4/6/6/16/9/6/10)
58 October (4/5/4/8/24/8/2/3)
33 November (6/0/4/0/8/9/4/2)
31 February (2/2/7/13/5/0/0/2)
27 August (1/3/1/4/4/7/3/4)
13 December (0/0/7/1/0/2/3)
8 January (0/0/0/1/5/1/1/0)

Top 10 Top 5 Monthly Weights (group total)
37-9 May 2014
29-8 June 2014
29-7 March 2016
29-2 April 2014
28-9 October 2018
28-7 December 2016
27-14 April 2015
27-12 March 2015
27-11 July 2014
27-10 April 2016

Top 5 Weights per Month (group total)
January (2018) = 13-5 (3-15, 2-7, 2-6, 2-6, 2-3)
February (2016) = 22-9 (6-7,4-15,4-10,4-1,2-8)
March (2016) = 29-7 (6-5,6-1,5-14,5-10,5-9)
April (2014) = 29-2 (8-0, 5-11, 5-10, 4-15. 4-14)
May (2014) = 37-9 (9-4, 8-10, 8-8, 6-1, 5-2)
June (2014) = 29-8 (6-11, 6-4, 5-10, 5-8, 5-7)
July (2014) = 27-11 (6-6, 6-0, 5-5, 5-0, 5-0)
August (2019) = 19-4 (4-14,4-10,4-6,2-14,2-8)
September (2019) = 24-5 (5-3,5-0,5-0,4-12,4-6)
October (2018) = 28-9 (6-3,5-14,5-10,5-10,5-4)
November (2018) = 26-1 (7-2,6-12,4-3,4-0,4-0)
December (2016) = 28-7 (7-7,6-5,5-13,4-11,4-3)

Monthly Top Bass
January
3-15 Mark Balbinot 1/27/18 Crankbait
February
6-7 Mike Overturf 2/27/16 Plastic Worm
March
7-0 Randy Sampson Sr. 3/22/15 Jig
April
8-0 Kamryn Kaesebier 4/13/14 Crankbait
May
9-4 Jake Bresson 5/23/14 Jig
June
6-11 Ty Hartlipp 6/11/14 Topwater Frog
July
6-6 Jake Bresson 7/11/14 Plastic Worm
August
6-8 Gary Le 8/16/14 Swimbait
September
6-0 Austin Chapman 9/19/15 Jig
October
7-4 Mark Balbinot 10/29/17 Jig
November
7-2 Mark Balbinot 11/23/18 Underspin
December
7-7 Mark Balbinot 12/11/16 Underspin

Public vs. Private Water (2014-2021)
Public = 586 bass (92/52/95/42/92/68/63/82)
Public Top 5 Weight = 32-2,31-7,30-5,27-7,24-5,25-4,25-13,26-4(2021)
Private = 260 bass (53/48/39/37/24/27/27/5)
Private Top 5 Weight = 38-10,30-0,32-13,33-14,31-9,24-3,30-5,13-3(2021)
Undisclosed = 17 bass (9/6/2/0/0/0/0/0)

Boat vs. Bank (2014-2021)
Boat = 462 bass (90/63/103/68/55/33/26/24)
Boat Top 5 Weight = 30-7,31-7,32-13,33-14,31-9,25-4,21-4.18-6(2021)
Bank = 395 bass (64/43/27/11/61/62/64/63)
Bank Top 5 Weight = 40-14,27-6,27-12,20-14,24-2,25-7,30-6,26-4(2021)
Undisclosed = 6 bass

The Baits (44 undisclosed)
237 Plastic Worms (Top Bass 6-8 Mark Balbinot 11/20/16)
93 Spinnerbaits (6-14 Chris Schwarz 3/25/20)
80 Crankbaits (8-0 Kamryn Kaesebier 4/13/14)
61 Jigs (9-4 Jake Bresson 5/23/14)
81 Lipless Crankbaits (6-3 Mark Balbinot 10/20/18) – moved up
56 Chatterbaits (5-15 Jim Junk 6/22/20)
30 Swimbaits (8-10 Gary Le 5/4/14)
29 Swim Jigs (6-13 Jake Bresson 4/9/15)
30 Creature Baits (6-15 Mark Balbinot 5/13/17) -moved u
28 Buzzbaits (5-9 Troy Jackson 4/25/17)
27 Jerkbaits (5-10 Ty Hartlipp 6/5/14)
13 Underspins (Top Bass 7-7 Mark Balbinot 12/11/16)
12 Topwater Frog (6-11 Ty Hartlipp 6/11/14)
12 Tubes (Top Bass 5-0 Jake Bresson 4/28/15)
8 Livebait (5-14 Jim Junk 7/4/14)
6 Stickbaits (6-6 Mark Balbinot 8/27/17)
5 Ultralights (3-1 Paul Kessler 10/12/17)
4 Grubs (Top Bass 7-0 Chris Schwarz 11/28/20)
3 Propbaits (6-2 Jake Bresson 5/1/15)
2 Inline Spinners (5-2 Jake Bresson 9/17/17)
1 Blade Bait (5-3 Mark Balbinot 11/16/19)
1 Popper (3-1 Troy Jackson 9/25/01)

The 20-Pound Club * = 2021 entry
33-14 Mark Balbinot 2017 (7-4,6-15,6-13,6-8,6-6)
32-13 Jake Bresson 2014 (9-4, 8-8, 6-6, 4-10, 4-1)
32-13 Mark Balbinot 2016 (7-7,6-8,6-5,6-5,6-4)
32-0 Gary Le 2014 (8-10,6-8,5-12,5-10, 5-8)
31-9 Mark Balbinot 2018 (7-2,6-12,6-3,5-14,5-10)
30-5 Chris Schwarz (7-0,6-14,5-12,5-7,5-4)
29-7 Austin Chapman 2015 (6-4,6-2,6-0,5-14,5-3)
27-12 Jake Bresson 2015 (6-13,6-2,5-5,5-0,4-8)
27-6 Randy Sampson Sr 2015 (7-0,6-1,4-13,4-12,4-12)
27-6 Jake Bresson 2016 (6-3,5-13,5-4,5-2,5-0)
26-13 Troy Jackson 2017 (6-2,5-11,5-9,5-0,4-7)
26-4 Austin Chapman 2016 (5-14,5-10,5-2,4-14,4-12)
26-1 Brice Wangler 2014 (5-11, 5-5, 5-2, 5-0, 4-15)
*26-0 Jim Junk (6-0,5-5,5-3,5-2,4-6)
25-13 Jim Junk (5-15,5-5,4-15,4-14,4-12)
25-8 Brice Wangler 2015 (5-7,5-4,5-2,4-14,4-13)
25-4 Mark Balbinot 2019 (5-5,5-3,5-1,4-14,4-13)
24-14 Ty Hartlipp 2014 (6-11, 5-10, 5-5, 4-0, 3-4)
24-14 Jim Junk 2019 (5-3,5-1,5-0,4-14,4-12)
24-9 Terry Isbell 2014 (5-8,5-4,5-2,4-8,4-3)
23-12 Jake Bresson 2017 (5-4,5-2,5-2,4-3,4-1)
23-11 Randy Sampson Sr. 2017 (6-0,4-14,4-12,4-11,3-6)
23-8 Jim Junk 2018 (5-4,5-2,4-9,4-5,4-4)
22-15 Adam Bean 2015 (5-13,4-9,4-6,4-2,4-1)
22-13 Mike Mooney 2014 (6-4, 5-7, 4-3, 3-9, 3-6)
22-12 Troy Jackson 2015 (5-13,4-13,4-10,3-12,3-12)
21-8 Randy Sampson Sr. 2016 (5-12,5-8,4-11,3-1,2-8)
21-7 Brice Wangler 2016 (4-8,4-7,4-4,4-2,4-2)
21-3 Troy Jackson 2016 (5-9,5-4,3-9,3-7,3-6)
20-15 Chris Schwarz 2018 (4-11,4-11,4-8,4-0,3-1)
20-14 Troy Jackson 2014 (4-13, 4-6, 4-2, 4-1, 3-8)
20-12 Chris Schwarz 2019 (5-3,5-0,3-11,3-10,3-4)
20-9 Austin Chapman 2014 (4-15, 4-4,4-0,3-13,3-9)
20-1 Bruce Zilkowski 2014 (4-11,4-3,4-0,3-12,3-7)
*20-0 Troy Jackson (4-10,4-4,4-3,3-9,3-6)

Top 10 Top 5 Bass
9-4 Jake Bresson 5/23/14 Jig
8-10 Gary Le 5/4/14 Swimbait
8-8 Jake Bresson 5/23/14 Jig
8-0 Kamryn Kaesebier 4/13/14 Crankbait
7-7 Mark Balbinot 12/11/16 Underspin
7-4 Mark Balbinot 10/29/17 Jig
7-2 Mark Balbinot 11/23/18 Underspin
7-0 Randy Sampson Sr. 3/22/15 Jig
*7-0 Chris Schwarz 11/28/20 Grub
6-15 Mark Balbinot 5/13/17 Creature Bait

And just for fun…

All-Time Weights (30-pound minimum “career” mark)
(Note: not all anglers have participated each year)
160-3 Troy Jackson (20-14,22-12,21-3,26-13,15-9,14-4,18-12,20-0)
141-6 Jim Junk (11-7,16-5,13-7,23-8,24-14,25-13,26-0)
123-8 Mark Balbinot (33-14,32-13,31-9,25-4)
112-12 Brent Jackson (18-7,6-10,13-2,10-2,19-2,13-7,13-3,18-11)
111-11 Jake Bresson (32-13,27-12,27-6,23-12)
76-4 Austin Chapman (20-9,29-7,26-4)
73-0 Brice Wangler (26-1,25-8,21-7)
72-15 Bruce Zilkowski (20-1,17-0,17-14,18-0)
72-10 Randy Sampson, Sr. (27-6,21-8,23-12)
72-0 Chris Schwarz (20-15,20-12,30-5)
66-12 Paul Kessler (18-6,17-6,16-6,14-10)
45-11 Mike Mooney (22-13,4-9,18-5)
37-4 John Kirkemo (10-8,6-14,8-0,11-14)

A fair amount to digest, but I love my stats. Talk to you later. Troy

2021 Fishing Recap – Locations

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Back with another portion of the 2021 recap as we look at the locations that produced a combined total of over 300 bass.

Grand Totals
Bass = 313
Bodies of water = 38
Outings = 40 (ranging from 1.50 hour to 9.50 hour trips)
Bass Fishing Hours = 130.50
Bass/hour = 2.40
Comments: With a total of 40 bodies of water fished, you’d think that I was some sort of world traveler. Truth is, 23 of the lakes were contained in a few thousand acres of West Central Illinois strip mine ground. Although, in 2021 I did also travel over 700 miles to find a few bass. In addition, I added the historic Hennepin Canal to my life list of fishing logs.

Access
Bank Bass (Northerner boots, biking and hiking) = 167 bass
Little Boat Bass (over 40-year-old 8’ johnboat) = 100 bass
Big Boat Bass (1987 Bass Tracker Pro 17) = 46 bass
Comments: I continue to put more miles on a pair of boots, a bicycle, and a set of oars than I have ever racked up on trolling motors or outboards. Nothing like killing two birds with one stone as I get a bit of a workout while pursuing my hobby. 2021 featured plenty of exercise although I was spoiled on half a dozen outings in the “big boat.”

Public vs. Private
Public Water Bass = 297 bass
Top Public Water Bass = 4-10 (Sprague Brook Park, NY)
Top 5 Public Weight = 20-0 (4-10,4-4,4-3.3-9,3-6)
Private Water Bass = 16 bass
Top Private Water Bass = 2-7 (Little John Conservation Club)
Top 5 Private Weight = 8-14 (2-13,2-7,1-12,0-15,0-15)
Comments: While I have access to a batch of quality private fishing holes at Little John Conservation Club, I sure didn’t get my dues worth in 2021. Instead, I invested the bulk of my time on public strip mine waters and finally committed to exploring the Hennepin Canal. As an added bonus, I was able to fish some new water when hauling along fishing gear on work assignments.

The Waters (from least to most caught)

Homer Lake, Champaign County, IL (1 visit – 10/8)
2 bass
1.50 hours
1.33 bass/hour
Top Bass: 10.5”
Top 5 Weight: None at or better than 12”
Comments: On the way back home from a roundtrip work drive to Rocky Mount, NC, I decided to visit a fishing hole a short distance from Interstate 74. I’d hauled my fishing gear over 1600 miles before getting in a cast for a couple reasons. First up, the October evenings in North Carolina left little time to fish after full days on the job. Secondly, I was too cheap to buy an out of state license for any of the states that I passed through (Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, or North Carolina). An hour and a half before dark on this lake situated between Danville and Champaign, Illinois gave up two small bass but always satisfying to meet the challenge of fooling a fish on unseen water when you’re up against the clock.

New York Waters – Buffalo area (4 lakes – 7/11 to 7/14)
7 bass
6.25 hours
1.12 bass/hour
Top Bass: 4-10 Spinnerbait on 7/11
Top 5 Weight (only 3 at 12″ or better): 6-15 (4-10,1-7,0-14)
Comments: As noted above, it’s cool to fool a few on water that you’ve only seen on the internet when scouting destinations for an hour or two of after work casting. And when the second fish you fool turns out to be your Top Bass of the year, well, that’s extra cool. During the four days that I was in New York, I was able to visit a new spot each evening for an hour or so. When it was all said and done, I had to give myself a bit of a pat on the back for getting it done in crunch time and avoiding a shutout every night.

Mautino State F&WA – Bureau County, IL (1 visit, 2 lakes – 7/3)
9 bass
2.25 hours
Top Bass: 0-14 (13.5”) Buzzbait
Top 5 Weight (only one at 12” or better): 0-14
Comments: Prolonged interior road construction on this site had kept me away for five years. So, I was enthused when I spied an update on the internet indicating that the work was completed granting drive in access to all waters. Unfortunately, the fish weren’t as enthused, and I struggled to find any quality bites like several from 2015 and 2016.

Knox County, IL Private Strip Mines (3 visits, 4 lakes – 8/1 through 11/17)
16 bass
9.75 hours
1.64 bass/hour
Top Bass: 2-13 (17”) War Eagle Spinnerbait on September 10
Top 5 Weight: 8-14 (2-13,2-7,1-12,0-15,0-15)
Comments: I have fished Little John for nearly 35 years, and I can’t recall the last time that I spent as little time on the site as I did in 2021. I don’t know if the bass have suddenly become wise to my offerings, but quality bites have eluded me for the last several years. Then again, perhaps I just need to invest more time on these old, familiar fishing holes. Too many choices among my area destinations are indeed a good problem to have and success on the Hennepin Canal much closer to home also played a role in 2021.

Lake Storey – Knox County, IL (5 visits – 6/12 through 10/14)
35 bass
37.75 hours
0.93 bass/hour
Top Bass: 2-14 (18”) Berkely Havoc Pit Boss on September 27
Top 5 Weight: 12-2 (2-14,2-9,2-8,2-3,2-0)
Comments: I enjoy fishing Lake Storey as much as anywhere and make it a point to get down there several times a year. Sure, I can catch more and bigger bass at many other spots but that is part of the appeal. Bass don’t come easy on this heavily pressured lake, so I find it rewarding to outsmart its wily residents. I also had the good fortune of sharing a boat with my dad, one of my brothers and my two boys over the course of my 2021 visits.

Hennepin Canal – several counties (17 visits – 6/5 through 10/31)
61 bass
31.00 hours
1.97 bass/hour
Top Bass: 3-6 (20”) Senko wacky rig on 7/21
Top 5 Weight: 15-6 (3-6,3-4,3-1,2-14,2-13)
Comments: While my family has lived in the Quad City Area since 2014, I had yet to wet a line in the Hennepin Canal until this past spring. During a family camping weekend in June, I took a brief shot and was rewarded with a couple bass. On a hike the following day, I spotted several quality fish cruising its waters and was convinced that I should do some further exploring. Over the next several months, I made sixteen short visits and was pleasantly surprised with solid Top 5 fooled from Wyanet to Colona. All my fish were caught from the bank which can be hit or miss on accessibility along the corridor. Glad I gave it a go and plan to be back for more in 2022, perhaps with a boat in tow.

Knox County, IL Public Strip Mines (12 visits, 23 lakes – 3/20 through 10/10)
183 bass
42.00 hours
4.36 bass/hour
Top Bass: 4-4 (20”) Booyah Buzzbait on 10/10
Top 5 Weight: 17-9 (4-4,4-3,3-9,3-1,2-8)
Comments: My old strip mine stomping grounds were a gold mine for my 2022 fishing. Not particularly surprising but still full of surprises even after hiking some of the areas for over 30 years. In fact, I managed to set a couple new family and friend lake records along the way. Plenty of good water down that way but you’ve got to be willing to put in a little work in terms of exploring and trial and error. It’s fun to continue to learn about spots that I first fished in my 20s. Now, as I hit the mid-50s I wonder how much longer I want to keep putting forth the effort. Well, I’m all in again for 2022 and have been hitting the treadmill in preparation.

2021 provided a great mix of old and new fishing holes and the vast majority are on the list again in 2022. As always, every outing will get a fishing report here on the blog. In addition, I am contemplating some new challenges on many of those old lakes. But in the meantime, there are still some 2021 details to wrap up along with the final stats and 2021 Top 5 champion reveal. Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Stats

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Another month means another Top 5 Stat Update. Thus far, 2021 is exclusively a battle of the bass as no other species have been submitted. Five months into our 2021 quest we sit at 48 bass total courtesy of seven anglers. As such, we are almost halfway to the goal of 100 bass with just over half a year of fishing remaining. Hopefully, some stable spring weather is finally here, and the hits will keep on coming. In the meantime, here is a breakdown of our 2021 submissions.

2021 Totals
January = no submissions
February = 2 bass
March = 19 bass
April = 14 bass
May = 13 bass

Top 5 Weight by Month
January = no submissions
February = 7-3 (3-15,3-4)
March = 21-14 (5-5,4-3,4-2,4-2,4-2)
April = 21-6 (5-3,5-2,4-0,4-0,3-1)
May = 14-14 (4-6,2-12,2-10,2-10,2-8)

Boat vs. Bank
Boat = 1 bass
Bank = 47 bass

Boat vs. Bank Weight
Boat = 2-10 (2-10)
Bank = 24-3 (5-5,5-3,5-2,4-6,4-3)

Public vs. Private
Public = 44 bass
Private = 4 bass

Public vs. Private Top 5 Weight
Public = 24-3 (5-5,5-3,5-2,4-6,4-3)
Private = 9-6 (2-10,2-8,2-6,1-14)

The Baits (* = new record)
Lipless Crankbait = 15 bass (Top Bass 4-3 Jim Junk)
Plastic Worm = 10 bass (Top Bass 4-6 Jim Junk)
Crankbait = 6 bass (Top Bass 4-0 Brent Jackson)
Spinnerbait = 6 bass (Top Bass 4-0 Brent Jackson)
Chatterbait = 5 bass (Top Bass 5-3 Jim Junk)
Jig = 2 bass (Top Bass 1-8 John Kirkemo)
Creature = 1 bass (Top Bass 5-5 Jim Junk)
Livebait = 1 bass (Top Bass Patricia Kirkemo 2-10)
Stickbait = 1 bass (1-11 Troy Jackson)
Swimbait = 1 bass (1-13 Troy Jackson)

Monthly Top Bass (* = new record)
January
No submissions
February
3-15 Jim Junk
March
5-5 Jim Junk
April
5-2 Jim Junk
May
4-6 Jim Junk

Top 10 Bass (* = new Top 10 all-time)
5-5 Jim Junk (3/26)
5-3 Jim Junk (4/8)
5-2 Jim Junk (4/6)
4-6 Jim Junk (5/25)
4-3 Jim Junk (3/30)
4-2Jim Junk (3/19)
4-2 Jim Junk (3/24)
4-2 Jim Junk (3/28)
4-1 Jim Junk (3/30)
4-0 Jim Junk (3/23)
4-0 Brent Jackson (4/2)
4-0 Brent Jackson (4/12)

Angler Weights
Jim Junk 24-3 (5-5,5-3,5-2,4-6,4-3)
Brent Jackson 14-11 (4-0,4-0,2-5,2-3,2-3)
John Kirkemo 10-14 (2-10,2-8,2-6,1-14,1-8)
Troy Jackson 10-6 (3-1,2-0,1-13,1-13,1-11)
Landon Hannam 2-12 (2-12)
Patricia Kirkemo 2-10 (2-10)
Jayce Jackson 1-3 (1-3)

There you have it, a solid collection of bass submissions and nearly all from the bank on public waters. I find those aspects to be fun bit of the breakdown as they represent locales and approaches that are generally available to anyone looking to make some casts. Keep up the good work, crew, and anybody else out there who wishes to join the quest go ahead and email your catches to troy@troyjacksonoutdoors.com. Talk to you later. Troy

2020 Fishing Recap – Location

Posted on by Troy Jackson

418 bass in 2020 represented a new yearly record (416 in 2017) and an increase from 262 in 2019. Nearly all came from the regular regional haunts apart from a few that were landed during “lunch hour” on a pair of work trips. Today’s post takes a general look at where all those 418 bass still swim as all were released to bite and fight again.

Grand Totals
Bass = 418
Bodies of water = 37
Comments: Once again a big batch of little waters produced the vast majority of my bass. Those small waters consisted of the standard collection of public and private Knox County strip mine waters, many that I have been fishing since the 1980s. I also put in some hours on good old Lake Storey just north of Galesburg, Illinois. One southern Illinois fishing hole got a lunch hour pit stop during a work trip and perhaps the highlight of the year was the chance to make a few casts on legendary Lake Fork in Texas.

Access
Bank Bass (Northerner boots, biking and hiking) = 228 bass
Little Boat Bass (near 40-year-old 8’ johnboat) = 100 bass
Big Boat Bass (1987 Bass Tracker Pro 17) = 48 bass
Guest Boat = 42 bass
Comments: I continue to put more miles on a pair of boots and a set of oars than I have ever racked up on trolling motors or outboards. 2020 featured more of the same although I did take advantage of the “big boat” for several outings. In addition, I had the good fortune to get a seat in a boat with a friend on his impressive Peoria County lake.

The Waters (from least to most caught)

Plenty of water at Lost Grove Lake but a shutout in my two hours in 2020

Lost Grove Lake, IA (1 visit on 6/27)
0 bass
2.00 hours
0.00 bass/hour
Comments: This fishing hole not too far across the river from home continues to give me a hard time. On the lone trip for 2020, overcrowding on my stomping grounds and an impending thunderstorm wound up dealing me a frustrating summer shutout.

Some March Banner Marsh banter on my way to the area 

Banner Marsh (1 visit on 3/7)
0 bass
3.00 hours
0.00 bass/hour
Comments: Top 5 angler, Jim Junk, and others continue to post impressive catches from this collection of waters crossing the Fulton/Peoria County line. I took my shot with Jim in early March and was humbled by a shutout. Cold, sunny and windy did not help matters but it was still exciting to know that any cast could be rewarded with a quality bass. Even Jim found the bass tough to fool on the day in landing only a couple. However, one happened to be a four-pounder that he landed as I was on the drive to meet up.

A rewarding Texas bass from legendary Lake Fork

Lake Fork, TX – (1 visit on 12/3)
1 bass
0.50 hours
2.00 bass/hour
Top Bass: 2-7 (17”) Chatterbait
Comments: After putting the poles away upon meeting my annual goal of a November bass, I was fortunate to get a shot at a few casts on this legendary bass fishing hole. Conditions were less than favorable with a cold front and after about 30 minutes as darkness approached, I was about ready to give up on landing a Texas bass. Luck and location were on my side, however, and a stretch of riprap gave up a quality bite. To say I was happy would be an understatement. Having met my goal, I packed up my gear and headed for home, quite satisfied with my final cast of 2020.

Mission accomplished on a lunch hour stop in Southern Illinois 

Ferne Clyffe Lake, Johnson Co. IL (1 visit on 7/24)
2 bass
0.75 hours
2.68 bass/hour
Top Bass: none at 12” or better
Comments: As I drove back from a Georgia work trip, I decided to stop at this southern Illinois fishing hole as it lies only a few minutes off the interstate just south of Marion. The lunchtime stop was a steamer with temps in the 90s and little breeze. But riprap along a dam is always a good place to try your luck and the stretch came through with a pair of bass. Neither bass was much to write home about, but I was pleased in being able to pull up, hop out of the vehicle and fool a couple on a body of water I had never seen before.

A solid Lake Storey bass during a fall shower

Lake Storey – Knox County, IL (4 visits – 8/22 through 10/12)
18 bass
13.75 hours
0.75 bass/hour
Top Bass: 3-9 (19”) Strike King Squarebill crankbait on October 12
Top 5 Weight: 9-0 (3-9,2-3,1-4,1-0,1-0)
Comments: I always enjoy me time on my “home” lake even though I’m 45 minutes away these days. It can be tough but that makes it even more rewarding when I fool a couple decent ones like I did last fall.

Best I could fool at the private strip mines were in the two-pound range

Knox County, IL Private Strip Mines (9 visits, 5 lakes – 3/7 through 11/3)
58 bass
26.00 hours
2.23 bass/hour
Top Bass: 2-8 (17.5”) Lipless Crankbait on May 15
Top 5 Weight: 11-12 (2-8,2-7,2-6,2-4,2-3)
Comments: For the second straight year, I couldn’t find any real big bites on some lakes that I have fished for over 30 years. Even numbers were a struggle on most of the lakes except for one that I should rename “Two-Pound Lake” as my entire Top 5 for the area called it home.

Bass are bouncing back at “The Rock”

Peoria County Private Lake (2 visits – 6/13 and 9/20)
71 bass
8.50 hours
8.35 bass/hour
Top Bass: 2-3 (17.5”) Crankbait on June 13
Top 5 Weight: 8-9 (2-3,1-14,1-10,1-8,1-6)
Comments: I was fortunate to make a couple visits to an outstanding fishing hole courtesy of a friend that I met several years ago through my employer. While the larger bass succumbed to some sort of kill a couple years ago, the population looks to be bouncing back well. An added bonus in 2020 was being able to take Dad down for an afternoon of bass fishing and he left impressed (and with bass thumb).

A quality catch on Snakeden Hollow’s 30th borthday

Knox County, IL Public Strip Mines (14 visits, 28 lakes – 4/4/ through 10/11)
268 bass
53.25 hours
bass/hour
Top Bass: 4-12 (21”) Jig & Craw
Top 5 Weight: 17-4 (4-12,4-0,3-11,2-12,2-1)
Comments: While I admit that my walk-in strip mine areas do wear me out a bit more these days, I’m not ready to give up quite yet. After landing a couple four-pounders and establishing three personal lake records, I’m hoping to get in plenty more hiking in 2021.

Knowing where to find some bass is only part of the equation. It is also necessary to find out what can fool ‘em. That aspect comes up in the next post. Talk to you later. Troy

2020 Fishing Recap – BYOB

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Back to blogging with a recap of my “Best Year of Bass.” Leading it off today is a look at the overall bass fishing numbers from a record-breaking year of 418 bass. Further breakdowns of the stats are headed your way as I wait to wet a line in 2021.

And away we go…

2020 First Bass – March 7

Grand Totals (bass fishing only)
29 outings (25 outings in 2019)
107.75 hours fishing (93.00 in 2019)
418 bass (262 bass in 2019)
3.88 bass/hour (2.82 bass/hour in 2019)
Comments: Fishing comes in a ways down the priority list for a husband, father and co-breadwinner. So, I was more than happy to log over 100 hours on the water. In the process I was able to post my best bass total ever, barely topping 416 bass from 2017.

2020 Last Bass – December 3

First Bass/Last Bass
March 7 – Private strip mine 4:57pm 14.5” 1-5 Shad Rap
December 3 – Lake Fork, TX, 5:17pm 17” 2-7 Chatterbait
Comments: For the second straight year, an out of state final catch provided an extremely rewarding conclusion. In fact, a Lake Fork, TX bass finale was about as cool as it gets after originally putting the poles away exactly a month prior.

Solid Summer Bass – July 1

Monthly Breakdown (Weight is Top 5 Bass unless otherwise noted)
March – 1 trip, 1 bass, Top Weight (3/7 1 bass) = 1-5
April – 5 trips, 75 bass, Top Day Weight (4/11) = 9-3
May – 6 trips, 106 bass, Top Day Weight (5/4) = 11-1
June – 1 trips, 42 bass, Top Day Weight (6/13) = 8-9
July – 3 trips, 48 bass, Top Day Weight (7/1) = 12-14
August – 1 trip, 25 bass, Top Day Weight (8/8) = 9-3
September – 6 trips, 101 bass, Top Day Weight (9/12) = 8-5
October – 3 trips, 17 bass, Top Day Weight (10/12) = 9-0
November – 1 trips, 2 bass, Top Day Weight (11/3 – 2 bass) = 3-1
December – 1 trip, 1 bass, Top Weight (12/3 – 1 bass) = 2-7
Comments: A few ups and downs throughout the calendar year in terms of getting on the water but that was what most of last year was all about. I will just leave it at that regarding 2020. It’s hard to pick a favorite season to fish but I must say that I was fortunate to hit the water pretty hard during what I consider spring (March through May) and fall (September through November).

 

Top 5 Weight
18-12 (4-12,4-0,3-11,3-9,2-12)
Comments: For the third straight year I fell short of my goal of a twenty-pound limit. But I fished clean and didn’t lose any fish that cost me making my mark, so I can’t complain. I fished plenty of water that no doubt had the capability of getting it done but I just couldn’t fool enough big bites. That’s fishing and hopefully I’ll be back after those bites before too long.

It feels good to write again and when I’m not actually fishing, my fondness for stats and reminiscing are a good substitute. And today’s post only scratches the surface. Next up is a look at location. Talk to you later. Troy