Category: Stats

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

2019 Fishing Recap – Partners

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Next up for the 2019 recap is a look at the folks with whom I shared boat and bank.

The Cousins – May 11 at Lake Storey
Now this one was quite fun and quite productive under the guidance of some seasoned anglers. Papa was the ringleader of the crew while Uncle Brent and Uncle Troy proved to be capable assistants. The cousins consisted of my boys, Jayce and Zac, along with Brent’s duo of Brady and Kennedy. It wasn’t what one would consider a particularly balmy day but not a hint of complaint as the kids were having too much fun. The whole crew was together again last weekend for a concert and a 2020 outing seems to be in the works. That says it all, mission accomplished.

Brent Jackson – June through October, several strip mines and Lake Storey
Well, this sort of thing has been going on since 1983 when I got my driver’s license. All these years later we embarked on an epic strip pit walk, drag and row trek I deemed the “100 Year Trip” (click here). Note: Troy aged 51, Brent 49 at the time. Another strip mine visit and a pair of shots at Lake Storey were also on the agenda. Overall, Brent got me 63-58 in total bass, topped me on three of our four outings and his 4-5 Top Bass easily outdid my best. Yep, nothing new after all these years.

John Kirkemo – July 13 on the Knox County, IL strip mines
John and I had corresponded frequently via email, met up for an off season breakfast at one point and eventually cooked up this fishing trip. So, after I missed finding his driveway in the 4:30am darkness he proceeds to poke fun at the guy who is his ride to the fishing hole. I knew at that point it would be a good day, whether we caught fish or not. And we did. Thanks to John for the company, for topping off Dad’s gas tank and for putting up with a barrage of “one time back in the 80s…” or “there’s a spot over there…” strip mine rambles.

Jayce Jackson – April 20 (strip mines) and July 26 (Lake Storey)
Our first outing was a brief strip mine trip that resulted in a shutout on water where Jayce did well in May 2018. Next up, was a short dog day evening on the tough Lake Storey where I was honestly hoping for just one bite. Couldn’t have turned out any better though as my boy outfished me 4 to zero while effectively wielding a wacky rigged Senko. Good fishing (and life) lessons all the way around, for both generations.

Dad – July 27 (Strip mines) and August 3 (Lake Storey)
It was good to have Dad back in the boat again after sitting it out in 2018. Our trips covered some old familiar water. The July outing featured a strip mine that we first fished together in 1987. In August, we hit Lake Storey which probably dates back to somewhere around the mid-1970s for our first tag team effort. A few more fish stories to add to the ledger including my catch of the second largest one-eyed bass of all-time. Dad still holds the record with a Lake Storey bass that I watched him catch back in 1988.

Zac Jackson – September 2 (top secret area)
In 2019, I got access to some water that had intrigued me for over 30 years. After a peak around the area with John Kirkemo on the heels of our July outing, I hit the area with a young angler in tow. The first and only visit of 2019 was a panfish pursuit although I did toss around a few casts for bass without raising any interest. Bluegills were a winner and we gleaned a little info from another angler onsite. Oh yeah, we also purchased a new basketball along with our waxworms on the way to the fishing hole and a Subway sandwich on the ride home. We have still not revealed our destination to anyone, simply referring to it as “a secret fishing spot.”

Merely a brief rundown of the outings with my fellow fishermen but you can click the links included in each of the entries above for the full scoop (see dates and/or locations for links). Here’s to sharing the hobby with these individuals again in 2020 along with a few other anglers if things work out. Talk to you later. Troy

2019 Fishing Recap – Numbers

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Now I know that I need to be careful in what I say here, but winter is moving along towards spring at a pretty favorable pace. Overall, not too ugly cold this time around and beyond a few icy days, the precipitation hasn’t been real bad either. Enough to get the shovel and the sleds going several times but can’t really complain.

As such, it is time for the overdue annual recap of my fishing stats, pics and videos from last year. Leading it off today is a look at the overall numbers. More specific breakdowns are headed your way delving into locations, lures, partners and some video highlights.

And away we go…

1/5/19 Early start to the year, crazy temps, half frozen lake and zero bites 

Grand Totals (bass fishing only)
25 outings (19 outings in 2018)
93.00 hours fishing (78.00 in 2018)
262 bass (216 bass in 2018)
2.82 bass/hour (2.77 bass/hour in 2018)
Comments: Fishing comes in a ways down the priority list for a husband, father and co-breadwinner. So any year that I can land over 200 bass and approach 100 hours on the water is a real winner. Quality bass for 2019 were elusive, however. More on that in a bit.

3/23/19 First bass (details below)

First Bass/Last Bass
March 23 – Private strip mine 3:18pm 12” 0-13 Booyah Spinnerbait
November 19 – Sedgwick County, KS 5:37pm 15” 1-9 Booyah Spinnerbait
Comments: It was entertaining to get out on a balmy January day to kick off 2019 although I could not entice a bite. I also got a bonus extension on the season with a November work trip to Wichita, Kansas where I was able to get away for a couple hours and fool a pair of bass. Pretty cool to have a span of 322 days between my first and last casts of 2019 although a February freeze up did not allow for time on the water. Certainly an uptick from 270 days between first and last casts in 2018.

11/19/19 Last bass – drove all the way to Kansas to get it (as noted above)

Monthly Breakdown
March – 1 trip, 1 bass, Top Weight (3/23 1 bass) = 0-13
April – 3 trips, 37 bass, Top Day Weight (4/1) = 9-9
May – 1 trip, 9 bass, Top Day Weight (5/27 – 2 bass) = 3-5
June – 4 trips, 53 bass, Top Day Weight (6/21) = 6-3
July – 3 trips, 25 bass, Top Day Weight (7/27) = 8-12
August – 3 trips, 31 bass, Top Day Weight (8/31) = 10-1
September – 4 trips, 75 bass, Top Day Weight (9/22) = 7-12
October – 2 trips, 29 bass, Top Day Weight (10/14) = 8-8
November – 2 trips, 2 bass, Top Day Weight (11/19 – 2 bass) = 2-11
Comments: Despite getting in some January casts, it took me until April Fools Day to fill my initial Top 5 limit. June through September proved to be the most opportune time to get on the water and I took advantage. Doing the math, the  period between June 2 and September 22 accounted for 70% of my catches (184 of 262 bass).

7/27/19 Top Bass at 3-14 from private strip mine on a Senko wacky rig

Top 5 Weight
14-4 (3-14,2-11,2-10,2-9,2-8)
Comments: The downward trend in weight continues from 15-9 in 2018 to an even slimmer batch of “big” bass in 2019. The inability to fool many quality bass would be the one downside of my 2019 results. Just one of those things that wasn’t meant to be as I fished hard, chased ‘em where some quality fish swim and fished clean in not losing any good fish that I had on the line. Wait ‘til this year though…

Folks, we’ve only scratched the surface as I dig indulging in my penchant for stats. Coming your way next is a look at location. Talk to you later. Troy

Bass #5157

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Bass #5157 November 19, 2019 at 5:37pm Wichita, KS

Coming into 2019 I had this big plan for a countdown to “Bass #5000.” You see, I had finished 2018 with a total of 4895 bass on the spreadsheet that I created back in 1997 when I joined The Computer Age. I thought big fanfare, perhaps a countdown, maybe one of those oversized fundraiser type displays in my front yard or a graphic on the tailgate of my truck…okay, maybe not.

But then I got so focused on just fishing that when Bass #5000 hit the log I completely missed the milestone. Initially, I was kind of bummed at blowing the chance to celebrate via another blog posting but I got over it. After all, I’m usually not at a loss for blog ideas (598 and counting since May 2017). I just feel sorry for the bass that never got a photograph and write-up for its fifteen minutes of fame.

Instead, the spreadsheet now shows 5157 bass and I’m going with that fish for the substitute celebration.

Being a stat guy, here’s some data related to the “milestone.”

3/21/1997 – At 5:04pm Bass #1 of The Computer Age enters the log (no pic taken, shot below is of Bass #2 landed at 5:38pm).

7/13/2019 – At 6:36am Bass #5000 comes aboard and I totally blow my chance to take a picture as originally intended

555 – Approximate number of miles between Bass #1 (Victoria, IL) and Bass #5157 (Wichita, KS)

8,278 – Days between catching Bass #1 and Bass #5157

1998.75 – Hours spent fishing to land those 5,157 bass

127 – Bodies of water registering at least one of the 5,157 bass

Plenty of other numbers along the way too, such as 1 wife, 4 kids, 2 trucks, 5 homes, 4 jobs and 2 floppy hats just to name a few. It’s been a wild ride and here’s to keeping the fish total climbing in the 2020s. Talk to you later. Troy

2018 Fishing Recap – Location

Posted on by Troy Jackson

This year, I found out where 216 bass lived. More than a few came from some regular stomping grounds so perhaps I’d already met some of them over the years. Today we take a general look at where those fish call home. While they came from spots like Freak’s Point, 2X4 Lake, Silo Bend and The Moose Hump I won’t get quite that specific as fishing is a pursuit that lends itself to a little mystery and more than a few secrets.

All the spots reside inside with a bit of a peek below

Grand Totals
Bass = 216
Bodies of water = 23
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 mines, many that I have been fishing since the 1980s. The largest lake I fished was Lost Grove Lake in Scott County, Iowa which comes in at about 400 acres and I also put in a few hours on good old Lake Storey just north of Galesburg, Illinois which comes in at 133 acres.

Access
Bank Bass (Northerner boots, biking and hiking) = 107 bass
Little Boat Bass (near 40 year old 8’ johnboat) = 74 bass
Big Boat Bass (1987 Bass Tracker Pro 17) = 35 bass
Comments: I have put far more miles on pairs of boots and sets of oars than I have ever racked up on trolling motors or outboards. 2018 was no exception as the only times I took advantage of the “big boat” was a June strip mine jaunt and a pair of October outings on Lake Storey. It was a near 50/50 split between bank and boat catches this year and while it takes some work, my fishing on foot locales can sure fill up a few pages of the log during a day hike.

The Waters (from least to most caught)

Lost Grove Lake – Scott County, IA (3 visits 5/28, 7/18, 7/25)
7 bass
5.50 hours
1.27 bass/hour
Top Bass: 1-6 (13.5”) Senko wacky rig
Top 5 Weight (only 4 at 12” or better): 4-13 (1-6,1-5,1-2,1-0)
Comments: After landing some quality bass on this relatively young lake in 2017, I took a step backwards in 2018 as I really struggled to find some bites. Abundant, scattered and somewhat random surface vegetation still make this developing fishery a challenge as the weather warms. Need to make a note to see what it has to offer earlier in the year in 2019, ideally before the weeds take hold.

Lake Storey – Knox County, IL (2 visits – 10/18 and 10/19)
20 bass
12.00 hours
1.67 bass/hour
Top Bass: 1-9 (14.5”) Strike King Rattling Squarebill crankbait
Top 5 Weight: 7-1 (1-9,1-8,1-7,1-6,1-3)
Comments: Always a treat when I get on this old favorite as its bass population can be a challenging bunch. I was pleased with the catch rate on my two visits and the bass were just flat out healthy though none for me in the trophy category. Did witness a few quality catches by my fishing partner, more on that later this week. One suspected toothy encounter with a surface thrash at boatside as I absentmindedly lifted my spinnerbait from the water oblivious to that whole Figure 8 thing.

Knox County, IL Private Strip Mines (11 visits, 3 lakes, 2/27 through 11/24)
82 bass
43.00 hours
1.91 bass/hour
Top Bass: 4-8 (20”) Booyah Buzzbait
Top 5 Weight: 13-11 (4-8,3-0,2-6,1-15,1-14)
Comments: What a difference a year makes as my Top 5 from these old fishing holes for 2018 was barely half of the 26-13 I somehow fooled in 2017. Pretty tough to top though considering that was my best haul ever. I must admit I was pretty excited to fill out my Top 5 with 7-3 during a February visit but never made many more big leaps the rest of the way. Fished my productive spots and worked them over good but just couldn’t find many big bites.

Knox County, IL Public Strip Mines (5 visits, 18 lakes, 4/13 through 9/30)
107 bass
17.50 hours
6.11 bass/hour
Top Bass: 3-2 (18”) Strike King Rattling Squarebill Crankbait
Top 5 Weight: 11-13 (3-2,2-9,2-3,2-0,1-13)
Comments: A controlled burn on some of my public walk-in strip mine ground really produced a big batch of April bass as the access was incredibly easy. It allowed for an increase in pond hopping and permitted me to hit most of my favorites each outing. In contrast, my July and September visits were marked by much tougher walking which limited the spots I could hit over the course of the day. As a result, April produced 78 of the 107 bass that these areas gave up for the year. And it only took about 20 miles of hiking and/or biking.

That’s the “where” part of the recap and coming tomorrow is the “what” as we take a look at the lures that got the job done. Talk to you later. Troy