Our first July entry is an Independence Day bass.

Weight: 2-12
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: July 4
Weather: Sunny/calm
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: Spro Flappin Frog 65 (nasty shad)
Structure: Weed bed
Angler Comments: I made a lot of casts on this Fourth of July morning and did not land a whole lot of bass but at least this one was a good one.
Top 5 Weight: 17-6 (4-14,3-13,3-4,2-12,2-11) culls 2-9

The summer heat can be tough on anglers, but those fish are still out there. Often the best bet is early morning or late evening but don’t forget that the best time to go fishing is anytime you can. Talk to you later. Troy

Three more quality bass this week from our Top 5 leader.

Weight: 3-9
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: June 20
Weather: Mid to high 80s with strong wind out of the south
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Texas rigged Senko

Weight: 2-11
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: June 20
Weather: Mid to high 80s with strong wind out of the south
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Texas rigged Senko

Weight: 2-11
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: June 20
Weather: Mid to high 80s with strong wind out of the south
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Texas rigged Senko
Angler Comments: All fish look very healthy, and I am optimistic every time that I go out that there is a possibility of a new personal best.
Top 5 Weight: 22-12 (5-7,4-15,4-7,4-0,3-15)

It gets tougher to cull as the year progresses, especially when you have a twenty-two-pound limit like Jim. But I’m always up for a fish story and enjoy sharing such solid catches. Here’s to more as we head into summer. Talk to you later. Troy

A new month means a look at the Top 5 Stats for the year.

Bass Totals (largemouth, smallmouth and spotted)

2025 Totals
March = 10 bass
April = 16 bass
May = 22 bass

Top 5 Weight by Month
March = 11-3 (2-15,2-8,1-15,1-15,1-14)
April = 18-9 (4-14,4-10,3-13,2-14,2-6)
May = 22-9 (5-7,4-15,4-7,3-15,3-13)

Boat vs. Bank
Boat = 22 bass
Bank = 26 bass

Boat vs. Bank Weight
Boat = 12-14 (3-1,2-9.2-8,2-6,2-6)
Bank = 24-5 (5-7,4-15,4-14,4-10,4-7)

Public vs. Private
Public = 46 bass
Private = 2 bass

Public vs. Private Top 5 Weight
Public = 24-5 (5-7,4-15,4-14,4-10,4-7)
Private = 6-11 (3-13,2-14)

The Baits
Chatterbait = 9 bass (Top Bass 4-14 Chatterbait)
Jerkbait = 9 bass (Top Bass 2-8 John Kirkemo)
Lipless Crankbait = 7 bass (Top Bass 4-10 Brent Jackson)
Frog = 6 bass (Top Bass 3-1 Brent Jackson)
Plastic Worm = 6 bass (Top Bass 4-15 Jim Junk)
Underspin = 4 bass (Top Bass 5-7 Jim Junk)
Popper = 2 bass (Top Bass 2-4 Brent Jackson)
Swimbait = 2 bass (Top Bass 3-13 Jim Junk)
Grub = 1 bass (Top Bass 2-2 Troy Jackson)
Propbait = 1 bass (Top Bass 3-13 Troy Jackson)
Spinnerbait = 1 bass (Top Bass 1-8 Troy Jackson)

Monthly Top Bass
March
2-15 Jim Junk
April
4-14 Troy Jackson
May
5-7 Jim Junk

2024 Top 10 Bass
5-7 Jim Junk 5/17
4-15 Jim Junk 5/25
4-14 Troy Jackson 4/19
4-10 Brent Jackson 4/6
4-7 Jim Junk 5/30
3-15 Jim Junk 5/2
3-13 Jim Junk 4/6
3-13 Troy Jackson 5/16
3-10 Jim Junk 5/30
3-3 Jim Junk 5/30

Angler Weights
Jim Junk 22-9 (5-7,4-15,4-7,3-15,3-13)
Troy Jackson 16-5 (4-14,3-13,2-11,2-9.2-6)
Brent Jackson 14-13 (4-10,3-1,2-8,2-6,2-4)
John Kirkemo 9-10 (2-8,2-4,1-14,1-10,1-6)

Other Species

Walleye
Brent Jackson 1-6 (1-6)

Almost halfway to one hundred submissions and our first twenty-pound limit of the year is in the books. 2025 has been a solid year and plenty of fishing remains. Good luck out there and send your submissions to troy@troyjacksonoutdoors.com if you want to join the crew. Talk to you later. Troy

Five more tunes, this time from my Thursday, May 15 round trip to the strip mines. I love fishing on weekdays but the morning drive on the radio features a bit too much talk and not enough rock for my liking. But I can always find some tunes for the list.

5. Just a Friend – Biz Markie (1989)
A heartbreaking song about love gone wrong. Well, that’s the overall concept at least. Quite the entertaining video, too, with a stout rapper, oddball rhymes, an interesting delivery, a memorable chorus, a shout out to Beethoven, and more. Just music doing what music does. In this case, stopping me on the radio dial, bringing a smile, and prompting an off-key sing-along.

4. Play The Game Tonight – Kansas (1982)
For a brief period in the 1980s, Kansas recruited a new singer as John Elefante replaced Steve Walsh. Elefante’s stay resulted in this lone Top 40 hit from a pair of albums. It’s cool to hear a tune from deeper in the Kansas catalog as the band has more to offer than their big three cuts that dominate any airplay they receive these days.

3. Welcome Back – John Sebastian (1976)
This song rocketed to the top of the Billboard charts as the theme song for the TV series, Welcome Back, Kotter. As a kid, the “Sweathogs” and their teacher were an entertaining bunch, but I had no clue about this “one-hit wonder”, John Sebastian. Many years later, I came to appreciate his entertaining musical contributions as the leader of The Lovin’ Spoonful.

2. She’s Gone – Hall & Oates (1973/1976)
I enjoy the most successful music duo of all time and their run in the 1980s was right in the wheelhouse of a high school kid tuned into Top 40 radio and MTV. However, my three favorite Hall & Oates tunes were released in the 1970s. For my money, “She’s Gone”, “Sara Smile” and “Rich Girl” are the best of their impressive catalog.

1. Let It Be – The Beatles (1970)
This one stops me in my tracks every time it shows up on the airwaves. For years, I have tinkered around with a life list of my all-time favorite songs and this one will get a spot. Whenever I hear this tune, I also ponder the effect on Paul McCartney’s partner in composition. Your songwriting collaborator has just pulled of “Let It Be” to go along with “Yesterday” and “Hey Jude.” Imagine that.

I have been fortunate to get out on the water several times in the last two weeks and need to catch up on the reports and the tunes. Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy

Quite the update today as all four of our current participants contribute submissions. As an added wrinkle we also have three members of the black bass genus in the batch with largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass.

Weight: 3-15
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: May 2
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Underspin

Weight: 2-11
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: May 2
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Underspin

Weight: 2-14
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: May 17
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Underspin

Weight: 5-7
Angler: Jim Junk
Date: May 17
Location: Banner Marsh
Lure: Underspin
Top 5 Weight: 19-0 (5-7,3-15,3-13,2-15,2-14) culls 2-14

Fish: Spotted Bass
Weight: 1-6
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: May 16, 2025
Time on the water: 2 p.m. – 4:30 pm.
Weather: Overcast sky with intermittent sun, light variable wind, air temperature 80s
Water Temperature: 75 degrees
Location: Lake Keowee around South Cove County Park, Seneca Water Filter Plant and the Port Santorini subdivision, Seneca, SC
Lure: Black and silver 3 ½ inch shallow running Rapala
Comments: Began the trip casting to shoreline structure with the Rapala and a homemade dice bait. Caught a decent bluegill on the dice bait which was the first fish of any kind caught by me on that lure (see pics below). No other fish were caught on the dice bait, but I continued to get light taps on it leading me to believe it is more of a panfish bait. Caught the bass trolling the Rapala close to shore in 10 –15 feet of water.
Top 5 Weight: 9-10 (2-8,2-4,1-14,1-10,1-6) culls 1-4

Species: Smallmouth Bass
Weight: 2-4
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: May 18
Weather: Sunny/breezy
Location: Knox County public strip pit
Lure: Mann’s Chug N’ Spit Popper
Top 5 Weight: 13-8 (4-10,2-6,2-4,2-3,2-1) culls 1-15

Weight: 2-4 (17”)
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: May 15
Weather: Sunny/very windy
Location: Knox County public strip pit
Lure: Spro Flappin’ Frog (natural red)
Structure: Weed edge/drop
Angler Comments: Bright, sunny skies and clear, deep water are not the prime recipe for frog fishing but it sure was effective on this day in pulling bass out of the shoreline weed beds.

Weight: 3-13 (20”)
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: May 16
Weather: Sunny/very windy
Location: Knox County public strip pit
Lure: Whopper Plopper 110 (bone)
Structure: Windblown point
Angler Comments: My first bite of the day on this lake was a good one and I thought I was in for a stellar afternoon fishing banks getting pounded by the wind. Well, I caught plenty more fish but nothing of any size.

Weight: 2-2 (17”)
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: May 18
Weather: Sunny/breezy
Location: Knox County public strip pit
Lure: Lunker Hunt Finesse Swimbait (perfect pumpkin)
Structure: Open
Angler Comments: I had not fished at this lake for fourteen years and now I know why as bank access was terrible. I pondered this being my farewell for the spot, but then I caught a decent fish.
Top 5 Weight: 15-7 (4-14,3-13,2-6,2-4,2-2) culls 1-15,1-15 and 1-11

Now that’s what we’re talking about. Keep up the good work. Talk to you later. Troy