Hennepin Canal Reports

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Catching up on the fishing reports with a combined recap of four Canal visits over the past two weeks.

September 29 at 2:10pm weighing 3-6 (19″) on a frog

Stats
Date: September 29, October 5, 8,12
Location: Hennepin Canal (6 pools)
Time: 9.75 hours total
Totals: 12 bass
Lures: War Eagle Spinnerbait (white/chartreuse) – 6 bass, Spro Flappin Frog 65 (albino) – 5 bass, Z-Man Chatterbait (sexy shad) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 3-10 (Spro frog on 9/29)
Top 5 Weight (combined trips): 11-1 (3-10,3-6,1-8,1-5,1-4)

Winning Lures

September 29 at 4:10pm weighing 3-10 (19″) on a frog

September 29
Bike/2 pools/2.75 hours/4 bass/Top Bass 3-10/Top 2 Weight 8-7
Lure: Spro Flappin Frog 65 (albino) – 4 bass
Goal: Boost my Top 5 of 7-6 on one pool into double digits.
Results: A 3-10 and a 1-7 achieved my goal in reaching 10-0 on one pool. The other pool also produced a 3-6, equaling its Top Bass (3-6 on 7/21/21) and boosting its all-time Top 5 to 15-11, my second-best pool on The Canal.
Highlight: I had seen that a fellow Canal angler was catching quality bass on a white Spro frog. My white (albino) frog was damaged and out of commission, but I was able to steal the guts from a brown frog to repair. The observation and decision produced my top two Canal bass of the year.
Lowlight: Four bass in three hours left much to be desired but when a pair are in the three-pound range, it is tough to complain.

Swapping the “guts” of another Spro frog into the albino body was a winner

October 5 at 10:15am weighing 1-5 (15″) on a spinnerbait

October 5
Boat/3 pools/3.00 hours/6 bass/Top Bass 1-5/Top 2 Weight 2-3
Lures: War Eagle Spinnerbait (white/chartreuse) – 6 bass
Goals: Fish a “distant” pool that sat at a Top 5 weight of 7-14. Plan B was a pair of connected pools that sat at 9-14 and 7-14, respectively.
Results: The only “keepers” were a 1-5 and an 0-14, with the latter providing a three-ounce boost on one pool to raise its Top 5 to 8-2.
Highlight: My first stop was at the mid-point of an event called the “Hennepin Hundred,” a 100-mile run along The Canal. While I did not see any participants due to the event just starting in Sterling, IL, I marvel at folks taking on such a challenge.
Lowlight: I blanked at my first stop, then elected to pursue Plan B and find cleaner water. That didn’t work out so great either.

October 8 at 6:22pm weighing 1-8 (14″) on a frog

October 8
Bike/2 pools/1.75 hours/1 bass/Top Bass 1-8
Lure: Spro Flappin Frog 65 (albino) – 1 bass
Goal: Revisit the pools that produced a pair of three-pounders on September 29 in search of some more quality bites.
Result: Only landed one fish.
Highlight: I did not get shut out.
Lowlight: Two good blowups on the frog were misses as the bass had bad aim.

October 12 at 9:15am weighing 1-4 on a chatterbait

October 12
Boat/1 pool/2.25 hours/1 bass/Top Bass 1-4
Lure: Z-Man Chatterbait (sexy shad) – 1 bass
Goal: Find the quality bite(s) needed to push my Top 5 weight on a pool from 9-1 into double figures.
Result: Landed one bass that was not large enough to boost my weight.
Highlight: I did not get shut out.
Lowlights: The location was a bad choice considering the direction of a strong east wind. I also missed a decent bass as the boat was drifting towards the fish and I faltered on getting an effective hookset.

The Canal continues to give me fits although the outing that produced two three-pounders was a treat. Multiple quality bites have been more the exception than the rule in 2024. Hopefully, I can get a few more shots to see if I can redeem myself but I shifted my focus back to Lake Storey for the next two outings. Stay tuned for those reports. Talk to you later. Troy

Strip Mine Report – September 27

Posted on by Troy Jackson

This time of the year is about finales as some of my fishing holes are shutting down and cold weather is on the horizon. For my final visit to a batch of public strip pits, the plan was to hit a few lakes one last time before bidding them farewell for 2024. The goal was thirteen bass as that would establish an all-time yearly bass record of 554 bass.

Stats
Date: September 27
Location: Knox County public strip pits (5 lakes)
Time: 1:20pm-6:35pm (3.75 hours fishing)
Totals: 21 bass
Weather: Overcast/very windy, 73F
Lures: 3.75” Strike King Rage Swimmer Swimbait (sexy shad) with a Twist Lock Flashy Swimmer jighead – 16 bass Whopper Plopper 110 (bone) – 5 bass
Top Bass: 1-9 (Swimbait)
Top 5 Weight: 6-13 (1-9,1-6,1-6,1-5,1-3)

Winning Lures

Notes and Nonsense

3:20pm – Bass #554 at 1-0 (13″) on a swimbait

Mission Accomplished – At 3:20pm, I landed a 13” bass (weight 1-0) on a swimbait as Bass #554 of the year. I wasn’t overly concerned with what size the record breaker would be, but I was happy that at least it was a “keeper.” And speaking of keepers, ten of the twenty-one bass on this outing met or exceeded the twelve-inch mark. Not a bad percentage, but the best of the keepers only weighed 1-9.

4:05pm – Top Bass at 1-9 (14″) on a swimbait

Rare Sight – Some of these waters are well off the beaten path, so I don’t often see many anglers who aren’t my brother. On this trip, I did spy another fellow across a deep strip mine cut. The guy was a few hundred yards away as the bass swims. However, it would have taken half a mile of walking to get to have a normal conversation. I could not determine what he was casting, and I did not hear the commotion of any catches as I focused on my fishing tasks. Hopefully, he had success though as I have been in his shoes. It takes considerable effort to get to where he was standing.

Some serious wind on this day

Strip Pit Perils – Hiking the strip mines is no walk in the park. At this time of the year, terrestrial vegetation presents navigational challenges. It can range from knee high on high ground to over your head in the low-lying areas. It also hides washouts, so you must be careful not to get in too big of a hurry and not get too ambitious jumping over what appear to be small ruts. On several lakes, the banks are steep and the extreme wind on this day also rocked me on my heels numerous times. Oh yeah, and then there’s all the Argiopes (commonly called “garden spiders”) hanging between the weeds.

It’s a workout

Aftermath – The combination of four miles of challenging hiking along with standing in a boat for eight hours on the previous day left me sore. The list included a stiff lower back, a twinge in my right knee, a version of tennis elbow (I call it “caster’s elbow), a sore left shoulder, both of my heels were hollering at me, and my hands hurt. On the upside, I managed to avoid the post-trip cramps that have popped up in the last several years. Julie and I went out for lunch and a drive the following day for our anniversary, and I got along just fine. In the past, I got stuck on an elevated stool at a restaurant as my legs cramped up so bad that I was not going to be able to stand if I left the stool. Last year, I ended up sitting in my truck in the driveway for five minutes after the hour drive home waiting for leg cramps to run their course. Just can’t beat fun at the old fishing hole.

 

With record Bass #554 in the log, I have now set my sights on reaching the six-hundred mark. And I have already started chipping away with a couple trips to The Canal. Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy

So long to this batch of strip pits. See you again in April of 2025.

Lake Storey Report – September 26

Posted on by Troy Jackson

My third visit of September to Lake Storey during the fall drawdown found the lake to be about as low as it was going to go. Many targets were high and dry but there were still plenty of secrets and reliable stretches of bank that held a fish or two, or nearly two dozen.

Stats
Date: September 26
Location: Lake Storey, Knox County, IL
Time: 10:00am-5:30pm
Totals: 23 bass
Weather: Sunny/breezy to windy
Water temperature: 76F
Lures: War Eagle spinnerbait (chartreuse/white) – 10 bass, Strike King Red Eye Shad (sexy shad) – 10 bass, Bomber Flat A (baby bass) – 2 bass, ZMan Chatterbait (sexy shad) with swimbait trailer – 1 bass
Top Bass: 2-3 (Spinnerbait)
Top 5 Weight: 8-2 (2-3,1-12,1-9,1-6,1-4)

Winning lures

Notes and Nonsense

Juice and Jumps – Roughly two hours into the outing, I began to realize that the battery running the bow mount trolling motor was not up to speed. Therefore, I relied primarily on the stern mounted trolling motor which left much to be desired in terms of precise boat control. I made it work but I believe that it cost me a few fish as I was unable to work some spots as the wind picked up. I also lost two bass in the two-pound range that threw my spinnerbait on the way to the boat. These factors contributed to falling short of the double-digit Top 5 goal for the outing.

12:54pm – Top Bass at 2-3 (16.5″) on a spinnerbait

Straightened hook from a hidden snag

Tackle Casualties – A pair of lures ended up out of commission and neither instance occurred with a fish on the line. First up was a snag grabbing my Strike King Red Eye Shad lipless crankbait. While my lure retriever did not knock the lure loose as intended, it got hung on the bait which in turn was hung on a huge log. As I use stout line on my lure retriever, I was able to pull the log to the surface and dislodge both the lipless crank and the lure retriever. However, the rear treble on the lipless crank was straightened and will need to be replaced before using again. On the contrary, a War Eagle spinnerbait is done for good as the wire arm broke as I attempted to straighten it after a battle with a bass.

4:17pm – Top Bass Runner-up at 1-12 (16″) on a chatterbait

Blue Glimmer – The loss of my last War Eagle spinnerbait prompted me to bust out an old legend that I call the “Blue Glimmer.” I have long called it the Blue Glimmer as it is a much shorter nickname than the actual name of a 3/8 oz. Stanley Vibra Shaft Spinnerbait in the Blue Glimmer pattern. It is a member of what I call my “Legendary Lures”. I don’t throw it much as it is out of production, and I am hesitant on Lake Storey as toothy critters (muskies) represent a chance to lose a legend. The Blue Glimmer did hook a two-pound class bass, but the fish was one of those that got away.

 

Twenty-three bass is a good haul for me on Lake Storey and puts me within reach of a new yearly record for bass catches. After this outing, I stood at 541 bass with my all-time best year being 553 in 2022. Fortunately, I had a chance to get on the water the following day in search of thirteen more bass. Stay tuned for a report from the Knox County strip mines. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Stats

Posted on by Troy Jackson

A new month means a look at the current Top 5 Stats. The last couple of months have been lean for submissions as it can get tough to find a fish to boost the total this late in the year. But they are out there, just have to keep on casting.

Bass Totals (largemouth and spotted)

2024 Totals
March = 15 bass
April = 16 bass
May = 11 bass
June = 12 bass
July = 7 bass
August = 1 bass
September = 4 bass

Top 5 Weight by Month
March = 18-3 (4-6,3-14,3-10,3-4,3-1)
April = 11-0 (2-8,2-7,2-4,2-0,1-13)
May = 14-15 (3-6,3-4,3-0,2-12,2-9)
June = 14-7 (3-12,3-0,2-10,2-9,2-8)
July = 16-2 (3-15,3-3,3-2,2-15,2-15)
August = 1-3 (1-3)
September = 11-5 (3-10,3-6,3-2,1-3)

Boat vs. Bank
Boat = 46 bass
Bank = 20 bass

Boat vs. Bank Weight
Boat = 17-6 (3-15,3-12,3-4,3-4,3-3)
Bank = 18-14 (4-6,3-14,3-10,3-10,3-6)

Public vs. Private
Public = 65 bass
Private = 1 bass

Public vs. Private Top 5 Weight
Public = 19-9 (4-6,3-15,3-14,3-12,3-10)
Private = 1-3 (1-3)

The Baits
Jerkbait = 17 bass (Top Bass 2-8 John Kirkemo)
Chatterbait = 10 bass (Top Bass 4-6 Jim Junk)
Plastic Worm = 9 bass (Top Bass 3-15 Brent Jackson)
Frog = 8 bass (Top Bass 3-10 Troy Jackson)
Propbait = 8 bass (Top Bass 3-0 Troy Jackson)
Popper = 5 bass (Top Bass 3-12 Brent Jackson)
Lipless Crankbait = 4 bass (Top Bass 2-6 Jim Junk)
Buzzbait = 2 bass (Top Bass 2-9 Troy Jackson)
Spinnerbait = 2 bass (Top Bass 3-0 Troy Jackson)
Crankbait = 1 bass (Top Bass 1-11 Troy Jackson)

Monthly Top Bass
March
4-6 Jim Junk
April
2-8 John Kirkemo
May
3-6 Brent Jackson
June
3-12 Brent Jackson
July
3-15 Brent Jackson
August
1-3 Brady Jackson
September
3-10 Troy Jackson

2024 Top 10 Bass
4-6 Jim Junk 3/3
3-15 Brent Jackson 7/19
3-14 Jim Junk 3/18
3-12 Brent Jackson 6/27
3-10 Jim Junk 3/3
3-10 Troy Jackson 9/29
3-6 Brent Jackson 5/4
3-6 Troy Jackson 9/29
3-4 Jayce Jackson 3/31
3-4 Brent Jackson 5/5

Angler Weights
Brent Jackson 17-7 (3-15.3-12,3-6,3-4,3-2)
Jim Junk 17-5 (4-6,3-14,3-10,3-1,2-6)
Troy Jackson 16-5 (3-10,3-6,3-3,3-2,3-0)
John Kirkemo 10-9 (2-8,2-7,2-0,1-13,1-13)
Julia Jackson 8-12 (2-10,1-10,1-10,1-8,1-6)
Jayce Jackson 3-4 (3-4)
Brady Jackson 1-3 (1-3)

Other Species

Bowfin
Troy Jackson 3-13 (3-13)

Channel Catfish
John Kirkemo 2-3 (2-3)

Freshwater Drum
Troy Jackson 2-10 (2-10)

Gar
John Kirkemo 28” (28”)

Striped Bass
John Kirkemo 9-13 (3-5,2-6,1-12,1-6,1-0)

Trout (brown and rainbow)
John Kirkemo 24” (12”, 12”)

A tight race at the top of the Top 5 Bass totals with just over a pound separating the top three anglers. We’ll see what October has in store. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

It’s been a while, but I get to contribute a couple of bass to this week’s update. Hopefully, it is a sign that there will be a strong finish to the year as the catches below represent my top two bass of the year.

Weight: 3-6 (19″)
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: September 29
Weather: Partly cloudy/breezy, 80F
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: Spro Flappin Frog 65 (albino)
Structure: Log/weed edge
Angler Comments: An offshore log in a mix of surface and subsurface vegetation was a winner on what would be my Top Bass of the year. A mark that it held for about two hours before landing the bass below.

Weight: 3-10 (19″)
Angler: Troy Jackson
Date: September 29
Weather: Partly cloudy/breezy, 80F
Location: Hennepin Canal
Lure: Spro Flappin Frog 65 (albino)
Structure: Laydown/weed edge
Angler Comments: My new Top Bass of the year came off a classic spot. I ran the frog over a weed mat near a laydown and right as it hit the edge of open water, this bass exploded on the bait. Gotta dig it when a bass is right where it is supposed to be.
Top 5 Weight: 16-5 (3-10,3-6,3-3,3-2,3-0) culls 3-0 and 2-15

Two good fish and there’s more to the story involving a lure adjustment but I will save those details for the full fishing report. And after a four-day weekend courtesy of a couple vacation days, I am behind on the fishing reports again. Stay tuned for the scoop from Lake Storey (9/26 outing), the Knox County strip pits (9/27 outing), and the Hennepin Canal (9/29 outing). Talk to you later. Troy

Lake Storey Report – September 21

Posted on by Troy Jackson

A successful Monday on Lake Storey prompted me to get back out on the old fishing hole again on Saturday.

9:32am- Top Bass Runner-up at 1-15 (16″) on a spinnerbait

Stats
Date: September 21
Location: Lake Storey, Knox County, IL
Time: 7:30am-11:30am
Totals: 8 bass
Weather: Sunny to heavy rain/breezy to windy, 64-77F
Water temperature: 76F
Lures: War Eagle spinnerbait (chartreuse/white) – 6 bass, Strike King Red Eye Shad (sexy shad) – 1 bass, ZMan Chatterbait (sexy shad) with swimbait trailer – 1 bass
Top Bass: 2-10 (Spinnerbait)
Top 5 Weight: 9-10 (2-10,1-15,1-14,1-11,1-8)

Winning lures

Notes and Nonsense

Avian Anglers – There’s more to fishing than fishing and there are more anglers than just the guys and gals on boat and bank. Several birds that have fish in their diets were also hanging around the lake. Prowling the bank and perching on some dead trees were several great blue herons and their smaller relatives, green herons. The trill call of a kingfisher also caught my ear as it flitted about the shoreline in search of a meal. Twice a barred owl emerged far enough out of the woods for a good look (did some research to verify that these eat fish on occasion). Lake Storey is also good for spotting a one-of-a-kind bird of prey, the osprey, and this day it did not disappoint. And finally, I had the good fortune of observing a bald eagle. The majestic bird is a much more common sight these days around fishing holes but remains a treat.

 

Missed Spots – I strayed from my regular route to start the day as bank anglers and one boat had beat me to my spots. All good though as it forced me to explore water that I don’t normally fish. And maybe there’s a reason I skip these stretches as my first two hours on the water only produced two bass with one keeper weighing in at 1-8. Once I got to my go-to spots the next two hours resulted in six bass, four of which were keepers totaling 8-2. Then the storm started brewing.

Night and Day – It wasn’t only the bite that was like night and day between the start and finish of the trip. The day began bright and sunny as I launched around 7:30am intending to fish until 3:30pm. I made my way down the entire lake focusing mainly on the southern bank with the intent of hitting my spots on the north bank as I made my way back to the ramp. Around 11:30am I found myself near the beach and the skies did not look so good in the west. My weather app confirmed that a storm was headed my way just about the time that Brent sent the above text. Rumbles of thunder and a few flashes of lighting got my attention as I trolled back to the launch, arriving nearly in time to avoid getting wet. Thankfully, Brent was waiting and assisted with loading the boat just as the skies unleashed. We ended up sitting in the truck for over thirty minutes before finishing boat prep for the ride back to my folks.

9:37am – Top Bass at 2-10 (17.5″) on a spinnerbait

Lucky Me – An abbreviated trip but I counted my blessings considering the plight of a few fellow anglers encountered along the way. As I was launching, I met a fisherman headed back to the boat ramp. He had elected to end his day out of concern that his two-wheel drive wasn’t going to cut it after spinning out on the ramp after he launched. I offered to assist and was ready to pull his truck, but all was good. Turned out, his trailer had dropped off the end of the ramp when launching resulting in the earlier spin out. At the end of the day, a pair of anglers beached their boat in the rain and hustled to their truck shortly after we’d pulled out. Brent and I were left scratching our heads as they headed back out during a slight break in the downpour. Unfortunately for them, the skies opened up big time, and I suspect they were left bailing their boat and certainly drenched.

 

While I was disappointed that the weather ran me off the lake only needing one more decent bite to get a ten-pound Top 5, it was a solid four hours on the water. But I’m not done with Lake Storey quite yet as I plan to be on the lake again real soon in search of that double digit Top 5. Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy

Lake Storey Report – September 16

Posted on by Troy Jackson

It’s that time of year again when the decision is made to pull the plug on Lake Storey for the annual fall drawdown. This fisheries management practice drops the lake level and limits the hiding places for prey fish allowing the predator fish an increased opportunity to thin the herd. It can also reveal secrets on the lake bottom and give anglers a shot at a quality bite as fall feeding activity kicks into gear. Last week, I paid a visit to my old favorite lake and had a solid day.

Gotta love fishing on a weekday

Stats
Date: September 16
Location: Lake Storey, Knox County, IL
Time: 6:45am-3:00pm
Totals: 17 bass
Weather: Partly cloudy/breezy, 61-85F
Water temperature: 75-78F
Lures: War Eagle spinnerbait (chartreuse/white) – 10 bass, Strike King Red Eye Shad (sexy shad) – 7 bass
Top Bass: 2-6 (Red Eye Shad)
Top 5 Weight: 9-0 (2-6,1-15,1-13,1-8,1-6)

Winning Lures

Notes and Nonsense

Drawdown Status – The extent of the drawdown seemed to be lagging as a week prior, direct, and secondhand observations had me concerned that the practice may have fallen by the wayside. Fortunately, the water level was indeed on the way down when I arrived at the ramp, so my worries were unfounded. As it turned out, the drop was at an appealing stage as a substantial amount of shallow cover was still fishable and not high and dry.

8:42am – Top Bass Runner-up at 1-15 (15.5″) on a spinnerbait

Droughts – My results on this outing were solid with a catch rate of 2.06 bass/hour compared to an overall 1.14 bass/hour average dating back to 1997. Even with my favorable catch rate, I did have several lengthy stretches of time without a catch. I had a two-pound fish break off on my fourth cast due to a line abrasion and then failed to get my first bass in the boat for over an hour (6:45am-7:51am). Later in the day, I also experienced droughts from 9:47am-10:59am, 11:00am-12:05pm, and 1:46pm-3:00pm.

10:59am – Top Bass at 2-6 (17″) on a lipless crankbait

Good Wood – As I hop around Lake Storey, I have dozens of potential targets in mind. From specific spots, such as Chilly Willy Stump or The Most Fished Tree to sections of bank like Freak’s Point or Cannon Hill, I hit as many as possible (sometimes twice). There are stumps, rockpiles, logs, brush, points, flats, manmade structure, and more that are on my list. On this trip, a number of them let me down or were inaccessible due to being occupied by other anglers on the shore or in watercraft. However, early feedback from the bass indicated that a pattern of a spinnerbait cast and worked tight to any wood cover was a winner. I wore out every log, brush, laydown, and stump that I could and was rewarded with good results.

 

I look forward to matching wits with the Lake Storey bass every fall and the first outing of the season did not disappoint. (Note: while September 16 is not technically fall, once Labor Day passes, it is fall in my book). Before the week was over, I was back again so stay tuned for another Lake Storey report. Talk to you later Troy

Strip Mine Report – September 15

Posted on by Troy Jackson

After a struggle on The Canal in the morning, I made a quick evening trip to the Knox County strip mines following a visit to my folks. For this outing, I opted to invest my entire time on one lake to maximize fishing and minimize walking.

4:49 pm – An mmbitious bass at 7″ caught on a 5″ Senko

Stats
Date: September 15
Location: Knox County public strip pit
Time: 4:45pm-7:15pm
Totals: 42 bass, 1 green sunfish
Weather: Partly cloudy/breezy, 80F
Lures: Whopper Plopper 110 (bone) – 20 bass, Spro Flappin Frog 65 (natural red) – 12 bass, 5” Yamamoto Senko (PB&J or blue pearl/silver flake) – 10 bass, 1 green sunfish
Top Bass: 2-7 (Whopper Plopper)
Top 5 Weight: 5-2 (2-7,1-8,1-3)

Winning lures

Bonus species with a feisty green sunfish

Notes and Nonsense

Maiden Lake – Eleven years ago, I named this spot Maiden Lake as it was the first lake that I ever fished on the property. The upside of the lake is that it is only a short walk from a parking area. The downside is that I have difficulty finding quality bites. Coming into this trip, I had landed one hundred and one bass on the water but only eight were “keepers” (an 8% keeper rate). My Top 5 total stood at 10-3 prior to this outing, anchored by a Top Bass of 3-10 that was landed last year. Here’s the thing though. My brother, Brent, has landed a 5-4, 4-0, and 3-9 from the lake so there are definitely good bites in there, I just can’t find them.

5:45pm – Top Bass #2 at 1-8 (14.5″) on a topwater frog

Quantity Over Quality (Again) – Yet again, I racked up big numbers with forty-two bass in two and a half hours. Yet again, a small percentage were “keepers” with only three bass at 12” or better (a 7% keeper rate).

5:56pm- Top Bass #3 at 1-3 (13″) on a topwater frog

One Good One – Any bass that I land at two-pounds or better is what I call a “good one.” As I reeled in little bass after little bass to start my evening, I still felt there were a couple good ones that would show up. Well, at least I was halfway correct as bass number thirty-four of the evening tipped the scales at 2-7.

6:44pm – Top Bass at 2-7 (17″) on a Whopper Plopper

Forty-two bass on this outing pushed my yearly total to 493 bass. My all-time best year of bass was 2022 when I landed 553. I hadn’t really thought about a shot at the record until wrapping up this outing but now I’ve got my eyes on the prize. I fished the following day in an effort to boost my total on what is not such a numbers lake. Stay tuned for the first Lake Storey report of the year. Talk to you later. Troy

Hennepin Canal Report-September 14-15

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Once September arrives, I consider it “fall” fishing even though we aren’t quite there yet. And fall fishing brings anxiety on two fronts. On the upside, the bass will go on a feed and if you time it right, the bite can get wild. On the downside, the next couple of months are the home stretch for my fishing year with the final goal being a November bass before I put the gear away. Choices are tough too, as I have a lot of water that I want to visit and limited time to invest. For this pair of outings, I stuck to The Canal, and I use some pop/rock tunes to help tell the tale in today’s report.

September 14 at 8:18am – Top Bass Runner-Up at 1-0 (13″) on a lipless crankbait 

Stats
Date: September 14-15
Location: Hennepin Canal (2 pools)
Time: 6:45am-10:00am, 6:40am-8:40am
Totals: 3 bass (two on 9/14, one on 9/15)
Weather: Partly cloudy/breezy, 63-79F
Lures: Strike King Red Eye Shad (sexy shad) – 1 bass, Spro Flappin Frog 65 (natural red) – 1 bass, War Eagle Spinnerbait (white/chartreuse) – 1 bass
Top Bass: 1-5 (Spro frog on 9/14)
Top 2 Weight (combined trips): 2-5 (1-5,1-0)

Winning – Santana (1981)
“I’m winning, I’m winning, and I don’t intend on losing again.”
The winning lures from September 14

Notes and Nonsense

Dirty Water – The Standells (1966)
The Canal has given me fits lately while hitting spots farther from home. I have found that the further east I progress, the dingier the water. Whether it is solely this variable or not, the results have been as ugly as the water clarity. These two outings were no exception as I could not get anything going despite throwing a bit of everything. From top to bottom and fast to not as fast, it just wasn’t my weekend. The “Dirty Water” tune from The Standells offers up, “I love that dirty water.” Me, not so much.

September 14 at 9:08am – Top Bass at 1-5 (14″) on a topwater frog

Right Place Wrong Time – Dr. John (1973)
My experience of three years and over a hundred miles of rowing, biking, and hiking The Canal has convinced me that there are quality bass all along the waterway. Some stretches are better than others on any given day. For instance, while these two spots had each produced a three-pounder on prior visits, the bass sure had lockjaw on this weekend. In addition, there were a couple glowing reports from anglers fishing to the west of my location. To add my own line to Dr. John’s “Right Place Wrong Time,” I would say that “I was in the right trough, but it must have been the wrong pool.”

September 15 at 6:43am – Lone bass of the morning on a spinnerbait

Go West – Village People (1979)
In my pursuit to post a ten-pound Top 5 on each pool from Colona to the Feeder Basin, I have focused a great deal of time east of Geneseo. On most of the water west of Geneseo, I had already accomplished my goal. While I have not ruled out any more visits to the east before the year ends, I am leaning towards wrapping up the year on the clearer western stretches. Heeding the words of the Village People, “Go west, we will do just fine.”

Just Once – Quincy Jones with James Ingram (1980)
“I did my best, but I guess my best wasn’t good enough.”
Losing lures from September 14

After these tough outings on The Canal, I opted for a change of scenery for my next trip. And I didn’t wait long as I hit the Knox County strip mines on the evening of September 15 for a couple of hours to try and save the day. Stay tuned for that report. Talk to you later. Troy

Top5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Our southeast field rep, John Kirkemo, comes through with another submission and additional insights on spotted bass.

Weight: 1-3
Angler: John Kirkemo
Date: September 10
Weather: Evening light with air temperature in the high 70s
Water temperature: 83 degrees
Location: Lake Hartwell at Oconee Point Campground, Seneca, SC
Lure: Black and silver 3.5” floating Rapala
Angler Comments: I was casting the lure toward the top of a tree standing in about 20 feet of water. Only the top foot or two of the tree extended above the water’s surface. The treetop had a few very small leaves but was mostly just thin bare branches as shown in the attached picture. Before I could begin my retrieve, the bass slammed the lure so hard the reel handle hit my finger causing a bruise as shown in the picture. This was not a big fish but was very aggressive. I have been catching spotted bass since late March 2024. In my opinion, spotted bass tend to be more aggressive and fight harder than their close cousin largemouth bass. I discovered this tree top two days ago and have fished it every day since. It always holds a bass or two.
Top 5 Weight: 10-9 (2-8,2-7,2-0,1-13,1-13)

Gives a whole new perspective on “bass thumb” with that catch. Good luck out there and keep sending them my way. Talk to you later. Troy