[dropcap]W[/dropcap]orld famous Lake Jackson which is located in the NW section of Leon county is back! There are three locations available for launching a boat: Sunset Landing, Crowder, and highway 27 (N Monroe).
January is one of the most productive times of the year for both numbers of bass and size. With Lake Jacksonâs shallow waters and abundance of vegetation, the water warms very quickly. There is little or no shade around the lake edges, so several sunny days in a row can turn the lake bite into a feeding frenzy while both male and female bass prepare for the upcoming spawn.
With water levels down the past couple of years, there is lots of “Virgin” water on Lake Jackson now, and I anticipate this yearâs catches to exceed those of the last time the lake came back. Early January, look for Largemouth bass to stage awaiting the spawn on deeper grass near spawning flats. As winds are out of the North this time of year, that’s the side you’ll want to focus on. Both hard and soft jerk baits are my lure of choice, with rattle traps and swimming worms a close second respectively. As the month goes on, continue to monitor water temps. As the water warms so will the fish, and Lake Jackson being only 4000 acres or so, it’s a little easier to find them than on larger lakes in the south. Once water temps reach the mid 60’s mark, I like to switch to a “fluke”, using a “dead stick” presentation. I can’t tell you how many hundreds of bass I’ve caught using this method this time of year.
The lake also supports a nice population of crappie and you can find them in the deeper holes. Look for schools of fish on your graph in 10-14′ of water in the sink hole areas. Drift minnows or cast small spinners through these schools and hold on!
Happy New Year and remember, be safe, have fun and ALWAYS wear a life jacket while boating!
By âJ.R.â Mundinger-Professional Guide
www.FishTallahassee.com