Lake Talquin has become one of the best fishing lakes in the Southeast. Stringer after stringer of 20 pound bags frequently cross the weigh-in stage at our tournaments. It’s not your typical Florida lake though, and can be challenging to fish and navigate. If you’re looking for lots of big bass, then come on to Lake Talquin. But I gotta warn you, it’s not for the faint of heart. With tree tops and islands from the river to the dam, it can be very intimidating and for good reason. When Lake Talquin was built, about 100 years ago, there were no chain saws and no high powered bass boats. So, not a lot of thought was put into building a lake for the people. Monster cypress trees and other trees lined the banks of the Ochlocknee River. Back then, two men and a saw cut down the timber by hand, and there were no mechanical stump grinders either. This makes for very treacherous travel when boating in creeks or backwater areas. Even the main lake has tree tops just under the surface that have rotted off over the years. The good news though, this makes for some mighty fine fishing! Once you get familiar with the lake structure, you could possibly have the fishing day of a lifetime.
May is typically a transition time for fish moving from spawning grounds, and stopping on staging areas while heading back to the cooler waters of the main lake. Once recovered from the spawn, they want to eat. So when looking for hungry bass, you need to locate the huge ball of shad that will line the ledges of creek channels and shallow main lake points. Crank baits, rattle traps, Carolina rigged lizards and jigs make up the arsenal preferred by most who frequent the lake this time of year. Of course there are other ways to catch bass on Lake Talquin, but these are my favorite. A ledge can be as shallow as 3-4 feet with 6-10 feet of water on either side. So be prepared, as lure size, line size and depth of your lure will all have great bearing on your ability to put fish in the boat. There’s nothing wrong with trial and error, except losing a crank-bait or two. That’s right; don’t forget about all those stumps out there. A good lure retriever may cost 10 bucks, but well worth it with the price of baits now. As for terminal tackle, you’ll want to bring some extra hooks and weights as well.
For you crappie anglers, Lake Talquin is one of the finest Black crappie lakes in the country. Two pounders are common, and limits can easily be had. Any lake that has a ten inch minimum has to have a solid population of crappie. Just like bass, Black crappies are done spawning and can be found in similar places. Creek mouths and main lake edges, like those found near the dam, can be most productive. Trolling is preferred by most, but there’s nothing wrong with drifting minnows either. Whether you’re out for monster bass, monster crappies, or just want to see some of the most beautiful water in the Florida panhandle, Lake Talquin is the place to go.
Until next month, be safe, have fun and ALWAYS wear a life jacket while boating!!!