Lake Jackson Fishing Report – February 2008

Jackson: Level: 1.4 feet below full pool. Temp: 45-50 degrees. Clarity: Light stain up the creeks and rivers. Clear down the lake.

Bass: February is a month of big change, according to guide Aaron Batson. “Early in the month the typical winter patterns will still be strong,” said Aaron. “Fishing deeper with the Net Boy Baits 1/2-oz. Spider FootBall Jig will continue to catch them well. Stay with natural colors down the lake. It is working well at present time on some quality spots in the 2- to 4-lb. range. Once we begin to get some warm weather late in the month, look for some big female largemouths to stage up on the first wood cover inside the coves and creeks. It could be a stump, dock or blowdown.” Aaron said February is a great time to catch a big female on a spinnerbait. “Slow rolling a big spinnerbait near the structure will catch them,” said Aaron. “A 1/2-oz. single Colorado bladed chartreuse/white War Eagle spinnerbait should be perfect, especially on cloudy days. On sunny, brighter days, the fish will be much tighter to the structure. Make several casts to each location with a 1/2-oz. black/blue Net Boy Baits Flipp’N Jig. Tip the jig with a green-pumpkin Zoom Super Chunk.” Eric Perkins said this month is one of the best for big bags of fish. “But who knows, it could be 75 degrees or 30 and snowing,” said Eric. “But most of the time we start getting warmer days, and that will move the fish shallow. From the middle of February on into March they will start stacking up in the 6 to 10 foot range. I go to the lake with a wide range of shallow- to medium-diving crankbaits. Rapala DT6s and DT10s, No. 7 Shad Raps, 200 Bandits and a Net Boy Baits Flipp’N Jig are all good baits. And I cover as much water as I can. They are going to start stacking up by the end of the month, and it might be one little isolated rock shelf or one secondary point going in to the mouth of a creek. You can still catch the deeper fish on a drop shot or screwball jig head.” Eric said to look for these deeper fish on points, humps and bluff banks, but they are usually smaller fish. “I am going to stop fishing for deep fish real soon. The first few warm fronts in February will have the bigger fish up shallow,” he said.