Lake Jackson Fishing Report – January 2008

Jackson: Level: 1.9 feet below full pool. Temp: 54-58 degrees. Clarity: Clear in the main lake, and the rivers were stained from recent rains.

Bass: Good. “Jackson has held up pretty good through the drought, but it has made the lake turn super clear,” said Eric Perkins. “And in turn with the cooler weather, we have been catching fish deeper than I ever have. Some of our fish last week were caught in 37 feet of water! If you would have told me I would have to do this, I would have laughed at you, but it’s the clearer-than-normal water and the cooler temps.” Eric has been catching some magnum spots and largemouths on deeper rock banks and long points. “Just watch your electronics, and the first major breakline falling in the deep stuff is where they have been on isolated brush and rock. I am sure this pattern will hold for a while until we get some color back in the lake. You would think we were spooling up to fish Lanier rather than Jackson.” On these deep fish, Eric has been fishing the Net Boy Baits Football and Spider jigs in green craw. “Drop-shot rigs with either a Zoom Finesse worm or even a smaller Meat Head in green pumpkin have been the deal,” said Eric. “If the weather would warm and the lake would color up, I would be right back shallow with an arsenal of crankbaits and my flipping stick. A flat bait like a Gulp or a No. 7 Shad Rap are hard to beat. Warmer, dirty water will bring them shallower, and that’s where I like to be. On in to January, I would concentrate on channel bends and long points and even deeper rock banks where the fish will winter up. Expect to catch several or more fish from one small area. Remember if January turns off real cold and the water stays clearer than normal, I would spend a lot more time out deep 25 to 35 feet, but it’s just the opposite with dirty water and a few warmer-than-average days.” Guide Aaron Batson also said the cold nights and clear water have moved the fish out deep. “Down the lake in clearer water, the 7/8-oz. War Eagle jigging spoon is catching some good spots,” said Aaron. “Most of them are on the ditches and points in 20 to 28 feet of water.” For this jigging-spoon bite to work, anglers must find schools of shad. “To key on bigger spots in the 2- to 4-lb. range, throw a Net Boy Baits 1/2-oz. Football Head Jig in a PB&J color. Use a green-pumpkin chunk, and work the jig in these balls of shad. The bass normally stay below the smaller fish getting anything that falls below the schools of shad. If we get a few really warm days and nights, look for some big largemouths to get on wood much shallower in the 8- to 10-foot range. Key on main-lake structure only, and throwing the same football jig will catch them.” January is one of the best months to consistently find fish bunched up deep. Mike York looks on long sandbars and points for balls of shad. His go-to bait in January is a 1/2-oz. Little George in blue/white or green/white. Mike throws the bait on top of a sandbar or point and slowly pulls his bait down the drop. “I like to lift it about a foot and a half off the bottom and let it fall right back,” said Mike. “I keep my line tight the whole time because 99 percent of the time they’ll hit it when it’s falling back to the bottom.” For more on how Mike catches Jackson bass on Little George, turn to page 42.