| Jackson Lake (Florala) |
| Boat Ramp FL GPS: N30 W86 |
SIZE:
DEPTH:
TYPES OF FISH: Black Bass, Chain Pickerel, Gar
CONTROLLING AGENCY:
CREEL LIMITS:
SPECIAL RULES & CONSIDERATIONS:
GENERAL INFORMATION:
Lake Jackson is a 500+/- acre freshwater lake on the Florida/Alabama line. The northern part lies in Alabama and the southern
part lies in Florida. You must have a license from both states to fish the entire lake.
The lake previously had been called McDavid's Pond and McRae's Pond. It was called "Big Pond" by the Creek Indians and was
a stopping place on the Creek's Red Ground Trail which ran from central Alabama to Escambia Bay.
Big Pond had been renamed Lake Jackson was named in honor of the general and later president, Andrew
Jackson. With an army of 1200, he camped here several weeks in May 1818, enroute westward from Fort
Gadsden to Pensacola because his soldiers had smallpox.
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http://www.alabamagameandfish.com/fishing/bass-fishing/al_aa020104a/#close
Many of us in Alabama believe fish do not move shallow until the dogwoods display their white flowers. If so,
you may be surprised to learn that trophy anglers find bragging-sized bass building nests in Lake Jackson and
Escambia County Lake during February.
Lake Jackson's spring-fed waters, with its abundance of bulrushes, lily pads and maiden cane, provide anglers
with an opportunity to catch trophy bass.
Michael Newman, District VI fisheries supervisor, reports the presence of giant fish.
"While taking electrofishing samples," he said, "we have collected bass weighing up to 16 pounds.
"The lake does not have a high poundage of bass, because of competing species like chain pickerel, bowfin and
gar. Additionally, bass grow slowly until they are large enough to eat rough fish; then they do fairly well. The
problem is growing fish to that size. It also means that a big bass has plenty to eat."
Consequently, Alabama and Florida limit anglers to five bass greater than 12 inches, with only one fish allowed
measuring more than 22 inches.
The lake's gin-clear waters, though, require specialized fishing techniques to find and catch big bass. Bo Caraway
of Florala is one angler who has met the challenge and recently joined the Lake Jackson 10-pound club by
boating an 11-pounder.
"The best time to fish Jackson is during a full moon," Caraway said, "especially the week before. Nevertheless, if
we have a typical winter, you should start looking for bedding fish after the first few days of warm weather in
February."
Caraway said the only two environmental conditions to consider on the lake are cold fronts and wind.
"When a cold front rolls in," he noted, "the change in barometric pressure causes the wind to blow, so the waves
will not allow sight-fishing. Often, the wind will lie the next day, but the drop in temperature will have driven the
females off the beds."
Unlike at Escambia County Lake, anglers may fish Jackson at night. In fact, that is when Caraway catches most
of his fish.
"I would prefer to fish during the day," he said, "but wind is less of a problem at night. Finding a calm day in
February is difficult, and if you catch a calm night, you've got to go."
With a spotlight rated at 1 million candlepower, Caraway searches for beds in water up to 8 feet deep. He said
the south side of the lake produces the biggest fish but that moss makes spotting fish difficult.
Caraway also observes how the bass departs her nest.
"If a big bass casually swims off," he said, "she will quickly return. A fish that departs the bed like a dart may
take an hour or a day to return. In either case, mark the bed with a cane pole tipped with reflective tape so you
can ease back to check on her return.
"When you have found and marked a trophy fish, back off and cast your lure four feet past the bed. Your lure
will feel rough as it moves through the grass and then smooth as it enters the bed. Every 20 seconds twitch your
rod tip."
The lure at the end of Caraway's line is either an 8-inch black worm or lizard rigged on a 4/0 hook with a
1/8-ounce sinker. His fishes his Texas-rigged lures on 17-pound monofilament.
Caraway always carries a camera and scales on these trips.
"When you've caught both the male and female off the bed," he says, "put them both back. You feel better
about it."
The Florala State Park campground, on the northeast side of the lake, offers an excellent ramp with ample
parking and a pier for your convenience. It also has 23 campsites with full hookups. Camping is $15 per night
with a 15 percent discount for seniors. Park Ranger Vicky Zinner recommends making reservations by calling
(334) 858-6425 (334) 858-6425 .
A second ramp is available off State Route (SR) 85. For current fishing information, call Home Boy's Country
Market at (334) 858-6584 (334) 858-6584
Boat Ramps & Launches |
View Lake Jackson (Florala) FL/AL in a larger map
| Lake Jackson Landing Boat Ramp (Florida) 81 Lake Road Paxton, FL Walton County Parks and Recreation 552 Walton Road DeFuniak Springs, FL 32433 (850) 892 - 8703 N 30 59.507 W 86 19.989 No fee Paved/concrete slab ramp. Paved parking for about 7-10 vehicles. No facilities. No sign stating any time restrictions, not gated. Lake Jackson Landing, 81 Lake Road, Paxton |
| Boat Ramp FL GPS: N30 W86 |
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