Lake Jackson
Lake Jackson is a 4,750-acre impoundment located in Jasper,
Butts, and Newton counties in central Georgia and is owned and
operated by Georgia Power Company (GPC). The Alcovy, South, and Yellow Rivers, and Tussahaw Creek form Lake Jackson. Several boat
ramps provide public access. GPC owns and operates one ramp at Lloyd Shoals Park and the others are at privately operated
marinas. There is also a GPC boat ramp and fishing pier just below
the dam that provides fishing access to the upper Ocmulgee River.
The shoreline is heavily developed and the lake is very popular
with recreational boaters and skiers during the summer months. Annual lake drawdowns occur between December and March and only two
or three of the boat ramps are usable when the drawdown approaches
8 feet or more. For information on the location of the boat ramps,
bank fishing opportunities, and lake drawdown schedules, contact
the GPC Land Department @ (770-775-4753).
Lake Jackson is one of the better bream lakes in middle
Georgia. Bluegill and redbreast sunfish typically reach 5-7 inches. However,
redear sunfish (shellcracker) are also numerous and often much
larger. Live bait such as red worms, mealworms, or crickets fished
just off the bottom will often result in catches of redear from
7-10 inches, and individuals weighing 1 lb or more are common. April, May, and June are the best months for big bluegill and
redear.
Catfish are the second most-harvested fish.
White and
channel
catfish and bullheads are available for harvest and should average
¾-1 lb. Lake Jackson has a higher proportion of "memorable-sized"
(greater than 30 inches) channel catfish than most other central
Georgia reservoirs, but expect the average to be about 2-3 lbs.
The crappie population has remained stable with most around
6-8
inches. A couple of good spawning seasons will result in better
than average crappie fishing. Those fish have continued to grow and
should produce some nice catches again this year.
Largemouth bass abundance and quality has changed little
in
recent years. The black bass population consists of around 60%
largemouth and 40% spotted bass. The average-sized largemouth bass
has remained ¾-1 lb. Approximately 40% of the largemouth bass
caught in 2003 will be greater than 15 inches. Anglers seeking
large bass (5 lbs or better) have the most success during fall,
winter, and early spring (October-February). Crank baits and
Carolina-rigged worms fished in or near deep water are most
effective for larger bass. Early morning and night are the best
times to fish during the summer.
The spotted bass population is on the increase since spots
were
first found by WRD in 1998. The population has rapidly expanded. Approximately 12% of the spots will be greater than 15 inches.
Spotted bass tend to be located deeper than largemouth bass. Anglers commonly catch spotted bass at depths of 25-40 feet, but
surface baits may attract spots when the fish are shallow enough to
take notice of these offerings. Unlike largemouth bass, there is no
minimum size limit on spotted bass in Lake Jackson.
WRD has stocked hybrid bass annually since the early 1980s.
Hybrids will average 1-3 lbs, and some will weigh in at 7-8 lbs.
Try casting bucktails or jigging spoons around the dam or looking
for schools feeding on top in the spring and summer.
