Lake Talquin, FL Fishing Report

Things are finally starting to improve on area lakes and rivers around Tallahassee, FL. Lake Talquin is beginning to clear up nicely and with that, fishing is picking up. Bass have moved back towards the banks in search of a place to spawn with the warming temperatures. Lake temps are now in the 60's, even mid 60's in some creeks. The water is still very dirty so sight fishing is almost non existant for most. BUT, a 3/8oz Chartreuse and White spinnerbait worked slowly around shoreline vegetation and dock posts should get you bit. A Red rattle trap, or Chatterbait tipped with a swim bait does good to. There are some creeks doing better than others it's all about timing. I will say this, if you find darker colored fish they will have just moved up and that's a good thing. Stay fishing that area as more will be moving in. Black backs with White bellies is good. If the fish are lighter in color, and have a Yellow tint to their bellies it means they've been up there in the shallows for a few days. Those fish that have been shallow longer are more prone to hit a top water bait early in the morning. Two of my favorites are a Bang O lure and a Baby Torpedo. If you come across a fish or two on a bed, or if you're pitching baits next to cover like stumps or docks you need to tie on a Jigdinger tippes with your favorite craw.

Crappie fishing has also picked up very well with limits coming both by trolling and fishing shallow very early in the morning. Troll with double rigged curly tail grubs near the deeper parts of creeks for bigger females, and use minnows in the lily pads for them beautiful big males gaurding nests.

Feb 20, 2013
So much for the lake being on fire. Cold front after cold front has confused the bass as they were all over the lake trying to bed. From one end to the other you could find bass bedding in the creeks and shallow backwaters of the main lake. We did manage to catch a few, but the wind and storms kept us off the lake this past week. Things should be back to normal after Thursday, with warmer weather expected for the weekend. The biggest difference will be the water clarity. Fish hate dirty cold water and that's just what those recent storms brought with them. There is still some clear water but that will probably change again as Saturdays' forecast looks like more wet stuff. If you do come across some bedding fish be prepared with the good ole' JIGDINGER tipped with a Paca Craw. If you're just fishing, a 10" plastic worm Texas rigged is working pretty well. Darker colors are preferred. That combination makes it easier for the bass to find and eat it. Here's a tip. Don't use to heavy of a weight when fishing this shallow. Floating icky grass will accumulate on your bait and that's not good. For those of you that have fished Talquin before you know what I'm talking about...

February 12, 2013

February fishing on Lake Talquin is en fuego! Up to now that is. We'll just have to wait and see what this cold front is gonna do but in the mean time bass and crappie fishing has been very good. With Lake TAlquin water temps in the low to mid 60's something happened I've never seen on Lake TAlquin before and that's all the fish that have moved up to bed. Again, look for that to change by the weekend but if you can manage to get out between the raindrops you're gonna catch something if you stay shallow. That's right, shallow water fishing in February. There's even been a topwater bite. Big popper's worked slowly in clear water areas in the back of creeks and pockets are just aggravating enough to a big mamma bass she just might explode on it. Also fish spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, swimbaits and big Texas rigged worms around structure and vegetation. Now, all of you that know me understand what a HUGE fan of sight fishing I am. This is like a dream this year. With clearer water than normal and bass from one end of the lake to the other in the shallows, well let's just say I like it! #1 go to bait for the big females sitting on the nest is nothing other than the JIGDINGER. Pair that with a Watermelonseed Paca Craw trailer and you might just put that trophy of a lifetime in the boat. Of course you gotta know what you're looking for. That's where I come in. If you want some stellar shallow water fishing then head to Lake TAlquin. If you've never been and want some more information go ahead and send me an e-mail. That's info@fishtallahassee.com.

With spring like conditions the fish are all confused. Water temp is reaching the high 60"s with the fish moving up in the morning then going back in mid-noon when the water warms up.

Right now the creeks are loaded with bait so the bass are right there with them. Early morning bite is best with swim baits, rattle traps, and spinner baits. An 11 lbs bass was caught and it had a tag on it. FWC is putting tags on large fish (in Lake Talquin) so if you catch one take that tag off and give call FCW to get your $100.

At the time of this writing water temperature on Lake Talquin is way above normal.  If warmer weather continues look for fish to move into their February pattern sooner than normal.

That would consist of more bass being found near the upper end of the lake near Williams Landing and creeks on the West side of the lake.  Bass will stage near spawning flats on points and drop offs close to the river channel.

But if cold weather comes through and water temps drop into the low 50’s and high 40’s, river channel ledges will be the place to be.  Believe it or not current can actually be warmer than cold stagnant water.  Bass are very lethargic in cold water but will still eat when the opportunity arises.  That means you must slow down.  Carolina rigged worms and lizards are the number 1 choice for local Talquin anglers.  But those who spend more time out there and search for bigger fish will opt for a Jig and Pig, or large Texas rigged worm.  Crank baits work also but bass will not chase them as far in the cooler water.

On sunny days look for bass to be hiding out in thick vegetation close to the river.  Thick mats of grass or hyacinths make for a great place to hunker down and wait for an easy meal.  Flipping is the technique best suited for mining fish out of heavy cover.  Long heavy rod, braided line and heavy weights are all used when flipping or pitching in these situations.  Small soft plastic creature baits in Blue/Black or Junebug are my #1 bait for this.

So far this year crappie fisherman are doing pretty well.  Limits to 50 have been reported and lots of fish are coming from the Ochlockonee River below hgwy 90.  This should continue through January and into February.  Although not set in stone, crappie will follow the bait.  If the lower end of the lake gets colder than the river you’ll find them their.  Trolling is the preferred method with drifting live minnow a close second.  Windy days are hard to keep a boat straight and troll but you can almost always find a creek on lake Talquin to get out of the wind.  If you do have to troll the main lake on windy days, make sure to drift with the wind as fish will almost always face current when searching for prey. 

For those of you that have not been to Lake Talquin there are several county and State parks around the lake with day and overnight camping.  Also local convenience stores carry bait and a small tackle supply.  Once on the Lake The Whipporwill marina located on the Gadsen county side has bait, tackle, ice food and drink.  Most of this information along with license information can be found on my website www.fishtallahassee.com .

Until next month, be safe, have fun and ALWAYS wear a life jacket while boating!

Lake Talquin bass fishing is hit or miss with the weather.  Most bass are in the backs of creeks and can be caught on a variety of shalow baits.  Look for bass to be hanging around docks or lily pads near the creek channels.

This October could be the year of the Striped Bass on Lake Talquin.  Many stripes over 20lbs have been caught this past year with 8-12lbers the common theme.  October marks the start of the fall fishing season and linesides will travel miles a day chasing big schools of jumbo shad.  Yes, jumbo shad.  I’ve seen gizzard shad up to a pound come out of the gullet of a filleted striper.  Cloudy days are best, with most action coming near the surface.  Watch for diving birds and schooling action on top.  Throw walking baits such as a Zara Spook or a twitch/jerk bait that makes a lot of commotion like a Pencil Popper.  Keep colors simple, White, Blue, with a mixture of Chrome.  For equipment use a beefier rig than you normal bass stuff.  7’6” M/H Deep South Rod, teamed with an Abu Garcia 5500 series reel spooled with 20lb test Trilene Big Game mono should do it.  Don’t use Flourocarbon with top water baits.  The line has no bouyancy and will keep the nose of your lure down making it difficult to achieve its’ function.  On sunny days when fish stay deep, switch to a jigging spoon or White 1oz hair jig with a white trailer for bouncing off the bottom.

And while most tree stands keep the seasonal fisherman occupied, now’s a perfect time to chase largemouth bass.  As water temps drop and most creeks become havens for feeding bass, schooling activity can bring 50 fish days.  Like striped bass, largemouth will also start to feed heavily for the winter ahead.  Primarily feeding on shad, bass can be found close behind the large schools of bait.  Top water baits to try include White Buzzbaits, Pop “R”, Torpedo and even a frog fished near vegetation.  Couple of my favorite fall lures include the Zoom Super Fluke, Rapala floating minnow (7”), and White spinnerbaits.

Each fall, Crappie fisherman look forward to October.  They know these tasty guys will also be found nearby schools of shad still in the main river.  Trolling is the preferred method of not only locating active fish but also catching them.  Double rigs trolled behind your watercraft about 1mph should do the trick.  Adjusting your speed and depth will also help you consistantly put fish in the boat throughout the day.  

Listen to report below.

So far this season we’ve seen abnormally warm weather, extreme drought followed by flooding, winds out of the East on a regular basis and most of the fish are being caught from the river end of Lake Talquin.  I wonder why that is?  With water temps ranging from high 80’s to the mid 90’s in July, here’s my theory. 

As water temps have warmed so quickly the damn end of the lake is 2 -3 degrees warmer than the other.  With all the rain falling the past couple months it’s created not only current but cooler temps throughout the day.  History suggests early mornings and late afternoons are best for schooling bass but not this year.  Fishing almost gets better as the sun gets higher.  This pushes bait fish into tight little groups and hungry bass wait eagerly below for a chance to feed.  Not quite sure what triggers the bass to attack the big balls of bait, but when they do action becomes fast and furious. 

The river end of the lake is much shallower than the dam end so you have to rig appropriately.  When using crank baits you need to downsize your depth or make equipment adjustments like heavier line.  For the most part we use 12 – 14lb test flourocarbon, but when fishing the river end I like to use 15 – 20lb line.  I also like to slow my reel so I switch from my 6:1-1 Curado to the 5:1-1.  This won’t let me crank fast and get the bait as deep.  Ledges at this end may top out at 3’ or 4’ deep compared to the average ledge at the dam end of 10’ – 12’ deep. 

Firetiger for crank baits is the more dominant color just like Black, Junebug and Red shad provides more contrast when fishing soft plastics and jigs in the stained water of the river end.  I also like to change to a crank bait with a wide wobble.  One of my favorite crank baits is a Bomber 8A, but when fishing the river end I prefer the wider wobble of the Fat Free Shad or the 5XD. 

When fishing bottom worms, Carolina rigs or Jigs, I down size my weights too.  C-rig weight drops from 3/4oz to 1/2oz.  Texas rigs change from 3/8oz to 1/4oz and my jig size drops from 3/4oz football to 5/8 or 1/2oz respectively.  Another key for success is rod selection.  I use nothing but Deep South Fishing Rods for all my fishing situations.  With over 30 freshwater models available there’s a rod for each technique we’ve discussed.  I drop my C-rig from 7’4” to 7’2”, my jig rod down to 7’, and my crank bait rod from 7’4” to 7’.  I don’t need the distance to get as deep or make such long casts and the smaller rod is easier to handle on those hot August days.

 So when preparing for your August bass fishing trip to Lake Talquin next time stay below Goat Island back to Coes’ Landing.

Brim fishing has once again been stellar this year on Lake Talquin.  Main lake pockets, creeks and backwaters have tons of brim beds in them especially on the full moons.  Watch for the May fly hatch as there’s no time like that to fill a cooler up with hand sized brim in a hurry if you can find one.  Usual places to look are overhanging trees on main lake points.  Worms, crickets or small spinners will all work well.    

Fishing is poor. Bass are slugish but are in 12-15 foot deep. Water temp is in high 80's with waters stained.

In Talquin the fishing is hot. There is a mayfly hatch that has the shad going crazy wich means that the bass are chasing the shad. There is an agressive topwater morning bite once the sun rises you are going to want to switch to deeper diving  crank baits 10-12 ft.

-       Bite well past weeks, top water in the morning.

-       Buzz bait or soft plastic jerk bait near the lily pads.

-       A lot of fish are in the post spawn so you have to slow down.

-       Crappie fishing is doing well.

-       Troll in the afternoon.

-       Brim fishing around the sandbars during the full moon.

- A lot of rain in the afternoon.

- Creeks are muddy.

- Water temp- high 80s to low 90s

- Early morning near the mouths of the creeks on top water.

- Baby torpedoes.

- Carolina rigs during the mid day.

-Water Temp- 80s

-Bass and shad done spawning and moved into creek channel and main ledges.

-Trolling is best way to catch the crappie that are left and moved into deeper waters.

-Carolina rig or crank bait work best for fish.

As we move into the month of May during 2012, we find conditions similar to already being into June.  Water temps are already in the 80’s, the bass and shad are done spawning and have moved onto creek channel and main lake ledges.  This month let’s get just a little more technical with the definition of a ledge, and the equipment I think is vital for locating and eventually catching ledge fish. First, the definition of a ledge is: (1)  A narrow horizontal surface projecting from a wall, cliff or other surface.  (2) An underwater ridge.  Ledges can be almost any depth, and can be found all around the lake.  Most common ledges fished are found adjacent to creek channels or the main river channel.  Ledges can change depths quickly, or start with a slope ending with a drastic depth change.  First thing to do when locating ledges is a good topographical map of the lake.  These can be found in many area tackle shops or on-line.  Next you’ll need a depth finder/GPS combo.  This is very important especially with the split screen feature when searching for ledges and fish. The GPS makes life a whole lot easier when trying to go back to previously found places.  Todays advanced marine electronics are relatively inexpensive and are easy to operate.  Once new areas are located simply press a button to save the location for future reference.  During early summer months on Lake Talquin, some of the best ledges peak between 9’ and 12’.  Bait is key, but structure also plays a big role in which ledge to fish.  Find the bait and the fish should be close by, but structure will also hold “resident fish”.  The bigger bass will have the best place to live on the structure, and not to worry.  Normally when one bass is caught from the area, a new one will move to that place before too long.  Some of the most successful Lake Talquin Bass anglers have multiple spots that hold fish on specific pieces of structure.

 Now let’s talk a little about the way we fish Lake Talquin ledges.  The two most productive ways are with a Carolina rig or crank bait.  When fishing either method, you’ll need a good reel, with a high speed retrieve and can cast a long way.  Long casts are very important to reach all side of the ledge your fishing.  The high speed retrieve is needed to take up slack before setting the hook when fishing the bottom with a Carolina or Texas rigged bait.  It must also hold an adequate amount of big line, such as 17lb or 20lb test Flourocarbon.  Several companies such as Shimano, Diawa and Quantam all make reels with these specifications.  Next, is the rod.  This could just as easily be the most important.  Long, medium heavy to heavy action rods are a must.  I prefer a minimum of 7’2” length, and split that time with my 7’6” rods.  Although I do use an 8’ rod sometimes when throwing crankbaits.   Deep South Fishing Rods makes a half a dozen different models to choose from for this in both bait casting and spinning rods.  Visit www.deepsouthfishingrods.net for more rod information.  The type of line used plays a big part.  When fishing a Carolina rig or crank bait, the main line I prefer is Flourocarbon.  It’s more sensitive, has less stretch, and is less visible than mono but prone to nick and fray quicker.  Some fisherman like braid for their main line but I do not recommend it.  There is virtually no stretch and puts too much pressure on your flourocarbon or monofiliment leader when using a “c” rig causing it to break easily at the hook or swivel.  For terminal tackle, inexpensive is the way to go.  Fishing all that trash that Lake Talquin ledges hold I promise you you’re gonna go through some hooks and swivels.  I use less expensive during practice but ALWAYS change to the better hooks such as OWNER, when it counts.  One good point to remember is you’re using heavy equipment chasing big fish.  So a thicker wire big hook in a 4/0, 5/0 or 6/0 is VERY important.  Crank bait hooks come in many different sizes and styles, but your rods ability to play the fish will make more difference.  As far as baits, go big most of the time.  Lizards, worms or Senkos are all good choices when fishing a “c” rig.  For colors, try Junebug, Redbug or Green Pumpkin.  When throwing crankbaits, there are lot’s to choose from.  This time of year pick one that runs to 12’ deep, using 12lb test in both firetiger and shad patterns.  We could go on and on but we’ll save that for next months’ issue.  Don’t miss the deep water jig article for June!n but we’ll save
 Crappie fisherman are glad to be done with April.  Now fish have finished spawning and have moved to deeper water.  Trolling is the best way to catch them.  From the mouth of the creeks to main lake edges near creek mouths in 20’ of water is a good place to find them.  Troll double rigs in these areas for best results.  It’s also a good time to learn your electronics.  Find the bait and the fish will not be far behind.

 For those of you that have never been to Lake Jackson, it’s loaded with big fish and at any time you can catch that trophy you’ve always wanted.  With water levels on Lake Jackson still very low, there’s limited access even for smaller boats.  For those of you with smaller boats and Kayaks, jerk baits and swim baits have been taking their fair share of big fish.  Reports of bass exceeding 10lbs have come in.  Let’s keep our fingers crossed we get another 6-10” of rain and we might be able to have our Thursday night tournaments again.So until next time, be safe, have fun and always wear a life jacket while boating!      

I know, I know, been a while since the last report...Water temps are in the low 80's which is warmer than normal so that means most bass are in total post spawn mode.  Heading toward deeper water Lake Talquin bass are staging on creek channel points and ledges.  Find them with your electornics and search baits like medium diving crankbaits.  Once located, slow down and use a Carolina Rigged Lizard or worm in dark colors.

Out of town for the week. Will have report next week.

Lake Talquin is high and stained with water temps reaching into the low 80's in some creeks.  Lots of big bass were caught on the last full moon with bedding bass all over the lake.  Fish have been on bed now for almost 3 months, so fish are in all three stages of the spawn.  Early in the morning there is also a pretty good shad spawn happening right now and bass are exploding on these tasty little guys in lily pads in backs of creeks and main lake pockets.  One pattern I had this past week included floating matts of hyacinths that had shad all over them first thing in the morning.  Someone came through and sprayed all the creeks and by Friday, there was Brown vegetation everywhere.  Though some shad still stayed in the area, most left for "Greener" pastures, thus taking the bass with them.  A few creeks to look in is Little River, Rocky comfort and Blount Creek.  Pop "R", buzzbaits and Baby Torpedos were all very effective over the past week in taking both numbers of bass and big bass.  My biggest was 8lbs, but hung a couple more in the 10lb to 12lb range.  As the sun comes up spinnerbaits, rattle traps and shallow running crankbaits fished on the first drop outside the pads will get you some bites.  Few fish are on the main lake ledges, but with all the warm weatherf headed our way this week look for that to change very soon.  This big fish in the pick was taken on a Japanese made Pop "R" using a Deep South Rod 6'6" top water Elite Rod.

With recent rains, Lake Talquin is back to normal and now stained to muddy depending on what part of the lake you go to.  Water temps are running in the low to mid 60's, and you know what that means!  Bass among other species have moved to the shallows.  We've been catching bass off the beds over the past month, but this last full moon has really pushed them up.  To catch these, try buzz baits, swimbaits or Bang O Lures early in the am.  Once the sun comes up you can drag a short Carolina rigged lizard around lily pads and shallow stumps.  If you do come across a bedding bass you can see, it's time to tie on the Jigdinger tipped with a Pace Craw trailer.  
For crappie enthusiasts it's lily pads with minnows.  Low light conditions are best suited for catching them in the pads, so as the sun comes up and the bite slows, move to the first drop off and troll small jigs and spinners.  There are still some bigger females being caught in 8-10' of water and the best place to find those is points and turns in the creek channels.