Jackson Lake

Jackson Lake is a reservoir in San Juan County, New Mexico, and covers about 72.9 acres, reaches about 20.2 feet at its deepest point and holds roughly 911 acre-feet.

Jackson Lake is compact enough to fish slowly, but a change in weeds or bottom can still split it into separate patterns.

Fish and Baits

Fish listed for Jackson Lake include Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, and Rainbow Trout.

The first bluegill pass on Jackson Lake should use a small jig, worm, or tiny plastic around green weeds and protected pockets.

While looking for largemouth bass on Jackson Lake, work a soft plastic, jig, or spinnerbait around weeds and protected cover.

For channel catfish on Jackson Lake, fish cut bait or a nightcrawler on the bottom along a channel edge or warm flat.

One direct rainbow trout tactic on Jackson Lake is to cast a small spoon, inline spinner, light jig, or fly through cool water.

How to Read the Water

To narrow down Jackson Lake, start where two things meet: weeds and open water, rock and mud, a point and a drop, or clear water and dirty water; fish that edge at more than one depth before leaving it.

Season by Season

The early check on Jackson Lake should stay simple: in spring, start with warming banks, creek mouths, and shallow cover; summer usually pushes the better bite toward the outside weed edge or a nearby drop; fall can bring bait back to windblown points, while winter calls for smaller moves and a slower pace.

A Simple Tackle Plan

For a short trip to Jackson Lake, a light spinning rod, thin line, a few small spoons, inline spinners, and jigs cover the listed trout; carry one slightly heavier setup when other fish or windy water call for more control.

The first look at Jackson Lake should cover this: record the wind, water color, productive depth, and cover after a bite; those four notes are more useful on the next trip than a long list of spots that did not produce.