Alton Jones , Jr .
Waco , Texas
PRESPAWN WATERS : Lake Whitney , Texas
Lake Whitney is the home water and favorite lake of Alton Jones Jr . The 17,000-acre impoundment is a highland , clear-water fishery .
“ It has a lot of rock , but not a lot of cover ,” he says . “ It fishes similarly to Grand Lake .”
Key conditions / habitat
Large flats are likely to draw the most fish and carry the heaviest spawn .
“ These are your major sanctuaries ,” Jones says . “ I ’ m looking for large populations of fish , so I go to the biggest flat and start there . Flats are big nurseries . Grass grows best on them . They have bushes , stumps , lots of habitat . Flats make the world go round .”
Prespawn strategy on any water hinges on several big factors , but water temperature leads the list .
“ If the lake has a lot of backwater areas , a hot day isn ’ t even necessary ,” Jones says . “ All you need is sunshine to warm the fish . Even a nice sunny 50-degree day will heat them up .”
On lakes without shallow backwaters for spawning , he looks for flats on a north bank open to a warming south wind .
“ Across the country , those early season south winds blow winter out ,” Jones explains . “ In Texas , south winds carrying warm air from the Gulf of Mexico are warming north banks , which may be 7 to 8 degrees warmer than areas on the south end of the lake . A large grassy flat open to a south wind is a recipe for a phenomenal day of fishing .”
Jones looks for prime entry points to the flats , stair steps or pathways into prime spawning areas : “ Small , subtle ditches are highways for these fish – if you can find them ,” he says .
Keep in mind that …
There will be a wave of fresh , unpressured early spawners before lake water reaches textbook spawning temperature .
“ First , I ’ m looking for that initial group of fish coming up ,” Jones says . “ These are usually your biggest fish – and your dumbest . They ’ ve been deep and inactive all throughout winter .”
“ Flats make the world go round .”
Favorite baits and techniques
In the mid-50s , aggressive prespawn fish succumb to faster presentations with big spinnerbaits and bladed jigs or to jigs pitched to cover . As water warms , bass get moody and amorous and seem to lose interest in moving baits .
“ Sixty degrees is the magic number ,” Jones posits . “ At times it may be even 57 or 58 . At that point , I think there is no such thing as a bait worked ‘ too slow .’”
His key “ slow-down baits ” are as follows : a 5- to 6-inch Senko-style worm fished with a light weight to ensure a quick drop and to keep the bait on the bed ; a Geecrack Baobab Hog ( a beaver-style bait with large twin tails ) and the Geecrack Bellows Gill , a corrugated bluegill-shaped bait with a writhing , crawling action .
“ The Bellows Gill is a big-bodied bait and a great bluegill imitator ,” says Jones , who Texas-rigs the bait with a 5 / 0 straight-shank hook . “ I always have the 3.8-inch version tied on . It ’ s great for kicker fish .”
Tips & Tricks :
The first wave of spawning fish gives you an opportunity for your day of a lifetime or your fish of a lifetime .
Best bites often come in the afternoon as water temperatures climb .
“ I would rather have the water temperature trending upward . The trend is more important than the temperature itself .”
ALTON ’ S SUPERB SOFT PLASTICS Geecrack Yam Stick 5.8 ” in bug bomb , Geecrack Bellows Gill 3.8 ” in green pumpkin candy gill and Geecrack Baobab Hog EX in black / blue .
46 MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM | FEBRUARY-MARCH 2022