Lake Jackson fishing: Bluegill
Target species: Bluegill
Best months: Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug for Bluegill
Boat: 8 ramps and launches on file for this water.
Start here: Launch at Rhoden Cove Landing, 1 lane, concrete.
The lake
Lake Jackson covers 3,695 acres in Florida, across Leon County. It is a lake: 90.5% of it is 9 feet deep or less; the deepest point measured is at least 20 feet (6.1 m). Our records hold 23 species for this water.
The target fish: Bluegill
- Bluegill (bream) — Best months: Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug. Holds in shallow flats and spillways. What works here: worm, cricket and beetle-spin.
Where to fish
The state names these places on this water: Sunset Landing. The biggest launch for them is Rhoden Cove Landing.
Depth and bottom
Deepest measured point: at least 20 ft (6.1 m). That is the deepest contour line: the bottom goes deeper. 90.5% of the water is 9 feet or shallower. We hold 145 depth contour lines for this water.
- 0–1 ft: 10.4% of the water
- 1–3 ft: 10.3% of the water
- 3–4 ft: 7% of the water
- 4–5 ft: 9.6% of the water
- 5–6 ft: 11.2% of the water
- 6–7 ft: 11.4% of the water
- 7–8 ft: 18.5% of the water
- 8–9 ft: 12.1% of the water
- 9–10 ft: 5.1% of the water
- 10–12 ft: 4.2% of the water
- 12–14 ft: 0.1% of the water
Water and conditions
Water temperature averages 72°F across the year. The coldest single reading we hold is 48°F and the warmest is 91°F; the warmest monthly average is 86°F. pH averages 6.8. These readings span 2016–2025.
Stocking: 9,570 fish in 2016
FWC records list 9,570 fish released into this water in 2016. The latest stocking on record is from 2016, more than three years ago.
- Bluegill: 9,570 fingerlings in 2016
8 ramps and launches on this water
On this water we hold 4 trailer ramps, 1 boat ramp and 3 hand launches.
- Sunset Landing Park - Boat Ramp — 1 lane, concrete, parking for 6 trailers (firm unpaved), no fee, flush restrooms, dock. Tallahassee, Leon County. Jackson Cove Road, Tallahassee 32303 · website cms.leoncountyfl.gov/Home/Departments/Office-of-Resource-Stewardship/Parks-and-Recreation/Boat-Landings?page23314=1&size23314=50
- Rhoden Cove Landing — 1 lane, concrete, parking for 8 trailers, no fee, needs repair. Tallahassee, Leon County. Rhoden Cove Road, Tallahassee 32312 · website cms.leoncountyfl.gov/Home/Departments/Office-of-Resource-Stewardship/Parks-and-Recreation/Boat-Landings?page23314=1&size23314=50
- Crowder Road Landing — 1 lane, concrete, parking for 3 trailers (paved), no fee. Tallahassee, Leon County. end of Crowder Road, Tallahassee 32303 · website cms.leoncountyfl.gov/Home/Departments/Office-of-Resource-Stewardship/Parks-and-Recreation/Boat-Landings?page23314=1&size23314=50
- Faulk Landing — 1 lane, sand, no fee. Tallahassee, Leon County. end of Faulk Drive, Tallahassee 32303 · website cms.leoncountyfl.gov/Home/Departments/Office-of-Resource-Stewardship/Parks-and-Recreation/Boat-Landings?page23314=1&size23314=50
- Fuller Landing — Tallahassee, Leon County. 1294 Fuller Landing Road, Tallahassee 32303 · website cms.leoncountyfl.gov/Home/Departments/Office-of-Resource-Stewardship/Parks-and-Recreation/Boat-Landings?page23314=1&size23314=50
Car-top and kayak launches — no trailer
- Meginnis Arm Canoe Landing — hand launch, grass, parking for 4 cars, no fee, daylight hours. Tallahassee, Leon County. Meginnis Arm Rd., off Lakeshore Dr., Tallahassee 32312 · website cms.leoncountyfl.gov/Home/Departments/Office-of-Resource-Stewardship/Parks-and-Recreation/Boat-Landings?page23314=1&size23314=50
- Miller Landing Canoe Launch — hand launch, sand, parking for 10 trailers (firm unpaved), open around the clock. Tallahassee, Leon County. end of Miller Landing Road, Tallahassee 32312 · website cms.leoncountyfl.gov/Home/Departments/Office-of-Resource-Stewardship/Parks-and-Recreation/Boat-Landings?page23314=1&size23314=50
- Sunset Landing Park - Canoe Launch — hand launch. Tallahassee, Leon County. 4800 Jackson Cove Road, Tallahassee 32303 · website cms.leoncountyfl.gov/Home/Departments/Office-of-Resource-Stewardship/Parks-and-Recreation/Boat-Landings?page23314=1&size23314=50
5 of the 8 places listed have both a fee and opening hours on file: a blank means we hold no such field, not that it is free or always open, and this list may not be complete.
What is hard here
With 90.5% of the water 9 feet or less, low level turns the flats into hazards. Winter water drops to 56°F, and the warm-water species stop feeding well before you do. Alligators live in Florida fresh water. Keep clear of the bank edge at dawn and dusk, and keep pets away from it. Summer water sits at 86°F: heat and afternoon lightning are the real risks, not the fishing.
Where this data comes from
- Florida FWC — FWC Florida lake bathymetry: class A, a survey of the bottom.
