Looking at my schedule for the week - don't take long when you are retired- I decided I had to fish Monday. Then I see the weather channel is predicting some moderate winds, 10 mph -you KNOW how that works out- from the NNW, so I am thinking Robeson Creek runs pretty much east west, so I can be out of the strongest gusts. After a couple of honey- dos, I finally backed down the ramp about 11:30. Lo and behold, there is about 100 yards of open water at the ramp, then the Creek is frozen in all the way out to the Haw River.
Now, I have, in a previous life, busted ice to get to where I wanted to fish. But that was in an aluminum boat. And that can be a little scary if the ice moves around and blocks you from returning. So yea, I chickened out and went looking for a place to launch.
Based on wind predictions, I decided to go to Farrington -didn't matter, out on the main lake, it was windy everywhere. Finally found some fish in 22 ft on the edge of the channel break but directly in the wind. First drop hooked me a 13 1/2" in slab. Five minutes later, I got hits on both rods and caught a 12" and an 11". Then I went dry for a while, but the sun came out and the wind shifted slightly to the west and it was on. I had my limit by 3 pm and just dinked around trying to make sense of the pattern.
I used four different colors of jigs and caught 90% of my fish on black/blue/chartreuse Mr. Crappie Jokers. That's all you need to know- how deep and what color.
Water temp was 38- coldest I've ever seen on Jordan Lake. Birds were diving on dead shad in Parker's Creek when I came back from Robeson. Near as I could tell, there was only one other boat on the North end of the lake. Fish have definitely left the deepest parts of the lake and are anticipating spring, as are the fishermen.
