MLF: Big Fish Galore at Lake Jordan, Raleigh NC

MLF: Big Fish Galore — Lake Jordan, Raleigh, NC
An unforgettable day of big bites and heavier limits.

🎣 Kelly Jordon Dominates with 82 Pounds in Shotgun Round 1

Lake Jordan showed out in Major League Fishing’s Raleigh event, producing massive limits and nonstop action.
Pro Kelly Jordon (KJ) led the way with over 82 pounds of bass in just one round — one of the most impressive days in MLF history.

“Anytime you catch 82 pounds in a day of fishing is an awesome day, and I didn’t want to quit,”
— Kelly Jordon

The Jordan Lake Reservoir covers 13,940 acres and features 180 miles of shoreline, offering a perfect mix of shallow coves, creek channels, and spawning structure — a bass fisherman’s dream.

MLF Pro Kelly Jordon led the field with over 82 pounds.

🌸 Prespawn Patterns Emerging

Fish at Lake Jordan are in classic prespawn mode, moving from deeper wintering holes toward shallow staging areas.
Water temperatures hover between 55–60°F, slightly warmer in the backs of creeks where sunlight lingers longer.

Kelly Jordon stayed shallow — 1 to 4 feet deep, targeting grass edges and small ambush points near transitional banks.

🌊 Back-of-Creek Bites

Many pros keyed in on creek channels and breaklines leading toward spawning flats — exactly where prespawn females stage before pushing up to beds.

The productive combo?
A bladed swim jig (Chatterbait / JackHammer) slow-rolled through submerged grass. The strike zones were 10–15 ft off the bank, where water clarity transitioned from stained to green.

Z-Man JackHammer Bladed Jig — JackHammer Bladed Jig — A springtime favorite.

🔥 MDJ on the Move

Mark Daniels Jr. (MDJ) stayed consistent flipping big jigs into isolated wood cover on secondary points halfway back in creeks.
He mixed in flat-sided crankbaits, squarebills, chatterbaits, and swimbaits for a versatile presentation that matched lake conditions.

MLF Pro Mark Daniels Jr. (MDJ) — MLF Pro Mark Daniels Jr. dialing into the prespawn pattern.

⚙️ Proven Spring Bait Arsenal

During this event, most successful patterns revolved around reaction-style baits triggering strikes from aggressive prespawn fish.

Lipless crankbaits over grass
Bladed jigs (JackHammer / Chatterbait) in shad or bluegill colors
Big spinnerbaits with orange Colorado blades
Flat-sided crankbaits for cooler stained water

Orange Colorado blades spinnerbait — Bright orange Colorado blades excel in stained pre-spawn water.

🌡️ Water Conditions

Temperature: 55–60°F
Depth Range: 1–6 ft zones near spawning flats
Best Structure: Grass edges, creek channel transitions, and submerged wood
Water Clarity: Light stain from spring run-off

Bass were staging roughly 15 feet off the banks, waiting for a stable warm-up before moving to their nests.

🎯 Takeaway

Lake Jordan is living up to its reputation as a big-bass powerhouse.
With warming water, rising fish movement, and proven prespawn baits like the JackHammer, it’s only going to get hotter from here.

Expect explosive action as the season continues — and more giant bass reports from the Raleigh MLF rounds.

Tight lines!
@ksbigbass 🎣