PFA Fishing Reports – April 2006

Marben Farm PFA: Level: Full. Clarity: Clear. Temp.: 60 to 62 degrees.

Bass: Plastic worms in black, blue and purple have been effective. Jigs have also been productive for some anglers. Most of the bass caught are in the 2- to 3-lb. range, with a few larger ones being caught as they begin to move into shallower water. The bass should move up to spawn this week as the weather gets warm again.

Crappie: White and chartreuse jigs retrieved slowly under a float or by trolling have produced good catches in Fox, Bennett and Margery lakes. Crappie in Fox Lake are running around 1 1/2 pounds. They are not as large in Margery Lake, but anglers are typically catching more in Margery.
Bream: Waxworms and pink worms fished on the bottom have produced some good catches in Shepherd and Dairy ponds, as well as in several of the other smaller ponds.

Paradise PFA: Level: All lakes are at full pool. Temp: 65-66 degrees. Clarity: Lightly stained. Lake Patrick has 36-inch visibility. Some lakes are beginning to show a slight algae bloom.

Bass: Fair. The spawning season is coming to an end at Paradise PFA, and bass are starting to feed more aggressively. Anglers are catching 2- to 3-lb. bass on Carolina-rigged, six- to 7 1/2-inch plastic worms. Red shad, tequila shad, and pumpkinseed have been the best colors. Fish the shoreline cover with the plastic worm, fishing it slowly. Lakes Patrick, Bobben, and Beaver have been good. Anglers are also reporting good luck with flukes in albino, white pearl, and Tennessee shad. Some action has been reported on topwater baits, and this should improve through April and May.

Crappie: Fair. Crappie are biting in six to eight feet of water using 1/32- to 1/16-oz. float-rigged jigs. The 1 1/2-inch tube jigs are performing the best, with anglers reporting some 1- to 1 1/2-lb. crappie being caught in Lake Patrick. Crappie have been hitting blue/white, black/green, and chartreuse jigs in lakes Patrick, Russell, Horseshoe 4, and Paradise. Minnow fishing is not allowed.

Bream: Good. Redear are biting in lakes Russell, Patrick, and Lake Horseshoe 3 on red wigglers fished on the bottom six- to eight-feet deep. Redear should begin bedding by the middle of April and will peak around the first part of June. Look for beds, and fish just off the bottom using light tackle. Nice 1/2-lb. redear have been caught this month, and anglers are reporting catching 10 to 15 redear each trip. Bluegill fishing should really start pick up in May. Tacklebuster has already produced some good catches. Fish crickets in three to four feet of water just off the bottom, and use the lightest line possible. Four- to 6-lb. test is perfect. Bluegill are starting to bed and are being caught along grass edges and shallow cover on crickets and popping bugs. Bream fishing should continue to improve.
Channel Catfish: Fair. Catfish anglers have reported hanging and hauling in a few good fish, ranging in the 4- to 5-lb. size, from lakes Patrick and Paradise using pond worms and mullet gut. Catfishing should pick up by the end of April and steadily improve on through June as water temperatures warm and catfish begin to feed more aggressively.