Lake Blackshear Fishing Report – April 2024

Blackshear: Level: Full pool at 237. Temp: 63-65 degrees. Clarity: Muddy.

Bass: Tournament angler Chris Gray reports, “Bass fishing has been really good lately, with most of the fish still in the prespawn phase. I expect the spawn to kick off somewhere around March 25 down around Spring Creek and will continue throughout the month of April all over the lake. With the lake being so muddy, it will be hard to see bed fish. Watch to see big wakes given off by bass chasing bream out of their beds. They should be a little more aggressive this year with the muddy water. You can target the bed fish with any type of small jig or creature bait. A Zoom Baby Brush Hog works really well. They like to spawn in the backs of coves with sandy bottoms. Cypress trees are a plus. They will sometimes spawn on, in and around the roots of the trees. To target bass in general, throw a spinnerbait around the trees and grass. White or white and chartreuse work really well. Topwater should be heating up as the month goes on, with the shad spawn starting toward the end of the month. A white buzzbait or a popping-style frog worked around grass edges and seawalls is always a good way to start the morning. Of course, a Texas-rigged worm or creature bait in junebug or black with red flake will get you bit all month long.” 

Bream: Chris Gray reports, “The first wave of bream to bed will be the shellcracker, and they should go on bed around March 25. Sandy flats in 3 to 5 feet of water are where to target them. You can catch them using red wigglers tightlining on the bottom or under a cork. They will eat a cricket, too, but they seem to prefer worms over crickets. I wouldn’t be surprised if some bluegill started to bed with them. The bream fishing is about to be really good. May is my favorite month to bream fish Blackshear, but April is definitely a close second.” 

Crappie: Chris Gray reports, “I sound like a broken record, but the crappie are also just about ready to go on bed. By the time this report is published, it should be on like Donkey Kong. Target shallow docks in 3 to 6 feet of water in the backs of coves. The big females will actually lay their eggs on the dock posts, and the males will be there, as well. You can use small crappie jigs, but I prefer a trusty minnow fished under a cork. They also like to bed around cypress trees. I like the trees that are in about 5 feet of water. Cedar Creek or Boy Scout Slough are good places to go. You can catch a limit of big fish quickly this month. Y’all have fun and stay safe.”