Paradise PFA Fishing Report – April 2009

Paradise PFA: Reports by Area Manager Charles West. Levels: All lakes are at or near full pool. Temp: 68 degrees. Clarity: Lakes lightly stained. Lake Patrick has 36-inch visibility.

Bass: Bass are starting to feed a little more aggressively. Anglers are catching 2- to 3-lb. bass on Carolina-rigged 6- to 7 1/2-inch plastic worms. Red shad, tequila shad and pumpkinseed have been the best.

Crappie: Fair. Crappie are biting in 6 to 8 feet of water using 1/32- to 1/16-oz. float-rigged jigs. Anglers have had good luck fishing the 1 1/2-inch tube jigs in Lake Patrick. Crappie have also been hitting blue and white, black and green and chartreuse jigs in Lakes Patrick, Tacklebuster and Horseshoe 2.

Bream: Good. Redear are biting in lakes Bobben, Patrick and Horseshoe 2. The best bait has been red wigglers fished on the bottom 6 to 8 feet deep. Redear normally begin bedding by the middle of April and will peak around the first part of June. Bluegill have started to bed and are being caught along grass edges and shallow cover on crickets and popper bugs. Lake Patrick, Horseshoe 4 and Horseshoe 2 have been the best. Fish crickets in 3 to 4 feet of water just off the bottom, and use the lightest weight line possible. Bream fishing should continue to improve over the next few months.

Catfish: Fair. Reports of 2-lb. channel catfish caught on chicken liver in Patrick and Horseshoe 1.