Paradise PFA Fishing Report – December 2008

Paradise PFA: Level: Most lakes remain 12 to 18 inches below full pool. Temp: 62 degrees. Clarity: Lakes are clear to lightly stained. Report filed by Charles West, Paradise PFA Manager.

Bass: Fair. Several anglers are still reporting bass being caught using crankbaits. Shad Raps and Rat-L-Traps have been the best choices. Fish over drops in Lake Patrick and deeper water along dams and around drain structures. Also, some anglers report catching keeper-sized bass in Lake Patrick by fishing Rat-L-Traps for the first hour in the morning casting into schools of feeding bass.

Crappie: Good. Crappie are biting in 3 to 4 feet of water using 1/32- to 1/16-oz. float-rigged jigs. Crappie have been hitting blue-and-white and black-and-green jigs in Tacklebuster and Patrick.

Catfish: Fair. Although catfishing has slowed, anglers are still having good luck in Horseshoe 1. Best bet is to fish deep water along the dam using mullet gut for bait.

Bream: Fair. Bream fishing has been somewhat slow for most, but a few anglers have been coming out with good catches. The best bait has been red wigglers and pond worms fished on the bottom in 6 to 8 feet deep water. A few nice-sized redear have been caught from lakes Patrick and Bobben. Look for cover in deeper water that can be holding fish.