Paradise PFA Fishing Report – March 2009

Paradise PFA: Report filed by area manager Charles West. Temp: 61 degrees. Clarity: Lakes lightly stained. Most lakes are slightly below full pool.

Bass: Excellent. Bass are taking junebug, red, black and Pumpkin-seed colored plastic worms in lakes Patrick, Bobben and Russell. The red and green lizards have been a good choice in March and April to target bass moving up into the shallows and on the bed. Also, anglers have done well with the white trick worms and Carolina-rigged watermelon seed worms in Lake Patrick, fishing just off shallow ledges in 4 to 5 feet of water.

Catfish: Fair. One- to 2-lb. catfish are being caught in lakes Tacklebuster and Horseshoe Two. Fish deep holes with mullet gut or liver. Expect to begin catching larger catfish from the piers on Lake Patrick and along the dam.

Crappie: Fair. Crappie are biting in 3 to 4 feet of water using Beetle Spins and 1/32- to 1/16-oz. jigs. Lakes Patrick, Tacklebuster and Horseshoe 5 are best for crappie, producing some catches of 1- to 1 1/2-lb. fish.

Bream: Good. Bream fishing has been good, with most fish caught using red wigglers and pond worms. Bluegills have been biting in Lake Tacklebuster from the three points and along the dam, but it’s still somewhat slow. Nice redear have been caught from the bank and pier on Lake Patrick. Fish to the left and right of the boat ramp. This is a popular spot for bedding redear from now through June. Fishing will normally improve as water temperatures reach the mid 60s.