PFA Fishing Reports – May 2007

Public Fishing Area Reports

Paradise PFA: Level: Most lakes have dropped 6 to 12 inches below full pool, Temp: 70-72 degrees. Clarity: Lakes lightly stained. Visibility in Lake Patrick is 24 to 36 inches and Lake Bobben is 24 inches.

Bass: Fair. Bass in the 3-lb. range have been caught in Lakes Patrick, Bobben and Horseshoe 3 using Texas-rigged plastic worms and spinnerbaits fishing just off the edge of the weed line. Anglers have also started picking up a few bass on topwater popping lures in early morning and late afternoon.

Catfish: Fair. Lake Tacklebuster has been the best. Try fishing in 6 to 8 feet of water in and along the dam near the spillway. Lakes Horseshoe 1 and 2 have also been good for catfish. Most catfish are being caught using mullet gut or liver.

Crappie: Slow. Some crappie are biting in 6 to 8 feet of water using 1/32- to 1/16-oz. blue-and-white, red-and-white, and solid-white jigs. Anglers are still picking up a few crappie, with most reports favoring Lake Patrick and Horseshoe 5.

Bream: Good. Bluegill are on the beds and fishing has improved. Most bluegill are being caught along grass edges, around floating docks and in shallow cover on crickets, worms and popper bugs. Anglers have reported catching good numbers of hand-size bream in the coves and around shoreline cover in Lake Patrick. Redear are biting red wigglers and pond worms suspended just off the bottom. Look for light sandy areas, which may indicate good spots for bedding bream. A pair of good polarized sunglasses are essential to help see the beds and sometimes surface movement can help pinpoint an otherwise undiscovered hotspot.