Guide to Paradise PFA Paradise Public Area is located on 1,351 gently rolling acres in Berrien and Tift counties. Sixty lakes totaling 525 acres, provides excellent boat and bank fishing. Over 350 acres of water are intensively managed for fishing. The PFA is heavily forested with pine plantations and small communities of longleaf pine/wiregrass. A variety of waterfowl and birds of prey are frequently seen on the area, such as the Canada goose, mallard, wood duck, red-tailed hawk, and the majestic bald eagle. Paradise Public Fishing Area offers a relaxed setting for families and solitary anglers alike.

Hours Trip Check List Open year-round, 7 days/week, 24 hours/day • Check the current boating regulations about life jackets. • Boats with enclosed areas that may trap gas or vapors are required to be equipped with a USCG Facilities approved fire extinguisher. • Carry your current license and boat registration • Concrete boat ramps with you. • Tent campsites • Check your boat’s trailer and navigation lights, • Group campsite (call for details) and fuel before leaving home. • Nature & angler trails • Carry a first aid kit, insect repellent, sunscreen, • Restrooms extra clothing, food and drinking water. • Picnic area • Be aware of and abide by all fishing regulations. • Some facilities ADA accessible • Tell someone where you are going and when you • Fishing piers expect to return. • Boat docks • cleaning station

Regulations Be an Ethical Angler! Ethical anglers fish responsibly, consider the Public fishing areas have special regulations that are rights of others, portray a positive image, posted on site as well as published in the Georgia and help to protect and conserve our natural Sport Fishing Regulations. Anglers 16 years of resources. Be an ethical angler, the future age and older, except honorary license holders, depends on it. must possess a current fishing license. For more • Know and obey the fishing regulations. information, visit www.gofishgeorgia.com or call • Keep only the fish they can use and release all (800) 366-2661. others. • Pass on the tradition by taking a child fishing. Directions • Leave a place cleaner than it was found. From Tifton: Traveleast 8 miles on Highway 82 to • Do not transfer fish or plants between bodies Brookfield. Turn right on Whitley Road and follow of water. signs from Highway 82 to the area. The entrance to • Report violations and pollution. the area is located on the Brookfield-Nashville Road • Do not litter! approximately 1.5 miles from Brookfield. • Dispose of properly. • Do not trespass. For more fishing information, visit the Georgia • Are courteous of others. Wildlife Resources Division website at • Lend a helping hand. www.gofishgeorgia.com or call (478) 825-6151.

T.I.P. (Turn in Poachers): To report game/fish law violations, fish kills or hazardous spills, call (800) 241-4113. Major Fish Species & Fishing Tips

Largemouth • • Bluegill • Redear sunfish (shellcracker) • Channel catfish

Visitors to the area will discover a variety of lakes offering anglers a wide selection of fishing opportunities. The 112-acre Lake Patrick is the largest lake at Paradise Public Fishing Area. Bank anglers have the option of fishing from three piers located in the picnic area or many other locations from the shoreline on Lake Patrick. A double boat ramp and floating dock on Lake Patrick offers boat anglers one of nine locations to launch a boat on the area. Lake Patrick is known for producing exceptional catches of Bass, Bream, and Crappie. The north end of lake Patrick offers the best cover and is a good location for catching bass in early spring. Anglers have done well, fishing Carolina rigged plastic worms and also green lizards around points and behind the many small islands. Fishing for bluegill and redear is also very good in Lake Patrick. The lake has many sandy locations that are perfect for attracting bream during the spawn. Bedding bluegill and redear will offer an angler the chance to catch bigger than hand size bream from March–June. Crappie fishing usually is excellent in late fall through early spring. The largest crappie have normally been caught in January and February. Using 1/32 to 1/16 oz. float–rigged jigs can produce good catches of crappie in Lake Patrick as well as several other lakes on the area. (Refer to the Lake Chart posted at the information Kiosks on the area for more information on fish species present in Paradise PFA lakes.) Live fish can be used for bait at Paradise PFA. Other lakes that make up the remaining 413 acres of fishable water are also popular for bass, bream, and crappie and offer excellent fish habitats that can be easily accessed from the bank or from a boat. Lake Horseshoe 4 offers anglers a smaller lake with some of the same traits as Lake Patrick. Fishing around fish attractors and lily pads in Horsehoe 4 can produced large bass in February–May. Good populations of Crappie and bluegill are also present in Horseshoe 4. Channel catfish are stocked in most lakes at Paradise PFA, but Lakes Horseshoe 1 and 2 are stocked heavily and fed daily. Although many of the other lakes have channel catfish these lakes provide some of the best catfishing on the area. This is just a small taste of the diverse fishing opportunities that are waiting for anglers at the largest and one of the most scenic Public Fishing Area in Georgia. Paradise Fish Guide

Fish Species Biology Best Fishing Times

Largemouth Bass Bass spawn from February to May. Occupy a variety of habitats in reservoirs and riv- ers. Feed both day and night motivated by hunger or striking. Females are typically larger and more aggressive than males. Bait: Crankbaits, plastic worms & jigs

Redear Sunfish “Shellcracker” feed primarily on aquatic insects including midge larvae to snails. Unlike bluegill, shellcracker typically do not stunt. Fast growth, larger size and good flavor make these a desirable fish. Bait: Crickets, Red Wigglers & small top water lures

Bluegill Most likely the first fish caught by chil- dren. They aggressively guard nest during spawns. Bluegill are hard fighters, hit a variety of baits, and are abundant in most rivers and lakes. Known as a tasty . Bait: Crickets, Red Wigglers & small top water lures

Channel Catfish Channel catfish are a highly adaptable and desirable fish that are easily caught. They can reach Sizes up to 20 lbs and use their barbells for taste. Larger individuals are often confused with Blue catfish. Bait: Chicken livers, worms, “stink bait” & crickets Black Crappie Has a preference of clear water, and as- sociated with vegetation during spawns. Young prefer insects, switching to fish as it matures. Black crappie commonly reach 2 lbs in size, and the current world record is 5 lbs. An extremely popular in Georgia. Bait: Minnows, jigs & red wigglers

Best Fishing Times Key Fish images: Duane Raver/USFWS Excellent Good Fair 1412 Õ 13 Õ Õ 115 ÕÕ 15 Õ 16Õ 4 Upper Õ Canal 17 Õ 2 Õ Lake 18 3 ÕÕ Õ Bullett Lake Lake 19 1 Lake Paradise

& Loreley 6Õ 8 10 Bonnie & Õ & !yÕ Õ Õ 7 Õ 9

Lake Trestle Lake Kathy Pond Duck Pond Woodie

Pine !| Lake Lake Winn Lake Bobben !y

Jeff's Swan Pond Lower Lake Canal Lake Lake Patrick George Cypress Lake Boots Lake Lake Pond Kingfisher Henry Leslie Pond Lake Lake Foot Raccoon Cindy Lake ]! !9 !iF Farewell Lake Pond Georgia !] !y P 1 !] Lake 9! l! Õ Windy Horseshoe 1 !5 _]! Tacklebuster !y Horseshoe 2 !O Grebe Eagle Osprey Cup Hole Ponds y! Saucer 2 1 Horseshoe 3Õ Õ Bowl Õ14y! 13 Õ 3 10 Õ 11 Õ 11 12 Õ y!Õ 6 10 9 8 ÕÕ 8 ÕÕ Õ 5 Õ Õ 9Õ Horseshoe1 5 3 Õ 7 4Õ7 Õ Õ ÕÕ 4 Õ 2 5 6 Õ Horseshoe 4

Lake6 Horseshoe Bird Little Noah's Beaver 4 Ark Õ 3 Mallard's !y Õ Paradise PFA Rest 6 2 Õ 1Õ Õ 5 Õ Attractors F Trailhead Heron Lake Õ Lake Beaver 1 Bathroom Parking !yÕ _ i! 4 3 Õ Õ Lake !y Boat Ramp Õ2 !9 Campgrounds Russell !| Canoe/Kayak Launch Map not for navigational P Open Road purposes - display only! !l Fishing Pier !] Information Kiosk Trails = 1 acre !OOffice 0 1,000 2,000 Lake Boundary ¯ Charles !5 Picnic Area Feet -83.3562 -83.3602 -83.35855 -83.35815 Longitude -83.356081-83.355834-83.355857-83.356746-83.357509-83.359817-83.358483-83.360663-83.360149-83.359292-83.358282-83.358329-83.358745-83.358345-83.356934-83.359127-83.359869-83.359964-83.359443-83.360955-83.360892-83.357964 31.4151 Latitude 31.41339631.400357 31.38861631.38883931.38960131.38979831.38821831.38877631.41276731.41381731.41353331.41616731.41252431.41261131.41242731.41228531.41252431.41612731.41704331.41687431.41706531.41559431.41542831.41434331.413512 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Label Feature ConcreteConcrete ConcreteConcreteConcreteConcreteConcrete PVC cube Mossback Mossback T reT e re s/BM e s/B ru e ta sh ru l S sh p o o l T re e s/B ruT sh re e s/B ru sh W oW o d o e o n d C e n ra C te ra s te s W o o d e n P ilin g s W o o d e n sp oW o ls o o d e n sp o o ls W o o d e n P ilin g s W o o d p a lle t te n t W o o d e n p a lle t te n t W oW o d o e o n d p e n a lle p a t lle te t n te t n t W o o d e n p a lle t te n t Waterbody P a tr ic k L a k e B e aB v e e a rB v L e e a a rB k v L e e e a a rB k v L e e e a a rB k v L e e e a a r k v L e e a r k L e a k e L a kL e a P k a e r P a a d r is a e d is e L a kL e a P kL a e a r P k aL a e d a r isP k aL e a e d a r isP k aL e a e d a r isP k aL e a e d a r isP k aL e a e d a r isP k aL e a e d a r isP k aL e a e d a r isP k aL e a e d a r isP k aL e a e d a r isP k aL e a e d a r isP k aL e a e d a r isP k aL e a e d a r isP k aL e a e d a r isP k aL e a e d a r isP k a e a e d r isP a e a d r is a e d is e -83.35857 -83.35681 -83.36215-83.36117 Longitude -83.362061-83.360828-83.362463-83.362748-83.362889-83.357423-83.357375-83.358372-83.356414-83.356124-83.356111-83.357642-83.357976-83.358129-83.357069-83.359498-83.357567-83.357687 -83.361847-83.363012-83.362465-83.361227-83.361019-83.361065-83.361365 Latitude 31.3929131.39253 31.39426931.38724331.38623431.38684531.386689 31.39393331.39274831.39285731.39358631.39344431.39391331.39431631.39451531.39483631.39580131.39309931.39291231.39214531.39401231.39364831.39390531.39401631.394636 31.39590231.39585731.39462931.392851 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 11 10 10 11 12 13 14 Label Crate Feature PVC Trees M e ta l sp o o l T reT e re s/BT e re s/B ru e sh s/B ru sh ru sh T reT e re s/BT e re s/B ru e sh s/B ru sh ruT sh re e s/B ruT sh re e s/B ru sh T re e s/BT re ruT e sh re s/BT e re s/B ruT e sh re s/B ruT e sh re s/B ru e sh s/B ru sh ru sh W o o d e n C ra te s B a mB a b m oB o a b m oB o u b ck oB o u e ck tsB u e ck ts e ts B a mB a b m o o b oBB o u a ck mB u e b ck ts o o e tsB u ck e ts B a m b o o B u ck e ts Plastic Pallet Tent Plastic Pallet Tent W o o d e n P a lle t T e n t W o o d e n P a lle t T ria n g le s Waterbody R u s s e ll L a k e R u sR s u e s llR s L u e a s ll k s L e e a ll k L e a k e H o rse sh o e 5 H o rseH o sh rse o sh e 5 o e 5 H o rseH o sh rseH o o sh rse e 5 o sh e 5 o e 5 H o rseH o sh rse o sh e 5 o e 5 H o rseH o sh rseH o o sh rse e 5 o sh e 5 o e 5 H o rseH o sh rse o sh e 4 o e 4 H o rseH o sh rseH o o sh rse e 4 o sh e 4 o e 4 H o rseH o sh rse o sh e 4 o e 4 H o rseH o sh rseH o o sh rse e 4 o sh e 4 o e 4 H o rseH o sh rse o sh e 4 o e 4 H o rseH o sh rse o sh e 4 o e 4