Thread: Lake Bailey at Petite Jean State Park

there are a few brushpiles in the west end of the lake out from the paddleboat rental place. mostly small crappie, best bet is crickets and try to find some bream beds Crappie Pro is right about monster bream.

Bailey is full of channel catfish. It is stocked regularly with them. I've also caught some real nice bluegill there. Bass are stunted but plentiful in the 1 - 2lb. range. Most of the lake is real shallow and you can have a blast topwater fishing later in the year. Lily pads choke most of it out but I don't think they've emerged yet. If you like to catfish, try the spillway. You can catch some really nice ones there at times. It's really hangy. I had a rod and reel drug in there a few years ago. My friend was able to snag it but the fish was gone. I know it has crappie in it but I've never fished it for them. A friend of mine used to crappie fish it in the 80's and he did pretty well. Good luck!

Thanks to everyone for all the great info. We are heading up there tomorrow and I will let you know what we catch or don't catch. Hope everyone has a great weekend.