Hamilton County Phosphate Pits

Fishing should be excellent heading into the summer months. As the new quarter starts, the largemouth bass are spawning, while bluegill and redear sunfish should be moving into shallow water looking for spawning grounds. Electrofishing surveys at Eagle Lake regularly produce numerous largemouth bass in the 4-7 lb. range and excellent numbers of dinner-plate-sized bream. The shoreline and shallow water vegetation is excellent at the moment. Submersed coontail is present in thick patches, but it is not impeding angler access or limiting access to shore. Anglers should fish the edges of these patches with Texas-rigged worms to entice hungry bass out of hiding. If that doesn’t work, try running a live shiner past and see if a big bass won’t strike. As the weather warms, focus fishing effort in shallow water during early morning or late evening hours, or in deeper water during the heat of the day. The bluegill and redear in Eagle Lake are big and plentiful. Look for signs off bedding in shallow, sandy areas. Target areas around fallen trees and submerged logs. Typical baits will work well for bream, grass shrimp, worms, and crickets. Hybrid striped bass continue to be stocked in the lake. Look for signs of shad hitting the surface and fish these spots with live shad, spinner baits, or feathered jigs to produce a bite. If open water trolling doesn’t work, try dragging your baits close to the bottom of the lake where water temperatures are cooler. Catfish anglers should have success by fishing stink baits on the bottom near edges of vegetation and submersed structures. During electrofishing surveys, numerous large bullhead catfish were seen in the winding cut connecting the first and second lobe.

Anglers should exercise caution when traveling to Eagle Lake after heavy rain events. The dirt road leading to the lake can become muddy and rutted. Vehicles without four-wheel drive may become stuck if the road becomes too soft or washed out due to heavy rain.

Please remember to throw all trash in the provided bins. This will help keep the boat ramp and fishing pier clean and deter the presence of vultures in the area. If a trash bin is full, please pack your trash home with you. Trash piled in a bin will spill out and get spread around the parking area by wind and animals.

Bee Haven Bay is an expansive area of ~1,800 acres of water. There are two ramps open for public use on Bee Haven Bay. Anglers unfamiliar with the lake are encouraged to bring a GPS device to help with navigation back to the boat ramp. Like Eagle Lake, Bee Haven Bay consists of numerous deep pools connected by shallow cuts. Find cuts with aquatic vegetation growth and target these areas for good catches of bass and bream. The largemouth bass spawn should continue in the early part of the spring, and these fish will continue to be active throughout the quarter. Live baits are a good choice in this lake, especially large golden shiners. Bream anglers should find excellent catches of bluegill and redear. The water is often pea soup-green making bed spotting difficult but look for areas of sandy bottom near vegetation and fish with live crickets or worms. Bullheads and catfish can be found around cuts and stands of trees on the west end of the lake. Fishing stink baits on the bottoms to draw these fish out of their holes.

Lang Lake is currently closed at the landowner’s request.