This 69-acre lake is stocked with largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish, black crappie and bullheads. On this lake the first areas to attract crappies are the cut banks and along the face of the dam. As the water warms fishing picks up at the artificial stake beds and sunken cedar trees. These artificial habitats are marked with buoys. Another area which attracts early crappies is the old road bed which runs through the lake north and south near the boat ramp.
Crappies use the road bed for spawning as well as the rip-rap on the dam's face.
In the summertime, the lake stratifies at between 12 and 15 feet. For more information on Pahoja, contact Spirit Lake Hatchery, Box 7722, Spirit Lake, IA 51360. Also a small minnow fished on a long-shanked number six hook below a couple of split shot and a bobber will catch a lot of early crappie as well. The fisherman should remember that crappies are not a chasing fish. They will not react well to fast retreives.