San Carlos Lake Fishing Report

Current Fishing Report: Good To Very Good

San Carlos still delivers quality bass, even though water levels are low, and somewhat muddy. Bass fishing is currently experiencing major changes in the way anglers are approaching the sport. The expanded use of high-tech fish finders is giving anglers, who fish from a boat, a distinct advantage. The fishing hasn't really changed, but the catch rate has increased considerably. The advent of new lures and equipment has improved success for anglers fishing from the bank as well. Savvy anglers, who study bass patterns, continue to catch nice fish, with or without the new gadgets.

SPRING. With water temperatures in the low 60's, largemouth are moving from deep wintering holes, to shallower water near spawning areas. Anglers are reporting good topwater action with buzzbaits, frogs and poppers, especially early in the morning, and on cloudy days. Vibrating jigs, crankbaits, jerkbaits and spinnerbaits typically get bites just away from the shoreline. At this time they are feeding aggressively in about 4 to 10 feet of water, and preparing for the spawn. Once water warms into the mid to high 60's, they will move into 2 to 6 feet of water, and create nests, then lay their eggs. Immediately afterwards, females move to deeper water and males remain to guard the eggs, and then the fry. After a couple weeks, the males also move to slightly deeper water, around 10 to 12 feet deep. Deep-diving crankbaits, vibrating jigs, drop shots, plastic worms, jigs, spoons, and swimbaits catch bass during this period.

SUMMER. Water temperatures will warm considerably in Summer. Bass will feed shallow, early and late in the day, where they are typically caught in 2 to 10 feet of water, on topwater lures, square-bill crankbaits, spinnerbaits and a variety of other lures. During Summer, keep an eye on the thermocline to determine the maximum depth to fish, as there is very little oxygen below the thermocline. Largemouth bass here feed on shad, herring, small sunfish and crawfish. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on deeper points, channel edges, and ledges. Wacky-rigged stick worms often catch finicky bass when the bite is slow.

FALL. When Fall arrives, bass here will follow schools of baitfish into coves and shallow bays where crankbaits, swimbaits, and slow-rolled spinnerbaits have been successful in prior years. In early Fall, anglers typically have success in 10 feet of water and deeper, around points and shallow flats leading to deeper water. As deeper water cools, bait and bass move out to ledges, channel edges, points and humps. Here flutter spoons are often the ideal bait in 10 to 15 feet of water, or deeper. Some of the larger bass will seclude themselves away from the school.

WINTER. The cold of Winter has isolated largemouth around deeper structure, flats, points and creek channels. Water temperatures are usually in the low high 40's to mid 50's, and bass can be found near the bottom, or suspending deep over deeper structure, occasionally shallower on warm, sunny days. Often, some of the larger bass will isolate away from schools, a few feet deeper. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring. Slow presentations with drop shots, jigs, spoons, finesse worms, or lipless crankbaits are often the key to getting bites.

Current Fishing Report: Good To Excellent

San Carlos has been a crappie factory for decades, producing lots of crappie over 3 pounds. Black crappie are being caught using new technologies, reducing the amount of time it takes to locate schools. Forward-facing sonar is allowing anglers, fishing from a boat, to locate schools and focus fishing time on areas with good numbers of crappie. Anglers fishing from the bank still have to search via test casting, until a school is located. Then, they are catching them as anglers have for many decades, before the new electronics became available.

SPRING. In early Spring, crappie begin staging in 6 to 12 feet of water, just outside spawning bays and shallow flats. Spring is prime time to be on the water, as crappie have moved shallow to spawn. At that time, they are typically caught in 2 to 6 feet of water. Vegetation, rip rap, docks, brush and wood are where most anglers catch crappie, using small crappie jigs or live minnows. After the spawn, crappie typically move outside the spawning area and hold on cover nearby, in 12 feet of water, or more. Once they move deep, anglers report success using fish finders and forward facing sonar to locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover.

SUMMER. Water temperatures get quite warm, and crappie fishing is usually pretty good. They feed in 8 to 12 feet of water early and late in the day, until the hot Summer sun causes them to retreat to depths of 12 feet or more. Also, a few have embedded in the shade of slightly shallower brush and vegetation. This is a good time to focus around brush piles. Anglers locate schools of crappie hanging around creek channel edges, using fish-finder electronics.

FALL. As Fall begins warming the shallows, baitfish, move into shallow flats, coves and bays, which draws crappie into these areas. They will be feeding heavily in preparation for the cold Winter, in 8 to 14 feet of water. Minnows, hair jigs, and crappie jigs, are good options during this feeding marathon. Late Fall which turns the shallows cold, starts pushing crappie deeper, toward winter holding areas. Small flutter spoons, fished in 10 to 14 feet of water, are a good option during this transition. Good results typically come around points, creek channels, and brush piles.

WINTER. Once the shallows turn cold, crappie migrate to deeper holding areas, mostly off shore. Here, they are typically caught using a very slow presentation, in 12 feet of water or deeper. Most are caught around brush along creek channel bends and main-lake structure. When they suspend in open water, they often relate to some cover, or structure change, directly below them. During warming trends, especially warm afternoons, they are drawn into shallower water to feed. Light tackle, with 4 lb to 8 lb line, is a popular choice.

Current Fishing Report: Very Good

Thanks to easy access all around the lake for bank fishing, and a good population of catfish, San Carlos Lake is a popular catfish lake. Although forward-facing sonar and other high-tech fish finders were designed for bass fishing, many catfish anglers, who fish from a boat, are now using them to locate channel catfish. With this, they are now catching more catfish by focusing on productive water. The catch rate has increased considerably, and anglers are picking their targets to catch the bigger cats. New baits, line and rigging methods have also improved success for bank fishing enthusiasts. Savvy anglers, who study catfish life cycle and patterns, are still managing to catch nice fish, with or without these new tools.

SPRING. In Spring, when water temperatures rise into the high 40's, channel catfish start their migration into coves, and up into the river. Early in the season, look for them fairly deep. They hold here, and feed aggressively, around relatively cover until water warms into the mid 70's, at which time they begin the spawn process in 10 feet of water or more. Following the spawn, they move out toward the basin. Anglers are using slip sinkers, 3-way rigs, or Carolina rigs to get, and keep, the bait close to the bottom. Later in Spring focus on shallower flats, during late evening and into the night.

SUMMER. In Summer, slow-moving water, at the river end of the lake may draw catfish to feed. Otherwise they are scattering, locating cover in slightly cooler water. Reports indicate the most successful anglers typically do best fishing at night. Nightcrawlers, cut bait, minnows or shrimp. Most channel cats hold in deeper water during the day, and 6 to 10 feet during the night. Fishing from late in the day until midnight produces some of the best results, as this is their prime feeding time.

FALL. Fall is one of the better times of year for catching channel catfish. Early in Fall they cruise the shallows around 8 to 10 feet of water, in search of food. Later, in the season they migrate away from the shallows and current, to moderately deep flats and channel edges on the main body of the lake. Fishing for channel catfish is often productive around any kind of structure. Road beds, stumps, wood, creek channels and rocky points are all good places to begin. Drift fishing or slow-trolling baits along mid-depth structure is popular and generally productive. Use a slip sinker or Carolina rig setup, with cut bait, nightcrawlers, shrimp or prepared baits. They typically remain in these areas and feed aggressively in preparation for Winter.

WINTER. Cold, Winter weather has channel catfish gathering in deep holes. They are virtually dormant, especially as the water cools down significantly. They hole up in pockets, along river channels, ledges, and structure in the basin areas in deeper water. Here, they await the warmer water of Spring. Slow presentations, especially with cut bait, can still entice strikes. Often during mid day, through the afternoon, anglers catch them a bit shallower on the same structure.