Carters Lake Fishing Report

Current Fishing Report: Good

The expanded use of forward-facing sonar and other high-tech fish finders is providing anglers, who fish from a boat, with a real-time view of where these spotted bass are holding. The catch rate has increased considerably, and anglers are picking their targets to catch the bigger spots. New lures, line, tackle and equipment has also improved success for anglers fishing from the bank. Savvy anglers, who study spotted bass life cycle and patterns, are still managing to catch nice fish, with or without the new electronics.

WINTER. The cold Winter weather has drawn spots, in large groups, around deeper structure, points and creek channels - virtually anywhere there is baitfish. They can be found from 30 to 60 feet deep throughout Winter. Some of the bigger fish hold as much as 10 feet deeper. Here they hold, feeding less aggressively, waiting warmer water to return in Spring. The best results are coming from anglers fishing very slowly, with finesse worms on shaky heads, small jigs, and drop-shots.

SPRING. Early in Spring spotted bass hold in 15 to 35 feet of water, staging outside spawning areas. As Spring, progresses, spotted bass spend time in 5 to 15 feet of water, around nesting areas on protected gravel banks and rocky flats. Good reports come from Woodring Branch, Tails Creek, and Trammel Branch during the spawn. Once they spawn, females head to deep water to recover, while the males stay to guard the eggs and fry. Afterwards, they too move to slightly deeper water, usually close by the spawning areas. Look for them on points and ledges near these areas. Daily movements find the bass moving shallow to feed, especially early and late in the day. Deep crankbaits, spinnerbaits, small jigs, plastic worms and swimbaits are now catching plenty of spotted bass.

SUMMER. Spots are typically caught on steep, rocky banks, ledges, humps, drop-offs and standing timber, in 15 to 60 feet of water, sometimes even deeper. Early in the morning and at night they often venture much shallower to feed. They tend to gather in small schools and hold, preferring to move up and down the water column on steep banks looking for food and ideal water temperatures. They are occasionally feeding shallow, early and late in the day, where they are being caught on topwater, crankbaits and swimbaits. Drop-shots, Ned rigs, and wacky-rigged stick worms are catching finicky bass when they are deeper. They feed here on shad, small sunfish and crawfish. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught around deeper docks, on points and along ledges 35 to 60 feet deep. Spots will also hold in the shade of thick, shallower vegetation.

FALL. Fall weather at night, cools the shallows more quickly than deeper sections of the lake. The cooler water invites baitfish and spotted bass into coves and bays, where crankbaits, swimbaits and spinnerbaits, are often very successful for catching spots. The Doll Mountain area, Tails Creek and the Upper Coosawattee River arm are popular areas in Fall. Early, and late, in the day, spots often school up and feed in 10 to 15 feet of water, around creek mouths, shaded pockets, docks and brush. They move into 20 to 35 feet of water, or more, as the day warms the shallows.

Current Fishing Report: Good

Striped bass run in schools, and the use of new technology is helping anglers catch more stripers. Forward-facing, and side scanning, sonar is currently one of the the easiest ways to locate schools of both fish and baitfish. Once located using these advanced fish finders, striped bass are being caught by trolling, casting or jigging, depending on depth.

WINTER. Ever since Winter set in, stripers have been hanging out in deeper water. They are schooling close to the bottom, around 35 or 90 feet deep, as they feed on roaming schools of threadfin shad, gizzard shad and blueback herring. The main lake basin, along deep channels is holding schools of stripers, especially in the section of lake around the dam. The basin near Carters Dam, as well as the Ridgeway Recreation Area have been good this Winter. Locate schools of bait, then look for stripers close by. Fish finders, and forward facing sonar, are a big help in locating these roaming schools. Nice stripers are caught while drift fishing with live bait or cut bait. Spoons, blade baits, and heavy hair jigs are also effective this time of year. Due to the stripers slower metabolism this time of year, anglers are triggering more strikes by working baits more slowly.

SPRING. Water temperatures are return to the mid 60's, and that's ideal for the stripers to spawn. In Spring, work the upper end of the lake, and the backs of coves, where there is inflowing water. If they spawn, this is where they will lay eggs in the moving water. They also move into transition zones on the main lake, in 25 to 50 feet of water, feeding on baitfish which are moving toward the shallows. Expect to locate them on mid-depth ledges, flats or points. Also, the Tails Creek and Trammel Branch creek arms are popular areas during the spawn. The lake record is over 36 pounds, and many anglers believe there are much bigger ones to be caught.

SUMMER. Summer months are the ideal time to chase striped bass here. These stripers hang out in deeper water during the heat of the day, 50 to 120 feet deep, early in the season. Much of the time they are holding over deeper, open water. Morning often draws the stripers shallower, so look for them around the 10-foot range as they feed on roaming schools of baitfish. Being successful at fishing for stripers in Summer is a matter of locating schools of bait, and the wolf packs of stripers are likely to be nearby. Later in Summer, expect to locate schools 25 to 50 feet deep. Fish finders, and sonar electronics, are a big help in locating these roaming schools. Nice stripers are being caught while trolling or drift fishing. Spoons, blade baits, crankbaits, live bait and cut bait are all effective here.

FALL. In Fall, stripers return to shallower water. Early in the day stripers chase bait to the surface and feed aggressively, making this an excellent time for topwater action. They follow schools of bait, which are hanging out in 20 to 60 feet of water. Look for ledges along wind-blown shorelines, nearby deeper river channels, and fish them thoroughly. Most any lure that resembles shad will catch striped bass at this time of year. Late Fall will find most of the stripers in 20 to 30 feet of water.

Current Fishing Report: Fair To Good

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.

WINTER. The cold of Winter has isolated largemouth around deeper structure, flats, points and creek channels. Water temperatures are currently in the low 40's, and bass can be found on the bottom, or suspending from 20 to 45 feet deep, occasionally shallower on warm, sunny days. Often, some of the larger bass will isolate away from schools in 5 or so feet deeper water. Channel bends in Coosawattee River, points around the Ridgeway Recreation Area. the mouth of Woodring Branch Creek, and points in the Carters Dam basin are currently holding fish. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring. Slow presentations with drop shots, jigs, finesse worms, or lipless crankbaits are often the key to getting bites, just before, during and after, ice fishing.

SPRING. Once water temperatures rise into the low 60's, largemouth will move from deep wintering holes, to shallower water near spawning areas. Anglers report good topwater action from mid Spring through Summer, 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 10 to 25 feet of water, and preparing for the spawn. Once water warms into the mid to high 60's, they will move into 3 to 10 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 8 to 20 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 5 to 15 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 points, channel edges, and ledges 20 to 40 feet deep. Drop shots, and wacky-rigged stick worms often catch finicky bass when the bite is slow. Some of the best reports typically come from anglers fishing around Woodring Branch, Doll Mountain, Fisher Creek and Worley Creek, during warmer months.

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 8 to 15 feet of water, 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 25 feet of water, or deeper. Some of the larger bass will seclude themselves away from the school, often in slightly deeper water.