# Carters Walleye - Nov. 2011 Update



## jim hakala

We (DNR) just completed our annual fall sampling at Carters Lake today and all I can say is WOW at the walleye fishery!  We caught more walleye at Carters than any other time in the history of the stocking program there.  Recent changes to the program at Carters have really began to pay dividends.  The average fish collected was 2-3 pounds in size with a good number of 4-5 pounders in the mix.

The walleye were most prevalent from mid-lake (stumpy island) up into the Coosawattee River arm of the lake.  Main lake points were the ticket.  Try deep diving crankbaits or Lindy rigged night crawlers slow trolled in contact with the bottom.  Best walleye fishing is in the early morning, evening or at night.  SLOW appears to be the ticket when fishing live bait for these toothy predators.

You walleye guys out there need to tap into this exploding population of good eating fish.  Carters has historically been a tough place to consistently catch walleye, but someone willing to figure them out will have plenty to catch.

Here are a couple of the more than 100+ walleye we picked up over the last two days at Carters.

Enjoy,

Jim


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## russ010

Where you shocking?

Only reason I asked is to see how walleye and spots get along in the same area, and to see if both species came up.

I've caught one walleye, and that was at the ReReg... had I known it was good table fare, I would have kept it


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## whitetailfreak

sshhhhhh........the locals already know this


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## Twenty five ought six

So when is the DNR fish fry?


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## trill

How do you "Lindy Rig" a nightcrawler??


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## puddle jumper

Here is a pic that might help...
PJ


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## trill

okay, inflated nightcrawler. Thanks


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## static metal

Msteele said:


> I caught one at night in May at Carters.  I cleaned it and ate it 2 months later and it was the best freshwater fish I have ever tasted.  I'm sure it would have even been better if eaten fresh.



Msteele I agree 100%. I had some walleye given to me a few years ago and I deep fried the fish along with some hushpuppies and my wife and daughter were begging for more!!, and they dont even care too much for eating fried fish. Walleye is the most mild tasting fresh water fish we have ever tasted. I've gotten hungry just typing this


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## jim hakala

*Walleye*

Russ, the walleye were caught with nets and not electrofishing.  Since Carters is full of spots, they are found just about everywhere it seems.  

Thanks for the Lindy diagram P.J.  Here is a link about the state's walleye program and at the bottom is a file with techniques for catching walleye you may find of interest Trill:
http://www.gofishgeorgia.com/node/939?cat=fishing

In addition to an abundance of walleye, the fish caught were in great condition.  The bigger fish caught were in the 5-6 lbs range, but there are bigger walleye out there.

I know a few of you out there have boated a walleye or two at Carters.  If you have a picture you would like to share post it here.  Maybe it will inspire a few to try their hand at walleye fishing this fall and winter.  Perhaps someone will crack the code to catching these toothy fish with regularity?

Thanks,

Jim


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## puddle jumper

This little guys fell to a rattle trap in the timber not far from the marina,, 
  I trolled tail dancers and swim baits this spring up  the river, fish under lights durring summer heat with minnows and jigged down by the dam on the humps and points at different time this year but have not been able to repeat the catch with any consistancy...

 But I will keep after them untill I fugure them out... But if it where easy the would call it catching...
have manages some nice crappie in the process...
Good luck guys, Thanks for the info Jim
 Just wondering what else did you guys get in the nets???
PJ


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## dakotajoe

Nice report Jim.  I might need to come give Caters a try.  Since Nick left I could use a fishing partner for walleye if you're interested sometime.


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## Cletus T.

Thanks for the info…..I’ve heard the same thing about them being a rather tasty fish but I have yet to eat any….I hope to change that very soon.

Nice walleye’s for sure…..thanks for sharing it with us!


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## CardsFan

The last time I caught a walleye was 25 years ago in the Boundary Waters area in Minnesota.   They are probably the best freshwater fish I've ever tried, but then again we were awefully hungry by dinner time!

Nice report, Jim.  I'm hoping to stumble across one of those toothy critters  this winter.


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## jim hakala

*Walleye*

If Carters is out of the way for those north of Atlanta (or farther south), walleye are also stocked in lakes Rabun, Seed, Tugalo, Yonah, Burton and Lanier in northeast Georgia.  The first four lakes listed are smaller lakes, where your probability of succesfully locating walleye may be better ("lots of fish, smaller barrel"). While much larger in size, the walleye fisheries at lakes Burton and Lanier are growing.  Best odds for success at these larger lakes may be in the late winter/early spring when the walleye are concentrated up river on their spawning run.

P.J., besides an abundance of walleye, the nets run at Carters also yielded a few chunky spotted bass, yellow bass, shad, stripers, hybrids and a few channel cats - the typical species caught each year.  Like the walleye, everything was fat and healthy!  I'm halfway through sampling at Allatoona.  May have to start a new thread when we finish to get the hybrid fisherman's blood pumping.  The hybrid numbers at Allatoona continue to be OUTSTANDING!


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## Gordon

Caught this 5lb'er 2 weeks ago up Harris Creek on a shallow point in 15 ft of water.  I was surprised because it was the middle of the day, bright and sunny!  I always assumed they liked it Deep and/or Dark!  Fell to a Red Eye Shad Lipless Crank whilst I was Bass fishing....


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## MTMiller

Thank you for the information Jim.  I'll have to give them a try sometime.


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## Msteele

*Walleye*

I have been fishing Carters about 6 times a year.  Had a friend that wanted to go up there last May at night to fish.  I put the Hydro Glow in the water on a main lake point and the water was filled with Alwife.  Tossed the net and started fishing with them.  Great bait.  Fished with them near the same hump catching small stripers, hybrids, spots, and one walleye.  The only one I have ever caught.  I would love to go with someone else to learn how to fish for them.  It was a great tasting fish!


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## jim hakala

*Walleye*

Great bunch of photos!  Appreciate everyone sharing how they caught their walleye.  Keep them coming!


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## Louie B

*walleye*

I've caught a ton of Walleye at Carters.  All while bass fishing, VERY VERY few while actually targeting the toothy fish.  I've caught Walleye on everything from texas rigged worms to crankbaits, to spoons, to jerkbaits to live shad.  Depths from 2ft in the spring to 60ft in the winter.  

I've caught Walleye best in the Spring/early Fall and Summer (night).  I have a client from Chattanooga who is from Michigan, he comes to Carters at night in April and May and trolls Shad Raps to catch Walleye.  The best he's ever done in one night is 8 Walleye.  

Here's a few pics of the bigger Walleye I've caught on Carters over the last 12 months.  Biggest was the last picture and it was just over 6lbs.  I no longer have the photo's saved in a file to upload so I'll add the links from my site.  Good luck, and if you figure it out let me know LOL. 

MAYBE WE CAN ALL TALK JIM INTO STOCKING CRAPPIE or SOMETHING EASIER TO CATCH !!! .

http://www.carterslakeguideservice.com/walleyLB-enlarged.jpg

http://www.carterslakeguideservice.com/img688-enlarged.jpg

http://www.carterslakeguideservice.com/IMG_6202-enlarged.jpg

http://www.carterslakeguideservice.com/Walleyetx-enlarged.jpg

LB


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## Louie B

*couple more pics...................*

Here's a couple more I've found.

LB


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## Lake_and_stream

Catch them often but not when I want to 

Have managed a few nice ones










Jim, how deep wat the average fish and what kind of bait was in the area ? More threads or alewife???

Did you catch any yellow pearch near the waleyes?

I have good luck fishing small live baits, threads,small trout, or shiners anywhere from 30 feet to 6 feet along shore lines at dark or sunset. Full moon is good for night fishing them on Carters.


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## jim hakala

*Walleye*

Another outstanding group of walleye photos.  Thanks guys!

Field and Stream,

The nets were fished from 18-25ft. deep.  We did not pick up any yellow perch.  There did not seem to be a pattern in the bait type present and walleye abundance.  That's not say there isn't one, but we were unable to detect one.

The "walleye code" at Carters has been a tough nut to crack for most anglers.  The walleye are eating good at Carters.  If they eat, there has got to be a way to catch them.  I think regardless of the bait used, being in contact with the lake bottom is key for catching walleye most of the year.  Also, you need to figure out what a walleye looks like on the bottom when viewed on your electronics.  If you don't see them, move to the next spot until you find them.  

We'll do our best to maintain good numbers at Carters and elsewhere and I know over time anglers will figure them out.

Good luck and keep the photos and techniques coming.  There are plenty of walleye out there to be caught!

Jim


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## NCHillbilly

I'll come down there and show a flatlander how to catch those things at night in the summer if you'll teach me how to catch those stripers. We're ate up with walleye here and I fish them a lot, but no stripers. Never caught one.


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## Lake_and_stream

Great a lake full of non-fighting yankee fish.


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## Bowyer29

I am offended at the Yankee bit!!!!!!


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## jim hakala

*Walleye*

Believe it or not, walleye are native to N. Georgia and N. Alabama.  In fact they inhabitat a large number of states south of the Mason Dixon Line.

Keep the photos and pointers coming.

Thanks,

Jim


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## nkbigdog

NCHillbilly said:


> I'll come down there and show a flatlander how to catch those things at night in the summer if you'll teach me how to catch those stripers. We're ate up with walleye here and I fish them a lot, but no stripers. Never caught one.



Hey Hillbilly!!!!!!!!Doc's told me I could not fish alone anymore so I sold my center console.  I have fished carters lake for 10 yrs best striper 34lbs there.  I have always wanted to fish for walleye at carters.  I want to cook some that I catch.  Never have, If you want and you have the rig I have the knowledge.  You teach me and I will teach you, also I will throw in $ FOR your cost.  I have some gear...For striper I like top water action so the lake temp needs to be around 64 degrees


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## NCHillbilly

May have to try that when it warms up. I gotta do some work on my boat this spring, but hope to have it back up and going soon.


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## jim hakala

*Walleye Guide*

New and improved GA Walleye Fishing Guide coming soon.


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## pbmang

Fantastic!  I really want to get up there and catch a few.


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## Msteele

Bring it!


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## jim hakala

*Walleye reports*

A little compilation of what is currently going on in several of our North GA walleye reservoirs - good timing given the weekend weather forecast.  Thanks Anthony!  

If anyone else has a GA walleye report, lets here it.

{quote....
"North GA Walleye - Week 2

Water temperatures rose across north Georgia during this week's warm weather and walleyes are now on the move.  As a result, a few walleye have been brought to the boat this week.  The details are described below for several north Georgia lakes:

Lake Hartwell -  The water temperature at the Walker Creek boat ramp  located at the headwaters of Lake Hartwell was 43 degrees on Wednesday afternoon (2/16).  My crew collected 23 walleye in 45 minutes of electrofishing and found fish scattered around the Walker Creek boat ramp (N 34 40.102 and W 83 18.977) and points downstream.  The greatest concentration of fish occurred at GPS coordinates N 34 40.223 and W 83 18.501. The largest two fish caught were a 28-inch, 10 lb female and a 24-inch, 6 lb female.  Walleyes were primarily hugging the bottom close to the centerline of the river channel.  I suspect that walleye are scattered from the Walker Creek boat ramp all the way down to the Stephens County Park boat ramp near Highway 123, if not further downstream.  If the warm weather holds on for a while, more walleye will migrate into this area.  One experienced walleye angler suggested drifting downstream from the Walker Creek boat ramp and bouncing a white jig tipped with a curly tailed grub off the bottom.  I might add that trolling a No. 7 Shad Rap in herring or crayfish patterns or dragging nightcrawlers along the bottom are other successful tactics.  Bank angling opportunities are available at Walker Creek, the Hwy 184 Bridge (Prather Bridge), the Hwy 123 Bridge and along Stephens County Park.  As the water warms, walleye will move all the way up to Yonah Dam where there is additional bank fishing access.

Lake Lanier -  On Thursday (2/17), my crew surveyed the headwaters of Lake Lanier on the Chattahoochee River from Lula Bridge to about a mile upstream of Mud Creek.  The water temperature was 47 degrees and clear.  Three walleye were collected ranging from two to four pounds just upstream of Mud Creek (N34 26.968 and W83 40.726).  No fish were observed on sonar all the way downstream to Clarks Bridge.   Although it was encouraging to see these early arrivals up the Chattahoochee River, it is still a bit too early to catch walleye up high on Lanier.  Anxious walleye anglers may want to target wind-blown rocky banks and points downstream of the Clarks Bridge area.  

Lake Rabun -  Walleye fishing guide, Wes Carlton, reported that one of his buddies caught three walleye this week during an outing to Lake Rabun.  The largest fish was 5 lb.  On Tuesday (2/15) the water temperature was 44 degrees.  We marked fish near the beach area a short distance upstream from the boat ramp located on the upper end of the lake, but walleye have not moved into shallow water yet.  

Lake Yonah & Lake Seed - On Wednesday (2/16), the water temperature was 45 degrees on the upper end of Lake Yonah and 44 degrees on Lake Seed.  We did not mark any walleye in deeper water on the upper ends or collect any fish by electrofishing in the shallow headwaters in either lake.  It appears that walleye have not moved up on these small lakes.  But, when they do, they will stack up in the headwaters below the upstream dam where they are accessible to bank anglers from Georgia Power's day use areas.

Carters Lake - Clark Allen was fishing the upper end of Carters Lake this week and measured water temperatures around 46 degrees.  He marked bait suspended at 20 to 30-ft deep over a 40 to 50 ft bottom with fish underneath.  These could definitely be walleye and Clark hopes to confirm that next week.  I hope he'll let us know what they are biting and how good they tasted!  Good luck, Clark.


I hope you can put these tips to good use while this warm weather holds for surely we've not seen the last of winter.  Remember, walleye do not bunch up in giant schools like stripers, but they are more scattered in small groups.  Success, therefore, will come to the patient and persistent angler.  Even though the March winds will certainly blow in more cold weather, walleye will still be in the upper reaches of these lakes despite the changing weather conditions.  Just look for them a little further downstream on rocky points, rip rap banks, mudlines and at the mouth of creeks.  I would appreciate feedback from anglers.

Anthony Rabern
Senior Fisheries Biologist
Georgia Department of Natural Resources"
 .....quote}


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## turkeymerck

I'm enjoying this thread. I've been wanting to get on some walleyes for a long time now....keep the reports, updates, and tips coming


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## jim hakala

*Walleye Fishing Guide*

The updated Georgia walleye fishing informational guide is now available:

http://www.georgiawildlife.com/node/939?cat=2

(link located at the bottom of the above page)

Enjoy.


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## Jighead

Thanks for for all the info Jim, I will be hitting Rabun next week to see how far along they are, hoping for that majic number of 50 degrees.


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## Alan in GA

*Thanks  Jim...*

I will be 'tuning up' for walleye this spring. I enjoy catching yellow perch in the Chattahoochee above and below Morgan Falls Dam. A pearl colored 1/16 oz lead [unpainted] head jig on 4 lb line has worked wonders. I think I may go to the 3/8 oz jig the article mentioned and 'adapt' my yellow perch technique to walleye. 6 or 8 lb line and pretend I'm fishing for really big Yellow Perch~!


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## puddle jumper

Great info Jim ,,
Have you guys ever surveyed  down on the re-reg lake seems like there would be some to be had in the spillway down there...
Thanks ,
PJ


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## kscoggins

Cool news. Thanks.


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## Etter2

When they move shallow enough, you want to throw 1/4 and 3/8 oz jig heads with 3 inch twister tails and sassy shads.  Jig them slowly back to the boat moving from shallow to deeper water.  Try a multitude of colors until you find what's working.  Leeches will kill them too.


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## jim hakala

*March issue*

Perfect timing.....check out this walleye article in the March 2011 issue of GON!

http://www.gon.com/article.php?id=2656&cid=158

Be sure to click on the photo to see more walleye photos - including a toothy Carters walleye close-up!

PJ - we have surveyed the rereg pool, but captured no walleye at the time.  *HOWEVER*, people have caught a few in recent years both in and below the rereg pool.


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## Gordon

i have heard that large numbers of Walleye run up the river to below the rereg dam this time of year.


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## Lukikus2

Best fresh water eating there is. Bar none. If you haven't tried it you do not know what your missing. (I want some)


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## Dryzdale

Man I've fished Carters 1 time but its too big and too far for me to go and put the time in to learn it.  I may have to bite the bullet after gas prices go down (wont hold my breath). 

I love catching and eating walleye,  that nugget right behind the is it DELLLLICIOUS 

Thanks for the report


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## BradMyers

Dryzdale said:


> I love catching and eating walleye,  that nugget right behind the??? is it DELLLLICIOUS
> 
> Thanks for the report



I guessing behind the eye, like the cheek? Or the nugget in the head along the backbone? Both are good eats on most fish.


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## jim hakala

*Walleye Spawn Progressing*

Another great regional walleye report:

Warm weather persisted for another week and water temperatures in our walleye lakes hovered from 48 to 52 degrees.  With stable water temperatures, more walleye migrated upstream this week.  For Week 4,  the shoals and pools in the headwaters of Lakes Lanier, Carters and Hartwell will be your best bets.    I expect to see big numbers of walleye moving into the headwaters of our mountain lakes next week.

Walleye are finicky eaters this time of year with most bites resulting from a reaction strike rather than a predatory strike. Two big tips to improve your success are: (1) fish during low light conditions.....generally, dusk is best or when the water is stained and (2) use light line such as 6 lb test.

There is an excellent walleye fishing video on the web that was filmed on our very own Lake Tugalo.  The web address is: http://www.myoutdoorstv.com/fishing/the-carolina-outdoorsman   After accessing the website, scroll down the selection of programs on the right side of the screen.  Select Post Spawn Walleye.   I firmly endorse the techniques described by the walleye fishing guide in this short presentation.  The area they are fishing is in the headwaters of Lake Tugalo on the Chattooga River side.  They are fishing in a deep pool about 100 yards below the cascading shoal that is known for holding a lot of small walleye; however, these same techniques will work in the shallow headwaters in all of our lakes.  If you fish during the day, I suggest backing off into deeper holes and fish with nightcrawlers or curly tail grubs.  There is a good program on summer walleye fishing techniques also filmed on Lake Tugalo entitled Trolling for Summertime Walleye. 

Lake Lanier - Water temperature is 50 degrees and fish are becoming abundant in the shoals and pools upstream of Mud Creek.  We are finding about four or five walleye in every little pool and more in the larger pools.  I'm sure walleye can be found as far upstream as you can go in a boat.  The bigger females have not moved up yet so the peak is still about two weeks away.

Carters Lake - On Wednesday (3/2), the water temperature was 51 degrees in the headwater shoals and the water color was muddy.  Senior fisheries biologist, Jim Hakala, and his crew found large male walleyes ranging from 2 to 5 lbs concentrated primarily in 2 to 5-ft of water along the rocky shoal and he caught a few walleye in slightly deeper water on the rocky points downstream to the Big Island (top photo Fisheries Technician Danny Johnson with two Carters' walleye; second photo Jim with two spawn run male walleye).  Jim said the density of walleye was the highest he has ever seen on Carters.  Jim did not find any female walleye, which means the bulk of the population has yet to move upstream.  Walleye fishing should improve substantially over the next two weeks.  Ridgeway Boat Ramp is the closest ramp to these walleye honey holes.

Lake Hartwell - The water temperature was 49 degrees on Tuesday (3/1).  Walleye have moved further upstream and are now mostly concentrated upstream of the Walker Creek Boat Ramp, which is located in Toccoa on Yonah Dam Road.  From Toccoa, take Prather Bridge Road (Highway 184) out of Toccoa.  Hwy 184 will eventually turn right, cross the river and head into South Carolina, but you should travel straight where the road changes names to Yonah Dam Road.  The Walker Creek boat ramp is 2.5 miles from this point.  My crew collected 8 big females up to 7 lbs a short distance upstream of the boat ramp in depths ranging from 2 to 9-ft deep (Third photo Hartwell walleye).  This area is a great place for anglers who fish from kayaks since the river shallows rapidly a few hundred yards upstream of the boat ramp. 

Lake Yonah - The water temperature was 49 degrees on Tuesday (3/2) and my crew found our first walleye in the headwaters, a three pound male.  The Lake Yonah Boat Ramp is also located on Yonah Dam Road about 2.6 miles north of the Walker Creek boat ramp.  Both water bodies can be easily fished on the same day.

Lake Tugalo - Because Lake Tugalo is 9-ft below full pool, access is difficult and there are no bank fishing opportunities.  This is another great place for anglers with kayaks, although the paddle can be quite far, but its a scenic trip.  From the South Carolina boat ramp, paddle upstream to the cascading shoal on the Chattooga River.  Walleye congregate in fairly large numbers in the pool formed by the cascade.  This is the area featured in the referenced Post Spawn Walleye video.

Lakes Rabun & Seed - On Wednesday (3/2), the water temperature in both lakes was 48 degrees.  Our sampling crew found a few males in the headwaters, but I'm confident that many more are not far behind them.    On Lake Rabun, fish are downstream of the Bear Gap Road Bridge during daylight hours.  On Lake Seed, daytime walleyes are downstream of the Burton Dam Road bridge.  Your best bet is to bounce nightcrawlers along the bottom from the bridge downstream for several hundred yards.  From twilight to dark, walleye will move upstream of these bridges to spawn in the shallow shoals.  A floating Rapala is a must.  Excellent bank fishing opportunities are available at Nacoochee Park located in the headwaters of Lake Rabun.  Fishing is best at twilight and through the evening.

Good Fishing!

Anthony Rabern
Senior Fisheries Biologist
Georgia Department of Natural Resources

All walleye pictured were returned to the lake.


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## Danny Leigh

Thanks for the update Jim! Those are some nice fish!


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## mmcneil

Thanks for the great info Jim.  I saw in the GON article that the state stocks walley in Rocky Mtn.  Is this true?  The signs at Rocky Mtn dont say anything about size or limit if they are stocked there.  Thanks for the help.


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## FishingAddict

jim hakala said:


> Believe it or not, walleye are native to N. Georgia and N. Alabama.  In fact they inhabitat a large number of states south of the Mason Dixon Line.
> 
> Keep the photos and pointers coming.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Jim



I was surprised to hear about an accomplished fisherman tell me about a 6# walleye that he caught out of the Etowah, especially considering I used to fish that river over 50 times a year and have never caught one.


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## BradMyers

*Walleye talk on the radio 3-5-11*

On The Bear 92.5FM in south metro Atl. Around 7am Anthony Rabern WRD Senior Fisheries Biologist, Capt. Wes Carlton & I will be talking about the great walleye fishing Georgia has to offer. Thanks guy's in advance.

I look forward to learning about these tastey morsels & hope some of y'all do too. The show can be heard on the stations website, live as well. At 6am we're talking turkey with Marty Fischer aka straightshooter.


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## supernube

Anyone know the best lake in northeast GA to target the walleyes?  I live in Athens and Carter's is a long haul from here.  Any tips would be appreciated as well.


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## mrowland96

I agree about the taste. I had some Fried Walleye Fillets when I went and visited my older brother in Madison, WI this past November. By far, the best tasting Fresh Water Fish.


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## jim hakala

mmcneil said:


> Thanks for the great info Jim.  I saw in the GON article that the state stocks walley in Rocky Mtn.  Is this true?  The signs at Rocky Mtn dont say anything about size or limit if they are stocked there.  Thanks for the help.



Walleye have been stocked in earnest at Rocky PFA for the last two years.  Only PFA in the state!  Small populations have been established in both Antioch Lakes.  There is no size limit (pg 14 of the regs) and the statewide creel limit of 8 applies (even though it hasn't made it to the signs yet).


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## crappie man

*walleye*

having walleye tomorrow night ,, buddy of mine lives on lake Erie from May to October and does nothing but walleye fish ,, best eating fish i have ever had ,, hush puppies and walleye nothing better , ok and a beer !


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## brunofishing

I saw some guys in green down here on Bartletts Ferry durring the summer, It looked like they were shockfishing, do you know were I can find any info on there results? My next question is, Are walleye the some as the chain pickerel we catch around here (Columbus Ga.) in the creeks and rivers.


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## Robert Eidson

Alright Jim you got my attention. I'll be heading to Carters on Tuesday just to target these walleye you guys keep talking about. Hopefully I will have some pictures to post later that afternoon.....Can someone give me a good recipe on how to cook my catch....And what are the limits ????


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## Gitterdone

Good morning Robert,I was planning on going a couple of days this week but the lake  will be awful muddy.Got a ton of rain last night in waleska area.More rain comimg in on wednesday,plus still a little early to really target from what i,ve heard.Thinking about waiting until weekend so good luck and send so nice pics.


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## Robert Eidson

Gitterdone said:


> Good morning Robert,I was planning on going a couple of days this week but the lake  will be awful muddy.Got a ton of rain last night in waleska area.More rain comimg in on wednesday,plus still a little early to really target from what i,ve heard.Thinking about waiting until weekend so good luck and send so nice pics.




 I think we still can catch them this week. I may wait until Thursday. But really want to try it on Tuesday....I got a buddy that fishes the FLW for Walleye and he as talked to me in length about how to target these fish right now...
The only thing I need to know now is, how many and is there a size limit on them.....


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## Gitterdone

not sure of the size limit but if there is one but you can keep 8 per person.I hope you catch your limit so you can share the secret with me.I,ve been skunked fishing for them.I,ve caught large spots,yellow perch,brim,hybrids just about everything but walleye.I,ve thrown crank baits,jerk baits and live crawlers on the bottom.


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## RCL16

Went to Carters looking for walleyes this morning, only found spots like this, but i'm not complaning, jigs and crankbaits lit them up all morning


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## Gitterdone

Thats the same with me.Been trying hard for the walleye but keep catching large spots,not complaining just want to catch some walleye


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## jim hakala

*walleye rig*

Found a link to a three way rig I've used for walleye fishing.  It has been a long time since I used one (and many miles), but the last walleye I caught was on this rig.

http://www.fish-hawk.net/tips/3_way/3way-rig.php

I used a 1 ounce weight on the bottom, and a floating original rapala on the tag end.  If you use a lighter line on the weight end, then if the weight gets hung, the lighter line should break first allowing you to retrieve your lure.  I slow trolled (drifted) it along the bottom.  You can also cast it and slowly retrieve it back to the boat.  This rig allows you to keep the bait in close contact with the bottom - where the walleye are holding.

You can vary the line lengths to the weight and lure until you find what they want.  The lure color seems to change often with walleye.  You might try a perch, bream or trout pattern.  I've seen Carters walleye cough up bream t
his time of year.  
With all this rain, the headwaters are muddy.  But remember, walleye are use to feeding in low light.  Things will hopefully improve next week.  

The bigger females should be moving upriver over the next 10-14 days. Good luck and keep at it.

Jim


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## jim hakala

*Update*

Walleye: Week 5

Heavy rains and high water levels prevented us from walleye sampling this week, but enough angler reports trickled in to piece together some patterns.  Water temperatures cooled off a bit but that should not impede walleye from their pre-destined appointment with the spawning grounds.  Because the walleye spawn is triggered more by the amount of daylight (photoperiod) than water temperatures, more fish are moving upstream as the days grow longer.  In fact, the high river flows should draw more fish upstream.  If river flows settle down a bit, this weekend should be pretty good.  For those with boats, Lanier & Carters are still your best bets this weekend, but heavier weight may be needed to keep your bait close to the bottom.  For shoreline anglers, Yonah & Rabun are your best bets.  Conditions for your favorite lake are detailed below:

Lake Lanier - The abundance of walleye in the Chattahoochee River upstream of Mud Creek will be at its peak for the next two or three weeks.  More fish are in the pools and shoals and now walleye are all the way to Bull Shoals, which is as high as you can go in a jet-drive boat.  Fishing guide, Wes Carlton, caught some walleye in the Bull Shoals area and another angler reported catching walleye upstream of Bull Shoals on small bucktail jigs.  Who knows.....walleye may be at the shoals in the Highway 115 area.

Carters Lake - One angler reported catching a few walleye up to four pounds trolling Shad Raps on rocky points upstream of the Big Island.  There should be quite a few fish in the shoals for the next few weeks.  Currently, the Coosawattee River is running high and muddy according to Jim Hakala.

Lake Hartwell - The high flows in the Tugalo River will draw more walleye upstream of the Walker Creek Boat Ramp all the way up to Yonah Dam.  One angler reported taking a couple of walleye fishing with a floating Rapala in the shallows below Yonah Dam at sunset.  There are several pull outs along Yonah Dam Road where shallow riffles can be accessed from the bank.  The area below the mid-channel island is a great congregation point for walleye waiting to move further upstream.

Lakes Yonah & Tugalo - Walleye are in the headwaters of both lakes in low numbers, but these numbers should build rapidly over the next two weeks.  Yonah walleye in the headwaters are easily accessible from the shore below Tugalo Dam at dusk and dark.

Lakes Rabun & Seed - Fishing guide, Wes Carlton, boated a 7 lb walleye this week from Lake Rabun and marked several schools in the river channel.  This is a good sign that more fish are moving upstream.  During the day, walleye in both lakes hug close to the bottom in the river channel, but at dusk they migrate upstream into the shallow water where they can be caught from the shore using surface lures.

Good Fishing!

Anthony

Anthony Rabern
Senior Fisheries Biologist
Georgia Department of Natural Resources


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## Gitterdone

I m going friday night sat and sun.going to try everything ive heard about and more.anthony,will the muddy water effect the bite or does it matter.looking foward to night fishing,going up river before dark and going to work my way back out.do you think i should use small baits or will it matter.


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## NCHillbilly

brunofishing said:


> I saw some guys in green down here on Bartletts Ferry durring the summer, It looked like they were shockfishing, do you know were I can find any info on there results? My next question is, Are walleye the some as the chain pickerel we catch around here (Columbus Ga.) in the creeks and rivers.



Walleye are not the least bit similar to chain pickerel, except for the fact that they both have teeth. Totally different fish from different families.


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## Lake_and_stream

Robert , hope you didnt fish today , sure was nasty out up here. 

  The walleye are all staged on the shore line from the island up right now. Like Jim said the ones in the river now are gonna be your males , these are the smaller of the two. The females wont start the move till the water clears and slows down a bit.  The best bite will be after the full moon . The week after the moon will be hot. these fish willl go one a post spawn feeding and thats when you can catch them. Live bait rigs with 3-6 foot leaders of flourocarbon on the bottom is what your going to want to fish. also if you have a HYDROGLOW they can be a great addition to a night trip.

I have a half dozen trips booked for the next few weeks Ill keep ya posted on how the bite is going.


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## 308-MIKE

crappie man said:


> having walleye tomorrow night ,, buddy of mine lives on lake Erie from May to October and does nothing but walleye fish ,, best eating fish i have ever had ,, hush puppies and walleye nothing better , ok and a beer !



you're right crappie man. the best eating fresh water fish. i grew up in the cleveland area, and we used to go walleye fishing all the time on lake erie from may until september.. we were taught a simple method for catching walleye, and usually limited out. after going out 1-2 miles, we would put a hook on our swivel, a split shot just above the swivel. put a night crawler on the hook, and blow it up with a syringe and needle (mom is a nurse). when you hook the nightcrawler, do it one time through the band. drop the nightcrawler down until it hits the bottom. reel up two turns. sit and wait. we always drifted. when the fish bit on the nightcrawler, open the bail and let it take the bait. wait about a minute,close bail and start reeling slowly. once the line is taught, wait to see if bite is still there, set hook and reel up. (if no bite found reel up and replace nightcrawler, because it's probably gone).some very smart angler invented a rig many years ago called the erie dearie. essentially a hook on a piece of wire with beads and a spinner. put a nightcrawler on the hook and you could drift or troll with it. (the guy is probably retired by now). google it to see exactly what it is. in the spring many people would fish the rivers feeding lake erie, for the spawn. i imagine it's the same down here. we always waited until they went back to the deep bottoms of the lake.
robert eidson, there is no wrong way to cook a walleye, unless you over cook it. my dad used to put the fillets in a caserole dish with a little water and butter. add a little salt pepper and paprika to fish and bake until it flakes. then eat to your hearts content. i promise, the best fish you'll eat out of a lake. 
my 75 year old dad would be willing to move back to cleveland, just to have a chance to catch walleye again. so, i guess i'll have to get us to carters lake and find some walleye.
ps oh yeah forgot to mention, they freeze well. we'd take the fillets, put in ziplock bag filled with water,(remove all air) put in freezer. had great eating "fresh" walleye all winter long.
i hope this helps you guys. best of luck to you.


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## Msteele

Thanks for the update Eric.  My trips up there are going to be limited with these gas prices going up.


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## Twenty five ought six

jim hakala said:


> Walleye: Week 5
> 
> 
> 
> Lake Lanier - The abundance of walleye in the Chattahoochee River upstream of Mud Creek will be at its peak for the next two or three weeks.  More fish are in the pools and shoals and now walleye are all the way to Bull Shoals, which is as high as you can go in a jet-drive boat.  Fishing guide, Wes Carlton, caught some walleye in the Bull Shoals area and another angler reported catching walleye upstream of Bull Shoals on small bucktail jigs.  Who knows.....walleye may be at the shoals in the Highway 115 area.



Where is Mud Creek and Bull Shoals.  I see Buck Creek State Park, which is apparently not open.

Is there any public access to either of the two referenced sites --boat or bank?


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## Gitterdone

any fish or water updates from today,planning non going this evening,is it a waste of time


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## Robert Eidson

Gitterdone said:


> any fish or water updates from today,planning non going this evening,is it a waste of time




I talk to a couple of buddies that went up there this morning. They said it was just a waste of gas. Rolling mud and heavy winds.....


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## Robert Eidson

Msteele said:


> Thanks for the update Eric.  My trips up there are going to be limited with these gas prices going up.



Heck you live just minutes from me. Next time I go up there you just come jump in the truck with me........


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## Gitterdone

thats a plan.anytime you wanna go just let me know.calling for winds 5--15 next three days.cant sit in the house need to figure something out.not to cocerned about wind just how bad is the water


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## Gitterdone

Robert Eidson said:


> I talk to a couple of buddies that went up there this morning. They said it was just a waste of gas. Rolling mud and heavy winds.....



 Hey Robert,you were talking about carters,wernt cha.May give it until tomorrow afternoon then will have to go for sure.Just bought 2 containers of crawlers and 2 doz.medium minnows..12 bucks worth,gotta use them


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## Robert Eidson

Gitterdone said:


> Hey Robert,you were talking about carters,wernt cha.May give it until tomorrow afternoon then will have to go for sure.Just bought 2 containers of crawlers and 2 doz.medium minnows..12 bucks worth,gotta use them



Yes Sir !!!!! I think everyone I know is trying to figure out the walleye fishing on Carters right now.  I think we need to take up a pool. First one to catch their limit wins. But it has to be back up with a picture.....Lake and Stream I added this rule just for you......lol  BTW, Your still ugly........


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## Gitterdone

Im in as long as the winner has to share his secrets as how he caught them.Im willing to donate a few bucks for some proven secrets.So far I cant even catch one,so the limmit being 8 I feel its pretty safe with me but I wont stop trying


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## Lukikus2

Here is a tip ya'll can try that use to work for me on Tim's Ford. When the weather is bad, the water moving and muddy, don't waste your money on live bait. Slow, slow troll crankbaits such as shad raps or bombers in firetiger color from 10' to 15' deep. Find some banks up river that have alot of rip rap where the banks taper off slowly, not shelves that drop off abruptly, but a tapering bank. If you can find long points and follow the contour around it, especially with moving water creating eddies, these are usually hot spots. Walleye love moving water and muddy water only will help you catch more because they will strike out of reaction. It works. And I'm a firm beliver in eddies.


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## Lukikus2

And another thing. If they are about to spawn don't overlook gravel points and coves. Good luck.


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## Gitterdone

Thanks for the advice,but will this work during the day or fish it at night


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## Lake_and_stream

Im cool with that as long as you dont have your favorite lure in the boat ..... YOUR CAST NET


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## cartersvillealex

Gitterdone said:


> Thanks for the advice,but will this work during the day or fish it at night



From what I have been reading, although night may be better, day time will work just fine.


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## puddle jumper

Man its good to see some others folks join my obsession, I did this all last spring with no luck,, and in the summer around lights,, 
Anyways I know I will just be making a donation but im in...
What are the stakes going to be?
PJ


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## Lukikus2

Gitterdone said:


> Thanks for the advice,but will this work during the day or fish it at night



It is actually better in the day while the water is colder. The key is to keep your lure bouncing off the bottom. If your not ticking the rocks your chances go way down. Be prepared to lose a few lures though. Oh yea, in dingy water "bone" is a excellent color for them too.


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## Gitterdone

Son will be home at 4.30 then were headed to carters to chase the walleye.have everything  we need on the boat to catch a walleye witch dosnt leave much room for us...lol...Cant believe im bringing so much tackle to catch a fish.I dont take this much stuff offshore.Going tonight and in morning we will see what happens.got plenty of advice from our members thats why theres so much tackle..going to try it all


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## puddle jumper

Good luck Brother,,,
PJ


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## jim hakala

*walleye*

The river above Carters is stained but not muddy.  The high water of late has driven the female walleye into the river shoals and runs to spawn.  We picked up good numbers that were flowing eggs and a couple that were already spent.  The Carters' walleye spawn is in full swing!  A number of fish had worn fins, sides and bellies from spawning.  Biggest walleye today were in the 5-6 pound range.  Good luck out there.


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## jim hakala

*walleye*

Below is a pic. of a nice egg-laden Carters walleye we picked up during sampling Wed. (see Carters post above).  As these fish spawn-out, they should start feeding better as they make their way back towards the main lake body.  Look initially to points and deep woody debris in the Coosawattee arm of the lake, as these fish make their way into the main lake body.

Also........ One last statewide walleye report from my NE GA counterpart - week 6

With the full moon, high river flows and warming water temperatures this week, walleye are at their peak density in the rocky shallows of most north Georgia reservoirs.  Details for each lake are reported at the bottom of this report.  In general, our surveys this week indicated that almost half of the female walleye have completed their business and will head back down the lake soon.  Most of the remainder will finish their spawning activities by next week, leaving behind a few stragglers for the last week of March and into early April.  It's been a good season with some monster fish being caught, including several over 10 lbs.  I hope these reports have been helpful and informative.....  

Lake Lanier - There are high densities of walleye in the headwater pools and shoals in the Chattahoochee and Chestatee Rivers.  Most of the fish are males in the 2 to 3 lb range.  There is plenty of bank fishing opportunity for walleye along the Chestatee River upstream of the GA 400 Bridge.  Most Chestatee River fish were found upstream of the old bridge abutment to the first upstream shoal.

Carters Lake - On Wednesday, Jim Hakala found an abundance of walleye in the shoals above Ridgeway boat ramp.  Water stained, but not muddy.

Lake Hartwell - The flow was extremely high this week and walleye were probably concentrated below Yonah Dam, which is too far upstream for boats.  Bank fishing access is available downstream of Yonah Dam.

Lake Yonah - The flow on Yonah was also extremely high this week, which made for some difficult fishing conditions.  Plenty of walleye are still in the vicinity of Tugalo Dam, but their numbers are declining.

Lake Rabun - Because of the easy bank fishing opportunities in the headwaters of Lake Rabun, it has been hammered by anglers for the past several weeks.  Despite the heavy pressure, there are fair numbers of walleye in the vicinity of the Bear Gap Road Bridge.  Several anglers told me this week they had success using nightcrawlers.

Lake Seed - There are high numbers of walleye in Lake Seed between the Burton Dam Road Bridge to the old bridge crossing downstream.  This area can be accessed by bank anglers on Crow Creek Road or by boat.  There are also a lot of walleye and some fat brown trout in the shade underneath the Burton Dam Road Bridge.

This will be the last walleye fishing report for the spring season.  The locations and techniques described in this week's report will hold up for another week or two.  As walleye retreat back down the lake, they will initially be found on clay banks and points in the upper end of the reservoir, especially near the deeper end of submerged trees.  Once again, the curly tail grub or Shad Rap will entices some post-spawn walleye to bite.  

Look for more information on summer fishing techniques in the coming months.  Until then.......Good Fishing!

Anthony

Anthony Rabern
Senior Fisheries Biologist
Georgia Department of Natural Resources


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## caver101

OH MY!!!

Thanks for posting the continued info!


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## Jim2bass

*Carters*

ok we are going out Monday afternoon will report in the am. Walleye here we come.


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## caver101

We went Friday night....nothing but a handful of little 1/2 to 3/4lb spots. Not the first strike after dark. Used crankbaits (from surface to ticking the bottom) and worms.


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## Squirrel29

Went friday night after walleye at Lake Tugalo. Fished crankbaits, grubs, and night crawlers with only one shellcracker to show for it.


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## wncslim

Thanks for the updates. We've been fishing Fontana and about half the fish are spawned out, so we are right with the N Ga reports, maybe a week behind. Look forward to the next two months when they are easy to catch in shallow water. Wish our state's wildlife dept. was as up on the fish as y'all are. They are too busy giving tickets for parking on the concrete at the ramps.


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## Lukikus2

wncslim said:


> Thanks for the updates. We've been fishing Fontana and about half the fish are spawned out, so we are right with the N Ga reports, maybe a week behind. Look forward to the next two months when they are easy to catch in shallow water. Wish our state's wildlife dept. was as up on the fish as y'all are. They are too busy giving tickets for parking on the concrete at the ramps.



The fish should be shallow now. The warmer the water gets the deeper they go. Look at the surroundings of the previous posts and fish those kinds of banks.


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## Jim2bass

*Carters lake Monday 3/22/11*

Ok Monday 3/22   6:30pm-10:30pm troll and cast shad raps ridgeway to the shoals. 3 chunky spots, no walleye. I kinda feel like the coyote in a roadrunner cartoon. Anybody got any ACME fishing lures? Will continue "endeavour to perservere" "the Wiley Walleye".


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## Alan in GA

*and the mistery.....*

...continues.... : I


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## Sweetwater

Saw the "Hook And Look" episode about Carters. Great job Mr. Hakala.


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## caver101

Sweetwater said:


> Saw the "Hook And Look" episode about Carters. Great job Mr. Hakala.



Hook and Look??

Was this a TV show???



I am with "jim2bass".....I need some "Wiley Walleye" help! lol


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## jim hakala

Sweetwater said:


> Saw the "Hook And Look" episode about Carters. Great job Mr. Hakala.



Thanks guys.  

Now for walleye.....a recent look at this board and one will see a few walleye have been pulled from Carters' waters over the last week.  The spawn is over and the walleye will be feeding heavily to recoup from the rigors of the spawn.  While not the only way to catch them, a number are caught this time every year by bass fisherman throwing jerkbaits and crankbaits.  Good luck out there.

Jim


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## Chris H.

jim hakala said:


> Thanks guys.
> 
> Now for walleye.....a recent look at this board and one will see a few walleye have been pulled from Carters' waters over the last week.  The spawn is over and the walleye will be feeding heavily to recoup from the rigors of the spawn.  While not the only way to catch them, a number are caught this time every year by bass fisherman throwing jerkbaits and crankbaits.  Good luck out there.
> 
> Jim



I witnessed three caught this weekend and none of them looked to have spawned at all. Fat as can be. They seem to be fond of spinnerbaits.


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## Lake_and_stream

Robert Eidson said:


> I think we still can catch them this week. I may wait until Thursday. But really want to try it on Tuesday....I got a buddy that fishes the FLW for Walleye and he as talked to me in length about how to target these fish right now...
> The only thing I need to know now is, how many and is there a size limit on them.....





Well


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## Lake_and_stream

Jim that 5lber we boated Sat was in the lower end of the river and slap full of eggs??? any thoughts?


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## Louie B

We boated 5 Walleye the past week (3 on Saturday) and my clients have reported all were full of eggs.  I'm sure it's just like bass, all aren't gonna spawn at the same time.  There's always a couple of big waves from March-April and even May.  Probably the same with the Walleye.  

But I do not claim to know anything about the toothy critter, other than it taste's amazing and it's good at avoiding me.

LB


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## jim hakala

*walleye*

That is interesting, but not too surprising.  Thanks for the reports and observations.  Perhaps those fish aren't going to make a river run or they may be looking for a place in the lake to do their business.  Some walleye spawn on rocky rubble in lakes.  However, I don't know for sure if this is occurring in Carters, but the possibility is there.  Some may not spawn (not sure of the reason) and will simply re-absorb their eggs.  

I made my observations from my last survey up river.  The last time I was up their, which was a few weeks ago, the females there were mostly spent or flowing and their numbers were dropping off.  Maybe there is some late spawning in the lake?  Great observations!


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## Lake_and_stream

With water temps jumping all over the place i could see that happening. 62 - 54 - 60-62 again all in a months time. Might just have them cornfused.


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## jim hakala

*Walleye*

With good walleye being caught at Carters in the last couple weeks, I thought I would bump this running thread with some additional info.

Here is the average length-at-age for walleye at Carters:
Age 1: 11 inches
Age 2: 17 inches
Age 3: 20 inches
Age 4: 21.5 inches
Age 5: 22.5 inches
Age 6: 23.5 inches

Current GON lake record for walleye at Carters is 8 pounds 11 ounces.  GA state record walleye is 11 pounds 6 ounces (Richard B. Russell - 1995). If you think you have a record walleye, be sure to have it weighed on a state certified scale and verified by a fisheries biologist.  Be sure to take some good photos too.

Other GON lake record walleye (as of Feb 2011 issue):
Lanier: 8 lbs. 3 oz
Rabun: 9 lbs 6 oz
Nottely: 8 lbs 15.2 oz
Blue Ridge: 9 lbs 4 oz
Burton: 11 lbs 0 oz
Chatuge: 9 lbs 4 oz
Hartwell: 9 lbs 0 oz
Seed: 9 lbs 7 oz
Tugaloo: no record

Keep those "southern-eye" photos coming.  And for the newbie to walleye fishing, don't lip them! 

Jim


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## Louie B

Yes do not lip em !!!  That is a good photo.  

I am definitely NOT a Walleye expert.  I run across them most of the time by accident like everyone else.  I am and always will be a trophy Spotted Bass guide, but for those interested in the Walleye here's my two cents.  Almost all the eye's I've caught as of late have been from 30-50ft both suspended and on the bottom (as of late-on the bottom).  If you really want to catch a Walleye and fish any of the lakes mentioned in Mr Hakala's post above, I'd think fishing will just improve as we get into fall.

Obviously the gay blade/silver buddy has worked best for me lately but us bass anglers catch lots of Walleye by accident during fall while fishing Crankbaits and Jerkbaits every year so keep that in mind too as the water cools.  I have tried Lindy Rigs, down-lining night crawlers, and also live-bait to which I have caught zero Walleye on.  I'm sure this stuff works at the right time and place but not for me lately as of yet.  I've tried the night crawlers recently knowing I was around the Walleye and did have a few pull-downs but never hooked up (with a Walleye).  I'm not ready to dismiss it as a way to catch them yet.  BUT, for my money right now I'd say Cranking bright colored Crankbaits early AM around steep rocky walls and both casting and vertical jigging the Silver Buddy 30-50ft later in the day is best.

Here's a few Walleye pics since last September.

LB


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## jim hakala

*Carters Walleye - Nov. 2011 Updates*

Following sampling last week, it is apparent the Carters' walleye population remains healthy!  Bigger fish were running in the 6 pound range with the average fish being 2-3 pounds in size.  The abundance of forage has created some "thick-shouldered" walleye at Carters (larger of the two photos below).  

The walleye were concentrated in the mid-lake portion of the lake (centered around stumpy island, Doll Mtn.area).  We caught very few walleye near the dam or up the Coosawattee River around Ridgeway boat ramp.

Check out some general walleye fishing techniques in the "Georgia Walleye Fishing Guide" located at the bottom of the following web page: http://www.georgiawildlife.com/node/939?cat=2

Side note: The smaller photo of a single walleye below is of a monstrous 12+ pound walleye caught and released by a GADNR survey crew at Lake Seed in NE GA!  Here is the text accompanying the photo of the beastly fish that appeared on the Wildlife Resources Division - GADNR Facebook page Nov. 3, 2011.

"Lake Seed has a state record walleye swimming around! Yesterday, the Wildlife Resources Division - GADNR collected what could possibly be the largest walleye anybody has ever seen in Georgia waters. The fish was 30-inches long and exceeded the capacity of our certified scale that weighs up to 12 lbs. She was caught within 400 yards of the dam and was situated in a downed tree top. The fish was released unharmed and swam away. In the spring, this huge female walleye will probably weigh 15 pounds!" 

Enjoy,

Jim


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## Jighead

Just curious if anyone knows how walleye fishing is in the winter, if they are still fairly active and if so how to target them?


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## Scallen2112

Jighead said:


> Just curious if anyone knows how walleye fishing is in the winter, if they are still fairly active and if so how to target them?



They should be, if you can find where they are schooling. They are a cold water fish, so our water temps, even in the winter, should not bother them much. we used to fish for them through holes in the ice up in Minnesota.


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