Carters Lake Fishing Report July 2014

Carters: Level: 0.8 feet above full pool. Temp: 81-83 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Guide Eric Crowley reports, “‘It’s hot outside, and like us, bass don’t like to lay in the heat all day. They have moved down in the water column, some suspended and some on deep structure. The fish on the structure are pretty easy to find and just as easy to catch. Drop shots and small spoons in herring or shad color will all get bit when fished near cover. If you’re looking to beat the heat, the night bite has been pretty consistent around most of the boat ramps, main-lake points and shallow-water markers. Swimbaits, jerkbaits and topwater are all good choices for fishing after dark.”

Linesides: Guide Eric Crowley reports, “The striper bite has been pretty typical for June. As the lake heated up, so did the fishing. The fish are finally schooling, and the spring pattern or lack there of has finally ended. Stripers seem to be in smaller schools and scattered from the mouth of the river to the dam on points, humps and shallow-water markers and are feeding early in the day. The best bite is from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m., and it virtually stops after that. Not saying there are no fish to be caught later in the day, but if you concentrate your efforts early, you will boat more fish. Downlines fished from 15 to 35 feet over a 30- to 50-foot bottom will be your best bet for July. Big herring and threadfins will be the best bait for these fish as that’s what they are feeding on right now. The hybrids are moving into the creeks chasing the bait. Pulling medium-sized herring and threadfins on slightly weighted lines way behind the boat is a deadly tactic for these fish. I use 10-lb. fluorocarbon leader and a small split shot attached to a 1/0 or 2/0 in-line circle hook. The light line definitely produces more bites. Look in the creeks off the main lake for bait, and fish the areas where the bait seems concentrated. You may not mark any fish on the sonar, but you can bet they are in the area. Look in water from 18 to 50 feet. If you mark a school of fish, stop the boat, and let the baits sink down slowly. Watch the sonar, and try to keep the baits in the strike zone just above the fish.”