Carters Lake Fishing Report – April 2006

Carters: Level: Six inches above full pool. Temp: Low 50s. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: “Spring has finally arrived everywhere,” said Buddy Callahan of Bart’s Bait & Tackle. “The month you have been waiting for all winter is finally here.” Buddy said the bass are moving up to spawn, but April will go in three phases. During the first part of the month, bass are going to be moving from staging areas to bedding areas. Bass can be caught on jerkbaits and spinnerbaits on secondary points. Buddy said in the middle of the month, the fish should have moved up, so slow down your presentation with jigs, worms or creature baits to try catching bedding fish. Largemouths can be caught shallow, while spotted bass will spawn in deep water. “If you catch a largemouth off the bed, weigh it, take a picture, and please put it back,” Buddy said. “There aren’t that many largemouths in the lake, so we want to try to keep as many in there as possible.” Late in April, if the weather stays warm, the bass fishing should bust loose. Buddy will throw a fluke or a buzzbait in pockets around any blowdowns or stumps. If those baits don’t draw any interest, he’ll switch over to jigs and worms in the same areas.

Linesides: “Striper fishermen, the river run is beginning,” Buddy said. “Go all the way up the river to the shoals.” Early in the day, throw Redfins, Zara Spooks and bucktails. From midday on, switch over to live shad.

Crappie: The crappie bite was picking up before a late March cold snap gave the fish lockjaw. Buddy says the fishing will improve as the weather warms up. Fish standing timber upriver and around Ridgeway.