Carters Lake Fishing Report – April 2007

Carters: Level: Full pool. Temp: 55-60 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Great. “The prespawn is on — anything goes,” said Buddy Callahan at Bart’s Bait & Tackle. “In April watch for schooling to start. In the first half throw slow topwater lures, like a Pop-R. You can cast bucktails and Rooster Tails. As the schooling picks up you can pick faster baits like buzzbaits and Spooks.” Look for schooling primarily in the middle of the creeks. As fish get on the bed, Buddy said bright-colored lizards and tubes are good. April is a time to run down the bank and throw your favorite lure; lots of things work. Buddy likes the crankbait bite in April, but spinnerbaits and plastics work, too.

Stripers: Excellent. “If you have a jet boat, now is the time to use it,” said Buddy. “The river bite is on from the shoals on up. Deep holes between the shoals and Ellijay are good places.” Up the river is where you need to go at Carters this month.

Crappie: Excellent. Buddy can’t explain it, but it’s the best year in a long time for big stringers of slab crappie. “We’ve sold so many jigs and minnows it’s incredible,” said Buddy. “Jigs under floats in the timber from Doll Mountain up have been working.” A 2.86-lb. black crappie caught by Toby Mason is going through the process of becoming the new lake record.

Walleye: Good. Look for these fish up the river at the shoals. Fish nightcrawlers on the bottom.