Carters Lake Fishing Report April 2015

Carters: Level: Full. Temp: 55-57 degrees. Clarity: About 6 feet visibility.

Bass: Guide Eric Crowley reports, “The big, fat, prespawn spotted bass are on the move to clay banks and shoreline flats in the main creeks and secondary pockets. Jerkbaits and Scroungers are my go-to artificials for the green fish this month. Pretty much everywhere in the lake will have fish on it this month, and you can have some really stellar days. Good places to start are Woodring, Fisher and Ridgeway Ramp areas.” Guide Louie Bartenfield reports, “The spotted bass have started moving higher in the water and will continue to do so over the next few weeks. Slow-sloping clay banks will be best in April. Target depths from 8 to 15 feet with 3/16-oz. SpotSticker jig heads tipped with Big Bite Shaking Squirrels in green pumpkin, as well as Big Bite Cane Sticks in pumpkin/blue. I still love throwing jerkbaits in April, too. Fish the most windy banks or points you can find, and work your jerkbaits fast. Spro McSticks in spooky shad are a fantastic choice.” Look for an article with Louie on page 34.

Linesides: Guide Louie Bartenfield reports, “There are very few stripers being caught across the lake and river right now. Flatlines will be good throughout April for a fish or two each morning. Herring and/or gizzard shad will work best, if you can get them. Doll Mountain, Wurley and the river are holding the most stripers as of now. I look for more stripers to move shallow this month as the herring make their move shallow to spawn.” Guide Eric Crowley reports, “The bait will start its annual migration to the backs of the creeks and up river where it will school up and attract the hungry fish. Look in the creeks for big schools of shad and herring, and the stripes will be around at some point. Figuring out what time they are feeding and what they are preferring to eat will make the difference in one or two fish or a great spring day. Fisher Creek and Woodring are known for a great early bite, so keep an eye on these areas as well as the last few bends in the river above Ridgeway.”

Walleye: Eric reports, “The walleye are making their way up river and into the backs of creeks to spawn near the middle of the month. Look in clear water from the rapids down about three-quarters of a mile on rocky banks and around the bends in the river. Small curly tail jigs, worm harness rigs, small crankbaits, live minnows and small swimbaits are productive when targeting these fish.”