Carters Lake Fishing Report August 2016

Carters: Level: 0.7 feet below full pool. Temp: 85 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Spotted Bass: Guide Louie Bartenfield reports, “Fishing has been good for the dead of summer. Bass are moving off into the deepest water they will be in for the remainder of the summer. I’m catching the majority of my bass from around 28 to 35 feet. Spotsticker jig heads and drop shots tipped with Big Bite plastics like Shaking Squirrels have been my best producers. I’ve also caught a few bigger bass lately on a 1/2-oz. Spotsticker hand-tied jig tipped with a Big Bite Real Deal craw in tilapia color. August is what we consider the dead of summer. Fishing will not get any better, but it should be consistent throughout the month. Focus on 30- to 40 foot breaklines more than cover. In my opinion, these bass relate more to edges and drops than they do cover.”

Linesides: Guide Eric Crowley reports, “The summer pattern is holding strong with the stripers holding deep and near trees. Moving slow and running around quality sonar will help you find these fish. Getting them to eat is another story. Some days they will eat right away, and the next day they are just window shopping—coming up and looking at baits only to turn up their nose and go back down. There are a couple ways to target the deep fish. One is moving from place to place looking for feeding fish or fish willing to feed, covering water and picking off a fish here and there. The other way is to find the fish and sit on them. They are mainly moving at night, so if you locate a school in the daytime, they are going to be there pretty much all day, not traveling more then maybe a hundred yards all day. Keeping the baits down in their face until they decide to eat can be productive. Remember, if your fishing below about 50 feet, your baits will need to be changed about every 10 to 15 minutes to keep them frisky. Also, if you’re going to fish deep, please get a deflation device and learn how to use it. If you have any questions or need a deflation needle, please let me know, and I will gladly give you one and show you how to use it properly. The hybrids are schooled up on main-lake points, and they can be found busting bait early in the morning and again at dusk. Topwater lures, pitched live bait and jigging spoons are the way to go if you want to boat these hybrids.”

Walleye: Guide Eric Crowley reports, “Walleye are still being caught before dawn while fishing under the Hydroglow lights. Line leaders and small hooks with 3- to 4-inch baits has been the key. We have seen a bunch of eyes this year, and the average size is up from last year.”