Carters Lake Fishing Report January 2017

Carters: Level: 8 feet low. Temp: 53-55 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Spotted Bass: Guide Louie Bartenfield reports, “Fishing has been very hit and miss as of late. SpotSticker jig heads and drop shots tipped with Big Bite Baits plastics, like Shaking Squirrels and Jointed Jerk Minnows, have been my best producers. I’ve run this combo from 30 to 40 feet deep. I’ve had a few really good days fishing shallow with SpotSticker Underspins and casting jigs around and over brush, but it definitely has not been as consistent as years past. January will bring cooler water temps, and I expect the bite to pick up.”

Stripers: Slow. Louie reports, “This has been the slowest start to winter striper fishing I’ve seen in my 11 years guiding. The positive is the fish that are biting are big, and it seems when you get around a striper, they will bite, but the big winter schools aren’t where they should be yet. Big trout fished on downlines 30 to 60 feet deep anywhere you find large schools of bait has been my best producer. More often than not, I’m only seeing three to four fish on my Humminbird when a rod goes down. It’s not the typical 20-plus fish groups we typically see this time of year.”