Carters Lake Fishing Report – March 2008

Carters: Level: 15 feet below full pool. Some ramps have re-opened! Temp: 48-50 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Slow. According to Buddy Callahan at Bart’s Bait & Tackle, although the fishing was slow last weekend, the team of Charlie Childers and Scott Dean managed to catch an impressive 18.88-lb., 5-fish sack to win the first tournament on the lake since the corps reopened the ramps on Feb. 22. “The fish were scattered, but most of the fish caught over the weekend were caught on soft plastics — finesse worms or tube jigs,” said Buddy. He recommended that you try a 1/8- to 1/4-oz. brown hair jig with a green trailer.

Linesides: “The spawning run has begun,” said Buddy. “For the bigger fish — 20-pounders — this is the time to head up the river from Ridgeway to the shoals.” Fish trout on planer boards or balloons. For better numbers of fish, but smaller fish, you can try the area around Doll Mountain. The bigger stripers will start moving back toward the main lake in late March and early April.

Crappie: Not yet — but soon. “Carters doesn’t have a lot of crappie, but there are some dinner-plate-sized fish,” said Buddy. “By the middle of March you should be able to find fish in the timber in the backs of the creeks.”

Walleye: According to Buddy, you can still pick up a walleye or two up the river at the shoals. Try a bottom-bumping rig with nightcrawlers.