Carters Lake Fishing Report – May 2008

Carters: Level: Up 3.9 feet above full pool. Temp: Mid 60s. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Off and on, said Buddy Callahan at Bart’s Bait & Tackle. “Some of the largemouths had started to bed, then the lake came up 4 feet on top of them, and that has really pushed them back. The spots are just beginning to bed. Some of the fish caught recently have red tails from fanning beds. The fish are scattered, but there is an intermittent jerkbait bite, and if you get a windy, cloudy day you can catch a few on a spinnerbait. With warmer water temperatures in May, the topwater bite should pick up on baits like a Sammy. The jerkbait bite should improve, and then there is the old reliable plastic worm. A good choice is a Spot Remover jig head with whatever kind of plastic worm or creature bait you like. The fish are on the secondary points with or without brush. For topwater, fish right down the middle of the pockets, then come back with a jerkbait.”

Stripers: The striped bass are all the way back in the creeks, said Buddy. “That’s the only place I have found any numbers of fish. They are catching them on planer boards and flatlines with big gizzard shad. Up the river, the fish seem to have hung up around Ridgeway.”

Catfish: Good. “The shad are up the river at Jake’s Landing, and so are the catfish,” said Buddy. He said one boat had a catch of about 100 pounds of flatheads, with a 20-pounder the biggest fish. The fish are being caught on cut bait shad fished on the bottom.