Carters Lake Fishing Report – November 2006

Carters: Level: 11.4 feet low. Temp: 66 degrees. Clarity: Relatively clear.

Bass: Good. Buddy Callahan at Bart’s Bait & Tackle said the topwater bite should pick up in November. It usually strengthens when the water temperature hits 65 degrees. Spooks, buzzbaits and Pop-Rs are good. A white spinnerbait has been picking up bass around the points on windy days. Fish can be caught in 10- to 15-foot brush on small Texas-rigged worms. Drop-shot rigs with a Robo Alive Shad will catch fish. Use dark colors in the morning — like an Aaron’s Magic — and go to baby bluegill or neon shad later in the day. “We’ve been drop-shotting on slick banks next to blowdowns,” said Buddy. “You get about one fish per blowdown.” Try main-lake points early, and then move into deeper pockets later, when the fish will often suspend. If Buddy can find some fish stacked up, he’ll drop a jigging spoon to them.

Linesides: Great. Buddy said a client caught an 18-lb. striper on October 20. They were fishing a trout under a planer board on top of a main-lake point. Fish the Doll Mountain hump, and run the points. Planer boards and balloons early will work, but later in the day you’ll need to downline trout in 15 to 30 feet of water. “We’ve seen no hybrid activity whatsoever,” said Buddy.