Carters Lake Fishing Report – October 2010

Carters: Level: 2.6 feet below pool. Temp: 76-83 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Good. Louie Bartenfield reports, “I’ve been catching fish on crankbaits, Fish Head Spins and Scroungers early, and after 10 a.m. I’m switching gears to drop shots and jig-head worms rigged with Big Bite soft plastics. I’m catching fish from 8 to 30 feet deep throughout the day. As we get into October and the water cools into the low to mid 70s, look for more schooling fish both on the surface and below. Large schools of fish will move into creeks and coves off the main lake. Focus your efforts around the mouths of major creeks using topwater baits, Fish Head Spins, Scroungers and drop shots. Fish are following and feeding heavily on shad and alewives and will relate to every contour edge to ambush. This is the time of year that any bait that mimics the forage could work; finding the fish is the biggest challenge.”

Linesides: On and off. Eric Crowley reports, “The high temps, algae bloom, and tons and tons of bait have made it hard to stay on fish. They seem to be roaming almost non stop. Some days they are in the trees in 12 to 20 feet of water, and the next day you will find the fish out in 60 feet of water just suspended for no reason. Fish are still catchable early morning on the lower-lake humps and DNR structures, but they seem to take off when the sun gets up. Some fish are moving to the backs of the smaller creeks chasing bait late in the afternoon just before dusk. Fisher Creek, Doll Mountain, Ridgeway and the stand-up trees up river seem to be the most productive spots right now. Lively threadfins on light line are working best in the open water, and fresh gizzards are your best bet in the backs of the creeks.”

Walleye: Eric reports, “Some decent walleye in the 4- to 6-lb. range have been caught in the last week on the longer points on the main lake with live shad and small crankbaits just at dusk.”