Carters Lake Fishing Report September 2011

Carters: Level: 1.5 feet below full pool. Temp: 85 to 86 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Spotted Bass: Good. Louie Bartenfield reports, “The day bite here on Carters has been the best I remember for the month of August. I expect with September rolling in the fishing will improve. I’ve been working drop-shots rigs with Big Bite Shacking Squirrels in bold gill and bold gill green colors for 99 percent of my catch in August. The drop-shot Shacking Squirrel bite has been by far the best producer. Mix in a jig-head fish or two, and that has been the deal. As we get in to September, expect the early morning bite to really start turning on. Crankbaits, flukes, jigs, worms and on occasion topwater will all produce both numbers and big fish in September. I like to start with crankbaits at first light; there’s always a good crankin’ bite at Carters in September, and it’s a big-fish pattern, too. Shad-pattern crankbaits like a Spro Little John medium diver that dives 8 to 12 feet will work best. As the sun gets up, I switch to flukes and dragging baits such as jig-head worms, drop shots and jigs. If you are unfamiliar with the lake, focus on shallow points leading into creeks or bays early to mid morning, and deeper bluff walls and channel swings back in the creeks later in the day. If you like to fish deep, look at timber edges and long points, focus on the tips or steep side of these points. Regardless of the shallow activity, there’s always a ton of fish still out deep roaming submerged timber and open water in September. For the deep fish, I like a drop shot and a jigging spoon. Use your electronics to scan large deep-water flats and timber edges to locate baitfish. When you find the bait, the bass will not be far behind. September is a great time of year to locate large groups of fish in open water around bait. It can be serious action.” Eric Welch, of Reel Job Fishing, said he’s catching fish on the lower end of the lake using electronics to find the baitfish. “The baitfish we have been targeting are 18 to 45 feet deep, and we are dropping down on them with a drop shot rigged with a 4 1/2-inch Roboworm in morning dawn and sexy shad colors. There have been a few spots breaking on top in the mornings, so keep a Zoom Super Fluke and a Sammy tied on. Later in the day we’re catching fish up the river on Texas-rigged cherry seed worms and 1/2-oz. jigs in PB&J fished on steep banks and any brush or laydowns.”