Carters Lake Fishing Report September 2012

Carters: Level: 0.4 feet above full pool. Temp: 80 degrees. Clarity: Very clear; 8 feet visibility.

Bass: Good. Louie Bartenfield reports, “The bite in August was as good as I remember since going full-time guiding in 2008. Thre were great numbers of spots out deep, and some days the stripers and hybrids showed up good, too. As we enter September, I expect water temps to stabilize in the mid 70s and for fish to be scattered from the surface to 35 feet deep. Start each morning with a slow-moving topwater, Spro McStick jerkbaits and Davis X-Wire Underspins. The Davis X-Wire Underspins can be purchased at The Dugout in Marietta. From mid-morning, the best baits by far will be drop-shot rigs and Spotsticker jig heads rigged with Big Bite finesse worms and Spotsticker hand-poured worms. Fish your moving baits out to 35 feet, and get back in the creeks a bit. There will be piles of bait moving to the lower creeks like Fisher and Marina. Remember to keep a drop-shot handy. The fish often suspend in the fall, so keep your eyes on the Humminbird!”

Linesides: Good. “Look for stripers and hybrids to make their way back in the creeks with the spotted bass in September,” Louie said. “Pull Castaway U-rigs and bucktails on points and flats leading into creeks, and follow the contour back. My favorite colors are blue and pink in the fall. You’ll often catch both species out of the same school when you run across them. This bite will only last an hour or two tops. Last September, I downlined bream 20 to 40 feet just off contour drops back in the creeks with some success. This is relative to Carters lineside fishing of course—we usually don’t catch numbers like other lakes, but Carters always makes up for it with quality.” Guide Eric Crowley reports, “September signals the start of the fall fishing season. We will still be dealing with a summer-type pattern for the first week or so, but as the long, hot days of summer come to an end, look for the fish to move up in the water column and the bite to turn on. This is a great month to start pulling planer boards with live bait. This will allow you to cover more water during prime fishing time. Live alewife and gizzards, preferably large ones, pulled behind boards with 1/2- or 3/4-oz. sinkers will not only get the bait down a bit, but the larger baits will be strong enough to pull the sinker around making them struggle or look distressed which can attract the attention of any passing linesides. I have found that the Castaway Tackle planer boards handle the big baits and added extra weight very well and will continue to track straight with no issues. I don’t use balloons a lot, but this time of year I can’t help but put one out about 100 feet behind the boat with a large bait, 25 feet of line and no weight. Look for the stripers to move up on the points and islands on the upper end of the lake from Woodring to Doll Mountain. As far as the hybrids go, these fish are sometimes impossible to pattern in September as they move so much chasing the bait schools. They will be stacked up one day and completely gone 12 hours later. This month you’re going to have to cover a lot of water and find what’s working best that day. Also, look for the topwater bite to start around the shallow reef markers either first thing in the morning or right at dark. I use two proven baits when casting to these fish—either a silver or grey fluke or a Smack Tackle Flitterbait. Cast over the shallows, and reel back over the edges.”