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Carters Lake
Located in the north Georgia mountains in Gilmer and Murray counties, Carters Lake is the deepest of Georgia's reservoirs. The spotted bass fishing at Carters is nationally known, and the lake also produces trophy striped bass, as well as a unique Georgia fishery for trophy walleye. Relatively small with 3,200 acres and 62 miles of shoreline, Carters Lake has an average depth of 200 feet and is also more than 450 feet deep in places. Carters is a Corps of Engineers impoundment that is unique that there are no private docks or houses along its shore. This lake is fed by the Coosawattee River.
Carters Lake Resources
Carters: Level: 2.4 feet below 1074. Temp: 63-66 degrees. Clarity: 6 to 8 feet. Bass: Guide Robbie Linginfelter, with Carters Lake Guide Service, reports, “The colder weather that will extend through December started the week before Thanksgiving, with steadily dropping temperatures. December is a great month to get out on the water for numbers and size. There are two main ways to catch bass this time of year. There will be fish on bait on the main lake and some others moving into the ditches following bait. Bait is the key to your December fishing. Fish your favorite cold-weather techniques, like spoons, drop shots, jerkbaits and underspins, but my go-to is a 2.8 swimbait on a jig head around balls of bait. Swim it under the balls of bait where the bass hold.” Carters Lake Page: Archived Articles, News & Fishing Reports Walleye: Guide Eric Crowley, of Lake And Stream…
Read MoreCarters Lake Fishing Articles
All bass fishermen dream of April, when the bass are shallow and biting. The fish are in all stages from prespawn to postspawn, and add the shad spawn this month for some incredible fishing early in the morning. The fishing is great everywhere, but if you want a chance of catching a 7-lb. spot, with…
Carters Lake is a classic mountain reservoir. At only 3,200 acres and reaching more than 400 feet in spots, this small lake boasts an amazing spotted bass population. The lake-record spot is an impressive 7-lbs., 3-ozs., and five-fish stringers of 18 to 20 pounds are not uncommon in tournaments. Louie Bartenfield, of Chatsworth, is a…
If you’re willing to brave any north Georgia mountain lake in January, you know what you’re in for. It’s going to be cold, and the wind is likely to blow a bit. However, those folks who choose to hunt the beastly striped bass on Carters Lake will be rewarded this month. That is, if they’re…
It’s getting hard to keep up with who is the lake record holder for hybrid bass at Carters. Since 2009, the record has changed hands four times. All of those fish were caught in the month of May. The newest record holder is Dick Neubert, of Hiawassee, who caught his 13-lb., 5.4-oz. hybrid with a…
Carters Lake Records
| Largemouth Bass | 13-lbs., 1-oz. | Jimmy Dixon | 04/11/87 |
| Spotted Bass | 7-lbs., 3-ozs. | Leonard Lawson | 12/05/92 |
| Hybrid Bass | 14-lbs., 6-ozs. | Hunter Bruce | 04/03/12 |
| Black Crappie | 2-lbs., 1-oz. | Brian Childs | 05/20/00 |
| Striped Bass | 36-lbs., 0-ozs. | Angela Hawes | 08/22/09 |
| Walleye | 8-lbs., 11-ozs. | Gary Hawkins | 03/09/03 |
| Bluegill | 1-lb., 11-ozs. | Jonathon Sutton | 04/12/98 |
| Rainbow Trout | 3-lbs., 12.48-ozs. | Mike Guthrie | 04/28/17 |
| Flathead Catfish | 41-lbs., 12-ozs. | Wyatt Stokes | 05/06/20 |
| Blue Catfish | 17-lbs., 4.64-ozs. | Gary Turner | 08/17/14 |
| White Crappie | 3-lbs., 4.9-ozs. | Chandler Watkins | 02/28/21 |