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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: 2.6 feet below 1074. Temp: 52 degrees. Clarity: 4 feet. Bass: Guide Robbie Linginfelter Carters Lake Guide Service reports, “Fish are slowly making their seasonal transition to the bank. March is possibly the best month to catch your spotted bass of a lifetime. Look for prespawn fish on transition banks leading into spawning pockets. They will hit jerkbaits, crankbaits and worms. On windy days, the old standby spinnerbait will catch fish on wind-blown banks. You can still catch deep fish. Use your electronics to find bait and fish around it with drop-shot worms and jigging spoons or any other vertical bait you like. This is the time of year you can catch fish pretty much any way you like.” Stripers: Guide Eric Crowley of Lake And Stream Guide Service reports, “The striper bite has been good and will continue to improve as the water warms and the bait starts to…
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 |