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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: 1.8 feet above 1074. Temp: 70 degrees. Clarity: Clear. Bass: Guide Louie Bartenfield, with Carters Lake Guide Service, reports, “The spawn phase was in full swing in April. As May approaches, look for fish to start moving a lot more, especially with the herring spawn in full force. Flukes, spinnerbaits and topwater all work on flat points with wind early in the morning. The threadfin shad will start spawning any day now with gizzard shad shortly thereafter. May is topwater time. Get out and throw baits that stay high in the water column that mimic the baitfish that everything is chasing.” Walleye: Guide Eric Crowley, of Lake And Stream Guide Service, reports, “The spring walleye bite has been great with numbers and big fish. The fish are feeding pretty shallow at night and holding nearshore after sunrise. Targeting the 25- to 50-foot range has been most productive for…
Read MoreCarters Lake Fishing Articles
For the past 10 years anyone wanting a big spotted bass in Georgia headed to Carters Lake. Reports of 5-lb. plus spots from Carters were common. The hot fishing has cooled just a little, but the lake still produces a lot of quality spotted bass — and May is a great time to catch them. Carters…
Brian Childs, of Ranger, caught one of three Carters Lake records that were set in the year 2000. Brian’s black crappie weighed 2.07 pounds and fell for a white/blue/white Hal Fly.
Buddy Callahan says that bass fishing for Carters Lake spotted bass is a “challenge.” A lot of other fishermen who have spent time trying to catch a bass on this lake use much stronger language to describe the fishing. Bass fishing on this deep, clear-water lake is often cussed — even by the locals. The…
Jonathan Sutton, of Adairsville, caught a 1-lb., 11-oz. bluegill on Carters Lake on April 12, 1998. The big bream set a records as the largest verified bluegill from Carters.
Spotted bass that weigh six pounds? In Georgia? That’s just a little hard to believe. Although I had seen pictures of Bruce Hicks in the Stratos GON Fishin’ Contest a couple of times with huge spots from Carters Lake, I was still a bit skeptical, but talking to him on the phone really got me…
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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 |