Carters Lake April 2025 fishing report

Carters April 2025

“With the walleye spawn wrapping up in the river, we are focusing our walleye efforts back on the main lake. Early morning the toothy fish are up shallow feeding on the shallow bait. These fish will get back to depth after sunrise, so the shallow bite doesn’t last long, but while they are up there, they are susceptible to live baits, as well as artificials. Jerkbaits, crankbaits and soft plastics can all be worked over rocky bottom shallow points and shoals to pick off the ambushing walleye. A slow, steady retrieve is the ticket to keeping your bait on the bottom. After sunrise, the fish will slide down to that consistent 50-foot range where we find them in. After they go deep, you need to adjust your presentations to their depth. Live baits can be fished shallow early and then deeper as the day goes on. Light leaders and small hooks will up your success rate regardless of bait choice. The night bite will pick up again on the full moon when the bait spawn is in full swing mid month. After the bait spawn, look for these fish to head offshore and stay deep again until fall.”