Lake Carlos
Published: Updated:
Lake Carlos Fishing Reports
Stay up to date with the latest fishing reports from Lake Carlos. Reports are submitted by local anglers, fishing guides, and our team of fishing experts.
Filter by
All Species
All Seasons
Sort by
Reports from all past years within a 60-day time frame
- Species
Largemouth BassTechniqueSwim JigsSeasonSpring (Post-Spawn)StructureReedsCarlos Lake is very clear. So making long casts where key to getting bites. The Reeds on the south east side were holding majority of the big ones. I made a long casts with a Dirty Jigs California blue gill pattern and bama colored Crush City Clean Up craw. When it hit the middle of the reeds a 5.63pound bass smacked it. There were many more that size but became hard to catch
- Species
CrappieTechniqueHover/Mid-StrollingSeasonSummerStructureHumpsMid strolling around mid lake humps and spines produced large crappies (and pike and bass) on Carlos. Working the edges and drop offs with a 4" Sakamata shad worked well. Strolling the bait along the weed edge and dropoffs using forward facing sonar worked well. It was a calm day so it was easy to make very specific casts at fish.
Species
Smallmouth BassTechniqueNed RigsSeasonSummerStructureBouldersMake casts to boulders on sand flats
- SpeciesLargemouth BassTechniqueGrass JigsSeasonSummerStructureSubmerged Vegetation
Used a chatterbait and swim jig on weed edges to locate fish. Found groups of larger fish schooled up in milfoil patches. Classic flipping baits worked well, with most fish coming on a stealth feider jig and a 3/8oz weighted tokyo rig with a craw tube trailer. Having multiple rigs at the ready was key to getting multiple bites.
- SpeciesLargemouth BassTechniqueGrass JigsSeasonSummerStructureSubmerged Vegetation
Water temp was in the high 70's and I was in the 12-16 foot range. although a dropshot was get a lot of fish on the weed edges the bigger fish came on a heavy jig or Texas rig. The boat was in deeper water throwing into the 12-15 foot range
- SpeciesLargemouth BassTechniqueBladed JigsSeasonSummerStructureSubmerged Vegetation
The water level is very low on the chain this year. The shallow structure that is USUALLY very productive in the summer, is very torched from the low water levels. Forage seems to have moved out to the deeper weediness where the grass is healthy and green. Shallow grass is very brown and scummy. Bass were easily caught in weed lines from 8-15' with moving baits. Chatterbait, spinnerbait and square bill crank baits were effective.
- SpeciesLargemouth BassTechniqueSpinnerbaitsSeasonSummerStructureSubmerged Vegetation
Carlos was fishing a lot different with the low water in 2021. The shoreline structure was very "burnt" from the sun and lack of depth, so the panfish forage has been pushed to the deeper weediness. The deeper grass was much more healthy. However, there is a LOT of grass in Carlos so using search baits is your best option. I got a lot of quality fish fishing a jackhammer & white spinnerbait over grass lines near deeper water. Topwater on main lake points & around docks can be really fun in the early morning.
- Species
WalleyeTechniqueLive Bait RigsSeasonFallStructureHumpsDropshot and a live leech (it wouldn’t let me submit a report without picking a bait) in 20ft around the big mid-lake hump just out from the west launch.
