Carter Lake

[Kokehead83]

I was wondering if anyone has any info on Carter lake as to how it has fished in the past. All the research I have found stated the lake is stocked with kokanee. Yet no one at any tackle store I have been to has any information about the bite or about kokanee fishing at all other than snagging in other parts of the state. I also have heard that when fish and game sampled the lake this past year they only found 2 mature kokanee. There is a large population of walleye in the lake as well as bass and a decent trout pop. I can speak for the walleye pop as I only fished the lake once last year and had consistent hook ups for the 3 hours I was on the lake. What do people know. I ask because this is the closest kokanee fishery to me and I would like to be able to dial it in this year and make a few other trips to say the gorge, blue mesa, etc.

Thanks

Ben

 

[FishHunter]

I have never fished Carter Lake and could not find much information on the kokanee fishing there either. I have found that the people at the tackle stores and marinas don't know too much, even at great kokanee fisheries like Blue Mesa.

Hopefully, we will have someone with some experience and knowledge about the lake reply.

 

[Petty4life]

I have never fished Carter Lake and could not find much information on the kokanee fishing there either. I have found that the people at the tackle stores and marinas don't know too much, even at great kokanee fisheries like Blue Mesa.

Hopefully, we will have someone with some experience and knowledge about the lake reply.

I'm sure Bobco will chime in if we can get him away from those darn Macks...laugh hyst

 

[bobco]

I'm sure Bobco will chime in if we can get him away from those darn Macks...laugh hyst

Dam Macs!!!crymeariver
Carter is a funny story, I went to the Northern Colorado Walleye Assocation meeting last fall at Berthod Colorado. I asked about Carter and this is what I was told, kokonee are stocked in Carter as a forage base for the Walleye , this is sooooooo crazy in the kokonee crazy Colorado Division of wildlife world. thats the story, sounds like they don't have many survivers to spawn but I understand that lake has some hog walleyes.
you are right about not allot of informed people around the marinas on blue Mesa, we have started an education program last year and plan to continue on this spring, they are now carrying Rocky MT in both marinas and both managers are gettng educated. Jared has a trip planned this spring to really help speed up the process. If you ever need up to date information there is a guide out of the marina name Robby Richardson who is very helpfull, or shoot me an email.

 

[FishHunter]

....you are right about not allot of informed people around the marinas on blue Mesa, we have started an education program last year and plan to continue on this spring, they are now carrying Rocky MT in both marinas and both managers are gettng educated. Jared has a trip planned this spring to really help speed up the process. If you ever need up to date information there is a guide out of the marina name Robby Richardson who is very helpfull, or shoot me an email.

I went down 3 or 4 times last year to Blue Mesa and saw the RMT tackle, but the people at the marina had no idea what or where the kokes were hitting or if people were even catching them. I spoke with Robby once last year and he was helpful in pointing us in the general direction that time. I hope to get there more often this year since it is so close.

 

[bobco]

I went down 3 or 4 times last year to Blue Mesa and saw the RMT tackle, but the people at the marina had no idea what or where the kokes were hitting or if people were even catching them. I spoke with Robby once last year and he was helpful in pointing us in the general direction that time. I hope to get there more often this year since it is so close.

they have allot of turnover at the marinas but as of last fall both managers actually go out and fish so hopefull it is on the right track....

 

[Kokehead83]

carter

You are right about the hog walleye in there. but you can only keep one per day between 16-20" not quite worth the trip but I will admit that there are a ton of walleye in that lake. I think I’ll give it a try a few times this year see if I can pull any kokanee out of it if not catching walleye there is as easy as getting drunk at a bar.

Ben

 

[Kokehead83]

I talked to a guy named Ben he is the Fish Biologist for the DOW and is in charge of Stalk9ng at Carter Lake. He told me the in 2008 they doubled the amount of kokane the stalked into the lake. They are trying to make it a kokanee fishery as well. The thing is that Cater Lakes is a major Walleye egg producing lake hence the one fish 16-20" a day limit on walleye at Cater. Ben told me he had recently taken over for another guy and that he double the kokanee and would continue this for a few more years as he understands the life cycle of kokanee and know we wont know if this worked for a few more years. He told me he wants Carter to become a kokanee fishery but it may take time as it is so important to the states walleye at the present time. Time will tell.

Ben

 

[jjlantz]

How big can the kokes in Carter get? I've heard some people say that they don't get very big there (kinda' like Dillon or GM). Does anyone in the know have a handle on the size that they can attain there?

 

[silverkoke]

the ones that live four years there get big , i saw a guy with a stringer of 18 to 20 inchers he snagged at dam 1 acouple years back

 

[Tigger Benford]

Re:

Anyone interested in fishing Carter Lake should consult with local guides and resources before heading out to fish. Anglers who have fished Carter Lake are invited to submit reviews of the lake. Tell us when you went, what you caught, how the experience ranked overall. Thanks for your reviews, they help to make Fishing Works the best website for anglers.
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