Carters Lake does harbor some big largemouths, but catching one is a rare event. Largemouths are found in shallower water, and debris piles trapped in the backs of shallow coves or pockets are good places to fish for these trophies. Pitching a jig and pig to the heavy cover is a good technique.

Fish attractor maps can be obtained online at www.gofishgeorgia.com, the COE Resource Manager's office, (706) 334-2248, or the WRD Calhoun Fisheries office, (706) 624-1161.

BLUE RIDGE LAKE
Close to the point at which the borders of Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina meet, Blue Ridge Lake is the preeminent destination in Georgia for catching lake-dwelling smallmouth bass, along with largemouth bass and spots.

Impounded by the damming the Toccoa River in 1930, the reservoir is operated by the TVA for flood control and hydropower. Blue Ridge is small -- just 3,290 acres -- and has very little in the way of woody cover. That lack of cover can make Blue Ridge a difficult lake to fish.

The key to success at Blue Ridge is to stay constantly on the move, searching for high-percentage areas that should hold aggressive fish -- chiefly, windblown points and flats on which baitfish may be concentrated. If the bass aren't on the flats, they probably aren't actively feeding.

When bass are on Blue Ridge's flats, jerkbaits and tube lures are solid producers. Two productive ways of fishing a tube here are either to go with a shad pattern with a very light jighead, trying to keep the bait floating 4 or 5 feet off the bottom and above the fish, or -- if you suspect the bass are feeding on crayfish on the bottom -- to use a green pumpkin tube, hopping it along the lake floor.

The best flats are distinguished by a sharp break into deeper water; if that deep water is the main river channel, so much the better. At Blue Ridge, "deep" isn't a relative term: A good flat drops from 20 feet to 100 feet in just a few boat lengths. Although Blue Ridge is small in size, it features plenty of good rocky points and flats.

Since Blue Ridge is usually very clear, wind is important -- not only for concentrating the fish, but also for putting a ripple on the water to cut down on light penetration. Overcast conditions with some wind are ideal for a good bite.

The best fishing for smallmouths and spots is in the main lake. Blue Ridge does have largemouths, too; they're usually found upriver. Look for them where debris has collected in small pockets, providing the sort of shallow, woody cover preferred by largemouths. Early and late in the day, try a floating worm or buzzbait around that shallow cover for bucketmouths.

Anglers in a hurry to catch some fish may find the WRD fish attractors to be worthwhile choices. Largemouths and spots usually hold right in the deep cover, while smallmouths associate more loosely with the attractors.