Author Topic: Lake Carlton (Read 4025 times)

riverbottoms · « **on:** Dec 23, 2007, 07:19 AM »

I have a question about Lake Carlton?
Although it's only a 77 acre lake, I think I read or heard somewhere there's a old sunken roadbed in the lake? If so, would anyone know if it is paved or gravel?
Does Carlton give up many saugeyes?
Thanks for any replies.

bigbucky1 · « **Reply #1 on:** Dec 23, 2007, 11:33 AM »

jbird where are you at? This is close to ya and I would like to know also. I was thinking of coming up that way fri, depending on the weather and ice condition. Would like to try for themn saugeye

jepik · « **Reply #2 on:** Dec 23, 2007, 12:03 PM »

gravel..look at banks you can see old road way...south side is where the creek use to run down...old bridge ..south west side...

riverbottoms · « **Reply #3 on:** Dec 23, 2007, 04:48 PM »

jepik,
Your reply is greatly appreciated, thanks for the info. I'll have to pick up a good lake map to help narrow down some target area's for those eyes on Carlton.
Would anyone know how long have the saugeyes been stocked in the lake and are they still stocking them? Any size to them?
I mostly fish for Saugeyes thru the ice out east where I'm presently living. They're fairly easy to catch and great eating too!
Another thing I was curious about are there hours that you can or cannot fish the lake? I have done well fishing for the eyes at night on the hardwater.
I'm not looking for anybody's hot spots on the lake. I'm just trying to get a general idea on the lake such as depth, water clarity, forage base etc.
Does Carlton get much fishing pressure during the winter months?
I might be out that way in a week or two. I sure would love to give it a shot for those eyes if the ice is good by then.

riverbottoms · « **Reply #4 on:** Dec 23, 2007, 05:07 PM »

jepik & bigbucky1,
On my previous post I meant to say, my go to lures for saugeyes are spoons, blades and jigging raps. I don't like fishing wth tip ups. Tipups to me feel like running a hardwater trotline.
The www.indepthangling.com site has some nice looking blades for sale.

bigbucky1 · « **Reply #5 on:** Dec 23, 2007, 08:44 PM »

riverbottoms, was just at my brothers looking at his hotspots map trying to get ideas for a friday trip. hoping to get up there and try for anything. I am not a tip up guy at all so hopefully something rod and reel style.

jbird68 · « **Reply #6 on:** Dec 23, 2007, 09:19 PM »

Carlton Stocking information:
http://www.lake-link.com/lakes/lake.cfm?LakeID=18627&View=Stocking

The lake has a two rod limit. That also includes tip-ups. So if you are using tip-ups and a fishing rod, you can only have one of each at any given time.

Here is an approximate location of the road bed. I made it with my GPS Software.
http://www.frontiernet.net/~jaycub/Carlton%20Lake.pdf

I am off of work all this week. You have to be off the lake before dark. No night ice fishing.

There is a long south bay that is sandy at the southern most part. I caught a few saugeyes there this summer in about 3 feet of water. One was 16" long. They have a 14" min. for Walleye.

bigbucky1 · « **Reply #7 on:** Dec 23, 2007, 09:53 PM »

Thanks jbird. Have you had much luck up there other than that musky you caught in the summer. Also are the gills hard to find to get a limit

jbird68 · « **Reply #8 on:** Dec 23, 2007, 10:24 PM »

I caught a mess of Gills last spring. That was fly fishing with a black gnat.

The gills are usually on the road bed in the winter. There are some cribs too. I was leaving the park on Saturday and a guy had his camera down on a crib by the dam. But he didn't see any fish there.

I want to find the Saugeye and Walleye this winter. One thing about Lake Carlton this year is the DNR killed the weeds and in the process killed some fish too. I didn't seen any Crappie this summer. The water is still stained(green) from all the weeds disintigrating. If anyone wants ot contact me, send me a PM and I'll give you my cell.

riverbottoms · « **Reply #9 on:** Dec 24, 2007, 10:09 AM »

jbird,
Thanks for the post and the link. After reading the link I can see why they (DNR) poison the weeds every year. After reading Carlton being a water run off fed lake is more than likely extremely high in nitrates from farm fertilizer run off every spring. It looks to be a losing battle with the weed problem.
Because of the restrictions with the parks hours, not being able to fish for the saugeyes during the low light (dusk/dawn) and after dark really cuts into the saugeye primetime feeding periods.
I would be willing to say the saugeye were stocked to help with stunted panfish population in the lake.
Although I don't Musky fish, I agree the size limit should be raised to 42-48" range to help control the stunted fish population.
Has there been any saugeye over 16" caught from the lake? If so, how big?

jbird68 · « **Reply #10 on:** Dec 24, 2007, 01:33 PM »

I don't know about other saugeye catches. But I only caught 1 and it was 16". I did go back with my camera and see others swimming in that southern bay. I also caught a couple that we about 12".

Big_Ron · « **Reply #11 on:** Jan 23, 2008, 07:43 PM »

Fished silt basin today only 3" of ice in some areas I fished river back waters yesterday had 11" so won't go back there in a while did get 6 nice keeper gills about 20 that was 5" to 6" had to throw them back. I did not get any fish until 4:45 to 5:20 I was there at 1:30

Big_Ron · « **Reply #12 on:** Feb 03, 2008, 11:11 PM »

Anyone fish for muskies through the ice here? If so what equipment do you use??

jbird68 · « **Reply #13 on:** Feb 07, 2008, 06:37 AM »

Anyone planning on going out after this snow storm? We got plastered and it is very wet snow. How does that affect the ice?...Heavy snow on top of ice. Does that weaken the ice or because it is spread out evenly is the ice still stable?

Big_Ron · « **Reply #14 on:** Feb 07, 2008, 02:49 PM »

I bet there will be some water on top. ice is always good I have found. but pulling a ice hut would be a killer.

tbirdbassr · « **Reply #15 on:** Feb 07, 2008, 05:53 PM »

Drove through mautinos, well into mautinos the gates are closed the only lake you can get to is boss, anyways 6 guys out there they didnt seem to have any problems pulling the sleds once they got on the ice it looked like the snow had melted with the water and was all froze solid again. I figured it was going to be a sloppy mess but it didn't appear to be.

Cristoforo · « **Reply #16 on:** Feb 10, 2008, 10:01 PM »

I am thinking of finally giving Carlton a shot. been meaning to for some time know but never got around to it. I was just wondering what the park hours are? I would guess sun up to sundown like many others but thought i might check.

cris

jbird68 · « **Reply #17 on:** Feb 15, 2008, 06:40 AM »

Yes. you are correct on the hours. I am thinking of getting there this weekend. MIght try by the dam. I haven't fished there yet this year.

Cristoforo · « **Reply #18 on:** Feb 18, 2008, 07:26 PM »

Fished Saturday from 7-noon. Didn't do that well managed a bass and two sunfish between two guys. Bright sun+ high pressure+ lack of knowledge = a slow but intresting

day.

cris

jbird68 · « **Reply #19 on:** Feb 18, 2008, 07:27 PM »

I fished a private pond by Lyndon, Il instead of Carlton and got a dozen Crappie.

Cristoforo · « **Reply #20 on:** Feb 19, 2008, 07:20 PM »

Well then our ability to find fish was also not present. One guy i talked with as we were leaving said he had a dozen gills but i didn't see any so maybe he was into something (not Gills) that a bucket could easily conceal. Oh well they will be there next time.

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Author Topic: Lake Carlton (Read 4025 times)