June 23

Clarks Hill water levels are still above full at 330.14 (full pool is 330.00) and the water is still very clear on the lower end. Morning surface water temperatures are still about 84-85 degrees. 

Fresh off a fourth-place finish in this weekend’s BFL on Clarks Hill with 17-2, tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that there a plenty of bass that can be caught offshore around humps and points. At times they are schooling while at times you need to target them on the bottom with soft plastics. However, from what Josh has seen a lot of the better quality fish are shallower right now.

Josh caught all of his fish Saturday around very shallow bream beds up the rivers, and they all came on a bream-colored Whopper Plopper. He and his co-angler also threw poppers, buzzbaits and soft plastics, but the fish wanted the Whopper Plopper. A lot of times a dark male bream would attack the bait and then a bass would run him off and hit. One time he had two 3-4 pounders on at the same time as they were actually fighting over the bait. 

Interestingly, even though the fish were cruising around bream beds they were spitting up crawfish parts in his live well all day.  

The hybrid and striped bass fishing has been a little touch-and-go again this week on Clarks Hill, and Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that the pre-daylight bite has basically evaporated. Starting at sunrise they are catching fish 20 feet down in 50-60 feet of water in the river and creek channels, but with everything so suspended and scattered they are having to work to get fish instead of finding massive groups.  Fish are all over the lake but mid-lake around Plum Branch and Soap Creek has had some of the best fishing. 

The oxygen line is on but the fish have not been squeezed yet and so there are not many fish around it.

The crappie fishing is still excellent on Clarks Hill this week, and Little River Guide Service reports that the strong catches are coming in the backs of creeks and rivers. The fish are suspended 10-15 feet down, and sometimes they are over 20 feet and sometimes they are in 40 feet. Some are around natural timber and some are around brush that people have put out. Minnows have been working the best. 

On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) concurs reports that the bite for eater-sized fish is still very good. They are filling coolers with 1-10 pound blues and channels, and bigger fish pop up every now and then. Anchoring on points and humps and fan-casting with cut herring, shrimp or dip baits is the best technique. To target bigger fish the pattern doesn’t really change, but you want to use tougher baits like gizzard shad, white perch and bream. 

June 17

Clarks Hill water levels are still above full at 330.67 (full pool is 330.00) and the water is very clear on the lower end. Morning surface water temperatures are about 84-85 degrees and a thermocline is starting to set up about 20 feet down. 

The hybrid and striped bass fishing is improved this week on Clarks Hill, and Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that before daylight there is a good bite on the sides of humps and underwater islands on the bottom in about 20 feet. This is taking place in the creek and river channels, and mostly the catch is hybrids.  

After sunrise, the same group of fish pull out to the ditches in about 60-70 feet of water where they are feeding about 24 feet down. The best action is at the junction of creek and river channels. The key to locating fish is to look for high bait and scattered fish, as bait at 40 feet isn’t doing much good and the fish are only interested in bait in the 24-foot range. There are no major groups of striper and they are still very randomly scattered. Murray Creek, Fishing Creek and the mouth of Soap Creek have all been loaded with fish. The oxygen line is on but there are not many fish around it.

While there are certainly some shallow patterns for bass, this morning tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia, didn’t find them. He threw a buzzbait in vain for a while, and it was only after he headed out to 20-25 feet that he started catching fish on humps and brush piles. The hump fish came on a drop shot while the Buckeye creeper head worked around brush. 

Interestingly, Tyler also saw some large schools of blueback herring in less than 10 feet of water in coves. 

The crappie fishing is still excellent on Clarks Hill this week, and Little River Guide Service reports that the strong catches are coming in the backs of creeks and rivers. The fish are suspended 10-15 feet down, and sometimes they are over 20 feet and sometimes they are in 40 feet. Some are around natural timber and some are around brush that people have put out. Minnows have been working the best. 

On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) concurs reports that the bite for eater-sized fish is still very good. They are filling coolers with 1-10 pound blues and channels, and bigger fish pop up every now and then. Anchoring on points and humps and fan-casting with cut herring, shrimp or dip baits is the best technique. To target bigger fish the pattern doesn’t really change, but you want to use tougher baits like gizzard shad, white perch and bream. 

June 13

Clarks Hill water levels are still above full at 330.55 (full pool is 330.00) and the water is very clear, even way up the river. Morning surface water temperatures are about 82-85 degrees. 

Even with the summer heat tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that the bass fishing is good and fixing to get even better, and from what he is seeing on the lake there should be some really big bags at this weekend’s BFL event. There have already been 20 plus pound sacks in recent team tournaments. Josh has seen some really good ones up shallow around bream beds, and throwing a Whopper Plopper he’s had some 6 plus pound fish follow it. The question is how to get the big girls to bite.

There are also plenty of fish stacked up on deep brush, and bridges are holding a ton of fish but not necessarily good ones. A drop shot around bridges will put numbers in the boat.

There are also some good fish being caught periodically schooling over humps, and when you can find a hump in 12-15 feet of water surrounded by deep water at some point fish should come up top over it. Humps as shallow as 7 feet can produce, and long points and saddles that rise up can also be good. Again it’s just a matter of timing.  

June 9

Clarks Hill water levels are above full at 330.69 (full pool is 330.00). Morning surface water temperatures are about 83 degrees. 

We all appreciate honesty from fishing guides, even when things aren’t great, and Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that right now is a transition period for hybrid and striped bass on Clarks Hill.  The fishing has definitely gotten tougher. While Captain Tony Shepherd is working hard to find scattered fish on Clarks Hill, a lot of guides have moved over to Lake Murray right now.

The fish have basically separated out into a couple of groups, and even though the herring spawn is essentially over on the lower end there are still some herring pretty high in the water column first thing. The fish feeding on them can be caught on down-lines about 15 feet down. 

The bulk of the better hybrids and striper on the lower end, however, are 50-60 feet down relating to the river channels in 100-120 feet of water. They are not very grouped up. One oxygen line is up and running and has fish on it. 

The other major group of fish is in the upper third of the lake below Russell Dam in the Fishing Creek and Murray Creek area. They are shallower and can be caught on down-rods in 30-40 feet. Some of the biggest fish are in this area.

For hybrids and striper in the mid-lake, Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) concurs and reports that the bite is only fair. He is fishing humps and points in 15-25 feet before daylight and then moving out to 25-40 feet in the same areas when the sun gets up. 

The crappie fishing is still excellent on Clarks Hill this week, and Little River Guide Service reports that in the Raysville and Amity areas they are catching the fool out of the fish over brush piles in the 20-25 foot range. This week minnows have been working the best and they are getting 60-70 food fish every time they go out. 

On the catfish front, Chris reports that the bite for eater-sized fish is still very good. They are filling coolers with 1-10 pound blues and channels, and bigger fish pop up every now and then. Anchoring on points and humps and fan-casting with cut herring, shrimp or dip baits is the best technique. To target bigger fish the pattern doesn’t really change, but you want to use tougher baits like gizzard shad, white perch and bream. 

May 24

Clarks Hill water levels are still very full at 329.97 (full pool is 330.00) and, even after an inch of rain, the lower end is still clear while some of the rivers are stained. Morning surface water temperatures are about 78 degrees on the lower end and around 80 in the rivers. 

Fresh off a win in the Clarks Hill BFL tournament on Saturday with 19-12, tournament angler Joe Anders of Easley reports that he caught the bass on herring points in the mid-lake section but with a bit of a twist. With the lake very high the fish were hanging out in a foot of water around flooded trees that gave them shade for comfort and from which to ambush the bait. He caught them on a Manly custom buzztoad paired with a fluke, some on topwaters, and some on a Megabass Magdraft swimbait. 

 

It’s been a phenomenal week for hybrid and striped bass on Clarks Hill, and Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that before the rain they had several days where they caught 50-60 fish in 50-60 minutes. The rain slowed things to about half that, but the fish remain very aggressive. 

The pattern is still pretty similar, and before dawn mostly hybrids are chasing bait around points and saddles in 8-20 feet of water where you can cast baits to them. After that they are sliding off into about 15-25 feet of water in the same areas and getting on the bottom, and down rods are working better. While the majority of the bait has spawned, it is not going very deep yet and so that is keeping the fish shallow. 

It’s still mainly a hybrid bite, and Captain Tony Shepherd notes that the post-spawn striper have mostly separated out from the hybrids and they have gone out to deep, cold oxygenated water to recover. They seem to be on the bottom in about 50 feet of water and will frequently display a preference for cut bait over something they have to chase. 

For hybrids and striper in the mid-lake, Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that he is on a similar but slightly deeper pattern. While most of the spring he was pulling planer boards, now the down rod bite has gotten more consistent for him. He is fishing humps and points in 15-25 feet before daylight and then moving out to 25-40 feet in the same areas when the sun gets up. 

There’s a bit of change with the crappie on Clarks Hill this week, and Little River Guide Service reports that while the fish are still on trees and brush in the 20-something foot range they are eating a lot of grass shrimp right now. While they will still chomp on minnows, in jigs more natural colors are now working better than flashier ones. The fish are still way back in the creeks and up the rivers and areas like Big Hart, Holiday Park and Raysville are all producing. 

On the catfish front, Chris reports that the bite for eater-sized fish has been excellent. They are filling coolers with 1-10 pound blues and channels, and bigger fish pop up every now and then. Anchoring on points and humps and fan-casting with cut herring, shrimp or dip baits is the best technique. To target bigger fish the pattern doesn’t really change, but you want to use tougher baits like gizzard shad, white perch and bream. 

May 20

Clarks Hill water levels are just above full at 330.04 (full pool is 330.00) and with no rain clarity is high. Morning surface water temperatures are in the upper 70s.

For striped bass in the mid-lake, Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that this week the down rod bite has gotten more consistent for him than pulling planer boards. He is fishing humps and points in 15-25 feet before daylight and then moving out to 25-40 feet in the same areas when the sun gets up. 

On the catfish front, Chris reports that the bite for eater-sized fish has been excellent. They are filling coolers with 1-10 pound blues and channels, and bigger fish pop up every now and then. Anchoring on points and humps and fan-casting with cut herring, shrimp or dip baits is the best technique. To target bigger fish the pattern doesn’t really change, but you want to use tougher baits like gizzard shad, white perch and bream. 

May 19

Clarks Hill water levels are just above full at 330.02 (full pool is 330.00) and with no rain clarity is high. Morning surface water temperatures are about 75 degrees and approaching the 80s in the rivers.   

It’s a similar pattern for hybrid and striped bass all over the lake from one end to the other and in all the creeks, and Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that the herring spawn is winding down and there are now only about a third of the herring spawning as at the peak. Nonetheless, there is still a strong early morning feeding period in shallow water with (mostly hybrids) chasing the remaining herring around points.  

After that the fish slide off the sides of the points into 30-50 feet of water in drains and ditches. They are suspended 12-20 feet down around large schools of herring. These herring schools are also there first thing, but the fish are not really on them. 

While scattered fish can be caught this way, the bite does not usually turn on again until about mid-day when these fish go to the bottom in the same areas and really start eating again.  Since they are gorging before sunrise this make sense.

Captain Tony Shepherd notes that the post-spawn striper have mostly separated out from the hybrids, and they have gone out to deep, cold oxygenated water to recover. They seem to be on the bottom in about 50 feet of water and will frequently display a preference for cut bait over something they have to chase. 

With the herring spawn winding down it makes sense that the schooling action for bass is changing, and tournament bassangler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia, reports that even though they won a tournament on Friday with only schooling fish it started to wind down around lunch. Then yesterday there was no wind and it was a very tough bite all day.

In addition to not lasting as long Tyler is finding the schooling fish a bit deeper out to 12 or 15 feet, and they are starting to find more fish on humps and less on points. This may be temperature-related, and on windy days the action can still be good shallow. 

A chrome Gunfish and a fluke have still been the go-to lures. 

While he agrees you can still catch fish on the herring spawn if conditions are decent, tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that he has been focusing more on a shad spawn up the rivers around steep, rocky banks. You can hear the fish blowing up on the shad very early and you can catch them with a fluke. After that he is throwing a frog more. 

He also caught one big fish still on a bed this week!

There continue to be some phenomenal crappie catches on Clarks Hill this week, and Little River Guide Service reports that catching 70-100 fish is still pretty common. Most of them are in the pound range or better. The fish are way up the creeks and rivers in the upper Georgia Little River, Soap Creek and up the South Carolina Little River. They are tight to brush in the 15-20 foot range, and they are being caught fishing vertically with both jigs and minnows. 

There has also been some really good shellcracker fishing, and Tyler reports that he found a large of group of fish in the 1 - 1 ½ pound range on a shallow hump. They were all in 2 feet of water or less, and spawning in the rocks.  He ran back to the store, bought some small hooks and worms, and wore them out.  And Josh has found big shellcracker spawning around the roots of bushes this week. 

It can be a hot time of year for catching catfish during the day, but Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that it can also be an extremely rewarding time to catch tons of eating-sized fish. All you have to do to load up coolers with 1-10 pound channels and occasional blues is to anchor on points and humps and fan-cast with dip baits, shrimp or cut herring. 

May 12

Clarks Hill water levels are still above full at 330.04 (full pool is 330.00). Morning surface water temperatures are about 71 degrees. 

The hybrid and striped bass are starting to make a slow transition into summer patterns, and Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that they only expect about one more week on the herring spawn. After the upcoming full moon they expect it to die down.  

At zero dark thirty there is a still a good bite in about ten feet of water, a little deeper than last week because of the cold, and they are catching fish pitching herring up towards structure and especially points.  After that the fish generally pull back out deeper to 15-18 feet of water, and as the day progresses they move even further out. The fish are scattered from end of the lake to the other and they are using down-lines to catch them. They are moving the boat until they intercept the schools and catch 6-8 fish. 

If down-lines are not your preference you have other choices, and in the mid-lake Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that he is still pulling free-lines and planer boards across points, saddles and islands. They continue to get less but above-average fish this way.  

In another sign that the herring spawn may be starting to wind down, tournament bass angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia, reports that schooling bite is much better early than later in the day, and it usually winds down by about lunch time. Some of the shallower humps are also starting to hold fish, another sign of seasonal progression.

The best pattern continues to be point fishing for schooling fish early with flukes, Gunfish and the like, but as the day continues you will need to switch over to a jig or Carolina rig.  However, at times the fish will still come up and so you should keep a topwater handy. 

With bluegill and shellcracker starting to bed and the lake very full there is also a pretty good buzzbait and frog bite. There is no shortage of cover and with the full moon May 16 conditions could get perfect. 

There have been some phenomenal crappie catches on Clarks Hill this week, and Little River Guide Service reports that catching 70-100 fish is not out of the norm. The fish are way up the creeks and rivers in the upper Georgia Little River, Soap Creek and up the

South Carolina Little River. They are tight to brush in the 15-20 foot range, and they are being caught fishing vertically with both jigs and minnows. 

It can be a hot time of year for catching catfish during the day, but Captain Chris reports that it can also be an extremely rewarding time to catch tons of eating-sized fish. All you have to do to load up coolers with 1-10 pound channels and occasional blues is to anchor on points and humps and fan-cast with dip baits, shrimp or cut herring. 

May 4

Clarks Hill water levels are still above full at 330.23 (full pool is 330.00). Morning surface water temperatures have moved into the mid-70s over most of the lake. 

There has been a phenomenal hybrid and striped bass bite in the mornings on the lake, and Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that they are frequently catching 30-40 fish in the morning before sunrise. The fish are up shallow around points, shoals, shallow island blow-throughs and other areas where the herring spawn with free-lines, cut bait and casting, but by 7:00 it is usually crickets when the fish pull out and start cruising. The fish usually don’t hungry again until around 10:00 when they gather a little deeper in 20-30 feet of water and suspend 10-20 feet down in the same areas. You can catch them on weighted planer boards as well as down rods. 
Fish are spread out from one end of the lake to the other, but pretty soon there will be a mass migration back down the river channel.

A similar pattern is being reported by Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352), and Chris notes that pulling free-lines and planer boards across those same points, saddles and islands he has been seeing some really quality fish. They have caught lots of teenage striper and at the boat they lost one of the biggest striper he has personally seen recently that was well over 30 pounds. 

It’s been a good few weeks of tournament bass fishing for Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia, and Tyler reports that everything they are catching is related to schooling fish. Early in the morning there is almost always a good bite on the points and similar areas where herring spawn, and if there is wind it will frequently last all day. When there is not wind the fish can still feed all day but they will often school in waves when the bluebacks come through. They don’t usually leave the points, but they may head a little deeper when the sun gets up and there is not a wave of bait. 

When fish are eating on the surface then flukes, Gunfish, Sammies and anything that you can burn across the top almost as fast as you can reel will work. When they aren’t on top they will take a jig, Carolina rig, or shakey head, although sometimes you are just passing the time until they decide they want to eat again. Since the fish are so heavily-pressured Tyler has been experimenting with baits they may not have seen as much when they are not schooling and having some success. 

We are getting into a fairly simple period for crappie fishing on Clarks Hill, and Little River Guide Service reports that most of the fish are on brush in 15-20 feet of water. They are being caught on jigs fished 12-15 feet down. 

It can be a hot time of year for catching catfish during the day, but Captain Chris reports that it can also be an extremely rewarding time to catch tons of eating-sized fish. All you have to do to load up coolers with 1-10 pound channels and occasional blues is to anchor on points and humps and fan-cast with dip baits, shrimp or cut herring. 

April 20

Clarks Hill water levels are still above full at 330.18 (full pool is 330.00) while up the rivers and in the backs of some creeks is extremely muddy. Morning surface water temperatures are about 63 degrees on the lower end of the main lake. 

The herring spawn has gotten underway on Clarks Hill, and Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that, as a results, there is red hot hybrid and striped bass fishing on the lake. Early in the morning you can catch fish off main lake points in 5-10 feet of water throwing out live and cut bait on the bottom. One way to do this is to beach your boat on a point, or next to a blow-through.  

This bite ends not long after sunrise, and then the striper generally slide out into the 15-foot range on the ends of points or even suspended over deep water. Pulling planer boards has been the most effective way to catch them.

Meanwhile the hybrids have mostly been pulling out to about 35 feet of water after the early morning bite, and they are generally grouping up right on the bottom. Most people are switching over to down-rods to catch them. 

This pattern repeats itself all over the lake, and Parksville, the Georgia Flats, mid-lake and up at Plum Branch have all been good. 

There are also some hybrids still spawning on the upper end.

The herring spawn is also dictating the bass bite by now, and tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that fish are keying up on shallow points where the herring are spawning. They have been catching lots of fish but at times a big bite has been elusive, and weather seems to have a lot to do with it. On cloudy days the herring are less likely to come up than they are when there is bright sun, and calm conditions also slow down the bite.  Depending on conditions jerkbaits, flukes and topwaters have all been good choices, and Josh is also catching lots of fish cranking up the rivers in the mud.

But then there are the days when conditions are perfect, and yesterday tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia had just one of those days. The sun was out and there was a steady 10-15 mile per hour wind, and Tyler caught fish on every point he fished down the lake. Every single one of them was over three pounds, and they would take anything in the fluke or topwater department. It was a mix of good spots and largemouth, and everything was in less than three feet of water. The fish were in packs and when he would catch one they would all follow it off the point, so he usually had to allow a few minutes for the fish to get set back up. 

Tyler notes that he has also found a lot of smaller fish up the lake, but it seemed that by fishing down the lake he found better ones. 

The very last of the crappie are still on the banks on Clarks Hill, but Little River Guide Service reports that the majority of the them have left the shallows. Some of the fish are in schools which are coming out of the backs of creeks and roaming, while others have already started to set up on brush. Generally the best trees have been in 16-24 feet of water, and the fish are suspended at different depths from day to day. Putting minnows over their heads has generally been the best way to catch them. 

Catfish report to follow from Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352).

April 8

Clarks Hill water levels have shot up to 334.11 (full pool is 330.00) and with the lake so full there is a ton of debris, mud and all that goes with high water. Morning surface water temperatures are still only about 60 degrees on the lower end. 

This week in the Tommy Shaw Memorial tournament our regular correspondent tournament bass angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia had a little over 18 pounds fishing with his father, good for third place and a nice check. From what they saw most of the fish are bedding with a few possibly pre-spawn, and with the water conditions what they are they caught everything throwing a spinnerbait and flipping a jig. With water conditions so high the key is to hit as much cover as you possibly can. 

 

The other thing going on right now is the early stages of the herring spawn, and tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that while it’s not wide open yet it’s getting there quickly. From what he is seeing the herring are staging very close to their spawning areas, and the better action is actually coming for the slightly deeper fish that are pushing the herring up. They are not crashing at them right on the points yet like they will be once the spawn is wide open when water temperatures hit about 65, but he is already starting to catch fish on flukes and Gunfish in the general area. 

Josh also notes that there has been schooling over deep water. 

The biggest challenge with fishing this week has been the wind and the weather, but Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that, all things considered, the hybrid and striped bass catches have been strong this week.  The hybrids are still on the upper end where they have transitioned from staging to spawning in the last few days, and mid-lake there are also a lot of hybrids (and striper) in the Soap Creek area. Before sunrise they can be caught very shallow. 

At the same time the striper are 15-20 feet down over structure such as trees, and they are extremely scattered. Some of the fish are in the creeks and some are in the rivers.  Down-lines have been working the best. 

The herring have not fully moved up to spawn yet, but we are slowly getting there, and when that happens the fish should get more concentrated. 

The majority of the crappie have spawned on Clarks Hill, and Little River Guide Service reports that post-spawn fish have pulled back to brush about 12 feet down in 20 feet of water. There are still a few fish on the banks right now, but the spawn should pretty much wind down around the full moon in April. 

The upper half of the lake is more or less a disaster, but Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352)  reports that if you stick to more fishable areas then you can find a good bite for catfish anchoring on points and humps in 5-30 feet of water. Fan-cast baits at a variety of depths, with cut gizzard shad for blues and live bream or perch for flatheads. 

April 1

Clarks Hill water levels are still above full at 330.88 (full pool is 330.00) and up the rivers the water is very dirty.  Morning surface water temperatures are still about 57-58 degrees on the lower end. 

While on some lakes people get most excited about the bass spawn, it would be hard to argue that on Clarks Hill the herring spawn isn’t the main draw. Tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia reports that from what he is seeing the biggest wave of bass is about to spawn, and right now the better bags are still being caught sight-fishing or fishing for spawning fish with a spinnerbait in the dirtier water up the lake.

However, with some warm, stable weather coming in it looks like the bluebacks should pull up in the next week or two. When temperatures hit 64-65 degrees the fishing usually explodes. When that happens the fish will be concentrated on points where they will eat flukes and topwater baits like Spooks and a Sammy. 

With high water levels there are also still a lot of fish being caught flipping bushes or even fishing topwater lures around them. 

Even though the fish haven’t made their biggest move very shallow yet, Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that there have been some significant changes with the hybrid and striped bass in the last week.  Before the sun comes up there has been a good shallow bite for hybrids in just 5-10 feet of water on the upper end of the lake below the Russell Dam. The fish have moved up there for a spawning run because there has been a lot of current being generated from power production. That shallow bite ends at dawn and after that it’s down-rod fishing in the 30-40 feet of water. 

The striper are in the same areas on the upper end, but even as the hybrids are on the bottom the striper are suspended about 20 feet down in 40 feet of water. But the planer board bite has faded out and the better fishing is now coming on down-rods. 

When water temperatures on the main lake get into the low 60s then the fish should make a big move shallower. 

The crappie fishing has slowed down on Clarks Hill, and Little River Guide Service reports that numbers have dropped and the fish have also moved deeper this week. Instead of shallow fishing they have been tight-lining in about 20 feet of water this week in the deeper parts of creeks.

While some of the fish are post-spawn it seems that many are pre-spawn and just waiting for conditions to get right again. The spawn should extend through the April full moon and there should be plenty of fish shallow for the next several weeks.  When they get shallower again both trolling the creeks and casting at visible cover should work.  

The catfish continue to move shallower, and Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352)  reports that fish are in the creek runs in the upper half of the lake. They are in the middle to backs of the creeks, and anchoring cut gizzard shad or herring at whatever depth the bait is holding on a particular day is the best pattern. 

March 25

Clarks Hill water levels are very high at 331.68 (full pool is 330.00) and the backs of creeks are muddy. Morning surface water temperatures on the main lake are about 57 on the lower end but higher in some creeks. 

Getting bites from bass on Clarks Hill right now is no problem, but tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia reports that catching fish with any size is the challenge. To catch fish you can do pretty much whatever you are comfortable with right now, and Tyler has been wearing out 2-3 pounders on a spinnerbait in shallow, dirty water. It’s unclear whether those fish are up there spawning or just feeding, but in cleaner water you can see that plenty of fish are on beds right now. With the water very high there is a ton of shallow cover that can be fished, and you can throw soft plastics, flip jigs, or even fish topwater lures. 

Tyler notes that generally the herring spawn gets underway about the first week of April, and often it’s at its best very early when the fish are dumb and aggressive!  

The hybrid and striped bass on Clarks Hill are very much in spring patterns, but Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that that fish are still relating more to the river channels than the creeks. Water temperatures will need to warm up about four more degrees before they really get into the creek runs. 

While you can catch some spotted bass and hybrids shallow prior to sunrise, the best hybrid bass bite has been on the bottom in about 45 feet. Meanwhile the striper have generally been a little higher in the water column, mostly feeding about 20 feet down either on structure or suspended in 40 or so feet. The birds are still important for locating fish. 

They are mostly pulling boards or trolling umbrella rigs for striper while hybrids are coming on down lines. 

This year they suspect it will be a couple more weeks before the bait begins spawning. 

We are in the midst of the crappie spawn on Clarks Hill, and Little River Guide Service reports that there are already some fish which are post-spawn. However, they still believe that well more than half of the fish have yet to spawn and it should continue through the next full moon. Generally they are having the most success trolling jigs in about 20 feet of water in the creeks although you can also fish the banks.  

He’s on the same pattern, but Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) notes that the periodic freshwater inflow can really mess with the fishing. Just when the trolling bite and even the bank bite is getting good in his area a bunch of rain will come through, drop the water temperature half a degree and the fish will pull back out to deeper water. 

The catfish continue to move shallower, and Chris reports that fish are in the creek runs in the upper half of the lake. They are in the middle to backs of the creeks, and anchoring cut gizzard shad or herring at whatever depth the bait is holding on a particular day is the best pattern. 

March 17

Clarks Hill water levels are very high at 331.81 (full pool is 330.00) and up the lake is muddy with all the rain. Morning surface water temperatures are down to about 57 while you can find the lower 60s in the creeks. 

There are a number of strong spring bass patterns on Clarks Hill, and tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that by now you can catch fish that are pre-spawn, spawning and even post-spawn. When the cold front came through this weekend it did not pull the fish that had already locked down off of their beds, but the staging bass did back off a little and they are only just now getting back up there.  As a result some are now through to the post-spawn stage, others are getting ready to spawn, and another wave should be coming onto beds going into the weekend. 

As a result there are a variety of ways to catch fish, and with all the dirty water that has come into the lake there are perfect conditions for throwing a spinnerbait – while in clearer areas you can sight-fish for bedding bass. There has also been a good topwater bite around the flooded bushes, and anglers are also having success throwing a wacky rig around the same cover. Jigs are also working if you want to flip shallow shoreline cover.

For now there is also a deep bite for spotted bass on the lower end but those fish should soon be moving up, too.

The hybrid and striped bass on Clarks Hill are still transitioning into spring patterns, and Little River Guide Service(706-210-3474) reports that both varieties are being caught in the river channels pulling planer boards and umbrella rigs in the upper part of the water column. Generally they are still very scattered and so following the birds is important to locate them. 
However, this week there have also been lots of hybrids stacked up in 30-40 feet of water in ditches off the main river near the Georgia flats or the Parksville area. There have also been good numbers of striper below the Lake Russell dam and near the mouth of the Broad River.    

Overall the trolling bite for crappie remains very strong, and Little River Guide Service reports that they are still catching good numbers of fish long-line trolling in 7-20 feet of water moving at .6 or .7 miles per hour. Chartreuse, chartreuse and green, and chartreuse and black curly tail grubs have still been working very well. 

By this weekend there should be more fish on the banks. 

Catfish report to follow from Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352).

March 10

Clarks Hill water levels are well above full at 330.57 (full pool is 330.00) and at least the front parts of the rivers are still relatively clear. Morning surface water temperatures are about 58-59 degrees on the lower end of the main lake and as high as 62-64 degrees in the backs. 

It’s a good time for bass fishing on Clarks Hill, and tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that a lot of fish have moved up and are already on beds.  He is catching a lot of males that are obviously spawning and “peeing” in the boat, and he is also finding them on the last two or three docks before the very backs. Flat pockets, shallow wood, bushes and docks are all holding fish. A wacky-rigged Senko is really hard to beat, but he has also had some good bites on a Whopper Plopper or buzzbait including a 7- or 8-pounder that crushed it!
With that said, there are still lots of spotted bass in very deep water. Josh caught a 3-pounder in 50 feet, and he has also seen fish schooling on herring on top over very deep water when they push the fish towards points. Fish are fattening up before the spawn and so all over the lake you can find them schooling from 2 to 50 feet.  

The hybrid and striped bass on Clarks Hill are transitioning out into spring patterns, but Little River Guide Service(706-210-3474) has been a little surprised that the fish don’t seem to be any further along. Only 10% of the fish seem to have eggs right now, and although they are catching lots of 8-10 pound fish very few of them have mature egg sacks.

Both hybrids and stripers are still in about the same part of the water column in the river channels, with striper still generally in the top 15 feet and hybrids in the top 25 or so. They are still targeting them by pulling planer boards and Alabama rigs, and with the fish very scattered chasing the loons and gulls is essential. 

There were a couple of days there where the crappie bite slowed in the Georgia Little River and Little River Guide Service had to move over to the South Carolina Little River to find crappie, but overall the bite continues to be excellent. They are still catching very good numbers of fish long-line trolling in 7-20 feet of water moving at .6 or .7 miles per hour. Chartreuse, chartreuse and green, and chartreuse and black curly tail grubs have been working very well. 

While they have caught one giant female full of eggs, overall it doesn’t seem that fish are quite ready to get on the banks and spawn. If the weather had stabilized it might have happened sooner, but between the weather systems and the timing of moon phases it does not seem to be quite time. 

Catfish report to follow. 

 

March 1

Clarks Hill water levels are above full at 330.04 (full pool is 330.00) and morning surface water temperatures are about 57 degrees on the lower end of the main lake and as high as 64-65 degrees in the backs. 

The hybrid and striped bass on Clarks Hill are transitioning out into spring patterns, and Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that as the bait rises higher in the water column moving towards its spawn the fish are following it. They are now mostly in the top 15 feet of the water column.

All winter long the hybrids were locked down on the bottom in about 55 feet, but now they have come up to 24-30 feet. The striper are sitting just under the schools of bait, and both are in the main river runs. Both down rods and planer boards are catching fish.

There is also a good bite in the same areas trolling umbrella rigs 100 feet back. 

While there are certainly still some spotted bass that can be caught deep, tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that by now he is focusing more on shallow rocky points lead into creeks or river arms. The bass use these like highways. He particularly likes to find the last rocky point before a spawning area and throw a jig. With these conditions some early largemouth are getting very close to spawning, and some may actually get on beds this weekend.

There are also spotted bass making a similar transition in the clear water on the lower end, and they will also be found around rock – often on long flat points or rocky shoals. However, instead of leaving these areas to spawn in protected coves they will eventually slide into 5-10 feet of water in the same areas. Because fish are at all stages of the spawn in the spring spotted bass will continue to be found all over these points and shoals. Jigs and shakey head worms are good choices, and Josh points out that one of the keys right now is to fish slowly. 

Even though striper haven’t really pulled into the creeks yet, Little River Guide Service reports that the creeks are loaded with crappie. They are catching 50-60 fish per day long-line trolling, and the best depth range has been 7-20 feet. .6 or .7 miles per hour has been the best speed. Chartreuse, chartreuse and green, and chartreuse and black curly tail grubs have been working very well. 

The weather is making for less predictable catfish bite on Clarks Hill, but Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that the overall patterns are still about the same. The best fishing remains in the creeks in 25-45 feet where the most aggressive, hungry fish are following the baitfish, but they can be in one creek one day and another the next so creek hopping is necessary. Again, there are still fish out on the main lake, but they are more lethargic. 

Some creeks are clean enough that it’s possible to drift Santee-style, while in other areas you have to anchor. Cut gizzard shad and herring are the best baits right now. 

February 24

Clarks Hill water levels are at 329.85 (full pool is 330.00) and up the lake there is dirtier water while down the lake has 4-5 feet of visibility. Morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-50s, rising to the high 50s in the afternoon.

Even after a few very warm days, tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia reports that from what has seen on the water bass remain in a late winter pattern. If anything the rising temperatures have the fish confused, not running to the banks, as they aren’t quite sure what to think about a few very warm days at the end of February. 

Tyler has found some fish shallow, but they are still on the same late winter spots that they have been on. He found bass on rock in 3-10 feet of water, and his best one (5 plus pounds) came on a boat ramp with a Speed Craw on The Sled. It doesn’t seem that they are getting close to spawning areas, and the spawn is probably still 2-3 weeks away from really getting underway.

To reinforce that point, tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that he has found a good bite this week – in very deep water. Down on the lower end he has been targeting points that run into ditches in 50-60 feet of water, and the fish have been laying flat on the bottom. The fish are in thick schools and they are eating flukes on fish head spins. Often he will see a school of fish follow the bait to the surface from the bottom, and then if he drops down something else on them they will take it on the fall. 

There are also still fish being caught on red crankbaits, and some guys are catching them out of bushes on a jig. An Alabama rig pulled over brush is also working. 

It continues to be a good time for big catfish on Clarks Hill, but Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that the blue cats are still moving around a lot. The best fishing remains in the creeks in 25-45 feet where the most aggressive, hungry fish are following the baitfish, but they can be in one creek one day and another the next so creek hopping is necessary. Again, there are still fish out on the main lake, but they are more lethargic. 

Some creeks are clean enough that it’s possible to drift Santee-style, while in other areas you have to anchor. Cut gizzard shad and herring are the best baits right now. 

More updates to follow. 

February 17

Clarks Hill water levels are at 329.75 (full pool is 330.00) and up the lake there is dirtier water. Morning surface water temperatures are in the lower 50s.

The Clarks Hill bass are still in a late winter pattern, and on Clarks Hill that means schooling fish!  Tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia reports that throughout the day until about 1:00 they have found fish in the backs of larger creeks pushing bait up. The bass are related to the middle of the pockets, and everything they have seen schooling has been in 10 feet of water or less.  Groups of 8-10 fish were coming up and staying on top for about 15-20 seconds.  While the fish seemed like they would take a surface lure, they caught everything on Rattle Traps and flukes.   

The trick remains getting a bigger bite, and even though they caught a lot of fish it was hard to break through the 2 ½ - 3 pound ceiling. It took 17 pounds for the win. 

While the schooling activity seems to be in the clearer water, in muddier sections there have been some good reports on a crankbait.

Even though fish have been in a later winter pattern, based on history tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta wouldn’t be surprised if the warm temperatures in the next few days move some fish extremely shallow. A few years ago a hot spell at the end of February moved the big fish up into a foot and half of water or less and he caught them on a frog, and so he will be looking for the same thing this weekend. 

February 10

Clarks Hill water levels are very high at 330.76 (full pool is 330.00) and the upper half of the lake is stained to muddy. Morning surface water temperatures are in the lower 50s.

Back on the water after the bass, tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia reports that a big bite has been hard to come by and if you can find a 5- or 6-pounder you are in really good shape in recent tournaments. It’s been taking about 18 pounds to win.

With that said, numbers of fish have been pretty good and Tyler has been finding fish schooling in the morning in ditches and bigger pockets which are holding a lot of baitfish. They are not against the banks but fish are using the banks to corral them. While the fish will not generally take a topwater in the cold conditions, flukes on a weighed hook and Su-Spin blades are both working.

Tyler is also catching some fish, like the big spot below, around rocky points and humps in 12-15 feet of water. The Slad with a Zoom Speed Craw has been working. 

Down the lake is too clear, but up the lake in the dirtier water tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that he is catching fish on a red crankbait.  The dirty water warms faster and is holding a lot of fish, and Josh notes that they are shallow but on steep places with access to deep water. 

 There’s no change quite yet with the hybrid and striped bass, and William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that they are finding the best fish way up the creeks. Nice 10-12 pound striper are being caught by the pumping station in Raysville, and they are coming shallow on free-lines and planer boards. About the only structure they are relating to is the actual creek channel.

There is also a decent bite for 3-4 pound hybrids in areas like Lloyds Creek, and they are catching them on the bottom in 28-30 feet of water. The action is right at daylight and to pinpoint the fish you need to look for the birds.

At the same time William Sasser reports that crappie have started to move, and in the mid-lake in areas like Plum Branch they are starting to catch fish shallower that have moved into the small creek channels. You can troll with a lot of rods, and you can also cast jigs at the bank for them.   

The best depth has been 10-12 feet. 

It continues to be a good time for big catfish on Clarks Hill, but Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that the blue cats are moving around a lot. The best fishing is in the creeks in 25-45 feet where the most aggressive, hungry fish are following the baitfish, but they can be in one creek one day and another the next so creek hopping is necessary. Again, there are still fish out on the main lake, but they are more lethargic. 

Some creeks are clean enough that it’s possible to drift Santee-style in, while in other areas you have to anchor. Cut gizzard shad and herring are the best baits right now. 

February 1

Clarks Hill water levels are at 329.20 (full pool is 330.00) and clarity is pretty normal but you can find dingy water up the rivers. Morning surface water temperatures are about 52-53 degrees.

Even though cold, windy weather has reduced their number of trips, William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that hybrid and striped bass on Clarks Hill remain in a stable pattern.  They are finding the best fish way up the creeks. Nice 10-12 pound striper are being caught by the pumping station in Raysville, and they are coming shallow on free-lines and planer boards. About the only structure they are relating to is the actual creek channel.

There is also a decent bite for 3-4 pound hybrids in areas like Lloyds Creek, and they are catching them on the bottom in 28-30 feet of water. The action is right at daylight and to pinpoint the fish you need to look for the birds.

As is usually the case at this time of year there are also some really good bass mixed in with those hybrids in about 30 feet. 

In a similar vein, tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that he has also heard of some good fish being caught on a jigging spoon. They are also catching some good fish on an Alabama rig fished over the top of deeper brush piles.

Still, Josh is doing most of his fish in less than 10 feet of water concentrating on ditches and steep, rocky points near channel swings. He likes the blade bait in the ditches and he is also throwing an Alabama rig.

This is also the time of year where he likes to find the dirtiest available water and throw a red crankbait. 

While they haven’t been pursuing crappie too often with the weather, William Sasser Guide Service reports that the fish they are catching are still coming in the backs of creeks in about 35 feet of water. They are catching them 15-20 feet down over the tops of trees. Minnows are working the best. 

Up towards Raysville the action is still pretty good.

It continues to be a good time for big catfish on Clarks Hill, but Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that the blue cats are moving around a lot. The best fishing is in the creeks in 25-45 feet where the most aggressive, hungry fish are following the baitfish, but they can be in one creek one day and another the next so creek hopping is necessary. Again, there are still fish out on the main lake, but they are more lethargic. 

Some creeks are clean enough that it’s possible to drift Santee-style in, while in other areas you have to anchor. Cut gizzard shad and herring are the best baits right now. 

January 21

Clarks Hill water levels are at 329.44 (full pool is 330.00) and morning surface water temperatures are about 51 degrees.

The hybrid and striped bass on Clarks Hill have settled into some pretty consistent patterns, and William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that right now they are finding the best fish way up the creeks. Nice 10-12 pound striper are being caught by the pumping station in Raysville, and they are coming shallow on free-lines and planer boards. About the only structure they are relating to is the actual creek channel.

There is also a decent bite for 3-4 pound hybrids in areas like Lloyds Creek, and they are catching them on the bottom in 28-30 feet of water. The action is right at daylight and to pinpoint the fish you need to look for the birds.

Similar to the striper, tournament bass angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that right now he is having the best luck catching fish by looking for areas where loons are feeding on bait. At times he will also see fish pushing bait up to the surface, but usually instead of looking for fish busting bait you will just see the bait flickering on the surface. 

Josh is looking for bait right now where there is a flat that has a ditch running beside it. He likes to cast a blade bait up onto the flat where fish will roll on it. This is generally a better pattern in clearer water, and he also find that it is best the first and last couple of hours each day. On cloudy days it can go all day.   

There is also a decent crankbait bite right now, but for that to produce Josh needs to find dirtier water. Basically anywhere with stained water and rock in 5 or less feet of water is good, and he is mainly throwing a square-bill.

It’s not a wide-open crappie bite, but William Sasser Guide Service reports that the fish they are catching are coming in the backs of creeks in about 35 feet of water. They are catching them 15-20 feet down over the tops of trees. Minnows are working the best. 

Up towards Raysville the action is still pretty good.

It continues to be an excellent time for big catfish on Clarks Hill, and Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that in particular the blue cat bite is in full swing. The best fishing is solidly in the creeks, where the most aggressive, hungry fish are following the baitfish which are stacked up in 25-35 feet of water. There are still fish out on the main lake, but they are more lethargic. 

Some creeks are clean enough that it’s possible to drift Santee-style in, while in other areas you have to anchor. Cut gizzard shad and herring are the best baits right now. 

December 22

Clarks Hill water levels are at 326.85 (full pool is 330.00) and morning surface water temperatures are about 56 degrees.

The bass fishing on Clarks Hill is pretty weather dependent right now, and tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that on cloudy, low pressure days the fish will get out and roam more. On sunny, high pressure days with bluebird skies they are holding tighter to cover and seem to be feeding less. 

On cloudy days he has had success recently shallow cranking, throwing a spinnerbait and casting an Alabama rig, particularly around rocky banks. Early and late and when there is cloud cover fish will also be shallow in the back of ditches that lead into pockets following the bait, and a Jigging Blade has been working well.   

On clear days when the sun is up the fish follow the bait and pull back out to the deeper parts of the ditches, and Josh has been finding them holding tight to old stumps or crappie brush. They are often in about 20 feet, and fishing vertically with a drop shot is a good way to target them.

Most of the Clarks Hill striped bass are still in the backs of ditches, and William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that the best fishing has been on the bottom in 30-35 feet of water. The fish could be on the edge of the channel or off secondary points. 

There are also some people starting to pull planer boards for scattered and suspended fish, but so far these have mostly been smaller fish and the numbers have been low. 

Fish are in the middle and upper part of the lake and the lower lake is essentially dead. 

The best numbers of crappie still seem to be on brush, and Captain Bradd Sasser reports he is still finding them 22-25 feet deep over trees in 32-33 feet of water.

Up towards Raysville the action has is still pretty good.

It continues to be an excellent time for catfish on Clarks Hill, and Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that in particular the blue cat bite is in full swing. While a few weeks ago the best action was divided between the main lake and the creeks, by now the best fishing is solidly in the creeks. The most aggressive, hungry fish have moved into the creeks where the baitfish are stacked in 25-35 feet of water and they are gorging. There are still fish out on the main lake, but they are more lethargic. 

Some creeks are clean enough that it’s possible to drift Santee-style in, while in other areas you have to anchor. Cut gizzard shad and herring are the best baits right now. 

December 16

Clarks Hill water levels are down to 326.71 (full pool is 330.00) and morning surface water temperatures are about 57-58 degrees.

The bass fishing on Clarks Hill is still largely about ditch fishing, but tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that there is also a pretty good bite shallow cranking and throwing a spinnerbait.  Rocky banks are the best place to fish this way.

In the ditches the pattern is about the same, but with more birds showing up look out for loons to find the best concentrations of bait. For the first hour and a half to couple of hours and the last hour and a half to couple of hours of the day the fish will get shallow in the back of pockets and school, even when it is cold. The herring moves shallow at these times and they can be caught on a Jigging Blade. 

When the sun is up the fish follow the bait and pull back out to the deeper parts of the ditches, where Josh has been finding them around wood such as old stumps or crappie brush. They are often in about 20 feet, and fishing vertically with a drop shot is a good way to target them. 

Most of the Clarks Hill striped bass are still in the backs of ditches, and William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that the best fishing has been on the bottom in 30-32 feet of water. The fish could be on the edge of the channel or off secondary points. Occasionally they will find some fish in the bottom in 50-52 feet in a ditch, but these are few and far between and usually difficult to get to bite.

There are also some people starting to pull planer boards for scattered and suspended fish, but so far these have mostly been smaller fish and the numbers have been low. 

Fish are in the middle and upper part of the lake and the lower lake is essentially dead. The Lloyds Creek/ Amity area has been especially good. 

The best numbers of crappie still seem to be on brush, and Captain Bradd Sasser reports he is still finding them 22-25 feet deep over trees in 32-33 feet of water.

Up towards Raysville the action has is still pretty good.

It continues to be an excellent time for catfish on Clarks Hill, and Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that in particular the blue cat bite is in full swing. The bait fish are balled up in pretty large groups in the 30-45 foot range, and anchoring on points that top out around or shallower than that depth range is one of the best methods. The baitfish are also starting to stack up in the feeder creeks, and some creeks are clean enough that it’s possible to drift Santee-style in and out of them in areas where big schools of bait are present.  Right now the most aggressive fish seem to be in the creeks. 

Cut gizzard shad and herring are the best baits right now. 

December 10

Clarks Hill water levels are down to 327.09 (full pool is 330.00) and water clarity varies.   The South Carolina Little River and Big Hart are muddy, while much of the lake is still relatively clear even after recent rains.  Morning surface water temperatures are about 58 degrees.

Most of the Clarks Hill striped bass are in the backs of ditches, and William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that the best fishing has been on the bottom in 30-32 feet of water. The fish could be on the edge of the channel or off secondary points. Occasionally they will find some fish in the bottom in 50-52 feet in a ditch, but these are few and far between and usually difficult to get to bite.

There are also some people starting to pull planer boards for scattered and suspended fish, but so far these have mostly been smaller fish and the numbers have been low. 

Fish are in the middle and upper part of the lake and the lower lake is essentially dead.  The Lloyds Creek/ Amity area has been especially good. 

The crappie fishing was a little tough yesterday, and even though Captain Bradd Sasser reports that they found a ton of fish on brush getting bigger ones over about ten inches was a challenge. The biggest numbers have been 22-25 feet deep over trees in 32-33 feet of water.

Up towards Raysville the action has mostly been pretty good.

There have also been some reports of fish caught shallow in dirty water in 6 feet or less, but Captain Bradd hasn’t seen that personally. 

December 2

Clarks Hill water levels are down to 328.28 (full pool is 330.00) and the water is clear. Morning surface water temperatures are about 58 degrees.

For once the bass seem to be reading the same books as the fishermen, and tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that they are doing what they are supposed to be doing right now on Clarks Hill. The fish have moved into the ditches that they tend to get in during the late fall, and they can be caught both deep and shallow. For the first hour and a half to couple of hours and the last hour and a half to couple of hours of the day they will get shallow in the back of pockets and school, even when it is cold. The herring moves shallow at these times and they can be caught on a Jigging Blade. 

When the sun is up the fish follow the bait and pull back out to the deeper parts of the ditches, where Josh has been finding them around wood such as old stumps or crappie brush. They are often in about 20 feet, and fishing vertically with a drop shot is a good way to target them. 

Keep your eyes open for loons because they will give away where the bait is and the bass are feeding. 

It continues to be an excellent time for catfish on Clarks Hill, and Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that in particular the blue cat bite is in full swing. This year there is a huge crop of 14-18 pound fish. 

The bait fish are balled up in pretty large groups in the 30-45 foot range, and anchoring on points that top out around or shallower than that depth range is one of the best methods. The baitfish are also starting to stack up in the feeder creeks, and some creeks are clean enough that it’s possible to drift Santee-style in and out of them in areas where big schools of bait are present.

Cut gizzard shad and herring are the best baits right now. 

November 19

Clarks Hill water levels are down to 329.05 (full pool is 330.00) and the water is clear. Morning surface water temperatures are about 62-64 degrees.

More birds have showed up this week on Clarks Hill, and William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that at times you can find some little pods of striped bass chasing bait. Other than that there is no change at all with the striped bass this week, and fish are still pushed about halfway back in the creeks. As they continue their movement up the rivers and out the creek arms they are still biting very well in 30-35 feet of water off secondary points and at the edge of ditches. Down-lines are working well and they are catching most of their fish on the bottom, but fish are suspended from about 15 feet on down. 

Benefield Creek, Shriver and Soap Creek are all fishing well. 

There is still no early bite to speak of, and all over the lake the best action is running from about 7:15 on.    

While catching numbers of bass can be straight-forward on Clarks Hill, tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that pretty much everyone is struggling to get big ones this week. He is still finding the most active fish up the rivers throwing a spinnerbait or crankbait, but on very sunny days they will get extremely tight to cover or in holes between rocks and you basically have to hit them on the head. Flipping can be more effective at those times. Meanwhile, when it is cloudy and overcast fish will roam and feed. 

There is also still some decent schooling activity, but with water temperatures dropping it is moving more into the creeks and ditches and off the main lake. 

There are also some fish being caught on brush offshore. 

The crappie patterns are very stable, and Captain Bradd Sasser reports that he is still finding them 22-28 feet down over brush in 30-40 feet of water in the creeks. Minnows are still working best most of the time, but when the fish are less active jigs can be better for triggering reaction strikes. 

There are also some fish being caught long-line trolling, but the brush bite has been so good that Brad sees no reason to mess with it. 

This week the Mistletoe area, Raysville/ Amity, and Big Hart have all been very good.

It’s an excellent time for catfish on Clarks Hill, and Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that in particular the blue cat bite is in full swing. This year there is a huge crop of 14-18 pound fish. 

The bait fish are balled up in pretty large groups in the 30-45 foot range, and anchoring on points that top out around or shallower than that depth range is one of the best methods. The baitfish are also starting to stack up in the feeder creeks, and some creeks are clear enough that it’s possible to drift Santee-style in and out of them in areas where big schools of bait are present.

Cut gizzard shad and herring are the best baits right now. 

November 11

Clarks Hill water levels are down to 329.48 (full pool is 330.00) and the water is clear. Morning surface water temperatures are about 65 degrees.

It continues to be a very good striped bass bite on Clarks Hill, and William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that fish are pushed about halfway back in the creeks. As they continue their movement up the rivers and out the creek arms they are still biting very well in 30-35 feet of water off secondary points and at the edge of ditches. 

Down-lines are working well and they are catching most of their fish on the bottom, but they are suspended from about 15 feet on down. This morning the best action was in 31 feet on the bottom. 

Benefield Creek, Shriver and Soap Creek are all fishing well. 

There is still no early bite to speak of, and all over the lake the best action is running from about 7:15 on (with the time change).    

While tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that he is still finding the best bass heading up the river and throwing a spinnerbait, he is also finding that the fish which were schooling offshore seem to be heading into the creeks more. They are still schooling at times, and he is finding them in the back half of the creeks or at the mouths of ditches. Sometimes they are schooling over brush, particularly if you can find it at the front of a ditch. When fish are willing to eat on the surface a Pop-R is often the best bait, and flukes and swimbaits are also working well. In general downsizing is a good idea as the fish are on fairly small bait.

Buzzbaits are still generating some bites, too.

The only change with the crappie is that Captain Bradd Sasser reports they have slid a little deeper on Clarks Hill, and he is finding them 22-28 feet down over tree tops in 30-40 feet of water over brush piles in the creeks.  The Raysville/ Amity area has been fishing very well. 

Even though the patterns have still not changed much the catfish bite is really good as water temperatures have dropped, and Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that during the day they are catching fish in 20-40 feet of water around points and humps, while at night fish are in 5-20 feet. 

Cut herring, dip baits and shrimp are the best baits for catching numbers of smaller fish, but if you want to improve your chances of catching a larger flathead or blue then fish live bream in the same areas.

November 4

Clarks Hill water levels are down to 329.81 (full pool is 330.00) and there is a little stain to the water as the lake is near the turnover. Morning surface water temperatures are about 67-68 degrees.

It’s a very good striped bass bite on Clarks Hill, and William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that as fish continue their movement up the rivers and out in the creek arms they are biting very well in 30-35 feet of water off secondary points and at the edge of ditches. Down-lines are working well and they are catching most of their fish on the bottom, but they are suspended from about 15 feet on down.  On the upper end Soap Creek is fishing very well and out the Georgia Little River Lloyds Creek is good. 

The only downside is that there is no early bite to speak of, and all over the lake the best action is running from about 8-11.  

Numbers of bass caught are picking up again on Clarks Hill, and tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that there is still a pretty good bite for schooling fish which should last through late November. However, the fish seem to be getting a bit more target-oriented and they are more likely to relate to humps or a brush pile than just to be roaming right now. More of the schooling is also starting to take place in the creeks. While the cold snap should set it back for a few days temperatures look to rebound very soon.   

There is also a pretty good buzzbait bite early in the creeks, but Josh has not been able to find much size that way.  Instead he is heading up the rivers and fishing a spinnerbait around steep banks with rock or wood cover. He is getting a ton of bites this way and finding that fish are right on the banks. 

For the past three days Captain Bradd Sasser has found that the crappie have gone deeper on Clarks Hill, and he is finding them 20-23 feet down over tree tops in 30-40 feet of water. Brush piles in the creeks are fishing the best and Lloyds Creek has been very good recently. 

Even though the patterns have not changed much the catfish bite has gotten really good as water temperatures have dropped, and Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that during the day they are catching fish in 20-40 feet of water around points and humps, while at night fish are in 5-20 feet. 

Cut herring, dip baits and shrimp are the best baits for catching numbers of smaller fish, but if you want to improve your chances of catching a larger flathead or blue then fish live bream in the same areas.

October 20

After reaching several feet above full Clarks Hill water levels are down to “only” 330.57 (full pool is 330.00), and even though there is still a lot of floating debris the lake is settling out. Morning surface water temperatures are about 74-75 degrees.

The striped bass fishing on Clarks Hill has picked up, and William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that the fish are on the move and running the channels as they head up the lake and out the Georgia Little River arms. By his estimation most of the fish have moved about halfway up and out.  

There is not really an early morning bite to speak of, but between 8 and 9:30 in the morning there is schooling most days. You can also catch fish on down-lines about 10-30 feet deep. 

Not a lot of big fish are showing up right now, but they are catching a ton of smaller striper up to about 10 pounds and a lot of hybrids. 

It’s a little bit of a down period for bass on Clarks Hill, but tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that by the end of October when the lake has hopefully settled back out from the rains and fall turnover the fishing should have improved. 

For right now about the best thing going is still chasing schooling fish on the main lake, but you can also have some success with a buzzbait fished around the banks. There are also some signs that a square-billed crankbait or small swimbait is about to start to work in the creeks, but so far those bites are still few and far between.

The crappie fishing has definitely started to pick up on Clarks Hill, and Captain Bradd Sasser reports they are getting good numbers of fish 18-20 feet down over brush in about 30-31 feet of water in the creeks.  A lot of 10-11 inch fish are being caught fishing vertically, but there are also some better ones mixed in.

The South Carolina Little River continues to fish well and all you need are minnows. 

Between the rain and fall turnover the catfish bite is a little erratic, but Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that it’s already starting to pick up as water temperatures continue to cool.  During the day fish are in 20-40 feet of water around points and humps, but at night they will be in 5-20 feet. For now the night bite is still much better than daytime fishing.

Cut herring, dip baits and shrimp are the best baits for catching numbers of smaller fish, but if you want to improve your chances of catching a larger flathead or blue then fish live bream in the same areas.

September 29

Clarks Hill water levels are at 329.25 (full pool is 330.00) and the lake is clear. Morning surface water temperatures are down to about 77-78 degrees. 

The striped bass fishing on Clarks Hill is slow but steady, and William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that fish remain in a transition period. You will mark a ton of them but anglers pretty much have to force-feed them to get them to open their mouths. The bait is high in the water column and so any day now they expect schooling activity to bust right open, but except for some vauge reports there are no indications that has happened yet.  

Fish are still running the main channel in 100 feet of water, and groups of fish will come by 20-30 feet down. Fishing down-lines and trolling umbrella rigs are both working about the same – you just have to wait them out.   

Unfortunately the schooling activity for largemouth and spotted bass has slowed down, and tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that even though there are still occasional fish schooling over main lake points and humps they have gotten tougher to catch. And while you can catch fish around cane piles, they are smaller than their cousins in the same spots on Lake Murray.

The water level has been so high that much of the maiden cane and grass is dead, meaning that it’s harder to fish a frog around cover right now. Throwing a buzzbait around the banks is about as good as anything. 

It’s a not a wide-open fall bite for crappie yet on Clarks Hill, but Captain Bradd Sasser reports that he has found pretty good numbers of big crappie about 15-16 feet down over brush in about 24 feet of water. The South Carolina Little River continues to fish well and all you need are minnows. 

There’s still not a lot of change with the catfish patterns, but Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that the fishing is still getting better as the water cools. During the day fish are in 20-40 feet of water around points and humps, but at night they will be in 5-20 feet. The night bite is significantly better than the daytime bite right now.  

Cut herring, dip baits and shrimp are the best baits for catching numbers of smaller fish, but if you want to improve your chances of catching a larger flathead or blue then fish live bream in the same areas.

September 17

Clarks Hill water levels are at 329.75 (full pool is 330.00) and the lake is still pretty clear despite all the rain yesterday. Morning surface water temperatures are down to about 80 degrees. 

Despite still-hot water temperatures things appear to be happening earlier than usual this year, and William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that striped bass are making a strong migration up the lake, out the river arms, and particularly into the Georgia Little River. There is no early action to speak of, it’s not a fast bite, but nonetheless they are catching some good ones.

Fish are running the main channel in 100 feet of water, and groups of fish will come by 20-30 feet down. They seem more interested in moving than binge feeding, and when they clean them there’s not much in their stomachs. Fishing down-lines and trolling umbrella rigs are both working about the same. 

Captain Bradd Sasser does note there are reports of striper schooling below the Russell Dam but he hasn’t been up there. 

While the striper aren’t intent on feeding, Captain Bradd reports that the largemouth and spotted bass are voracious right now! While his guide boat is not specifically targeting them, they are seeing them schooling all over the lake and slapping herring out of the water. While some are deeper lots of the fish are as shallow as 8-10 feet of water following bait pods, and with the bait still pretty spread out the bass are also highly scattered. They seem willing to take about any topwater lure you throw at them. 

Captain Bradd has run several trips for crappie lately and he reports that catching numbers is a little tricky, but they are getting some good ones. Fish are on brush way up the South Carolina Little River, and he is finding them 15 feet down in 23-27 feet of water. Minnows are working well. 

There’s not a lot of change with the catfish patterns, but Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that the fishing is still getting better as the water cools. During the day fish are in 20-40 feet of water around points and humps, but at night they will be in 5-20 feet. The night bite is significantly better than the daytime bite right now.  

Cut herring, dip baits and shrimp are the best baits for catching numbers of smaller fish, but if you want to improve your chances of catching a larger flathead or blue then fish live bream in the same areas.

September 2

Clarks Hill water levels are at 329.98 (full pool is 330.00) and the lake is pretty clear despite some rain Tuesday. Morning surface water temperatures are about 86 degrees. 

It’s a still a very good, very early bite for hybrid bass on Clarks Hill, and William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that from before dawn until about 7:15 fish are still feeding over points and humps along the main channel on the bottom in 25-35 feet of water.  There have even caught some fish as shallow as 15 feet first thing. 

After that the bite frankly gets really tough, although hybrids and striped bass are starting to scatter out in the same general area and suspend 30-35 feet down in 35-60 feet of water. 

There are also some fish being caught around the oxygen line 20-40 feet down in 80-100 feet of water.

The fish are still mostly grouped up on the lower end, but the very early stages of moving up are starting to happen. 

It’s a pretty tough period for bass fishing on Clarks Hill, and tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that he has caught a few fish on buzzbaits around the bank and had plenty of bites – but for some reason they seem to be slapping at it more than eating it. And while there are still plenty of fish that can be marked over offshore humps, getting them to bite can be tricky. 

From what Josh has seen fish are starting to move towards the backs more, and he has seen lots of fish schooling over the creek channel. They can be hard to get to bite, especially since they seem to be on very small bait. 

He has found a few bridges loaded up with two pounders that are easy to catch on a very small popper. 

Back after the crappie again, Captain Bradd Sasser reports that the fishing is not wide open but if you are willing to work for them you can catch some really big summer fish right now. They are apparently lethargic because of the heat, but in the Amity area he found them bunched up on brush 15-16 feet down in 25-27 feet of water. Minnows are working the best. When temperatures cool fish should feed more.

On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that there is not a lot of change in tactics but the fishing is progressively getting better as the water just begins to cool. The cooling is the result of gradually longer nights, not necessarily lower daytime temperatures. 

The 1-12 pound blues and channels are biting pretty well on the points and humps. During the day fish are in 20-40 feet of water, but at night they will be in 5-20. 

Cut herring, dip baits and shrimp are the best baits for catching numbers of smaller fish, but if you want to improve your chances of catching a larger flathead or blue then fish live bream in the same areas.