July 27
Clarks Hill water levels are down 329.02 (full pool is 330.00) and water conditions have cleared. Morning surface water temperatures range from the mid-80s up to 90 degrees.
There is still really good action on quality hybrid and striped bass on Clarks Hill, but Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that they now catching fish in basically two areas. Some fish are way up the Savannah River at the top of the lake, while others are on the extreme lower end and especially around the oxygen line. Fish are generally in a range from about 30-60 feet down, and with the upper end shallower that basically means they are on the bottom. On the lower end they could be shallower on the bottom, or in 30-60 feet over 100 feet of water. They are catching everything on down rods.
The speculation is that fish are biting so well on the upper end because there has been good water flow.
With the backs of creeks about 90 degrees even in the mornings, Rocky reports that crappie have mostly moved out to the main lake and particularly off main lake points. It’s possible that you can catch some fish, likely smaller, in the mornings in the backs but that’s not where the bulk of the better fish are. In general they are setting up on brush 10-12 feet down in about 20-25 feet of water, although they will go deeper and some already have.
Speaking of the ones that already have, veteran tournament angler Tommy Slice of Chapin has been over on Clarks Hill and concurs that not much is in the creeks expect for some small fish. But he found the best numbers about 18 feet down in 34-36 feet of water off the sides of brush and trees in the main river channel. Both jigs and minnows caught fish early, but by afternoon they would barely look at a jig but continued to tear up minnows.
There are certainly some people fishing for bass around humps and brush piles with forward-facing sonar, and Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) reports that before long he expects schooling activity to pick up – particularly once they stop pulling so much water which generally sticks fish to the bottom.
However, Josh is already on a really good dock bite which chiefly involves shallow fish up there feeding on bream. They are hanging out around the walkways in 3-5 feet of water, generally on shallower docks, and it’s a pretty sure-fire bet right now that every walkway on a secondary point inside a pocket will have a fish on it. This summer prop baits have been working really well for Josh, as well as some other assorted topwater lures, but generally not the Whopper Ploppers they ate so well last summer.
Josh is catching a lot of 1-3 pound fish but there are also bigger ones mixed in.
It continues to be good action for catfish on Clarks Hill, and Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that fish are moving up and down the ledges of the humps and points and feeding really well. Anchoring on points and humps in both the creeks and main lake is productive. Fish from 10-25 feet with shrimp, herring and dip baits to catch a mix of species. As usual, to target bigger blues and flatheads but smaller numbers of fish use bream, perch and gizzard shad.
It's also the time of year when you should not overlook night fishing, and in addition to being more comfortable the action is often faster. The fish are also more likely to be on the shallower end of the depth range.
July 13
Clarks Hill water levels are at 329.84 (full pool is 330.00) and water conditions have cleared. Morning surface water temperatures are already about 85 degrees.
It’s been a phenomenal bite on Clarks Hill, and Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that they are catching fast limits of hybrid and striped bass by 7:00 each morning. All over the lake bait is holding at about 25-26 feet, and they are catching fish by putting baits right off the bottom at that depth. Fish are all over the lower lake, and about anywhere where the depth hits 25-27 feet they will be found. Both the main lake and the creeks are productive, but in the main lake they are concentrating more on the edges of the river channel while in the creeks blow-throughs and high spots have been key.
The fish should move deeper pretty soon, but for right now they are stable at that depth.
Unsurprisingly the crappie are at the same depth, and even though Rocky hasn’t spent a lot of time targeting them, fishing deeper brush where you can put a minnow just above 25 feet is the key. Again, more fish have moved out of the backs of the creeks towards the fronts or main lake.
After last night tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia reports that he is thinking about taking a break from bass fishing Clarks Hill, and when you put in the boat at 6:00 and it’s 91 degrees, then you don’t find any real temperature relief even after the sun goes down, it’s tough.
Even though they managed a limit and about 10 pounds it was very tough fishing, and they only had six bites. Everything came off deep brush and humps, and on the humps they fished a Carolina rig while on the brush they fished a Texas rig. They were fishing in 20 feet, but there were rumors of fish being caught out to 40 feet. There is still a bit of schooling off humps and points but it is very inconsistent.
But the other place you can find quality fish is up shallow, and Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) reports that he has actually found the biggest fish around very shallow docks in 2-3 feet of water. This weekend they were on the tail end of the bream spawn, but even after that ended he is still finding fish stacked up around certain docks – and not the deeper dredged ones. There are some big groups of fish, and while they should take a Pop-R or Whopper Plopper he has had better luck with a prop bait recently. Josh has also noticed that there is an early bite and then a lull between about 9:00 and lunch, but then in the middle of the day the bite often gets better. He suspects that may be related to atmospheric pressure.
Finally, Josh notes that first thing there is a very good buzzbait bite off rocky secondary points with deep water nearby. The fish are not huge but on the right type of points every one seems to hold a fish.
It continues to be good action for catfish on Clarks Hill, and Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that fish are moving up and down the ledges of the humps and points and feeding really well. Anchoring on points and humps in both the creeks and main lake is productive. Fish from 5-20 feet with shrimp, herring and dip baits to catch a mix of species. As usual, to target bigger blues and flatheads but smaller numbers of fish use bream, perch and gizzard shad.
It's also the time of year when you should not overlook night fishing, and in addition to being more comfortable the action is often faster. The fish are also more likely to be on the shallower end of the depth range.
June 28
Clarks Hill water levels are at 330.77 (full pool is 330.00) and water conditions are still more stained than usual. Morning surface water temperatures are in the low 80s.
Back on Clarks Hill full time for the improved bite, Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that the hybrid and striped bass are biting very well 35 feet deep. That’s also the level the bait is holding, and sometimes the best action is on the bottom in the backs of deep pockets while sometimes it’s at 35 feet over 60 or 70. You just have to keep looking at the right depth on the lower end until you locate the fish. This pattern is holding up throughout the day right now, and most of the catch has been hybrids.
If you want to target only bigger striper then you probably need to look deeper right now, and Rocky is catching big post-spawn fish on the bottom in about 70 feet of water. There are even more fish that aren’t feeding right now that he is marking, and it appears that they are at the tail end of the spawn because he is seeing small groups with what appears to be a couple of smaller males chasing a big female.
The crappie bite is still good, but Captain Rocky reports that instead of being on brush all over the lake at a variety of depths they are starting to move deeper. Fish are pulling out of the backs of the creeks a bit, and they are now setting up in an average of 25 feet of water. They are still heavily on brush. Plain minnows are still working very well, usually about 12 feet down.
There is still a good shallow bass bite on Clarks Hill, but Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) reports that in certain areas you can catch plenty of small fish but no big ones – while in other areas there are some hawgs up shallow. In general the rivers are fishing better shallow than the main lake. Buzzbaits and frogs are getting a lot of bites, although at times fish have been biting short. There has been a massive mayfly hatch and that could be responsible for the erratic bite. Look for the bite to get really good around bream beds with the upcoming full moon.
Plenty of fish are also still on the lower end, and in the morning you can still look for schooling activity relatively shallow or over humps. Then during the day you can find the fish over humps or off the ends of points. Sometimes they will take topwater baits like Gunfish, sometimes flutter spoons are effective, and sometimes you need to drag the bottom with soft plastics.
That second part is pretty much what tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia reports that he is seeing where he is fishing, and he reports that on the main lake he has been catching a few fish early on a fluke. After that it settles into a grind, and everything is coming fishing a Carolina rig and creeper head over brush and humps.
It continues to be good action for catfish on Clarks Hill, and Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that fish are moving up and down the ledges of the humps and points and feeding really well. Anchoring on points and humps in both the creeks and main lake is productive. Fish from 5-20 feet with shrimp, herring and dip baits to catch a mix of species. As usual, to target bigger blues and flatheads but smaller numbers of fish use bream, perch and gizzard shad.
June 22
Clarks Hill water levels are at 330.64 (full pool is 330.00) and water conditions are more stained in the backs with recent rains. Morning surface water temperatures are in the upper 70s.
It’s a pretty simple pattern for bass on Clarks Hill right now, and Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) reports that on the lower end of the lake there is some decent schooling activity in the mornings. You can find the fish over humps or off the ends of points, and they will take topwater baits like Gunfish, flutter spoons and more.
While you can target these fish all day a little deeper in the same areas with soft plastics, when the sun comes up Josh is heading into the shallows up the rivers and creeks to find bass that are targeting bream beds. They continue to see lots of good fish including some giants around shallow bream, and these fish will take Whopper Ploppers, frogs and more.
He's been over on Lake Murray some of the time because of better quality fish this week, but Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that you can still find hybrid and striped bass in 28 feet of water first thing around blow-throughs and points. He has been targeting the Georgia flats down around the dam. The bite is best early, and even though fish are staying in the same are the bite slows down drastically later in the day. The catch is a lot of 3-4 pound and on down hybrids at the moment.
The crappie bite is still good, and Captain Rocky reports that all over the lake you can catch fish on brush piles. While depths vary around the lake, with fish generally on shallower brush up the creeks and deeper brush by the dam, in general they are about 12 feet down in 15-25 feet of water. Early the fish are also usually shallower, but later in the day they go deeper. Plain minnows are all that Rocky is fishing with multiple rods out over brush.
It continues to be good action for catfish on Clarks Hill, and Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that fish are moving up and down the ledges of the humps and points and feeding really well. Anchoring on points and humps in both the creeks and main lake is productive. Fish from 5-20 feet with shrimp, herring and dip baits to catch a mix of species. As usual, to target bigger blues and flatheads but smaller numbers of fish use bream, perch and gizzard shad.
June 15
Clarks Hill water levels are at 330.46 (full pool is 330.00) and water conditions are relatively clear. Morning surface water temperatures are around 75 degrees.
It’s getting to be a true summertime pattern for bass fishing on Clarks Hill, and tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia reports that first thing you should look for schooling activity. While it won’t be everywhere, each morning there will be fish schooling somewhere whether on shallow points or over deeper humps.
However, if you miss the early bite then one way to approach the fish is to head offshore to humps and brush piles in the 20-25 foot range. This week Tyler has caught fish offshore with a Texas rig with a green pumpkin magnum U-tail worm, and he also likes a Greenfish Creeper Head with a green pumpkin speed craw.
But there is another way to approach the fish. Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) reports that – after the early bite when he targets herring fish with flukes and topwaters that he hopes to find schooling over humps in 12-15 feet down the lake – then he will be running and gunning around the banks for bass feeding on bream. Between moon phases he finds that the bream pull out just a little bit from their spawning coves and get around subtle points, but the bass will still be in the same areas travelling in wolf packs. His go-to baits are a Whopper Plopper and a Spook.
The last two days have been a little slower after the front came through, but overall Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that there has been a hot hybrid and striped bass bite first thing. Before daylight and then right when the sun comes up they are pitching free-lined herring at points, blow-throughs, underwater islands and shoal markers in about 12 feet. After that the fish pull out deeper in the same areas to about 28 feet, and they are catching them on the bottom with down-lines.
While this pattern has still been producing, the fish have been a little smaller and harder to come by yesterday and today and it’s unclear whether the fish are starting to move or whether it’s just a temporary blip from some weird weather.
The crappie bite is still good, and Captain Rocky reports that all over the lake you can catch fish on brush piles. While depths vary around the lake, with fish generally on shallower brush up the creeks and deeper brush by the dam, in general they are about 12 feet down in 15-25 feet of water. Plain minnows are all that Rocky is fishing with multiple rods out over brush.
While patterns are still similar, Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that relatively stable, warm temperatures finally have the catfish on Clarks Hill moving up and down the ledges of the humps and points and feeding really well. Anchoring on points and humps in both the creeks and main lake is productive. Fish from 5-20 feet with shrimp, herring and dip baits to catch a mix of species. As usual, to target bigger blues and flatheads but smaller numbers of fish use bream, perch and gizzard shad.
June 7
Clarks Hill water levels are down to 330.33 (full pool is 330.00) and water conditions are relatively clear although up the lake is dirtier. Morning surface water temperatures are around 75-78 degrees.
Before daylight Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that you can still catch striped and hybrid bass on Clarks Hill by pitching out a bunch of live baits into about 6 feet of water on certain main lake points and shoals, but that pattern is definitely winding down and a new one has developed. Fish are off points in 25-30 feet of water, and you can catch them with down-rods fished three turns off the bottom. This is a productive pattern all over the lake, from the rivers to the dam, at the right depth.
There have been some impressive bags up to 24 pounds caught recently on Clarks Hill, and tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia reports that right now his go-to bass pattern is looking for schooling fish off herring points or shallower humps in 4-5 feet first thing. Even with the herring spawn mostly done they will still come by at times, and if he finds the bass on points early then he will expect them to slide out to 10-15 feet on the same points as the sun gets up. Target these fish with Carolina rigs and jigs on the bottom. Deeper humps can also hold a lot of fish, especially if there is some brush on them, and while you should always have a fluke ready for schooling fish (12 months a year on Clarks Hill) the same bottom baits plus a drop-shot rig are good options.
It's also not just about herring, and Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) reports that he actually found a dynamite bite on a late shad spawn up the river this past week. The fish were fighting over shad that were spawning against a steep clay bank.
But his go-to pattern for the next couple of months will be fishing around bream beds, with a buzzbait, Whopper Plopper or popper. On the last full moon he saw lots of bass but they were biting a little short. The bite should get better as it gets hotter.
The crappie bite is still good, and Captain Rocky reports that all over the lake you can catch fish on brush piles. While it’s hard to name a single creek with the fishery so good, Soap Creek has been very productive.
While depths vary around the lake, with fish generally on shallower brush up the creeks and deeper brush by the dam, in general they are about 12 feet down in 15-25 feet of water. Plain minnows are all that Rocky is fishing with multiple rods out over brush.
There’s still no big change with the catfish bite on Clarks Hill. Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that anchoring on points and fishing from 5-20 feet with shrimp, herring and dip baits is the best way to catch fish. Both main lake points and creek points are productive, and you can expect to catch a mix of species. As usual, to target bigger blues and flatheads but smaller numbers of fish use bream, perch and gizzard shad.
June 1
Clarks Hill water levels have dropped to 330.77 (full pool is 330.00) and water conditions are relatively clear although up the lake is dirtier. Morning surface water temperatures are only about 72 degrees.
Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) is still on a pretty good bite for striped and hybrid bass on Clarks Hill, but he reports that it seems to be winding down. For now it’s still as simple as pitching out a bunch of live baits into about 6 feet of water on main lake points and shoals, but they are having to work harder to get a limit each day. The herring spawn and the striper spawn are both winding down.
He’s starting to spend a lot of time looking for the next pattern that fish should be getting on, and while they should be moving down the lake (he is fishing about in the dead middle) there’s no sign of that. Fish should also be moving out into the 20-30 foot range, but so far it’s just not happening that he can find.
It can be a little bit of a tricky time for bass fishing on Clarks Hill, and Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) reports that even though water levels are dropping the water is still up in the woods and fish are very spread out. At times shallow fish are inaccessible. With the full moon this weekend you basically need to be fishing where the bream are bedding, and they can also be difficult to find. Josh has had the best luck this week on flat areas with green bushes throwing a Whopper Plopper and a buzzbait.
There are also some fish starting to get out on offshore humps, and Josh has caught some large spots on this pattern with swimbaits. However, it does not seem like numbers are out there yet.
The crappie bite is still good, and Rocky reports that all over the lake you can catch fish on brush piles. In different parts of the lake they are on brush at different depths, and up the Georgia Little River, for example, fish are often on shallower brush in 12-20 feet. Around pockets and coves by the dam they are more likely to be on brush in 30-35 feet, but they could be suspended from 5 feet below the surface to the bottom. Minnows are out-fishing jigs right now, and regardless of depth a very high percentage of brush seems to be holding fish right now.
With another week of stable temperatures it’s still a strong, stable catfish bite on Clarks Hill. Captain Chris Simpson(864-992-2352) reports that anchoring on points and fishing from 5-20 feet with shrimp, herring and dip baits is the best way to catch fish. Both main lake points and creek points are productive, and you can expect to catch a mix of species. As usual, to target bigger blues and flatheads but smaller numbers of fish use bream, perch and gizzard shad.
May 25
Clarks Hill water levels are still very high at 331.32 (full pool is 330.00) and water conditions are relatively clear. Morning surface water temperatures are still only about 70-73 degrees.
Between Saturday (when he won an open tournament with about 16 pounds) and Wednesday Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) could tell that the bass bite was changing, and it seems as if the herring fish are leaving. Saturday he caught them on a topwater and fluke, but then yesterday those same fish weren’t there. Instead he found them back in the flooded wood and brush blowing up on a frog. During the day they were around live cover, but in lower light conditions they seemed to gravitate to sparser, dead cover.
On the next full moon Josh expects a wide-open bream bed bite, and eventually the fish will also move out to offshore humps. However, between cool temperatures and high water they haven’t gotten there yet.
Tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia is seeing about the same thing, and as temperatures dropped back into the low 70s it did extend the herring bite but it also seemed to get harder as the season progressed. It was hard to call fish up, and if you didn’t see them actively feeding good luck! If you had a place where you knew they would blow up every 30-45 minutes it was worth sitting on it. Even now he thinks there are still fish off the points, but you may have to approach them with a Carolina rig or something more finesse-oriented.
Even though the fish haven’t transitioned to the humps that should be the next stop for herring fish, and Tyler also expects a really good bream bed bite to get started with a buzzbait and other topwater lures. And of course, all year there are some fish (including spots) on offshore brush.
Overall, it’s not easy fishing and last night they only had five bites in a tournament.
In contrast, it’s still an outstanding time for striped and hybrid bass on Clarks Hill, and Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that they are still killing the fish casting baits up shallow early. The pattern is as simple as pitching out a bunch of live baits into about 6 feet of water on main lake points and shoals, and today they caught a fast limit including a 12- and 15-pound fish.
While this bite still seems to be extending well into the morning, they are usually catching their fish so early that is mostly based on second-hand reports.
The crappie bite is also strong, and Rocky reports that all over the lake you can catch fish on brush piles. In different parts of the lake they are on brush at different depths, and up the Georgia Little River, for example, fish are often on shallower brush in 12-18 feet. Around pockets and coves by the dam they are more likely to be on brush in 30-35 feet, but they could be suspended from 5 feet below the surface to the bottom. Minnows are out-fishing jigs right now, and regardless of depth a very high percentage of brush seems to be holding fish right now.
Without a lot of change in temperatures it’s still a strong, stable catfish bite on Clarks Hill. Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that anchoring on points and fishing from 5-20 feet with shrimp, herring and dip baits is the best way to catch fish. Both main lake points and creek points are productive, and you can expect to catch a mix of species. As usual, to target bigger blues and flatheads but smaller numbers of fish use bream, perch and gizzard shad.
May 11
Clarks Hill water levels are still very high at 331.19 (full pool is 330.00) and water conditions are relatively clear. Morning surface water temperatures are about 70 degrees.
Even though the herring spawn is still pretty good, on weekends Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) reports that basson points are so heavily pressured that the fishing can be a little tricky. A lot of very good anglers are only catching weights in the low to mid-teens in Saturday tournaments, while if you go out there on a weekday the fish are much more cooperative in the same, normal spots.
This year most of the fish Josh has caught have been on a chrome Sebille, and with periodic cold snaps the fish have not been schooling that well. However, yesterday he caught 20 fish in 30 minutes on topwater lures and so there are certainly exceptions!
This late in the spring Josh doesn’t expect the shallow herring bite to hit a mid- to late April peak again as it is probably starting to wind down, and he looks for the fish to next start to move out to big long points and humps that top out in 6-10 feet. They will school there, and swimbaits, Carolina rigs and 5-inch flutter spoons will also catch them. From there they will go deeper until they get on brush.
It’s an outstanding time for striped and hybrid bass on Clarks Hill, and Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that the bite has actually expanded from last week. Instead of a narrow early window when you can catch fish they are continuing to bite at least through the morning, and the pattern is as simple as pitching out a bunch of live baits into about 5 feet of water in areas where there are herring spawning. The action is fast and furious, and this pattern can be replicated all over the lake. Once you catch the feeding fish in one area you do need to move to another spot to keep it going.
Similarly, for crappie Rocky reports that it doesn’t matter where on the lake you are from one end to the other as long as you are in a creek that has brush. It’s not super-fast action but they are catching about 30-35 fish per day, and the fish are mostly 10-12 feet down in about 25 feet of water. They are catching a few fish on jigs but minnows are working very well.
It's a strong catfish bite on Clarks Hill, and Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that anchoring on points and fishing from 5-20 feet with shrimp, herring and dip baits is the best way to catch fish. Both main lake points and creek points are productive, and you can expect to catch a mix of species. As usual, to target bigger blues and flatheads but smaller numbers of fish use bream, perch and gizzard shad.
May 4
Clarks Hill water levels are still very high at 331.01 (full pool is 330.00) and water conditions are relatively clear. Morning surface water temperatures are as low as 62 degrees.
It’s a broad but specific pattern for catching striped and hybrid bass on Clarks Hill, and Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that first thing the fish are up shallow in about 8 feet of water eating herring on red clay points. The baitfish are up there early and you can go to about any part of the lake and throw out herring on the bottom to catch them. However, once the early feed is over you are essentially wasting your time trying to catch fish. They pull out deeper and become very, very hard to catch.
Windy conditions have kept a lot of people off the lake this week, but tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia reports that if you are a bass fisherman that is a mistake. Wind just makes everything better, and all the main lake points have fish schooling on them right now. Catching big fish involves a lot of chance, and with fish generally grouped by size you have to hope to pull up on a point with 4-pounders instead of 2.5s. There’s really no secret to catching them once you find the fish, and they will take topwaters, flukes, Sebilles and more. When it gets tough – if the wind ever lays down – you need to throw something more finesse-oriented like a Carolina rig or shakey head.
Tyler notes that with this full moon another wave of fish should come up to bed, and so really all the patterns right now are from 12 inches of water out to about 9 or 10 feet. With temperatures low he hopes the herring spawn bite will be extended all the way through the May.
While the wind might be positive for bass, Rocky reports that it has made for some very tough crappie fishing. Basically the fish are starting to gather up on brush, but fishing brush is very tough in these conditions. It also doesn’t help that fish are only on some brush piles and not others. The best brush piles are in 25 feet and the fish are 10-12 feet down. Minnows or jigs can both work.
It may be a little easier to troll in this weather and there are still some fish swimming around in the backs of creeks, but the brush pile bite is really the better pattern.
Finally the catfish bite on Clarks Hill is getting good, and Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that anchoring on points and fishing from 5-20 feet with shrimp, herring and dip baits is the best way to catch fish. Both main lake points and creek points are productive, and you can expect to catch a mix of species. As usual, to target bigger blues and flatheads but smaller numbers of fish use bream, perch and gizzard shad.
April 20
Clarks Hill water levels are still very high at 330.93 (full pool is 330.00) and morning surface water temperatures are around 67 degrees.
We are nearing the peak of the herring spawn, and Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) reports that about the next three weeks should be totally wide open for bass fishing. This week we have hit the period where you can run from point to point and almost every one if not every point will have fish on it.
Of course the nature of the bite varies from day to day, and on sunny, windy days fish feed better and are more likely to take topwater lures. When there is no sun then they are more likely to take something subsurface like a Sebille, fluke or swimbait, and when they are especially passive then you need to pull out a Carolina rig or shaky head.
It’s also a matter of timing, and to catch a big bag off a point you basically have to get there at the right time. The big ones feed in spells, but the bite is usually better after 10 o’clock.
There are also post-spawn fish that are guarding fry, but don’t give up on bed fish. Last year Josh caught one off the bed on May 17 and there will certainly be another wave on the May full moon.
Based on that it makes sense that the pattern for striped and hybrid bass is pretty simple, and Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that it’s really as straight-forward as fishing shallow on main lake points early when the fish are up there feeding on herring. The best action is from the bank out to 12 feet. After the sun gets up you may catch a fish or two pulling boards, but the better plan is to go home after the initial feeding binge. Everyone stays but basically they just aren’t biting once the early rush is over.
The crappie are now moving back to brush, and Little River Guide Service reports that the best concentrations of catchable fish are now 10-12 feet down over brush piles in 25 feet of water in the creeks. Both minnows and jigs will work.
Catfish report to follow.
April 10
Clarks Hill water levels are even further above full at 331.61 (full pool is 330.00) and some of the creeks are muddy. Morning surface water temperatures have dropped to 58-59 degrees.
Unsurprisingly the striped and hybrid bass bite has changed dramatically in the last few days, and Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that they have gone from fishing in 6 feet of water to having to target them with down-rods in 40. And they have gone from having limits by 8:00 or 9:00 in the morning to having to really work for fish.
Soon the herring spawn will kick into action again and the fish will move shallower, and then we will be back to the pattern where first thing they are usually in 2-6 feet of water, then they move out to 6-15 feet, and eventually they could be out in 40-50 feet but still high in the water column. But that will take a few days.
Despite a small blip related to this last front, tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia reports that overall we are still in a period where the bass fishing is wide open. In his view the largest spawning wave just went on the bed on the April 6 full moon, and their coming off should coincide perfectly with when the herring begin spawning again. Within a few days you should be able to find pre- and post-spawn fishing schooling on any distinct main lake point. The spawning herring will also be found in the creeks, but without as much wind to activate the fish (and camouflage baits) the action is never as good back there.
Just a few days ago the herring spawn was really getting good, but Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) agrees that temperatures in the 40s knocked things back. However, he also expects all the big females to be coming back to the points. So far this spring they have had better luck with flukes, paddletail swimbaits, and jerkbaits, while the fish have just been blowing up on Gunfish but not getting it. Again, that could change.
On better days recently Little River Guide Service has again been trolling for crappie in 6-15 feet of water, but with this recent cold snap they have had to target post-spawn fish that are setting up on deep brush piles in 25-30 feet of water. Wind has also limited their ability to troll and fish a lot of areas.
Overall there are still spawning and even pre-spawn fish, but probably the better numbers are post-spawn.
Before this weekend’s cold snap the catfish bite on Clarks Hill was starting to move shallower and improve, but Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that once again the weather has delayed expected change. Anchoring on main lake points and fan-casting baits from 10-30 feet of water is still the most consistent pattern. Cut gizzard shad and herring are the go-to baits. Continue to give fish plenty of time until the bite normalizes.