July 17

Clarks Hill water levels are down to 327.41 (full pool is 330.00) and clarity is high. Morning surface water temperatures are in the upper 80s over most of the lake. 

There are weird conditions for hybrid and striped bass fishing on Clarks Hill, and Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that fish are even more scattered this week from the dam to the mid-lake to the upper end. Again, the constant is that fish are in the main river channel. 

While there are some fish 60-100 feet down where the water is cooler, they are stressed and basically can’t eat. The fish that Rocky has been catching are suspended 20 feet down feeding on threadfin shad, and they could be over 100 feet of water (or more) or 30-40 up the lake. In general they are just related to schools of threadfin, while above Fishing Village where the water is a bit cooler and more oxygenated herring can survive better and some fish are feeding on them.

Of course there are lots of anglers around the oxygen lines, and even thought the nine or so, 400-900 foot, lines are at a variety of depths, but mostly around 80 feet, the best bite for catchable fish is at 40 feet. But it’s hard to keep bait alive there unless you are fishing extremely close to the oxygen line and there will be a ton of boats fishing in a small area. 

The bass have gotten a little tough on Clarks Hill, even though Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) reports that in daytime tournaments there have been 22 pound bags recently while at night three fish limits of almost 15 pounds have come in. But for him it’s all about the current still, and when they are not pulling water it is basically impossible to catch the big groups of deeper fish he is seeing over brush piles. The best brush is on humps that top out about 20-25 feet deep, with the brush coming up to about 12-15 feet below the surface. Ticking the brush with a 6XD is a good way to target them, and Damiki rigs have also been working well. There are also certain bridge pilings that are stacked with fish, although again current can make the difference in whether they bite. With current you can catch tons of spots on a drop shot around bridges, but Josh has also caught some good largemouth this way. 

When there is no current they best bet may be to ignore the allure of hundred-fish schools out deep and concentrate on shallow bass feeding around bream beds, and Josh continues to see tons of 4-6 pound fish up there. Interestingly the bite is often better once the sun gets up, and a Whopper Plopper has been working very well. 

Unfortunately the crappie fishing is still really tough, and Captain Rocky is actually giving them a break in these conditions. They could still scratch out a limit and a half or so, but it would take all day. The fish have almost disappeared, and what they are marking on brush is almost exclusively small bream. It seems the better crappie have gone to the bottom in deeper water where it is very hard to mark them. 

Overall the fish are very stressed in the summer heat and do not want to bite. 

To finish on a more positive note, the catfish spawn is at the very tail end and Captain Chris Simpson with Fightin Da Blues Fishing Guide Service (864-992-2352) reports that as a result the bite is getting much more consistent. The best pattern is still anchoring on points and humps in 5-25 feet of water in both the creeks and on the main lake. Cut herring, bream and gizzard shad will all catch fish, and fishing at night is definitely more productive.

July 11

Clarks Hill water levels are down to 328.05 (full pool is 330.00) and clarity is high. Morning surface water temperatures are in the mid to upper 80s on the lower end of the main lake and even higher in the backs. 

The bass are in typical summer patterns on Clarks Hill, and Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) reports that you basically have two choices about how to target them. The biggest group of fish is certainly deep, and Josh is shocked by how many fish he is seeing over brush piles. At the same time they are finicky, and often if there is no current moving you can watch 50 or 60 bass just stare at your bait. The best brush is on humps that top out about 20-25 feet deep, with the brush coming up to about 12-15 feet below the surface. Ticking the brush with a 6XD is a good way to target them, and Damiki rigs have also been working well. There are also certain bridge pilings that are stacked with fish, although again current can make the difference in whether they bite. You can catch tons of spots on a drop shot around bridges, but Josh has also caught some good largemouth this way. 

At the same time it may be that more big largemouth by percentage are shallow feeding around bream beds, and Josh continues to see tons of 4-6 pound fish up there. Interestingly the bite is often better once the sun gets up, and a Whopper Plopper has been working very well. 

While the catfish spawn will grind on for several more weeks, Captain Chris Simpson with Fightin Da Blues Fishing Guide Service (864-992-2352) reports that the bulk of it looks to be over and as a result the bite is getting much more consistent. The best pattern is still anchoring on points and humps in 5-25 feet of water in both the creeks and on the main lake. Cut herring, bream and gizzard shad will all catch fish, and fishing at night is definitely more productive.

July 10

Clarks Hill water levels are down to 328.12 (full pool is 330.00) and clarity is high. Morning surface water temperatures are in the mid to upper 80s on the lower end of the main lake and even higher in the backs. 

It’s a tale of two ends for hybrid and striped bass on Clarks Hill, and Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that the better fish are on the upper and lower ends of the lake – with almost all the fish on the main channel. The best numbers of good fish are probably from the oxygen line down to the dam, and these fish are mostly 50 feet down over as much as 130 feet of water. They are in the stress zone because the water is so hot, and they are more focused on temperature than following bait (which is generally more like 20 feet down). 

Once you get out of sight of the dam the fish get smaller, but depending on the power generation schedule you can still catch hybrids on humps in 20-30 feet of water. Early in the morning they can be off points.

However, the exception to the rule is when you are close to the other dam, and particularly when there hasn’t been too much water pumped back and forth and the water coming from Russell is closer to a true 58 then the fishing below the Russell Dam can be really good. Rocky’s best fish in the last week was the 40-pounder below that came from the upper end. Up there they are fishing in about 20 feet with down rods. 

 

Unfortunately the crappie fishing has gotten really tough, and Captain Rocky has actually cancelled some trips on account of how hard it has gotten to catch fish. They can still scratch out a limit and a half or so, but it takes all day. The fish have almost disappeared, and what they are marking on brush is almost exclusively small bream. It seems the better crappie have gone to the bottom in deeper water where it is very hard to mark them. 

Overall the fish are very stressed in the summer heat and do not want to bite. 

More to follow.

June 26

Clarks Hill water levels are down to 329.10 (full pool is 330.00) and clarity is high. Morning surface water temperatures are 82 on the main lake and much higher in the backs. 

The hybrid and striped bass are highly suspended on Clarks Hill, and Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that the fish are generally about 20 feet down over 80 feet of water on the main Savannah River. They are roaming and feeding on schools of bait as they make their way towards the lower lake. They are not really related to anything, and you just have to look for them on electronics. Everything they are catching has been on down-rods.

There may already be some fish on the oxygen lines, but Captain Rocky has not been there yet. 

The bass are in some typical summer patterns on Clarks Hill, and Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) reports that he still thinks the best fish are up shallow around bream beds. He has seen a lot of 4-6 pound fish, and they will take Whopper Ploppers, frogs and buzzbaits. 

Another group of fish is offshore, and there has been some isolated schooling activity over humps that top out at 10-12 feet. There are only certain places where fish are coming up to feed on bait, and at other times fishing the offshore spots can be grind with big worms or swimbaits. 

Even as it gets really hot the crappie are still biting pretty well, and while there are certainly deeper fish Captain Rocky has been finding them in 16-18 feet of water on brush piles way up the creeks in slightly more stained water. Sometimes they are suspended and sometimes they are on the bottom, and that can have a lot to with time of day or whether they are pulling water. Depending on the generation cycle they will also pull out of the creeks at times, and then return. Rocky is only fishing minnows right now. 

As on many South Carolina lakes the catfish have been in the midst of their spawn last week and this week, and Captain Chris Simpson with Fightin Da Blues Fishing Guide Service (864-992-2352) reports that as a result the fishing has gotten pretty tough.  It should get back to normal next week. The best pattern is still anchoring on points and humps in 5-25 feet of water in both the creeks and on the main lake. Cut herring, bream and gizzard shad will all catch fish, and fishing at night is definitely more productive.

June 12

Clarks Hill water levels are still very high at 330.06 (full pool is 330.00) and clarity is normal. Morning surface water temperatures are in the low 80s. 

The fishing for hybrid and striped bass has turned on this last week or two on Clarks Hill, and Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that now not only are they catching numbers of fish but also quality. Fish are mid-lake in the major river arms and they are suspended about 20 feet down and moving as they make their way towards the lower lake seeking cooler temperatures – moving just as fast as they need to go to survive. By mid-summer these fish will all be in the lower lake within sight of the dam and around the oxygen line. For now the best place is to catch them is at the mouth of pockets and it’s almost exclusively a down-rod bite.

If you want to target just the biggest striper they are on a little different pattern, holding about 50 feet deep on the bottom. Numbers are much lower on this pattern.

While the biggest group is making their way down the lake, Guide Wendell Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336) reports that there is another group of fish hanging out at the top of the lake in the cooler water below the Russell dam. These fish are schooling most mornings, and they can be caught either with topwater lures or by pitching free-lines. 

After the early topwater bite they are having fun catching numbers of white perch, and they can be caught on the bottom with minnows on a drop shot rig in 10-14 feet of water. They will also take spoons, and the best action is just below the dam. 

It continues to be a good post-spawn bite for crappie, and Captain Rocky reports that he is mainly fishing up the rivers on brush – but there are also fish down the lake on brush. Basically, anywhere you want to fish that has brush in 20-24 feet of water there will be crappie on it. Fish are holding about 12-15 feet down when you first pull up, but they can go deeper into the brush once you get on top of them. Minnows are working the best. 

Even though the herring spawn is over, tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia reports that the bass patterns haven’t changed a whole lot – at least first thing. They are still schooling early in the morning off points, and in his experience they only want topwater lures right now.  He can’t get bites on Sebilles or flukes. 

That bite is done by the time the sun gets over the trees, and then one pattern is to fish deeper humps in 20-30 feet and brush piles – basically trying to hit as many targets as possible. For humps Carolina rigs and creeper heads are good choices, while for brush piles a Texas rig and the creeper head are working or Tyler. But also keep a topwater tied on because fish could come up at any time – and if you don’t hit them on the head within a few seconds the window closes. 

There also continue to be a lot of fish shallow around bream, and it’s basically worth fishing a buzzbait around shallow chunk rock or any laydown where bluegill or shellcracker could be spawning.  

On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson with Fightin Da Blues Fishing Guide Service (864-992-2352) reports that the bite is still pretty good anchoring on points and humps in 5-25 feet of water in both the creeks and on the main lake. Cut herring, bream and gizzard shad are all working. 

May 29

Clarks Hill water levels are still very high at 330.35 (full pool is 330.00) and morning surface water temperatures have hit about 80 degrees. 

The numbers of hybrid and striped bass they are catching on Clarks Hill are still really good, and Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that the last two trips they have hit 50 fish before 9:30. The teenage-class fish have been a little scarce recently, but they expect them to show up in the lower pool once they turn the oxygen lines on if not before. 

The main pattern is still pitching bait up shallow early in 8-12 feet or less off main lake points. After that the fish are moving out to 20 or more feet, sometimes off the same points and sometimes different ones, where you can fish for them with down-rods. The fish are still moving a lot. Usually by this time of year the fish are mostly in the lower to middle lake, but right now they are still showing up all over. 

It continues to be a good post-spawn bite for crappie, and Captain Rocky reports that each trip they have caught 40-50 fish the last two days ranging from about 10-15 inches. The best pattern is still fishing 8-12 feet down over brush in 20 feet of water, but now the fishing is decidedly better on the main lake than in the creeks. The mid-lake area has been the best and minnows are out-fishing jigs. 

The bass are getting into summer patterns on Clarks Hill, and Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) reports that the herring spawn is almost completely done and more fish are starting to move offshore over humps and deeper brush piles. About the best shallow bite is fishing around bushes, and with the lake so high there is lots of flooded cover. In areas where bream were bedding on this last full moon there was good topwater activity.

While the fish have been smaller than expected at this stage of the summer, Josh has also found a fantastic bite for numbers of fish flipping wood up the rivers. 

On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson with Fightin Da Blues Fishing Guide Service (864-992-2352) reports that the bite is pretty good anchoring on points and humps in 5-25 feet of water in both the creeks and on the main lake. Cut herring, bream and gizzard shad are all working. 

May 23

Clarks Hill water levels are still very high at 330.37 (full pool is 330.00) and morning surface water temperatures are still only about 75-76 degrees on the main water. Generally the lake clears as you get towards the lower end, but you can find dirty to muddy water in the backs or up the river arms in certain areas. 

It’s a similar pattern for hybrid and striped bass on Clarks Hill, and Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that there is still bait  (with fish) up shallow early and so every morning they are starting by pitching baits out to 8-12 feet or less off main lake points that have bait around them. After that the fish are moving out to 20 or more feet, sometimes off the same points and sometimes different ones, where you can fish for them with down-rods. The fish are moving pretty much every day right now with so much water flow and so you have to keep looking. 

The best action Captain Rocky has found is coming mid-lake in the Savannah River. 

But there are also hybrids and striper up the lake, and Guide Wendell Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336) reports that fishing in the shallow water right below the Russell Dam they have found schooling hybrids and striper in the 4-6 pound range. These fish will take topwater lures, and you can also pitch or pull free-lines.  Often a good combination is to pull a couple of free-lines and then fish a couple of shallow down-rods. 

The bass are pretty stable from last week, and tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia reports that there are still fish up shallow but the herring spawn appears to be winding down. That’s still the go-to pattern first thing, but particularly if there is no wind then by late morning you basically have to move out to humps or brush piles and start fishing a Carolina rig. 

You can also catch fish on a buzzbait with so many bream around the banks now. 

It continues to be a good post-spawn bite for crappie, and Captain Rocky reports

that fish are still mostly 8-12 feet down on brush in less than 20 feet. It still doesn’t seem to matter whether the cover is in the creeks or the main lake. Fishing both jigs and minnows is working and the fish are eating very well. 

At the very top of the lake, Wendell reports that they found small crappie pulling jigs in the back of a creek in about 10 feet of water – but true to Rocky’s report, the bigger fish were on brush in about 18 feet.

Finally, Tyler reports they had another incredible day for shellcracker when they located another bed (pictured below). And Wendell reports that in coves with overhanging limps dropping cicadas into the water they have had success for a mixed bag of shellcracker, bluegill and white perch fishing worms. 

 

Catfish report to follow. 

May 15

Clarks Hill water levels are still very high at 330.45 (full pool is 330.00) and morning surface water temperatures have dropped back to about 74 degrees. Areas of the lake are dirty to muddy with all the recent rains. 

While the hybrid and striped bass on Clarks Hill may not be quite as shallow as last week, Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that early in the morning he is still catching fish pitching baits out to 8-12 feet or less off main lake points that have bait around them. You can also fish shallow down-rods there. The herring he is fishing around are generally so small that he’s not sure they are actually spawning, but they are relatively shallow early. After that the fish start to move a little deeper, and most of the time he is moving out to about 16-20 feet off the same points. Down the lake it is often a few feet deeper. 

The bass fishing appears to be changing, too, and tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia reports that there are still a ton of fish up shallow but he thinks the herring spawn is winding down. That’s still the go-to pattern first thing, but particularly if there is no wind then by late morning you basically have to move out to humps or brush piles and start fishing a Carolina rig. 

It’s a similar report from Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152), who reports that in addition to seasonal changes and the herring spawn winding down he feels like the fish are getting smarter after so many weeks of having the same topwater baits, flukes and swimbaits thrown at them. If you are going to fish this way the early bite is critical. 

In addition to a deeper bite, after the herring bite tails off in the morning he is starting to look for fish feeding around bream beds.

It continues to be a good post-spawn bite for crappie, and Captain Rocky reports that fish are still mostly 8-12 feet down now and by now most of them are on brush in less than 20 feet. It still doesn’t seem to matter whether the cover is in the creeks or the main lake. Fishing both jigs and minnows is working and the fish are eating very well. 

On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson with Fightin Da Blues Fishing Guide Service (864-992-2352) that the bite is still very good anchoring and fan-casting baits at a variety of depths around humps and points.  Fishing in 5-35 feet of water has been productive in both the creeks and the main lake. Gizzard shad, herring, bream and white perch are all working, and early pre-spawn flatheads seem perfectly content to eat cut bait as well. 

May 9

Clarks Hill water levels are still very high at 330.55 (full pool is 330.00) and morning surface water temperatures are around 75 degrees. Clarity is about normal; up the lake is dirtier while down the lake is clear. 

While the very early bite for hybrid and striped bass on Clarks Hill continues to be very good, Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that by now the mid-morning bite has come on, too. It’s still as simple as fishing around the herring, and fish can literally be found all over the lake. Before the sun gets up casting baits on the bottom wherever herring are spawning will generate fast action. They could be around shallow points, humps or red clay banks, in the creeks or (increasingly) on the main lake. After the sun gets up then fish pull out to about 20 feet of water, and they can be found in the ditches off the sides of the same points where they are feeding early.

This pattern should last for a couple more weeks.

In the mid-lake, Captain Chris Simpson with Fightin Da Blues Fishing Guide Service (864-992-2352) is still having success pulling free-lines and planer boards. Some days they have to move around to find feeding fish, but they continue to catch some big fish bringing gizzard shad and herring across points and saddles between islands.

The bass are (almost) all about the herring, too, and tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia reports that fish can be found on pretty much every main lake point and blow-through as well as some of the creek points, too. However, the bite can be a little finicky, and like saltwater fish that only feed on a certain tide often they will only bite when a group of herring moves through and they are activated. Wind is also key. In fact, even though fish are still around when herring aren’t in the area Tyler is literally watching them swim away from jigs and shaky heads at times. 

There are also some fish starting to feed around bream (so far mostly shellcracker – which can be fun to target in their own right) beds, on buzzbaits. There are also some fish starting to get on brush and soon they will be on humps. 

It’s a similar report from Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152), who concurs that basically every point has fish on it and it’s just a matter of getting them to bite.  However, as it is getting later in the herring spawn he is finding the most fish on long, tapering points that touch the river channel. Additionally, he is having a little better luck calling them up with a fluke even when they are not actively schooling – but wind definitely makes everything better.

It continues to be an improved post-spawn bite for crappie, and Captain Rocky reports that the biggest change is that fish have moved a little deeper and are mostly 8-12 feet down now.  They can still be caught trolling up the rivers, and every day more fish are getting on brush in less than 20 feet. It still doesn’t seem to matter whether the cover is in the creeks or the main lake. Fishing both jigs and minnows is working and the fish are eating very well. 

On the catfish front, Captain Chris reminds everyone that 13 years ago he found the best May and June action he can remember for Lake Murray catfish when there was a massive cicada hatch. And history does appear to be repeating itself this spring on Clarks Hill, as from what Chris is seeing it has all three species of catfish feeding really well.  

Anchoring and fan-casting baits at a variety of depths around humps and points in 5-35 feet of water has been productive in both the creeks and the main lake. Gizzard shad, herring, bream and white perch are all working, and early pre-spawn flatheads seem perfectly content to eat cut bait as well. 

May 1

Clarks Hill water levels are still very high at 330.26 (full pool is 330.00) and morning surface water temperatures are around 70-72 degrees. 

By now it’s a standard spring bite for hybrid and striped bass bite on Clarks Hill, and Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that it’s simple as fishing around the herring. By far the best bite is very early, and before the sun gets up casting baits on the bottom wherever herring are spawning will generate fast action. They could be around shallow points, humps or red clay banks, in the creeks or on the main lake. After the sun gets up the bite slows way down for Captain Rocky, and even as his boat eases out to about 20 feet they are mainly catching small fish. For them the big fish are feeding early and then quitting. 

In the mid-lake, Captain Chris Simpson with Fightin Da Blues Fishing Guide Service (864-992-2352) is still having success pulling free-lines and planer boards. Some days they have to move around to find feeding fish, but they continue to catch some big fish bringing gizzard shad and herring across points and saddles between islands.

With the herring spawn wide open all over the lake it’s unsurprising that Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) reports that the bass bite is about as good as it gets. Just like the striper, fish can now be caught on points all over the lake and honestly the biggest issue seems to be fishing pressure. The lower lake is getting the most pressure right now, and so it may be better to look up the rivers. It also seems that on days with less fishermen the fish will eat topwater lures, while on days when there is more pressure flukes are the key.  It’s also an all-day bite for Josh, and sometimes the best fishing is in the middle of the day for him. That may be related to the fact that he is fishing around bushes a lot of the time, because for anglers fishing the usual schooling holes the best bite is at daybreak. 

There is also starting to be a good bream bite as bass feed on panfish that are starting to bed. A variety of topwater lures will work.  

It continues to be an improved post-spawn bite for crappie, and Captain Rocky reports that trolling up the rivers is working well and there are still more and more fish getting on brush in less than 20 feet. Fish are suspended 4-8 feet down over brush or tree-tops in 16-18 feet of water, and it doesn’t seem to matter whether the cover is in the creeks or the main lake. Fishing both jigs and minnows is working and the fish are eating very well. 

On the catfish front, Captain Chris reports that 13 years ago he found the best May and June action he can remember for Lake Murray catfish when there was a massive cicada hatch. That’s taking place again this spring on Clarks Hill, and from what Chris is seeing it has all three species of catfish feeding really well.  He even notes that cicadas are showing up in the stomachs of striper and hybrids!

Anchoring and fan-casting baits at a variety of depths around humps and points in 5-35 feet of water has been productive in both the creeks and the main lake. Gizzard shad, herring, bream and white perch are all working, and early pre-spawn flatheads seem perfectly content to eat cut bait as well. 

April 25

Clarks Hill water levels are very high at 330.37 (full pool is 330.00) and morning surface water temperatures are around 70 degrees. 

There are other ways to catch hybrid and striped bass bite on Clarks Hill, but Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that the best pattern right now for most people is targeting the points and humps where herring are just starting to spawn. The herring spawn is not wide open yet, but in 5-6 feet of water all over the lake the fish are up there first thing. Pitching free-lines, pulling planer boards, and casting lures will all catch fish.

After the sun gets up some of those fish pull out deeper on the same points, but Captain Rocky is actually targeting a different group of fish out in the main channel in 50 feet of water. They are coming back down the lake after completing their spawn, and they can be caught on down-rods fished about 12 feet below the surface.

In the mid-lake, Captain Chris Simpson with Fightin Da Blues Fishing Guide Service (864-992-2352) is also having success pulling free-lines and planer boards. While the bite has gotten a little less consistent this week for reasons that are unclear, they continue to catch some big fish bringing gizzard shad and herring across points and saddles between islands.

The bass bite continues to be very good, and after another strong tournament weekend Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) reports that from what he is seeing the herring spawn bite is on the verge of busting wide open. For now most of the best points are in the creeks, and the fish are not on all the points, but in the next few days he expects all the creek and main lake points to hold fish. The best points will be long, gently sloping points, especially ones adjacent to areas where big female bass can transition off the beds. 

For now other people continue to report catching fish on topwater lures, but Josh can pretty much only get bites on flukes. Every fish he has weighed the last three weekends came on a fluke. 

Not many people would have suspected that the post-spawn bite for crappie would be better than the pre-spawn bite, but Captain Rocky reports that is exactly what is happening. Throughout the lake he is now finding fish suspended 4-8 feet down over brush or tree-tops in 16 feet of water, and it doesn’t seem to matter whether the cover is in the creeks or the main lake. Fishing both jigs and minnows is working and the fish are feeding very well. 

On the catfish front, Captain Chris reports that there continues to be a good shallow water bite for blues along with some flatheads. Anchoring and fan-casting baits at a variety of depths around humps and points in 5-15 feet of water has been productive in both the creeks and the main lake. Gizzard shad, herring, bream and white perch are all working, and early pre-spawn flatheads seem perfectly content to eat cut bait as well. 

Overall fish are scattered but biting a lot better than a week or two ago.

April 17

Clarks Hill water levels are at 330.20 (full pool is 330.00) and you can find water of any color over the lake, from mud in the backs of some creeks and up-river to clear water at the front of some creeks and in parts of the main channel. Morning surface water temperatures are about 65-66 degrees.

The hybrid and striped bass bite has fully turned on at Clarks Hill, and Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that all over the lake you can catch fish in 5 feet of water off flat points. The best bite lasts for the first few hours each morning, but fish will stay shallow all day in areas where they are not heavily pressured. They are shallow because they are up there eating herring and also because they want to spawn in the warm water. Pitching free lines or Carolina rigs to shallow fish is working very well. 

In the mid-lake, Captain Chris Simpson with Fightin Da Blues Fishing Guide Service (864-992-2352) is also having excellent success pulling free-lines and planer boards. They have caught some really big fish up to 25 pounds this week bringing gizzard shad and herring across points and saddles between islands.

It’s also a fantastic bass bite, and this week Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) found an even stronger herring pattern than last but was unable to repeat the win as his 21.7 pound bag was beat out by 21.8! Pretty much every point seems to have fish on it right now, whether main lake or in the creeks, and for long stretches Josh was catching a fish or at least having his bait blasted on every cast.

For right now it seems like the fish are moving shallower over the course of the day, and Josh is having much better luck with subsurface baits like a fluke or Sebille than a Gunfish. They just seem to be missing topwater baits. He is also catching some of his biggest fish on a jumbo 6-inch paddletail swimbait, particularly in low light, and it also seems that the biggest bass are around the biggest herring. 

It continues to be a strange year for crappie, and Captain Rocky reports that the fish seem to be getting on some but not all brush. While many of them are probably post-spawn, he actually thinks a large number of fish are using brush in the 10-12 foot range or even deeper to spawn. 

The depth of the brush varies around the lake depending on water color and temperature, and fish are certainly not on every brush pile even at the “right” depth. When you do find them vertical fishing with minnows seems to be the best bet.   

On the catfish front, Captain Chris reports that there continues to be a good shallow water bite for blues along with some flatheads. Anchoring and fan-casting baits at a variety of depths around humps and points in 5-15 feet of water has been productive in both the creeks and the main lake. Gizzard shad, herring, bream and white perch are all working, and early pre-spawn flatheads seem perfectly content to eat cut bait as well. 

Overall fish are scattered but biting a lot better than a week or two ago.

April 11

Clarks Hill water levels are at 330.12 (full pool is 330.00) and before today’s rain the lake was clearing. Morning surface water temperatures are about 63-65 degrees.

It’s a wildly variant bite for hybrid and striped bass on Clarks Hill right now, and Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that the fish are still moving a lot and about every day you have to look somewhere different. In general they are finding fish way up all the river arms, and early in the morning they are starting out shallow in as little as 5-8 feet of water around points. The beginning of the herring spawn is underway, and so they are also finding a lot of fish in blow-throughs. As the sun gets up fish are moving out to as deep as 30 feet. In general they are casting or down-rodding live bait on the bottom, although there are certainly other ways to catch fish.

With so many different factors including the weather, the striper spawn, the herring spawn, and more it can be challenging conditions, and some days captains are really having to work. The best advice is to keep adjusting and don’t stick to a pattern if it’s not producing.  

Consistent with the “covering water” principle, Captain Chris Simpson with Fightin Da Blues Fishing Guide Service (864-992-2352) reports that in the mid-lake area they are pulling free-lines and planer boards. Bringing gizzard shad and herring across points and saddles between islands has been working pretty well for above-average fish.

It’s a similarly erratic bite for crappie, and Captain Rocky reports that this whole year has been much tougher than usual. Usually until the spawn winds down they can long-line troll the backs of creeks and catch great numbers as well as plenty of big fat females, but numbers and sizes are down this year. They are finally starting to see some post-spawn fish, but the great bite never materialized. Weather is so erratic and the spawn has been so halting that you can still find some fish around the banks, but the best patterns is still trolling jigs. 

Fresh off first place in a Dynamic Marine tournament with 20 pounds, Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) reports that the bass bite is good and about to get really good. Certainly you can still fish for bedding fish, but by now everyone is starting to concentrate on herring fish as the herring spawn takes off. Both creek points and main lake points have been productive, and even though the fish aren’t schooling much yet they are eating a fluke really well. Points with bushes are particularly good. 

There are also a good number of fish being caught sight-fishing, but about 15 pounds is the biggest bag Josh has heard of this way. 

On the catfish front, Captain Chris reports that there is finally some significant change with the blues which are starting to show up in shallow water – along with some flatheads. Anchoring and fan-casting baits at a variety of depths around humps and points in 5-15 feet of water has been productive in both the creeks and the main lake. Gizzard shad, herring, bream and white perch are all working, and early pre-spawn flatheads seem perfectly content to eat cut bait as well. 

Overall fish are scattered but biting a lot better than a week or two ago.