December 19

Clarks Hill water levels are at 326.50 (full pool is 330.00) and water clarity is normal. Morning surface water temperatures are around 55 degrees.

December 11

Clarks Hill water levels are at 325.98 (full pool is 330.00) and water clarity should drop after significant rainfall. Morning surface water temperatures are around 58 degrees.

December 4

Clarks Hill water levels are down to 326.24 (full pool is 330.00) and water clarity is normal. Morning surface water temperatures have dropped to about 59 degrees.

November 20

Clarks Hill water levels are at 327.37 (full pool is 330.00) and water clarity is normal. Morning surface water temperatures are around 67 degrees.

November 13

Clarks Hill water levels are at 327.54 (full pool is 330.00) and the lake is very clear because of the absence of recent rains. Morning surface water temperatures are around 68 degrees.

Fishing activity is still well below normal, but Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that he has been finding a pretty fantastic hybrid and striped bass bite. On their last trip they caught 70 fish in two hours, and even though fish are moving around a fair amount they have been able to find some very consistent spots. The best action has been coming 10-20 feet down in about 30 feet of water on the edge of the Savannah River channel, but fish are scattered all over the place. They are in both major river arms, and some days they are moving to the very backs of the creeks. 

While it’s not uncommon to mark fish on the bottom in 35 feet, once they actually start biting they usually come up to about 12-20 feet to feed. 

Captain Rocky reports that the crappie fishing is also good, and fish can be found in the river and creek channels up the lake in about 30 feet of water. They are 15-18 feet down suspended over brush, trees, or any other structure in the channel, and while they will take jigs minnows are working much better. 

But there are also crappie a little shallower, and Guide Wendell Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336) reports that they managed to catch a nice limit of crappie on the very upper end of Clarks Hill fishing in 15-17 feet of water. They have caught everything on minnows about 12-14 feet down, and while fish aren’t on every piece of structure when you find them there are some big schools. And lots of big fish. 

While the black bass fishing has also been good for numbers, tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia reports that catching decent-sized fish is a completely different matter. On the water recently he has seen and caught a good number of schooling fish, but most of them you have to measure.  He is seeing better ones on top but they aren’t biting. 

They aren’t as shallow as in the spring, and most of the action he is finding is in 12-15 feet. It’s also pretty random, and some points and humps are covered in fish while others are desolate.  Brush does seem to make a big difference.

But the hardest part is not locating the fish but getting them to bite, and with the bass on very small bait at times that is “outrageously” tough. Bright skies and calm days make it even worse. Everything he has caught has been on a small fluke or Sashimmy swimbait. 

As for other patterns, a buzzbait should only get better in the next couple of weeks but for now Tyler is not getting many bites on it. A white or methiolate floating worm should also be good, especially with all the newly fallen trees in the water.

Finally, there are a lot of fish on brush piles that you can see on electronics but right now they are more likely to follow a bait than commit. 

Finally, Captain Chris Simpson with Fightin Da Blues Fishing Guide Service (864-992-2352) reports that the fall catfishbite remains remarkably consistent. The productive depth range might vary a bit from day to day, but otherwise things are pretty predictable and the fishing is very good. 

The best pattern is still anchoring on main lake points in 25-50 feet of water. You can also catch some fish dragging the bottom at about the same depths in creeks with cleaner bottoms. Cut herring, bream and gizzard shad will all catch fish.

October 29

Clarks Hill water levels are at 327.94 (full pool is 330.00) and the lake is relatively clear. Morning surface water temperatures are around 70 degrees.

October 16

Clarks Hill water levels are at 329.33 (full pool is 330.00) and the lake has cleared significantly. Morning surface water temperatures are around 73 degrees.

October 10

Clarks Hill water levels are at 329.77 (full pool is 330.00) and visibility is back to 3-4 feet down the lake. Morning surface water temperatures are around 77 degrees.

October 2

Clarks Hill water levels are up to 328.50 (full pool is 330.00) and morning surface water temperatures are around 77 degrees.

September 26

Clarks Hill water levels are at 323.92 (full pool is 330.00) and water clarity has been normal although the lake is turning over. Morning surface water temperatures are around 80 degrees.

September 19

Clarks Hill water levels have fallen to 323.64 (full pool is 330.00) and water clarity is normal. Morning surface water temperatures are down to about 75 degrees.

September 6

Clarks Hill water levels are down to 324.55 (full pool is 330.00) and visibility is high. Surface water temperatures on the lake yesterday were down to about 77 degrees! 

August 27

Clarks Hill water levels are down to 325.09 (full pool is 330.00) and clarity is normal. Morning surface water temperatures are about 83 degrees down the lake although up the lake with very little inflow and shallower water they can approach 90.  

August 13

Clarks Hill water levels are way down to 325.76 (full pool is 330.00) and clarity is normal – the area received minimal rain around the recent storm. Morning surface water temperatures are about 83-85 on the main lake.  

August 1

Clarks Hill water levels are down to 327.13 (full pool is 330.00) and clarity is normal. Morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-80s over most of the lake. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.