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.

March 28

Clarks Hill water levels are at 329.58 (full pool is 330.00) and much of the lake is still muddy. Morning surface water temperatures are again about 57 degrees. 

The hybrid and striped bass on Clarks Hill are still in pre-spawn patterns, and Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that fish continue to make their way to the upper end. They can be found from 0-20 feet around main lake points, with the very shallow bite first thing but then the fish moving to the deeper end of that depth range.  Captain Rocky is still pitching out live baits on the bottom first thing, and then after fish go deeper they are down-rod fishing. Other anglers are having success pulling free-lines and planer boards.  

The crappie are still in pre-spawn mode, and Rocky reports that with up-and-down weather conditions these fish are in a different area every day. This morning they found them trolling jigs in about 5 feet, but there have been other days where the fish are closer to 15 or 20. You can catch some fish around the banks but they are not yet spawning and up there in really good numbers. 

It's clear that the bass on Clarks Hill are somewhere in their spawning cycle, but Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) and tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia both report variously seeing a lot of buck bass around beds and empty beds. The fact that water levels dropped may have caused some fish to abandon their beds or look for deeper areas to spawn, and muddy conditions in many areas are also making it hard to see exactly what is going on. 

While bedding fish can be a little tricky to figure out in these conditions, the best pattern right now may be just going down the bank with a Whopper Plopper or buzzbait, or just casting a spinnerbait and flipping a jig around targets. When water levels dropped the frog bite got tougher. 

Right now weights are a little down, but when the herring spawn takes off in about a week things should get better. 

On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson with Fightin Da Blues Fishing Guide Service (864-992-2352) reports that even though the water was clearing a little before yesterday’s rain the patterns haven’t changed much. He still rates the bite as just fair, but expects improvement in the next week with warmer temperatures. 

Fish are still highly creek-oriented and the best pattern remains fishing in 20-40 feet in the creeks which are holding more bait and blues than the main lake. You can anchor with a variety of cut baits, but big durable baits like gizzard shad and white perch are working the best for big bites.

March 21

Clarks Hill water levels are just below full pool at 329.98 (full pool is 330.00) and much of the lake is still muddy. Morning surface water temperatures are about 57 degrees. 

Both tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia and Jon Hair with Greenfish Tackle report that bass are in the midst of the spawn, and they are still catching all of their fish in 3 feet of water or less on baits like spinnerbaits.  In areas with better visibility you can also fish more subtle baits like soft plastics, and with fish mixed between pre-spawn and spawning pockets are about the best place to look. You can also find some fish starting to get out on points where herring will spawn, and some of these fish may already be post-spawn. 

On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson with Fightin Da Blues Fishing Guide Service (864-992-2352) reports that the areas he is fishing are still muddy and he still rates the bite as fair. Fish are still highly creek-oriented and the best pattern remains fishing in 20-40 feet in the creeks which are holding more bait and blues than the main lake. 

You can anchor with a variety of cut baits, but big durable baits like gizzard shad and white perch are working the best for big bites.

March 20

Clarks Hill water levels are finally back below full pool at 329.92 (full pool is 330.00) and much of the lake is still muddy. Morning surface water temperatures were down to about 57 degrees this morning. 

The conditions for Clarks Hill hybrid and striped bass fishing haven’t improved very much, but Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that fish are now making their way to the upper end as they can get into pre-spawn mode. With the water still messed up about the only way to catch them is shallow in 6-10 feet of water, and Captain Rocky is still pitching out live baits on the bottom along points on the main channel. Again, the bite has been better in the morning.

The crappie are also in pre-spawn mode, but Rocky reports that with up-and-down weather conditions these finicky fish are also moving around from day to day. One day they will catch them in the very backs of the creeks long-line trolling, but then when a front comes through it will pull them out to the main river channel. They were also catching some fish around the banks a couple of days ago, but as temperatures have not gotten warm enough for fish to spawn that is not going on post-cold front.   

March 14

Clarks Hill water levels are still very high but down from yesterday to 331.64 (full pool is 330.00) and water clarity varies around the lake. Morning surface water temperatures are about 60 degrees again today. 

It’s difficult fishing right now on Clarks Hill for hybrid and striped bass and crappie, and Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that even being on the water every day and with all the contacts guides have catching fish is a challenge. There is a tremendous amount of water rushing through the lakes, with the Hartwell, Russell and Clarks Hill dams are all wide open, and while there are cleaner and dirtier areas there is a ton of trash and even whole trees floating in the main river. 

The only way they can find striper right now is pulling up on the banks and throwing baits on the bottom. Those fish have been off main lake points, and with so much water rushing (and dodging trees) it’s not easy fishing.  The bite has been better in the morning but never great.

At the same time the crappie fishing in the very backs is messed up, too. Perhaps one out of five or ten sections of creeks are trollable with the water conditions, but even then it’s not a fast bite. This morning Rocky has eight or nine fish working hard. What they are catching is coming long-lining black and chartreuse jigs in the dark water, and they have been about 4 feet down in 10 feet of water. Fish are not on the banks right now. 

March 13

Clarks Hill water levels are even higher at 331.92 and rising (full pool is 330.00) and sections of the creeks and rivers are muddy, but many areas are cleaner than would be expected. Morning surface water temperatures are around 60 degrees and rising. 

The bass have gone very shallow on Clarks Hill, and tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia reports that he has been catching everything in less than 3 feet of water throwing a spinnerbait and flipping a jig. At first he was targeting very muddy water that he reasoned would have warmed up the fastest, but actually found a better bite where there was about 2 feet of visibility. This weekend one day he caught 13 pounds of bass in one pocket, and while he isn’t sure if those fish were spawning by now they must be.

  

That’s confirmed by Jon Hair with Greenfish Tackle, who says that fish are on the beds now. He is catching them shallow on spinnerbaits. 

While Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) was fishing out of state this weekend, with the very high water levels he reports that back on Clarks Hill he has discovered a frog bite already! There are fish up in the trees, and the biggest challenge has been getting them out with the lake this far above full.

On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson with Fightin Da Blues Fishing Guide Service (864-992-2352) reports that the areas he is fishing are still very muddy with trash floating all over the place, but he still rates the bite as fair. Fish are still highly creek-oriented and the best pattern remains fishing in 20-40 feet in the creeks which are holding more bait and blues than the main lake. 

You can anchor with a variety of cut baits, but big durable baits like gizzard shad and white perch are working the best for big bites.

More to follow.

March 6

Clarks Hill water levels are very high at 330.63 and rising (full pool is 330.00) and the water has gotten muddy again. Morning surface water temperatures are about 53-55 degrees, and during the day you can see water approaching 60!

Patterns have changed fast with the hybrid and striped bass on Clarks Hill, and Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that as the lake has gotten muddy he has had to look very shallow. Almost overnight fish have moved towards the banks in the warm, dirty water, and the only place they have been able to catch fish has been around main lake points in about 5 feet of water.  Usually this bite starts later in the spring, but they are catching fish by pitching baits towards the points.  You could also pull herring on planer boards. 

Pretty soon Rocky expects the fish to mostly be on an early morning bite. 

In the conditions the crappie are doing something similar, and Captain Rocky reports that (even though they don’t appear ready to spawn from the fish he has cleaned) they have also moved super shallow. They are catching them 3-4 feet deep in the backs of creeks long-line trolling with guide parties, but you could also catch fish casting jigs or minnows around the banks.

What all this rain will do is uncertain, and Rocky reports that it could move the fish even shallower – or blow the creeks out so much that the fish move out. 

At the same time our bass contacts are also watching the fish move out of late winter patterns, and Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) reports that he can see the deeper ditch fish he has been on moving. There are still some there and even occasionally schooling, but it’s less each day. He thinks the better fish are moving shallower and they are now catching a lot of buck bass around the banks.

That’s consistent with the report from Jon Hair with Greenfish Tackle, who says that fish are moving towards spawning areas.  He is catching them shallow in pockets on jigs and spinnerbaits. 

While tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia is still finding some offshore fish, he agrees with that assessment. Already they are catching most of their largemouth in 5-10 feet of water chasing bait, and he is also finding fish that have pulled up shallow around docks. This weekend he expects to be fishing almost exclusively in dirty water with a spinnerbait and a bright crankbait. 

But that’s not to say you can’t still fill out a limit fishing offshore and LiveScoping, and in 10-30 feet Tyler is targeting schools of spotted bass that are eating whatever swims by. He is casting at them with a 3-inch Gulp! swimbait on a Bad Little Shad jighead. He is also hitting 20-50 brush piles each tournament, and while interesting it can be aggravating to see how many fish look at your bait without taking it! A wacky worm is also easy to see on LiveScope, and he is also fishing a Zoom Super Speed Craw on a creeper head. Green pumpkin has been the best color.

On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson with Fightin Da Blues Fishing Guide Service (864-992-2352) reports that underlying conditions haven’t really changed enough to move the fish – in fact they have gotten even more extreme.  It’s muddy again about everywhere and there is trash floating all over the place, but he still rates the bite as fair. Fish are still highly creek-oriented and the best pattern remains fishing in 20-40 feet in the creeks which are holding more bait and blues than the main lake. 

You can anchor with a variety of cut baits, but big durable baits like gizzard shad and white perch are working the best for big bites.

February 28

Clarks Hill water levels are at 329.84 (full pool is 330.00) and water color is a mixed bag. It’s clear at the Russell Dam, muddy within sight of the dam down to mid-lake, clears by the Clarks Hill dam, and clear up the Georgia side until about halfway up where it gets muddy. Morning surface water temperatures are about 51 degrees in the main lake and 54 in the back of creeks. 

The hybrid and striped bass are moving fast on Clarks Hill, and Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that in a few days he has had to completely switch ends of the lake to stay with the fish. While you can catch fish on the lower end on the bottom in about 40 feet of water, the better fishing is up the lake where the bigger fish are moving to spawn. There you can find them from about 12 feet to 40, and in both areas they are highly channel-oriented. While Rocky is fishing down-rods regardless of location, at the upper end more people are pulling boards and free-lines. 

Overall Captain Rocky says it’s as if the crappie fishing is running about a month behind. By this point they should be catching them trolling jigs in the top of the water column from 2 feet down to 12 feet midway back in the creeks at depths of about 20-40 feet.  But while it’s weather-dependent, and some days the fish are higher, most of the time they have been finding them 14-20 feet down. 

Still fish are feeding pretty well, and they are getting 40-60 per day ranging up to 2 and even rarely 2.5 pounds. 

The bass are still in a similar pattern, and Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) reports that they still aren’t schooling like they were a few weeks ago but he is finding fish stacked up in the same 25-30 foot ditches where they have been active. They are in big schools of twenty to twenty-five fish, and this week he has had the best success fishing a jerkbait down the side of the channel ledge. He also picked up a few casting when they came up on top. 

At one point a school of striper and then white bass (!) came through the same ditch where bass were feeding. 

On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson with Fightin Da Blues Fishing Guide Service (864-992-2352) reports that the fish are still scattered and they are having to move around a lot, work hard, and be patient – but they continue to catch some big fish.  Overall, the best pattern remains fishing in 20-40 feet in the creeks which are holding more bait and blues than the main lake. 

You can anchor with a variety of cut baits, but big durable baits like gizzard shad and white perch are working the best for big bites.

February 22

Clarks Hill water levels have dropped back to 329.64 (full pool is 330.00) and the lake is clearing, especially the main channels, although there is still plenty of dirty water to be found in the creeks. Morning surface water temperatures are up to about 51 degrees. 

As water conditions have improved there has been a significant improvement in the hybrid and striped bass on Clarks Hill, and Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that the down-rod bite has gotten really good in the channels again. Fish have been about 40-50 feet down close to the bottom, and if you can find bait in relatively clear water they are feeding very well. 

In contrast for crappie fishing you want to fish the dirtier water, but as good as the bite has been overall Captain Rocky reports that there are still some tough days. Like today. They have been crappie fishing since 9:00, looking at tons of fish, and haven’t had a bite.   Overall the pattern is still long-line trolling midway back in the creeks from depths of about 20-40 feet. A lot of the fish seem to be holding about 12 feet down, but generally the easiest ones to catch seem to be the ones that have come up to 4-6 feet. Generally plain jigs are all you need but it’s important to have a wide selection of colors and adjust them according to what’s working.

But days like today (so far) are a reminder that some times they just won’t bite.    

The bass fishing was tougher this weekend than last, and Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) reports that he’s not yet sure if that was a result of worse weather (higher pressure) or if some fish are starting to move off of winter patterns. There was a lot less schooling action in the 25-30 foot ditches where they have been active, and they also wouldn’t take the WillowVibe/ swimbait combination on the bottom as well as they have been. 

At the same time the reports from shallow cranking weren’t great either, and so perhaps it was just a slower weekend. 

The big picture is consistent with the report from Jon Hair with Greenfish Tackle, who says that ditches are still the go-to pattern. He likes the Bad Little Shad Jig with a fluke for these fish – Scoping. At this point Jon doesn’t see much sign that fish have started to move up in significant numbers yet.   

On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson with Fightin Da Blues Fishing Guide Service (864-992-2352) reports that with water conditions the fish are still scattered and they are having to move around a lot, work hard, and be patient – but they are catching some big fish.  Overall, the best pattern is fishing in 20-40 feet in the creeks which are holding more bait and blues than the main lake. 

You can anchor with a variety of cut baits, but big durable baits like gizzard shad and white perch are working the best for big bites.

February 14

Clarks Hill water levels have shot up to 330.22 (full pool is 330.00) and with two inches of rain Monday almost the whole lake is muddy. Morning surface water temperatures range from about 49-51 degrees. 

If anything the hybrid and striped bass bite has gotten tougher on Clarks Hill, and Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that in six hours of fishing today he and another guide boat both caught 20 fish in six hours. If you find some clearer water you might catch hybrids. But that’s no easy feat, and it’s muddy from dam to dam and then back up the Georgia side. Overall the Georgia side is not quite as bad, but it’s starting to back up. Every day the cleaner patches move. 

The fish they caught today were on down-rods fished 50 feet deep over 100 feet of water over the river channel. 

Luckily the crappie fishing is much better, and Captain Rocky reports that it’s already good and about to get amazing. The pattern is long-line trolling midway back in the creeks from depths of about 20-40 feet, and this pattern is coming on all over the lake.  Big fish are feeding.  A lot of the fish seem to be holding about 12 feet down but the easiest ones to catch seem to be the ones that have come up to 4-6 feet, and they are running their baits shallow. Plain jigs are working well, and the best color varies almost hour-to-hour. Accordingly it’s important to have a wide selection of colors and adjust them according to what’s working.   

On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson with Fightin Da Blues Fishing Guide Service (864-992-2352) reports that with the lake very muddy the fishing is slow and the fish are still scattered. Finding them from day to day can be really difficult. 

Overall, the best pattern is fishing in 20-40 feet, and right now the creeks are holding more bait and blues than the main lake. 

You can anchor with a variety of cut baits, but big durable baits like gizzard shad and white perch are working the best for big bites.

February 12

Clarks Hill water levels are down to 328.61 (full pool is 330.00) and about the upper third to quarter of the lake is still muddy. Morning surface water temperatures range from about 49-52 degrees. 

Fresh off a fourth place finish with 16.22 pounds in yesterday’s 52-boat Super Six Shootout tournament (18.76 won), Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) reports that he continues to find a fast-and-furious bite in the ditches in the morning. He pulled into a 25-30 foot deep ditch first thing yesterday that has been reliable for some time, and once the fish started schooling he caught basically everything on a 3-inch Keitech swimbait. Recently they have also been catching a lot of fish on the bottom with a small swimbait on a WillowVibe, but the fish basically wouldn’t eat unless they were on top and he only weighed in their smallest fish off the bottom. Once the sun got high the schooling essentially stopped and the bite slowed way down. 

February 9

Clarks Hill water levels are down to 328.76 (full pool is 330.00) and about the upper third to quarter of the lake is muddy. Morning surface water temperatures range from about 48-50 degrees. 

It’s still pretty tough sledding on Clarks Hill, but Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that they are catching hybrid and striped bass just below the mud line wherever that might be. Fish are relating to the river channel in 60-70 feet of water, and they are holding about 35 feet down. Everything they are catching is coming on down-rods and they are having to work for fish.

The crappie fishing is improving but it’s still not where they want it to be, and Captain Rocky reports that in a really full day of fishing they are catching 40-50 fish. The best action is coming long-line trolling, and the fish are found in the last 25 feet of water in the creeks. They are catching the most fish about 10 feet down over 20 on jigs.

On the bass front, tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, Georgia reports that it’s been taking 17-20 pounds to win and he is on a couple of good patterns. The first is attacking every brush pile you know of with a Damiki rig, and it’s as simple as watching on LiveScope and seeing if a fish comes up. If you don’t see one move on to the next brush pile. Tyler has had the best luck in 18-22 feet, and it’s all about covering water. 

But his biggest fish pattern has been very shallow, and in the backs of creeks early in the day he is finding big bass chasing shad (at times schooling) in as little as two feet or less. In the clearer water you can often see 100 shad being chased by one bass, while in murkier areas it’s more about seeing swirls or fishing targets like a bush. 

While the bass are generally on very small bait 1.5 inches or less, in low-light conditions and/ or muddy water Tyler is finding he needs something bigger like a spinnerbait to get their attention. Just matching the hatch isn’t working. His best fish this week was about 7 pounds and was in the back of a shallow flat with no deep water around!

February 1

Clarks Hill water levels remain at 329.74 (full pool is 330.00) and most of the lake is muddy. Morning surface water temperatures range from about 47-50 degrees. 

Much of the year Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) fishes shallow on Clarks Hill, and as muddy as the water has gotten in many areas one would have expected the shallow bite to be better right now. But in a full day of guiding yesterday they continued to find the best action near the bottom in deeper ditches with 25-30 feet of water but 45-50 feet nearby. A 3-inch Zman swimbait rigged on the WillowVibe is still his go-to bait. The best action came before 9 a.m., when fish were also schooling on the surface, but the ditch pattern continued to produce all day.  Josh suspects you could find fish in shallower ditches if you could locate bait, but he’s not seeing much shallow.

That’s consistent with the report from Jon Hair with Greenfish Tackle, who says that ditches are also his go-to pattern. Jon also notes that a few fish are starting to move into pre-spawn staging areas in 12-20 feet – namely any point or drop in the mouth of a spawning pocket. He likes the Bad Little Shad Jig with a fluke for these fish. 

On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson with Fightin Da Blues Fishing Guide Service (864-992-2352) reports that the bite is very similar to last week as all the rain and muddy water has the fish very scattered. Finding them from day to day can be really difficult. 

Overall, the best pattern is still fishing wherever the bait is in the creeks or around main lake points. The best depth range is 20-40 feet, and anchoring has been most effective recently.

A variety of cut baits are working, but big durable baits like gizzard shad and white perch are working the best for big bites.

January 31

Clarks Hill water levels are at 329.74 (full pool is 330.00) and most of the lake is muddy. Morning surface water temperatures range from about 47-50 degrees. 

They caught 20 fish, but Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that today was a pretty tough day for striped and hybrid bass. The fish are still moving around a ton, and he had to run about 20 miles. The fish were about 8-10 miles from where they have been. 

In the end they found the most fish in clearer water below the mud line on the lower end, and they caught them suspended about 20-30 feet down just off the main river channel over deep water. There are birds scattered everywhere and they aren’t offering a ton of help. 

The crappie that they were seeing in such huge numbers are just starting to bite, and Captain Rocky reports that they are stacking up in the backs of creeks. Even though water temperatures are still cold they are getting into an early pre-spawn pattern, and long-line trolling is starting to become effective. They aren’t wearing the fish out yet but it’s clear that they are getting more active, and the next warm day or two should see them feeding much better. 

January 22

Clarks Hill water levels are at 328.53 (full pool is 330.00) and the upper third of the lake is muddy.  Morning surface water temperatures are in the upper 40s. 

When weather allows them to get on the water it’s still a good bite for hybrid and striped bass on Clarks Hill, and Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that as long as you stay below the mud line and find bait there are fish to be caught. Most of the fish have been on the bottom in about 50 feet of water, but weather has them moving around so much that it’s not uncommon for Captain Rocky’s boat to have to travel 10-20 miles per day to locate the fish. Warm rain later this week will almost certainly move them again. 

There’s no doubt Clarks Hill is still full of crappie, and Captain Rocky reports that it’s not uncommon to mark 1000 fish under the boat. Occasionally they will eat, and even take a live herring at times, but it’s more typical for them to ignore baits for about five minutes and then just swim away.  If you can fish for them after several warm, rain-free days then they are more likely to feed, but that’s hard to find right now!  After fronts they just won’t bite.

As for locations sometimes they are on deep brush, and sometimes they are just on the bottom in 45-50 feet. 

Recently it’s been all about the ditches for Clarks Hill bass, and Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) reports that he is catching almost all of his fish on a small swimbait on a jighead or WillowVibe in the ditches. Some days – and particularly early – they are often pushed up very shallow into just a few feet of water and even schooling, while at other times they are sitting further out on a piece of cover. It seems to be all about how the bait is set up. He also has some deep ditches on the lower end that have been productive, but in general he is finding the better fish up the rivers in dirtier water. Early in the morning he is having better luck with white baits, while during the days something more translucent is working better as the sun comes up. In general fish have been shallower earlier and deeper later. 

That’s very consistent with the report from veteran tournament angler Andy Wicker of Pomaria, who took second place with his father Steve in yesterday’s Boating Atlanta tournament on Clarks Hill. They picked up a couple of deep fish on a jig but never really found a good deep bite in practice, but they found their big fish (including an 8.9!) up the lake in the muddy ditches. In practice the fish were feeding shallow in just 3-5 feet, but yesterday they were holding by a brush pile at the front of the ditch in about 12 feet. When they were more active they took a crankbait, but yesterday they would only take a shaky head. 

Finally, the catfish patterns are still about the same on Clarks Hill, but Captain Chris Simpson with Fightin Da Blues Fishing Guide Service (864-992-2352) reports that the bite has slowed as all the rain and muddy water has caused the fish to scatter. Finding them from day to day can be really difficult. 

Overall, the best pattern is still fishing wherever the bait is in the creeks or around main lake points. The best depth range is 20-40 feet, and anchoring has been most effective recently.

A variety of cut baits are working, but big durable baits like gizzard shad and white perch are working the best for big bites.

January 4

Clarks Hill water levels are at 322.76 (full pool is 330.00) and morning surface water temperatures are in the low 50s. 

It’s an outstanding bite for hybrid and striped bass on Clarks Hill, and Captain Rocky Fulmer with Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that they are frequently catching 50 good fish in just a couple of hours. Big 6-9 pound hybrids have pushed to the backs of big feeder creeks in 40-45 feet of water, and they can also be found up the main channels at about the same depth. They are starting out on the bottom but once they begin feeding actively they will come up and feed from 10-50 feet. Down-rods are catching everything for them, and the fish are full of eggs as they move towards pre-spawn locations. 

The deeper bass bite has been the thing for Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) recently, who reports that there has been lots of bait suspended in 20 or more feet in the ditches on the lower end. For guys with forward-facing sonar targeting individual fish and casting at them with swimbaits or jerkbaits has been effective.

That’s consistent with the report from Jon Hair with Greenfish Tackle, who says that casting swimbaits on the Bad Little Shad Head is working well in the ditches. For this pattern to be most effective you need clear water in 20-30 feet. 

At the same time there is also some decent action cranking in stained water after recent rains. 

There are more Clarks Hill crappie still related to brush than on some other area lakes, but Captain Roland Addy with Carolina Crappie Guide Service (864-980-3672) reports that most of the fish are now in open water. Most of them are at the mouths of creeks, but some are related to the main river channel. Fish are highly concentrated, which means there are some massive schools but also a lot of dead water. Fish are generally in 20-40 feet of water, throughout the water column. Tight-lining is the preferred technique if you aren’t using forward-facing sonar, and either minnows or jigs tipped with minnows have been working the best. 

The catfish bite is fair right now on Clarks Hill, and Captain Chris Simpson with Fightin Da Blues Fishing Guide Service (864-992-2352) reports that fish are extremely oriented to baitfish whether that bait is in the creeks or around main lake points (which are also holding big blues). The best depth range is 20-40 feet, and anchoring has been most effective recently.

A variety of cut baits are working, but big durable baits like gizzard shad and white perch are working the best for big bites.