April 28
Clarks Hill water levels are still above full at 330.61 (full pool is 330.00) and morning surface water temperatures are in the upper 60s.
The cold snap earlier in the week slowed down the bass schooling on herring for a few days, but tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that by this weekend he thinks the fish will be back in the same pattern where running points with a Gunfish and fluke is all you need to do to catch them.
However, with that pattern a little slow for the last few days he started experimenting with some other stuff, and throwing a buzzbait down the bank he caught the below 8-pounder. He also discovered a pattern throwing a Pop-R at the holes between bushes with the high water levels.
Josh has also heard reports of a spinnerbait and frog working in the rivers, while in the lower lake a jig and shakey head have been catching fish around docks.
Tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, GA is in agreement that the bass will be blowing up on main lake points for the next few weeks, but he points out that on calm days that action may be confined to low light conditions early and late. When the wind is not blowing and the sun is up you can fish a Carolina rig on points. In contrast, when the wind is howling you can fish topwaters all day.
In addition to the buzzbait bite now that more bream are up, Tyler also notes that he has caught some fish on shallower humps in 8-10 feet when the wind was not blowing on the main lake. Some better spotted bass are on these humps and a ½ or 3/8 ounce creeper head or jig has been working.
The hybrid and striped bass will probably be found a little shallower early once the herring really get up again, but William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that for now they are finding the fish in 18-20 feet on main channel points and shoals and the edge of the channel first thing. After that initial feeding they are pushing out into 25-30 feet of water in the same areas, and at both times they are catching them on down-lines.
In the middle and upper lake, Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that the planer board biting is still good. Pulling live herring across main lake, red clay points is a great way to catch quality fish, and if you want to catch even better quality (but less fish) gizzard shad will give you the best shot at catching some of the really big females that can be caught in the spring. The planer board bite dies after about 11.
The crappie fishing is extremely good right now, and Captain Bradd Sasser reports that he has caught fish up to almost 3 pounds as well as excellent numbers. All of the fish he is catching are suspended about 8-10 feet down in trees in 14-20 feet of water and he is only using minnows.
In catfish news, Captain Chris Simpson reports that the big blue catfish bite remains strong. Fish are roaming around in the backs of most major tributaries feeding on the abundance of baitfish in the warm shallow water, and so fishing flats towards the backs of coves and creeks is the best pattern. Anchoring in 15 or less feet of water in the early morning, late evening and into the night is the best pattern. Cut gizzard shad and live bream have been catching some big blues and flatheads.
April 16
Clarks Hill water levels are still well above full at 330.82 (full pool is 330.00) and morning surface water temperatures are in the upper 60s. The lake is very clear.
There’s a big BFL coming up this weekend on Clarks Hill, and tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, GA reports that there are still some bass on beds but the majority of the bigger females seem to have spawned out by this point. He is finding the best action out on main lake points where fish are chasing spawning herring, and a couple of days ago he caught 25 fish on this pattern. You can throw whatever bait you like, from topwaters to flukes to Sebilles, but the key is to have some wind. When the wind dies down a jig can work or a local favorite is to fish a big 12-inch worm on a drop shot. There are also some fish chasing bluegill in the backs.
Tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of August will also be fishing the BFL this weekend, but he notes that you can also find some blueback spawning in the creeks. This usually lasts through the 3rd or 4th week of April before it moves exclusively out to the main lake. Like Tyler he is almost completely targeting schooling fish.
Many of our regular statewide correspondents are pre-fishing Clarks Hill right now and they report a finicky bite on the points, so it will be interesting to see what weights look like tomorrow.
The pattern for hybrid and striped bass is pretty predictable right now, and William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that before daylight until 15 or 20 minutes after the sun rises the fish are up on the main channel points on the lower end of the lake chasing the herring spawn. The fish are extremely shallow in 6-10 feet of water or even less.
Once the sun starts to get up the fish back off into 18-20 feet of water where they can be caught on down-lines.
Just yesterday Captain Bradd Sasser also found a group of fish on the bottom in 40 feet, but it is very early for them to be that deep and so this may have been a one-off.
In the middle and upper lake, Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that the planer board biting is heating up and should get better and better in the coming weeks. Pulling live herring across main lake, red clay points is a great way to catch quality fish, and if you want to catch even better quality (but less fish) gizzard shad will give you the best shot at catching some of the really big females that can be caught in the spring. The planer board bite dies after about 11.
While there are still a very few crappie that have eggs in them, Captain Bradd Sasser reports that almost all of the fish are post-spawn and those with some eggs may have already laid the majority of them. He is now catching fish over brush in the creeks 6-10 feet down, with the depth of the water being less important than how deep the fish are holding. Some of the productive brush is in 12 feet and some is in 25 feet where there are good trees that stick up vertically. Electronics are vital right now.
In catfish news, Captain Chris Simpson reports that the big blue catfish bite continues to improve. Fish are roaming around in the backs of most major tributaries feeding on the abundance of baitfish flooding into the warm shallow water, and so fishing flats towards the backs of coves and creeks is the best pattern. Anchoring in 15 or less feet of water in the early morning, late evening and into the night is the best pattern. Cut gizzard shad and live bream have been catching some big blues and flatheads.
April 2
Clarks Hill water levels are well above full at 331.06 (full pool is 330.00) and morning surface water temperatures are in the 60-degree range on the main lake. The lake was fairly clear before the last round of rain this week, but it is again stained and there is still lots of yellow pollen on the water.
Even though the water temperatures have dipped, the last couple of days tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, GA has still found most of the fish in 4 feet of water or less. While some of them are on beds, a lot of them are just up there in pre-spawn feeding mode. Tyler has mainly been fishing stained water with a spinnerbait, and he even caught one good one on a frog. He expects that by the end of next week if the weather stabilizes as predicted the herring spawn will be wide open.
Tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of August reports that before the cold snap there were already some fish starting to set up on herring points, although whether there were herring up there or not was unclear. Soon every point on the lake will have fish on it and the action will be wide open.
The action for hybrid and striped bass got a little tough for a while, but William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that this whole week the fish have been in a feeding frenzy. They are scattered all over the place on the lower end of the lake including the dam, and he is finding them off secondary points in creeks, along the edges of the channel and off channel points. With the fish in 5-25 feet you can catch them on free-lines, planer boards and down-lines.
While his boat is still catching a few crappie that have eggs in them, Captain Bradd Sasser reports that most of the fish are post-spawn right now. They are mostly catching them 8-12 feet down over trees in 25 feet of water.
We are getting into a really good month for catfish, and Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that anchoring on points, humps and saddles between islands is a good way to put a mixed bag of cats and striper in the boat during April. Islands and points with red clay are typically better, and live and cut herring are the best baits.
March 19 (continued)
Out on the water earlier today fishing the Big Bass Tour, tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, GA managed to score a 5.82 pound big fish worth a healthy check in one of the hourly weigh-ins. This follows a good weekend last week where Tyler placed 11th out of about 150 boats in the Top 6 tournament.
Overall Tyler reports that the fishing is getting good on Clarks Hill even though the water temperatures have dropped a few degrees, and fish are doing about everything right now. There are some fish deep, some fish shallow and everywhere in-between. There are plenty of pre-spawn fish but he has also seen some on the beds. Tyler has been throwing a spinnerbait the most.
March 19
Clarks Hill water levels are slightly back up to 329.60 (full pool is 330.00) and morning surface water temperatures have fallen from about 60 back into the mid-50s as of this morning.
The action for hybrid and striped bass has improved this week, and William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that right at daybreak there is a window where fish can be caught with shallow down-lines fished in 8-15 feet of water off shoals and points on the lower end. Some anglers are also pulling the nose of the boat on the bank and casting out the back. However, after the early flurry fish scatter out and there is pretty much no choice but to pull planer boards and cover water.
While a few fish are being caught in the backs, the vast majority are being caught in the mouth of creeks or along the channel. There should be at least small hybrids in the coves but there are not.
While the best action is moving towards the lower lake, neither significant numbers of fish nor bait schools have showed up at the dam yet although a few fish are being caught in the evening. This may be the result of an atypical power generation schedule.
While the crappie fishing is strong on Clarks Hill, Captain Bradd Sasser reports that they would expect for it to be further along than it is right now. The fish they are catching are (like other species) totally full of eggs but erratic water temperatures appear to be throwing the fish off of actually spawning. While other anglers are catching fish trolling Bradd has gone back to fishing relatively shallow brush.
Speaking of trolling, Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) has spent a lot of time on Clarks Hill this spring and he reports that this week they have been catching some really nice females long-lining with 1/32 ounce jigs in the creeks. At times they have found fish suspended 5-6 feet down in 10-15 feet, while at other times they are more like 8-10 feet down in the same depths.
Another seasonal crappie guide, Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) notes that the crappie have moved pretty shallow in the creeks where he is fishing. Before the cold snap there were some fish that could be caught casting to the banks, although trolling is also still productive.
The catfish continue to be in about the same pattern, and Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that fish are in the creek runs in the upper half of the lake. They are in the middle to backs of the creeks, and anchoring cut gizzard shad or herring at whatever depth the bait is holding on a particular day is the best pattern.
Bass report to follow.
March 10
Clarks Hill water levels are slightly down to 329.32 (full pool is 330.00) and most of the lake is clearing. Morning surface water temperatures range from about 53-57 degrees.
There’s general agreement that the bassfishing is about to really bust wide open on Clarks Hill, and tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that last weekend he found fish suspended off points eating small herring. They wanted a jerkbait, and he also caught some fish deeper in 20 feet of water on an Alabama rig.
However, while Josh didn’t fish there his buddies caught 22 pounds up the river fishing shallow with spinnerbaits and crankbaits, and so there were obviously some fish moving shallower even last weekend. While the cold backed the fish up some last weekend Josh expects a big wave to go shallow this weekend, particularly up the rivers where the water warms faster.
In a similar vein, tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, GA reports that it’s getting to be the time where you can throw any lure in your tackle box. Consistent with Josh’s report he has found fish from 2-23 feet, and early they have found some better ones in ditches on Su-Spin blades. Some decent fish have also been caught on brush.
However, in the warm afternoons they have found some better fish around shallow buck brush that wanted a spinnerbait and Chatterbait. These fish just appeared to be up there soaking up the sun and looking around, but by this weekend there will almost certainly be fish spawning. Tyler expects there to be a big run to the bank this weekend.
As good as the bass fishing is getting, William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that the striped and hybrid bass fishing has been pretty tedious the last week, and fish are so inconsistent and scattered that you have to troll all over the place to find them. A few are on the bottom and some are suspended around ditches, creeks and the edges of shoals, and you generally have to pull planer boards to catch them as they want a reaction bite instead of something dangled in front of them. Whether suspended at that depth or on the bottom most fish are 10-20 feet down. Fish are still moving down towards the lower end, but they have not gotten to the dam yet.
About the only window when you can fish on down-lines is at daybreak on some shallow shoals.
The fishing is so tough that some guides were actually rescheduling last weekend, which is unusual after the winter layoff.
Fortunately the crappie fishing is better, but Captain Brad Sasser reports that you also have to cover a lot of water trolling in 6-10 feet of water although a few fish are a bit deeper. Usually they are close to the bottom. They are not marking a lot of big groups as most of the fish are scattered, but even when they do they are only picking a few fish out of each one. They are pretty much pulling jigs tipped with minnows. Mistletoe has been a very productive area.
This spring Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) has also been fishing Clarks Hill for crappie, and while fishing a similar pattern he notes that he has found much better action in areas with some dirty water. When the area they were fishing cleared the bite dropped off until they moved into a creek that is often muddy but has a good stain right now.
Finally, Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) notes that with the warming trend by this weekend he expects fish to move shallower. However, he notes that the crappie don’t always read the same book we do!
And neither do the catfish, although Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) expects that again the fish should move shallower in the creek runs in the upper half of the lake this weekend. The fish should stay in the middle to backs of the creeks but move up, and again dirty water will be a plus. The best pattern is still to anchor cut gizzard shad or herring, and definitely this weekend the best bet is to fish however deep the bait is holding on a particular day.
March 5
Clarks Hill water levels have dropped to 329.50 (full pool is 330.00), and there is great color variation over the lake ranging from almost clear to chocolate milk. Water temperatures range from about 53-55 degrees.
This past weekend the bass fishing was strong on Clarks Hill, and tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that in a large high school tournament a 20 plus pound bag came to the scales. Josh was also out on the water and it seemed you could call your shots, with fish hungry and staging on points. They seemed to be on any steep point that was close to an area where they would be getting ready to pull up.
However, by Wednesday the bite had completely changed and the group of fish that was setting up on steep points and hungry seemed to have disappeared. Josh only caught one this way. While cool temperatures might have pulled some fish back out to deeper water or made them suspend, it seemed to Josh that at least some of these fish had moved to the banks. He caught some bucks around the banks and there were also some big females swirling in shallow water. There was no wind and the fish were striking a little short, almost swiping at a spinnerbait as if it were a nuisance.
Overall Josh will not be surprised if there is a small wave of fish spawning by this weekend as he is already seeing them in the backs of some flat pockets. He has had the best luck recently with a jig, but there have also been good reports on a crankbait and The Sled.
While the rivers warm faster on Clarks Hill and so fish up there are probably closer to spawning in those areas, Josh also notes that he caught some fish schooling at the dam.
The hybrid and striped bass have moved on Clarks Hill, and William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that the action on down-lines has completely fallen apart this week as fish have gone shallower. About the only way that guides are catching them is pulling planer boards shallow across shoals and secondary points in the creeks, and fish are extremely scattered. The areas Brad is fishing have a slight stain.
Overall fish continue to migrate down the lake, and right now the majority of the fish are in the mid- to lower lake. However, they have not yet gotten to the dam nor has the bait.
On the crappie front, Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that the fishing is pretty good long-lining in the mouths of feeder creeks and bays. Fish are suspended in 10-15 feet of water most days. With different water conditions over the lake you need to match your jigs to the water color, and in muddier areas oranges, blacks, purples and blues are working. In clear areas sometime natural colors are best, and sometimes the pattern is just random from day to day.
This spring Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) is finding a better crappie bite on Clarks Hill that his home lake Russell, and he is also catching some nice ones trolling 5-8 feet deep in 10-12 feet of water. He is finding the best action about ¾ the way back in creeks, but it shouldn’t be too long before the fish head to the banks.
Once again Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports no change with the catfish bite, as fish are still around the very large concentrations of bait in the creek runs in the upper half of the lake. The catfish are in these same areas, and so the best place to look remains in the middle to back of creeks. The best pattern is still to anchor cut gizzard shad or herring, and the best depth to fish is however deep the bait is holding on a particular day.
February 26
Clarks Hill water levels are above full at 330.38 (full pool is 330.00) and, while much of the lake is starting to clear, the upper end still has some very muddy areas and there is still a lot of debris floating. Water temperatures range from about 50-52 degrees.
There are plenty of hybrid and striped bass being caught on Clarks Hill right now, but William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that they would be lying if they didn’t acknowledge that you have to work for them. Overall fish continue to migrate down the lake, and right now the majority of the fish are in the mid- to lower lake. However, they have not yet gotten to the dam nor has the bait.
The best action has been coming about 15-20 feet down for fish suspended in the mouths of creeks, and in stained areas they are suspended shallower while in clear areas they are suspended deeper. Fish aren’t really related to any distinct structure such as a hump or point right now, and they are just moving around in some early staging for their faux spawn. About half of the fish are being caught on down-lines, with planer boards and free-lines accounting for the other half.
As usual on Clarks Hill, Captain Brad Sasser says that the birds are pretty worthless right now.
Last week Guide Brad Fowler and his tournament partner Brock Taylor fished the Skeeter Challenge Sunday on Clarks Hill, finishing seventh with about 18 pounds, and Brad reports that they caught most of the bass that they weighed out deep in 40-50 feet! They caught the fish on ridges and what appeared to be an old roadbed that offered a good depth change. They caught them on a football jig, a drop shot, and one or two on a shakey head, but eventually the wind made fishing deep tough and they moved shallower to fish the colored water in the creeks. That pattern should become dominant going forward.
With temperatures likely to warm fast Brad expects more fish to set up in 6-10 feet or less, and they found the best action around rock in that depth range. Shallow running crankbaits should continue to work well in the stained water in the creeks.
Right now crappie are in a pretty typical spring pattern, and Captain Brad Sasser reports that means it’s essentially an electronics game at the moment. Fish are in the backs of creeks relatively close to their spawning areas, and the best way to catch them is to long-line troll in 8-10 feet of water in areas where you mark fish. Sometimes they will be related to subtle structure such as an underwater point but at other times they are just swimming around and feeding. Plain jigs have been working the best.
The catfish report is starting to feel like a broken record, but Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that’s not because the fish aren’t feeding. With all the fresh, muddy water the blue catfish bite has been really good.
With all the mud there are still very large concentrations of bait in the creek runs in the upper half of the lake. The catfish are still in these same areas, and so the best place to look remains in the middle to back of creeks. The best pattern is still to anchor cut gizzard shad or herring, and the best depth to fish is however deep the bait is holding on a particular day.
Clarks Hill water levels have shot up to 329.77 (full pool is 330.00) and the lake has plenty of chocolate milk muddy areas. Even the dam is stained for that area, and with two inches of rain already this morning it will only get worse. Water temperatures range from about 49-51 degrees.
The hybrid and striped bass bite is changing, and William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that fish are starting to be caught all around the mouths of creeks, off points and in blow-throughs as the fish begin to move shallower. They are making their way towards the lower end but they have not made it to the dam yet, and most fish are in the mid-lake stage of their migration. Right now most of the fish are in the 15-20 foot range, with some suspended at that depth and others on the bottom. Down-lines and planer boards are the go-to techniques. As stained as the water is the birds are really not helping.
Even before the lake got really muddy tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that he was finding the best bass action fishing a red crankbait off rocky points in 6-8 feet of water at the mouths of creeks. That bite should only be getting better as water conditions deteriorate and more fish get pushed to the banks.
In clearer areas there is also a pretty decent deep bite on rock, and the fish will take a jig or Ned rig.
The crappie continue to make their migration shallower, and Captain Brad Sasser reports that they have moved off of brush and basically they are staging 8-12 feet down on flats in the backs of creeks. Some fish are suspended but most of them are fairly near the bottom, and trolling is the best way to target them right now.
Plain jigs seem to be working the best right now, and even though crappie are feeding fine in the dirty water a more vivid bait such as a neon blue or bright pink seems to be working the best.
On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that due to all the mud there are again very large concentrations of bait in the creek runs in the upper half of the lake. The catfish are still in these same areas, and so the best place to look remains in the middle to back of creeks. The best pattern is still to anchor cut gizzard shad or herring, and the best depth to fish is however deep the bait is holding on a particular day.
February 4
Clarks Hill water levels are at 328.16 (full pool is 330.00) and water temperatures range from about 50 or 51 down the lake to the upper 40s up the rivers. The lake has a slight stain but has cleared a bit.
On Clarks Hill the hybrid and striped bass are starting to make their seasonal move back towards the lower end, and William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that so far some fish have made it as far as the mid-lake. There are still fish on the upper end as well as way out the river branches such as the Georgia Little River.
Right now fish are holding in the mouths of about 70% of the creeks, and since fish are not on some particular structure such as a point electronics are key right now. They can be found everywhere from about 15-45 feet. Down-lines are working.
Especially the hybrids are suspended right now, while the better striper as well as white and yellow perch and bass are on the bottom.
Speaking of bass, William continues to have some incredible days for spotted bass on the bottom in the mouth of creeks – including some very big ones.
In addition to the deep pattern for bass, tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that he has also been catching some fish up shallow in 2-5 feet of water on a red crankbait fished around rock. The best areas seem to be where a creek channel swings in very close to the bank and so there is some deep water nearby, as well as cover such as rock or even some wood.
Josh has also found some fish extremely shallow in the backs of some creeks where they have corralled bait and are rolling on it on the surface.
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Even though water temperatures are still cold, Captain Brad Sasser reports that crappie have started to move shallower into 10-15 feet of water onto flats in the backs of creeks in the very early stages of the pre-spawn period. There are also some fish on brush in the early morning, but after that they seem to want to get on flats as if they are preparing to stage. Minnows and jigs are both working pretty well.
Outside of the lower end, which does not usually fish very well for crappie, fish are all over the lake up and out the river arms. The South Carolina Little River, Baker Creek and up the Georgia Little River Raysville and Lloyd’s Creek have all been good.
On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that there are still large concentrations of bait in the creek runs in the upper half of the lake. The catfish are still in these same areas, and so the best place to look remains in the middle to back of creeks. The best pattern is still to anchor cut gizzard shad or herring, and the best depth to fish is however deep the bait is holding on a particular day.
January 21
Clarks Hill water levels are up to 328.12 (full pool is 330.00) and water temperatures range from about 49 down the lake to 45 up the rivers. The lake is mostly clear with a slight stain as of this morning, but as it continues to rain the lake is likely to get fairly dirty.
Because the bait is staying deep on Clarks Hill the hybrid and striped bass are too, and William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that he is finding them 38-50 feet deep just off the edges of ditches in the backs of creeks. The fish nor the bait have moved from the same general locations up the lake and in the backs of the river and creek arms where they have been, and Lloyds Creek is fishing particularly well. The fish are so deep that they have no color to them and the water has gotten so cold that they feel like ice cubes!
Sometimes an early bite will start up in the lower lake about now and you can escape the fishing pressure, but right now it’s like the Dead Sea down there.
A week or two ago there were some good bass reports on crankbaits fished shallow, but Tyler Matthews of Evans, GA reports that with the recent drop in water temperatures that pattern has gotten a lot less predictable. It’s still worth fishing steeper banks and rock piles in less than 10-12 feet of water, but when temperatures dipped to 50 and below that action really slowed down.
The best fish right now are being caught on brush piles in 15-40 feet of water, and Tyler has found that both main lake and creek brush has been producing. You can fish a variety of soft plastics or jigs but Tyler has been doing the best with a Speed Craw on The Sled.
While the deep bite is still producing, Captain Brad Sasser has received reports (and seen photos) of some really nice crappie being caught trolling jigs across shallow points on the upper end. It’s very early for fish to be caught in only 5-6 feet of water but that’s where these have been.
However, Brad is still finding the most consistent action between 30-32 feet down over brush in 41 feet and 16 feet down over brush in 25 feet. Small minnows are working very well in the Raysville area.
On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that there are still large concentrations of bait in the creek runs in the upper half of the lake. The catfish are still in these same areas, and so the best place to look remains in the middle to back of creeks. The best pattern is still to anchor cut gizzard shad or herring, and the best depth to fish is however deep the bait is holding on a particular day.
January 13
Clarks Hill water levels are up to 328.56 (full pool is 330.00) and water temperatures range from the upper 40s to about 52 degrees. The main lake is fairly clear with some stain while the creeks are pretty dirty.
The hybrid and striped bass have not moved from the same general locations up the lake and in the backs of the river and creek arms on Clarks Hill where they have been, but William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that they have been moving a lot within those same areas this week. Generally they have gone a bit deeper, and some fat hybrids have been caught as deep as 80 feet this week! However, 25-50 feet has been a more general depth range with the majority of the fish being caught off secondary points at that depth on down-lines.
Hickory Knob has been fishing very well, Soap Creek has been good and Hawe Creek has also been good. Clearly there is something going on with the water conditions because the same pattern is repeating all over the lake.
While the exact pattern couldn’t be replicated by a tournament bass fisherman, this week Captain Brad Sasser experienced a first when on 17 drops with live herring in 28 feet he caught 17 bass – up to 8 pounds! Consistent with this, tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that there has been a decent deep bite, and anglers who have been dragging a jig are catching some fish.
At the same time, he has still been concentrating on shallow fish in the backs of some of the clearer creeks on the lower end. These fish seem to want to be on flats in a foot or two of water at the end of drains, and while he has not seen herring in these areas he has seen a lot of bream. The only tricky part has been getting the fish to bite, and some days they will take a blade bait or a small swimbait while other days they won’t take anything. They do seem to bite better early.
Josh has not found a very good crankbait bite in the last week, although water conditions are right where they should be for it to be productive. Basically anywhere with stained water and rock in 5 or less feet of water should produce.
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Consistent with the fact that water quality is allowing the striper to move around a lot right now, Captain Brad Sasser reports that they are catching crappie over a wide range of areas. Usually the big fish will be grouped at one depth with smaller fish perhaps at another, but right now they are catching identical, big fish both 30-32 feet down over brush in 41 feet and 16 feet down over brush in 25 feet. Small minnows are working very well and the Raysville area is very productive. If the water clears up some then Baker Creek and the South Carolina Little River should come on but those areas can be the muddiest.
On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that there are still large concentrations of bait that moved into the creek runs in the upper half of the lake when rain water muddied them up. Either following the bait or looking for other food sources the catfish are still in these same areas, and so the best place to look remains in the middle to back of creeks. The best pattern is still to anchor cut gizzard shad or herring, and the best place to fish is whatever depth the bait is holding on a particular day.
January 8
Clarks Hill water levels are slightly up to 328.82 (full pool is 330.00) and water temperatures have dropped a hair into the 50-53 degree range.
On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that there are still large concentrations of bait that moved into the creek runs in the upper half of the lake when rain water muddied them up. Either following the bait or looking for other food sources the catfish are still in these same areas, and so the best place to look remains in the middle to back of creeks. The best pattern is still to anchor cut gizzard shad or herring, and the best place to fish is whatever depth the bait is holding on a particular day.
January 6
Clarks Hill water levels are up to 328.54 (full pool is 330.00) and water temperatures range from about 51-54 degrees. While the main lake has remained clear, the creeks developed some stain and even mud lines but have cleared up again.
The hybrid and striped bass remain up the lake and in the backs of the river and creek arms on Clarks Hill, but William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that the rain and mud – plus the effects of a full moon – put off the bite last week. However, it is getting better again and fish are starting to be caught again along the edges of the creek bed in 25-35 feet of water. Some fish are on the bottom and some are suspended, and so looking for them 15-30 feet down has been the best pattern. Down-lines have been working well, and while planer boards have produced some quality fish the numbers have been lower.
Typically you are more likely to hear striped bass fishermen say this, but tournament bass angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that right now he is having the best luck catching fish by looking for areas where loons are feeding on bait. At times he will also see fish pushing bait up to the surface, but usually looking for fish busting bait you will just see the bait flickering on the surface.
Josh is looking for bait right now where there is a flat that has a ditch running beside it. He likes to cast a blade bait up onto the flat where fish will roll on it. This is generally a better pattern in clearer water, and he also find that it is best the first and last couple of hours each day. On cloudy days it can go all day.
There is also a decent crankbait bite right now, but for that to produce Josh needs to find dirtier water. Basically anywhere with stained water and rock in 5 or less feet of water is good, and he is mainly throwing a square-bill.
While some people are fishing for Clarks Hill bass in deeper water right now, Josh is having better results on shallow patterns.
Check out the new Clarks Hill Catch ’Em Kits with lures hand-picked for each season by Josh.
In addition to their being deep the crappie fishing has gotten tough on Clarks Hill, and Captain Brad Sasser reports that even when they mark the fish in 25 plus feet of water it has been tough to get them to feed. They can mark a lot of fish and get a few to bite, but for right now there is no good pattern for numbers.
On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that the fishing for big blue cats remains strong albeit a bit down from the late fall peak. Ledges will produce but anchoring cut bait on main lake points and humps in the 30-60 foot range remains the best pattern for blues. They will take cut gizzard shad, herring and sometimes bream.
December 18
Clarks Hill water levels are down to 326.98 (full pool is 330.00) and water temperatures have dropped 3 degrees to about 56 in the last couple of days. Some areas are clear but most of the lake has a decent stain.
With most all the hybrid and striped bass up the lake and in the backs of the river and creek arms on Clarks Hill, William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that the lower end is pretty much a dead zone right now. But in the backs of the South Carolina Little River, Georgia Little River and up the Savannah River the fishing is really good, and in these areas across the fish are all typically suspended 10-20 feet down over 20-30 feet of water. Sometimes you can find a group of fish holding off a secondary point that you can target with down-lines, and at other times you need to pull planer boards. Some people are also pulling 4 or 5 umbrella rigs at a time.
While there are a decent number of gulls and loons on the lake, at least through the early afternoon there is no schooling or a ton of apparent bait activity. That could be going on more in the evenings.
Clarks Hill bass are starting to get into traditional winter patterns, and tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that they can be caught on The Sled and jigs fished around rocky points. The fish are generally in the middle and backs of ditches, and they are concentrated in areas where a secondary point pushes out towards the channel and creates a break.
There have also been some reports of a deep spoon bite but Josh has not personally seen it.
The crappie have gone very deep on Clarks Hill, and Captain Brad Sasser is catching them 28-32 feet down around brush in 40 plus feet of water on minnows. Wells Creek and Hawe Creek have both been producing.
On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that the fishing for big blue cats has been phenomenal and in the last few days he has caught multiple fish over 55 pounds including the 65-pound beast pictured below yesterday. Ledges are still producing, but anchoring cut bait on main lake points and humps in the 30-60 foot range is the best pattern right now for blues. They will take cut gizzard shad, herring and sometimes bream.
While blues are making up the bulk of the big fish catch, it is still possible to catch a big flathead – but less consistent than a month ago. To improve your chances of catching a flathead put out some live bream in the same areas.
November 24
Clarks Hill water levels are down to 327.64 (full pool is 330.00) and water temperatures are around 65 or 66 degrees. The water is pretty stained.
The hybrid and striped bass have started moving further and further up the lake and back into the river and creeks arms on Clarks Hill. William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that up the South Carolina Little River, in Hickory Knob, and up the Georgia Little Rivers around Lloyds Creek, Rosseau Creek and Germany Creek fish can be found in 20-30 feet of water. Basically they are everywhere except the middle and lower lake.
Hybrids are grouped up on the bottom in 20-30 feet, while striper have generally broken out of schools and are cruising the same depth suspended 5-10 feet below the surface. Down-lines are picking up more hybrids, while planer boards are picking up far more striper. Overall the fish are not especially active when you pull up on a group of them, and you might only a mark a few arches, but once you get them stirred up they will start feeding and fight very well. It seems like they are just beginning to adjust to colder temperatures.
There’s no pretending that Clarks Hill bass fishing is easy right now, and tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that anything north of 11 pounds is usually enough to get a tournament check. Before the water levels dropped he had found some quality fish on a buzzbait and floating worm around the flooded maiden cane grass, but they are pulling the lake so hard that fish have left it fast. There have still been some schooling fish blowing up over brush in 20-40 feet of water, and they will take about anything from a jerkbait to a topwater to a fluke. However, the challenge is finding better ones.
It seems that right now a lot of the better fish are still suspended, and they have not really gotten into the back third or half of the ditches where they will take a crankbait or jig/ Sled around the rock. Soon the blade bait bite should come on, but right now that hasn’t really turned on either and fish don’t seem to be bottom-oriented yet.
If you don’t want to search for schooling fish and weed through spots then perhaps the best option is to head up the rivers. These resident fish live shallower and they can be caught on spinnerbaits, crankbaits or flipping a jig or worm.
The crappie are finally starting to make a seasonal move, and William Sasser Guide Service reports that although they are still catching some fish 15-18 feet down over 25-30 feet of water he is finding more fish on deeper brush. The best action has come fishing 24-25 feet down over 40 feet of water in the Amity and Raysville areas. Minnows are working well.
On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that the only change is that, if anything, the fishing has gotten even better. Big blue catfish and flatheads are both feeding very well. While ledges are still producing, anchoring cut bait on main lake points and humps in the 30-60 foot range is the best pattern right now for blues. They will take cut gizzard shad, herring and sometimes bream, and the occasional flathead will also be caught this way. However, to improve your chances of catching a flathead put out some live bream in the same areas.
November 13
Clarks Hill water levels are back above full pool at 330.27 (full pool is 330.00) and water temperatures still range from the upper 60s to low 70s. As expected the lake is getting dirtier and there is more trash floating around.
On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that the fall bite for big blue cats continues to be good and they are also catching some impressive flatheads. Both species are feeding well. While ledges are still producing, anchoring cut bait on main lake points and humps in the 30-60 foot range is the best pattern right now for blues. They will take cut gizzard shad, herring and sometimes bream, and the occasional flathead will also be caught this way. However, to improve your chances of catching a flathead put out some live bream in the same areas.
November 12
Clarks Hill water levels are around full pool at 329.89 (full pool is 330.00) and water temperatures are fluctuating between about 68 and 72 degrees. The water was fairly clear but after this wind and rain it is getting more stained and there is floating trash.
Water temperatures are warmer than normal on Clarks Hill for mid-November, and tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that as a result the bait and bassare really spread out right now. It’s easy to catch numbers of fish but getting any size is tough, and 10 pounds is a good bag right now.
With everything so scattered about anything could hold fish, from points to rock piles to brush. There has also been a decent shallow bite with a buzzbait, and in ditches they are catching some fish on jerkbaits and crankbaits. There are also fish out on the main lake but they seem to be a lot of small spotted bass. About the only clue as whether it’s worth fishing an area is the presence of shad flickering on the surface.
Josh has found a little better quality up the rivers, where the fish stay shallow all year, on spinnerbaits and Chatterbaits.
When temperatures drop the fishing should get better with a crankbait in the ditches.
On the striper and hybrid front, William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that most of the fish are back in the creeks about 20-30 feet deep along the edges of ditches. Some of the fish are suspended but most of them are on the bottom. A few anglers are pulling planer boards, but the fishing has been better on down-lines.
Outside of the lower lake, which is close to dead, there are fish in most of the creeks. The South Carolina Little River and Baker Creek have both fished well. The loons and gulls are just arriving, but they haven’t really gotten on the fish enough yet to be useful.
The only thing schooling right now seems to be spotted bass.
The crappie fishing has gotten a little tougher, and William Sasser Guide Service reports that even though the population seems to be outstanding the fronts are apparently messing with the bite. Still, they are catching decent numbers of fish 13-18 feet down in the tops of brush in 25-30 feet on minnows. Hawe Creek and Lloyd’s Creek have been strong.
Expect the bite to improve again once conditions get more stable next week.
October 23
Clarks Hill water levels are back up to 330.43 (full pool is 330.00) and water temperatures remain about 72-74 degrees.
The patterns for catching bass on Clarks Hill seem to be changing, and tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that fish appear to be in a transition mode between the main lake and creeks. Probably because they are following bait – and since temperatures aren’t consistently dropping – their movements can be a little sporadic, and one day they will be found in the backs and then the next day they can be gone.
While Josh caught a nice 5-pound fish in about 11 feet of water cranking a bridge corner, the best action he has found recently has been shallow in the South Carolina Little River. He caught a bunch of 2 ½ to 5-pound fish pitching a shakey head and then throwing a spinnerbait around grass.
There is still a deep bite, and you can catch fish dropping soft plastics down on the tips of points that taper out to deep water. He has also seen fish schooling over about 20 feet of water in the same areas, but most of the deep fish Josh has seen lately have been smaller – whether schooling or on the bottom.
Like the bass, William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that striped and hybrid bass are on the move right now and staying on top of them is frankly a lot of work. If they will stay in one place long enough then you can catch them on down lines, but a lot of people are mainly targeting them with planer boards. When they will stay in one spot they are often suspended 10 or so feet down in 20-25 feet of water in small flat pockets without a pronounced trough, and if you are pulling planer boards then following the edges and working the bank, ditches, points and humps is the best bet. Fish are moving up and out and they have been caught in the South Carolina Little River, around the 378 bridge, and towards Amity/ Germany Creek out the Georgia Little River.
Fortunately the crappie are a little easier to pin down, and William Sasser Guide Service reports that they are catching the fish on minnows fished 15-16 feet down over brush in about 27 feet. Amity, Big Hart and Wells Creek have all produced.
On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that the fishing is really good and should stay that way for at least another month. Anchoring on steep ledges that range anywhere from 20 feet on the top side to 80 feet on the bottom side and all in between has been working the best. Day-in and day-out 30-45 feet has been the most productive range, seemingly because that is the depth where a lot of the herring – and most aggressive fish – have been holding recently. Cut and live gizzard and herring are all working equally well for both big fish and numbers.
October 8
Clarks Hill water levels are down to 329.77 (full pool is 330.00) and water temperatures are about 72-74 degrees. While it was not obvious when it was apparently happening it appears that the lake has turned over.
No one would pretend that the bass fishing on Clarks Hill is easy right now, but Tyler Matthews of Evans, GA reports that the 2-day Mr. Clarks Hill tournament was won with almost 30 pounds. Still, only the top 10 or so anglers out of 215 managed to average more than 10 pounds and day, and the winner had a 10-pounder! Tyler finished 16th with almost 19 pounds.
It seems that most of the better fish were caught out of deep brush, including the 10-pounder which came in 25 feet. Tyler caught most of his fish in 18-30 feet on a Texas rig, but they would also take a jig. He also weighed one fish that came on a buzzbait.
While there are still some shallow fish, tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that when the lake dropped it pulled most of the fish out of the grass and that bite really fell off.
Everyone seems to agree that the fish they are seeing school right now are small.
Even as the bass bite has gotten tougher, the fishing for striped and hybrid bass has gotten really good. William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that from about 8:00 – 9:30 each morning there is schooling action in various areas around the lake. Mid-lake the Parksville area has been really good, and out the Georgia Little River fish have also been schooling in Cherokee. Some guides are fishing shallow down-lines or running free lines, and you can also pitch topwater baits like a Sammy or flukes to them.
When the fish are not on top they coming through in suspended groups in the ditches at the mouths of coves or in creeks. They are generally 10-25 feet down over 40-60 feet of water, and there are large groups of fish on the move as they travel up the lake. There is little consistency to where they are holding but they are eating very well.
The crappie that Captain Brad Sasser is targeting have finally moved deeper, and while his boat was catching them 8-10 feet down over brush in 17-20 feet now they are more like 12-15 feet down over brush in 25-30. Minnows are working the best.
On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that the expected strong fall bite has gotten wide open. Anchoring on steep ledges that range anywhere from 20 feet on the top side to 80 feet on the bottom side and all in between has been working the best. Day-in and day-out 30-45 feet has been the most productive range, seemingly because that is the depth where a lot of the herring – and most aggressive fish - have been holding recently. Cut and live gizzard and herring are all working equally well for both big fish and numbers.
September 22
Clarks Hill water levels are way above full pool at 331.37 (full pool is 330.00) while water temperatures have dropped all the way to 72-76 degrees. Up the lake is muddy.
For the second straight week one of our regular Insider reports correspondents won big on Clarks Hill, and this weekend it was tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta who took first place in the 63-boat, 2-day BFL event on Clarks Hill. He had 21 pounds even worth over $4,500.00. On a tough Saturday of fishing he made the cut with four fish that went 7-11, but with first place only at 11 pounds he knew he was in striking distance. Then on the second day he managed a strong 13-5 bag to come from behind for the win.
Before the tournament Josh had been flipping steep banks up the river, but the wind and rain made the river super muddy and so he decided to do something different after getting a couple of good blow-ups on a frog just above the 378 bridge. While he only caught four fish on the frog Saturday he missed some very good ones, and so he decided to stick with the plan on Sunday and never put the frog down. Over the course of the weekend he discovered that the key was finding fishing points that had grass, and where there were open holes in the grass around points he would fish a hollow belly swimbait. In areas where there was grass nearby but where he was reeling over the point he would fish a Horny Toad. He was rarely in more than two feet of water.
In addition to the points, the other key Josh discovered was location. He found that the 3-mile stretch of the lake above the 378 bridge was the most productive for him (also the same area where at least one of the Palmetto tournaments was won last weekend), and he wondered if the quality of the grass had something to do with it. In other areas of the lake he found grass that seemed to by dying, but in this section it was all nice, green grass. The mouth of Murray Creek produced in particular.
As water temperatures have dropped fish have continued to make a fall migration up the lake, but William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports the pattern for striper and hybrids has changed a little and it’s not as important to fish at daybreak. The bite is now stretching a little further into the morning when fish are being caught on the bottom around humps in 32-33 feet, and the daytime bite has also improved. Instead of running the channel fish are staying at the same depth during the day, albeit in smaller groups and feeding a little less.
While Captain Brad Sasser has not seen any schooling it should not be far off if it is going to happen this year. Last fall the schooling bite never really materialized.
On the crappie front, tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt and his partner won a 17-boat event on Clarks Hill Saturday with 7 good fish that went almost 10 pounds. They first found fish around a bridge, but then all of the fish they weighed came around natural timber in 30-35 feet of water. The fish they found all seemed to be holding very deep.
While Captain Brad Sasser has not been fishing for crappie this week, he has no reason to think there is not still another group of fish 8-12 feet down over brush piles in 20-25 feet in the mid-lake as well as the Georgia Little River in Lloyd Creek. Small minnows or vertical jigging should both still work.
On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that, as predicted, the bite for big blue catfish is starting to get good over deep humps that top out in 30-45 feet. This bite will only get better in the coming weeks as there is usually an excellent fall bite on Clarks Hill.
For numbers of 1-10 pound blue and channel cats anchoring on points and humps and fan-casting dip baits, cut herring or shrimp remains a good pattern.
September 15
Clarks Hill water levels are up even higher to 329.74 (full pool is 330.00) and water temperatures are around 82 degrees.
It was a heck of a weekend for tournament partners Greg Glouse and Joe Anders of Easley, who finished 1st and 3rd in this weekend’s Palmetto Boat Center tournaments on Clarks Hill (held successively on Saturday and Sunday) with 18.33 and then 18.08 pounds. Joe reports that they caught all their fish over a deep, wooded ledge on the main river channel that was loaded with bass. It dropped from about 25-42 feet and there was natural timber.
There was schooling activity in the area but they were only able to catch one fish on top, and it didn’t even weigh. The better fish were underneath the schools, and almost all of their weight came with a Spot Sticker Baits Mini-Me 1-ounce tungsten spinnerbait. They could only get bit if it was bumping the tops of the trees about halfway down the water column. A few also came on a flutter spoon.
September 14
Clarks Hill water levels are still very high at 329.47 (full pool is 330.00), and water temperatures are around 82 degrees.
While the fish continue to make a fall migration up the lake, William Sasser Guide Service (706-589-5468) reports that the early morning bite for striper and hybrids has turned back on again. In fact, in the mid-lake 6-8 is definitely the peak time to catch fish and after that it turns into a grind. First thing the fish are on mid-lake humps in 32-37 feet on the bottom, and after that when the fish are feeding less they head back out to 45-60 feet. They can be found running along the edge of the channel, but they aren’t really relating to points or ditches and so you have to really utilize electronics to find them.
There were a couple of days of schooling a while back but that hasn’t started up again, although there are some reports of fish just below the Russell dam on top. If you aren’t casting at schooling fish up there pulling free-lines is the best bet.
The bass fishing has not gotten wide open yet, but tournament angler Josh Rockefeller of Augusta reports that there are balls of shad and herring starting to show up in the creeks and some very early schooling activity is starting about half-way back. It will get better when the bait gets in giant groups and runs the deep creek channels, but you can tell it’s starting. He is already seeing a lot of little ones schooling near bridges.
Josh is still having the best luck pitching a jig at steep banks up the river, and there are also some good fish being caught on buzzbaits even though they are few and far between. There are also some fish on deep brush but this bite is highly unpredictable.
Even though the striper are biting very well Captain Brad Sasser has done a couple of crappie trips in the last three days, and he has found a very good bite fishing 8-12 feet down over brush piles in 20-25 feet. He found a bunch of fish in the mid-lake, and then was able to replicate the exact same pattern up the Georgia Little River in Lloyd’s Creek. Small minnows have been working very well but vertical jigging will also catch fish.
On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that, as predicted, the bite for big blue catfish is starting to get good over deep humps that top out in 30-45 feet. This bite will only get better in the coming weeks as there is usually an excellent fall bite on Clarks Hill.
For numbers of 1-10 pound blue and channel cats anchoring on points and humps and fan-casting dip baits, cut herring or shrimp remains a good pattern.
September 11
Clarks Hill water levels are still barely below full at 329.66 (full pool is 330.00), and water temperatures are in the mid to low-80s.
The bass fishing is still tough on Clarks Hill, and tournament weights are pretty low, but there are some encouraging signs. In particular, tournament angler Tyler Matthews of Evans, GA reports that schooling activity is starting to fire up. While he was being interviewed for this report yesterday fish were hitting the surface all around Tyler, and typical for the season they were out in 30+ feet of water. While in the spring Clarks Hill bass typically school in 3-6 feet, in the fall Tyler says they are more likely to be in 10-40 or more. They are following the bait, and at this time of year they are typically on small bait. Anything topwater will work, including flukes, Gunfish and Sebilles, but down-sizing your lures can be essential.
Right now it may not be worth just riding and looking for schooling fish, but with a lot of the better fish still in brush piles or deep humps having a topwater handy while you are fishing a Texas rig, jig or drop shot deep is a good pattern.
With the water high there are also some good catches around laydowns and shallow bushes. A buzzbait has been about the best way to catch these fish.
On the catfish front, Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that, as predicted, the bite for big blue catfish is starting to get good over deep humps that top out in 30-45 feet. This bite will only get better in the coming weeks as there is usually an excellent fall bite on Clarks Hill.
For numbers of 1-10 pound blue and channel cats anchoring on points and humps and fan-casting dip baits, cut herring or shrimp remains a good pattern.
Striper and crappie update to follow.
