Clarks Hill Lake Fishing Report October 2016

Clarks Hill: Level: 5.8 feet low. Temp: Low 80s. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Tournament angler Kerry Partain reports, “Bass fishing can be feast or famine this time of year as the water turns over throughout the lake with cooling water temperatures. Some areas of the lake will be more productive early in the month, and others will be more productive later, depending on rain and cooling weather. It’s hard to beat a buzzbait and a Zoom Horny Toad early in the mornings as the baitfish move shallow and the bass feed up. There is also a good topwater bite in October, so look for baitfish activity or bass busting on top, and cast a Zoom Super Fluke to it. The creeks and rivers are usually more productive, and you can catch them on crankbaits and Carolina rigs around rocks and blowdowns.”

Linesides: Guide William Sasser reports, “The hybrids and stripers have been holding along the edges of the main channel on the lower and upper ends of the lake near the dams. Some groups have been holding on the bottom around 50 feet deep and feeding aggressively. Other groups have been coming through suspended around the same depths and are requiring a little more work to catch. The majority of the fish have been coming from downlining live herring, but some have come from using jigging spoons. Another method that some fishermen have been using when they can’t get a good group of fish under them is pulling planer boards with heavier weights, such as 1 1/2- or 2-oz., and putting a lot of line behind the boards. This is a fairly effective method for covering a lot of ground. As the weather starts to break and the water cools off, we will start to see the lake turn over, and all the fish move with the cooler water from deep to shallow. When this occurs, you will start to see schooling fish pop up in areas throughout the lake, especially mid-lake areas. It is definitely wise to keep a topwater lure, such as a white ice fluke or a Spook, close by. As for the downline fish, they will be holding close to humps in 35 feet of water more toward the mouths and backs of creeks. This time of year the fish will be feeding aggressively. If you find the bait, you will find hungry fish.”