Clarks Hill Fishing Report July 2014

Clarks Hill: Level: 0.7 feet below full pool. Temp: Mid 80s. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Jon Hair reports, “Fishing is still pretty good on the Hill. In the Potash Tournament June 7, it took 24 pounds to win. Most of the herring spawn is over, and the fish have moved out to the humps. I try to concentrate on humps that have both deep and shallow-water access—
a hump where the river channel swings by should be really good. Rock and wood are the structures to concentrate on now since the grass is no more than 6 to 8 inches tall. Good baits to throw are deep-diving crankbaits like the Strike King 6XD. Also, I like to throw a Zoom Speed Craw on a Greenfish Tackle Creeper Head in 1/2- to 3/4-oz., as well as a 3/4-oz. Greenfish Crawball football-head jig in camo or PBJ colors.” Tournament angler William Hooker reports, “Some fishermen have been catching the fish offshore. Jeff Wood and I caught our fish on humps throwing Greenfish 1/2-oz. jigs during the Potash Tournament, and some are throwing crankbaits like a DT-10 offshore. Buzzbaits and frogs up the South Carolina Little River in grass are catching some bass. I did catch a few topwater fish on a double-bladed prop bait that Jon Hair made in a bream color.”

Linesides: Guide William Sasser reports, “The hybrids and stripers have really turned on, and it will only get better through the summer. Right now the hybrids are running the ditches on the move from coves and creeks into the open water. The majority of the fish we are catching are coming from fishing suspended 15 to 20 feet deep in anywhere from 28 feet of water to 40 feet of water. Suspended fish are extremely hard to keep their attention due to the fact they are on the move, but keeping fresh bait down and chumming has been the ticket. In the upcoming weeks they should be off of humps in 35 to 40 feet of water and stacked on the bottom where all you have to do is drop your line to the bottom. It’s hard to pinpoint any one area of the lake as being any better than the other due to so many places being good with the fish on the move, but in the upcoming weeks most of the action will be coming from the lower end of the lake from Parksville down to the dam and then from the mouth of Georgia Little River to around Grays Creek. The biggest key to this time of year fishing with the warmer water temperatures is to take plenty of herring and keep your bait fresh.”