Clarks Hill Fishing Report – February 2010

Clarks Hill: Level: 1.2 feet below full pool. Temp: Low to high 40s, getting up to 52 on sunny days. Clarity: Muddy in the creeks; slight stain in the main river and lower lake.

Bass: Dale Gibbs reports, “Fishing for largemouths remains poor, but it should begin to change for the better. February can be great on Clarks Hill. I would use crankbaits this month around secondary points and main points for starters. Crankbaits in firetiger and crawfish patterns have historically produced well. Shad patterns will work, also. If the water temperature remains below 55, stick with the deeper-running baits that dive 8 to 12 feet. If it gets above 55, use shallower-running baits in the 4 to 8 foot range. Shad Raps are always a mainstay. However, if the month brings warmer temperatures, be prepared to locate your Super Flukes and spinnerbaits for some prespawn staging fish. These will be found in many of the creeks on the lower end of the lake where creek channels and flats come together in 15 feet of water or less. The fluke should be rigged both floating and jig-head style. Use a Buckeye 1/4-oz. fluke jig head to thread your Super Fluke onto. Cast into the channels and onto the flats where they intersect, while hopping the bait off the bottom. Most strikes come on the fall. Also, use the spinnerbait this month to find a big fish. Slow roll a 1/2-oz. Buckeye spinnerbait in the same places you’re using the flukes. If the temperature gets up by month’s end, I have caught some really big bass casting the spinnerbait to shoreline cover on bright sunny days when it’s calm. Big females will take advantage of these warm trends, as they will be full of eggs and getting ready to spawn soon. Remember, from now till mid May is your best opportunity to land a trophy on Clarks Hill.”

Linesides: Fair. Capt. Dave Willard reports, “I plan on fishing the feeder creeks on the lower end of the lake where the water will be only slightly stained. Shallow-water techniques are going to be the most productive, and live herring pulled behind planer boards will definitely produce some good fish. For the artificial fishermen, yellow Rat-L-Traps fished in 3 to 5 feet of water is also productive. Cherokee Creek and Graves Creek on the Little River Georgia arm of the lake and Dordan and Shriver creeks on the main river are producing some good fish. February can be a tough month for fishing, but several days of warm weather can turn on the fish.” William Sasser reports, “Most of the hybrids will be traveling back down toward the dam. Herring fished 25 to 50 feet deep mid-lake on the Savannah River side will work. Also, it’s a good month to start cutbait fishing on the bottom for stripers. Double anchor off the sides of underwater points where they drop off into the river channel.”

Crappie: Fair. William reports, “We will still be fishing the wintertime pattern over brush in 30 to 40 feet of water with minnows or jigs, but as the evenings warm the water in the backs of coves, the fish will move shallow to feed in the warm surface water. You can usually see the crappie popping the top of the water this time of year. Jigs thrown under small corks will work.”