Clarks Hill Fishing Report January 2013

Clarks Hill: Level: 15.3 feet below full pool. Temp: 60 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Guide Capt. Dale Gibbs reports, “Due to the lack of rain in recent weeks, I would not be surprised if the lake reaches 17 feet low by the end of January. The last time Clark Hill was that low was in the late 80s. Big bass are biting right now. Of recent, three bass have been weighed in at over 8 1/2 pounds. The largest was 9 1/2 pounds. All have been caught on the jig. However, most of the fish that are being caught are coming on jerkbaits and Super Flukes. The jig bite is coming on points and drop-offs, with most of the fish being 10-15 feet deep. However, the jerkbait and fluke bites are coming in the shallows. This bite can be found near the back ends of creeks or ditches that have hydrilla in them. The month of January will bring even colder surface temperatures and will require you to fish deeper and slower. Continue to use the jig for the biggest bites. A 1/4-oz. lead-head Super Fluke will do the trick for those fish in the creek channels. As the water temperature reaches the low 50s and even upper 40s, begin using jigging spoons and Sonar Blades in the same areas. If you are not familiar with this lake, try hiring the services of a guide. Having GPS on your boat does not protect you from all the unmarked trees and humps. Only experience will help at this point with extreme low lake levels.” Tournament angler William Hooker reports, “We’re fishing mostly spoons in 25 to 40 feet of water catching some bass, hybrids and plenty of white perch. There is no limit on the white perch in Georgia, and they make some fine fillets. You will need 1/2-oz. white Berry’s spoons, or Hopkins spoons in chrome will work great on 10-lb. test line. If the water has any color, use a gold Hopkins and green or blue flash tape on the Berry’s. There’s also a bite from Russell Dam to the Highway 378 bridge. Fish 1/2-oz. brown jigs with a green Zoom chunk. The bigger fish are being caught off ledges 10-20 feet deep. Some fluke fish are being caught in the lower lake, but they’re just not as big as up the lake.”

Linesides: Guide William Sasser reports, “For hybrids this time of year, we fish the upper part of the Savannah River and Georgia Little River toward Amity pulling planner boards with herring in the creek channels. Wintertime seagull activity is key to locating fish. For schooling activity in the evenings we will fish with Little Fishy’s as the fish are feeding on threadfin on the surface. Late in January the fish will migrate toward the dam on the lower end. Live herring on downlines at the cable after dark will work. Cutbait fishing off the points around the dam account for a lot of nice stripers caught.”

Crappie: Guide William Sasser reports, “Pulling jigs in South Carolina Little River is a January method for catching a lot of crappie. Bank fishing in January is great fishing minnows under corks in the backs of all the major tributaries. Brushpile fishing with minnows is my favorite.”