Clarks Hill Fishing Report – July 2007

Clarks Hill: Level: 3.5 feet low. Temp: Mid 80s. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Fair. Danny Kirk fished the Bassmaster Weekend Series event at Clarks Hill on Sunday and had three fish that went 9.32 pounds; he finished sixth. “It was tough,” said Danny. “There are still some fish schooling, and you’ll see some in July. When they come up chasing herring, I like a Sammy, Pencil Popper or a Fluke. Most of the fish will be caught on a rig in 14 to 25 feet of water. I like a green-pumpkin Ol Monster. They’ll bite a finesse worm better than anything, but the bigger bait gets a bigger bite. I throw a Magnum Lizard, too. Junebug is a good color.” Danny’s favorite bait is a 9/16-oz. homemade jig. He’ll either hop or swim it back to the boat as he fishes these offshore drops. He likes a brown jig with a Zoom Super Chunk. While fishing the Bassmaster tournament, he caught a 6.72-pounder on the jig. “I should have gone to the rig to get a limit, but I wanted to win,” said Danny. “The areas around the dam and Little River (Georgia) get hammered. I’m finding places up the river. I’ve found a roadbed up there that the only thing they’ll bite is a DD22. The water has a little more color to it.” This roadbed drops from 11 to 20 feet. Danny said that up the river, which he defines as Soap Creek north, the fish seem to be eating shad, herring and crawfish, while down the lake they are keying on herring and crawfish. Guide William Sasser said July is the month to fish at night for largemouth. “Fish the rip-rap around the bridges all over the lake, and throw black spinnerbaits, topwater lures and black worms,” said William. “Billy Crompton, an old fishing buddy of mine, likes to fish lighted boat docks at night with black worms. Bugs around the lights attract smaller fish and so on.”

Linesides: Great. “July’s fishing is usually as hot as the weather,” said guide Dave Willard. “Look for the stripers to orient toward the river channel, especially the ones with standing timber. Last year at this same time we were killing the teenaged stripers and 4- to 8-lb. hybrids fishing live bait above the trees. July also starts our trolling season. Bucktails are my favorite, and often they will do better than live bait this time of year.” Guide William Sasser said the morning bite is great in July. “It’s fast action in the morning for linesides from Wells to Lloyds creeks in the main channels. Look in 40 to 60 feet of water, and fish live bluebacks 30 to 40 feet deep early. Then troll umbrella rigs and Red Fins later in the day, covering more water. The closer you pull the lures to the treetops the more success you’ll have.”
Crappie: Good. William fishes for summer crappie in 30 to 50 feet of water with minnows and jigs tipped with minnows over brushpiles and existing hardwoods. “We’ll mainly fish out in the main flow of Little River, not in the smaller creeks of the lake. At night move shallower and fish brush with lights and minnows in Cherokee Creek. We use Hydro Glow lights, because they really attract the bait.”