Clarks Hill Fishing Report – June 2019

Clarks Hill: Level: 1.8 feet low. Temp: 78 degrees. Clarity: Clearing.

Bass: Tournament angler Josh Rockefeller reports, “The fishing has begun to slow down some since water temps are climbing into the high 70s. The herring spawn bite is still happening, but the fish are getting more and more pressured and are hard to fool. Low-light conditions are best for throwing on the schooling fish. The fish should start transitioning into their summertime patterns. Start to look on the humps around the brush and rocks to find fish. A 3/4-oz. Buckeye Lures Football Mop Jig will get many bites, along with big worms and a deep-diving crankbait. As the water temps continue to warm, you can also find a pretty good shallow topwater bite, as well. A frog and buzzbait can yield some of the largest fish of the day around lunchtime.”

Linesides: Capt. Eddie Mason reports, “We’ve spent most of the last month on the lower end of the lake. With the early fishing, we’re going about 20 feet deep. As it gets warmer later in the day, we’re going into deeper water about 25 to 30 feet deep and fishing on the bottom. We’re still fishing humps, blow-throughs and long running points. I was using planer boards and downrods for a few weeks, but now I’m switching to just downrods for awhile. We’re heading into some record high temperatures for awhile, so the surface level temperature will go up, and we’ll have to go into deeper water for the fish. As the temperatures rise in the next few weeks, the corps will be preparing to turn on the oxygen lines out by Modoc boat ramp. After they start putting oxygen in the water, I’ll be staying between Modoc and the dam.”

Guide Bradd Sasser reports, “We went from a very low bait population to a full-on explosion of herring throughout the lake. It seems every point or blow-through you pull up to before daybreak is loaded with bait and hybrids hanging off to the sides feeding. The bite has been as hot as the weather. Normally this time of year the bite is focused right around daybreak and sunset, but a pleasant surprise this year has been a good, steady bite well into mid morning and starting back up early in the afternoon. The fish are beginning to back out into deeper water, and we are beginning to see more fish 20 to 30 feet deep.  As the water warms up more, they will move even deeper.”

Crappie: Guide Bradd Sasser reports, “The crappie bite has also been phenomenal. With the fish stacked into brush and structure, they are feeding aggressively. Right now they have been holding in 10 to 12 feet of water, which will also change to deeper as things get warmer. Small shiners and tuffies have worked great.”