Clarks Hill Fishing Report – May 2008

Clarks Hill: Level: 8.3 feet below full pool. Temp: Upper 60s to low 70s. Clarity: Very clear.

Bass: The fishing in May this year will be a little different than in years past, said guide Craig Johnson. He said the low-water conditions will cause the herring to relocate to other non-traditional spawning grounds. “I am already catching 30 to 40 fish per day using the baits described below, and this bite will only get better,” said Craig. “The typical blow-throughs the bluebacks use to spawn are non-existent. Main-lake clay points with small rockpiles will be what you need to target in order to catch the feeding and schooling postspawn fish. The most effective lures for these fish will be a Buckeye Lures 3/8-oz. brown Mop Jig with a green-pumpkin Zoom Super Chunk trailer, a white-ice Zoom Super Fluke rigged weightless, a clear Heddon Super Spook or a clear Lucky Craft Gunfish 115. You can Carolina rig the same points after the fish become less active and pick up a few with Zoom watermelon Trick Worms. Often the second half of May is dominated by smaller baits like the Spot Remover rigged with a Zoom Trick Worm or Yum Dinger and fished on points and drops on the main lake,” said Craig. “Fish can be caught using these lures from one end of the lake to the other. The lake is still real low, and people are hitting humps and rockpiles every day, so be careful.” Bill Crompton said bass are on the beds or just coming off. Fish flats, long points and shallow water. “The fish are mostly on plastics, lizards and worms,” said Bill. “In late May the schooling season will begin. Super Flukes, Sammys, Gunfish, Super Spooks cast into schools will bring good results.”

Linesides: May is a great month for striper fishing, according to guide Capt. Dave Willard. “The baitfish are spawning in the shallow water and blow-throughs. We’re freelining live herring in these areas early in the morning and catching nice stripers and hybrids. Also, cut-bait fishing on the bottom in 20 feet of water can be very productive. Topwater action on Zara Spooks can also produce a box full of fish. Some great areas to try this time of year are Parksville on the South Carolina side and the Georgia Flats straight across from Parksville. Germany Creek produces a lot of fish on the Little River arm, as does Soap Creek on the main river.” Guide Capt. William Sasser said the schooling activity early and late around the dam should start picking up. “Weightless flukes are the best choice for these fish,” said William. “Linesides should start grouping up this month in 30 to 50 feet of water. We will downrod these fish with live herring.”

Crappie: Great. “We’ll fish creek channels this month with drop-shot rigs with jigs in the backs of the major creeks,” said William. “We’ll also be pulling jigs on flats in Little River (Georgia) in 15 to 20 feet of water. Brush-top fishing this month will mainly be off creek channels in 15 to 25 feet of water with minnows. Some fish should start biting this month at night under the bridges on small minnows.”

Shellcrackers: Excellent. Look for bedding to take place on the new moon.