Clarks Hill Fishing Report – May 2010

Clarks Hill: Level: 2.0 feet below full pool. Temp: Upper 60s. Clarity: The main lake is lightly stained; up the rivers and creeks are stained.

Bass: Good. The herring bite is going on full steam right now, said Dale Gibbs. Look for fish trying to bed on main-lake points from 2 to 8 feet of water. The points with rotting weeds that grew up when the lake was down are holding the most fish. Throw a topwater bait like a Zara Spook or a Pencil Popper when the fish are up busting herring, and when that slows, try dragging a Carolina rig or fishing jig ’n pig. Capt. William Sasser said the same thing. He said you can catch some fish on flukes or floating worms up shallow, and the fish are schooling on secondary points and blow-throughs. William said the most activity has been happening on the lower end of the lake within 3 miles of the dam.

Linesides: Good. Capt. Dave Willard reports, “May is an excellent month for stripers, hybrids and big largemouths. The blueback herring have been a little late moving in due to the cold water, so the shallow-water action should really peak this month. Live bluebacks freelined behind the boat and on planer boards will produce good catches. Cut bait will also do good fished in 18 to 20 feet of water. Artificial lures will produce some good topwater action. Germany Creek and Big Hart Creek in the Little River Georgia area and Soap Creek and Dordon Creek on the main river should be productive.” Capt. William Sasser reports, “Stripers and hybrids are going to be schooling everywhere. We will pull planers on points with live herring early in the morning and downline during the middle of the day. We will also throw Sammys and flukes into schooling fish. May is also the month to tie up to the cable in front of the dam and night fish.”

Crappie: “In May the fish will be off the bank and in shallow brushpiles and on flats. We will fish small minnows over the brushpiles and pull jigs over flats,” William said.

Shellcrackers: Excellent. William said, “This is the month to fish for bedding fish. We use Louisiana pinks on a No. 6 hook and a small split-shot to locate the beds. They are always located adjacent to blow-throughs.”

Catfish: “This is also a spawning month for catfish,” said William. “We will fish along the rip-rap of all the bridges with cut herring. Early morning is best.”