Clarks Hill Fishing Report May 2011

Clarks Hill: Level: 2.2 feet below full pool. Temp: 70 degrees. Clarity: Clear except for a stain on the upper end.

Bass: Excellent. Guide Dale Gibbs reports, “Bass fishing is white hot right now on ‘The Hill.’ Topwaters are the norm right now for big bass. Heddon’s Zara Spook and Lucky Craft’s Sammy and Gunfish are producing well. The mid-size versions of these plugs are producing the best as the blueback herring population spawning right now are 3 to 4 inches long. Any of these in a shad pattern will work fine. Watch for even larger bluebacks to move up soon, and keep lures like the Pencil Popper and Super Spook ready. These are not the only lures producing right now. Soft plastics such as Zoom’s Super Fluke, Carolina-rigged worms and lizards and some swimbaits are producing also. Fifty-fish days are not uncommon right now but will taper off some in the next few weeks. Right now is the best Clarks Hill has to offer. Richmond County Marshall Steve Smith and I made a trip in the last week which produced a five-bass limit of more than 25 pounds. Total fish caught was more than 40! Mr. Smith and I were able to boat several in the 5- to 6-lb. range. A close friend and fishing partner and I made a trip this week that produced 50 fish, another 4-lb. average limit, and we lost one at the boat that would probably weigh between 7 and 8 pounds. Bass are still bedding but moving out fast. Fish points and blow-throughs for best action.”

Linesides: Good. Capt. William Sasser reports, “The blueback herring will be spawning all over the lake, and the fish will be chasing them everywhere. Schooling fish are starting to show up on the lower end in the afternoons. We are catching fish on freelines and planers early in the morning fishing main-lake points. Also, fishing in front of the dam at night is good this time of year.”

Crappie: Good. William said, “This is my favorite month for fishing minnows over trees in shallow water. We move out of the backs of tributaries and out to shallow water surrounding the river channel. Little River Georgia, from the mouth of the Savannah River to Germany Creek, is where we stay in May.”

Shellcrackers: Excellent. “They are bedding right now all over the lake. Fish pink worms on the blow-throughs,” said William.

Catfish: Very good. “They will spawn this month in the rocks of all the bridges around the lake,” said William. “Fish early morning with herring. Use spinning rods and freelines thrown up against the rocks and allow the bait to slowly work its way down to deeper water, just like Carolina rigging for largemouths.”