Clarks Hill Fishing Report May 2014

Clarks Hill: Level: Down 0.5 feet below full pool. Temp: 62-65 degrees, up to 71 in late afternoon. Clarity: Slight stain.

Bass: Guide Dale Gibbs reports, “The largemouth are bedding and schooling. The herring spawn is in full swing, and the bass are, too. This makes for good fishing, as you well know. It has been taking 23 to 26 pounds and some change to win tournaments here. The month of May is setting up for a continued bite of much the same. School fishing for largemouth will be the mainstay, and bed fishing will see its last good cycle on the full moon about mid month. For the month of May, try using baits like Heddon Zara Spooks, Lucky Craft Sammy’s and Gunfish topwaters. Use the Zoom Super Fluke, also. I also use a Greenfish Tackle 1/2-oz. spinnerbait with tandem willowleafs in a sexy-shad pattern to catch some of my better bass. Try throwing a Greenfish Tackle 1/2-oz. Big Living Rubber Jig in green pumpkin on points. I use a Zoom Super Chunk, also. As we near the end of the month, try moving to offshore locations, casting the same jig or a Carolina rig with a lizard or worm.” Tournament pro and lure-maker Jon Hair reports, “The bass are in two stages—spawn and postspawn. Most of the postspawn fish are keying in on the blueback-herring spawn. Look for shallow points and blow-throughs with a sandy bottom. The best baits to use are walking-type topwaters and a Zoom Super Fluke. These imitate a blueback very well.” William Hooker reports, “They are with the schooling herring and following the baits back to the boat. Just run the points, and you will cross paths with the fish. Blacks (largemouth) are running with the hybrids. Throw a 1/2-oz. Greenfish jig on the fish, or try a drop-shot rig with a Zoom Trick Worm in green pumpkin.”

Linesides: Guide William Sasser reports, “With spring weather setting in, the hybrid and striper bite has really started turning on. There are still some fish coming from pulling herring on planer boards, but with the water temperature warming up, it is starting to give way to downline fishing. The majority of the hybrids are moving toward mid to lower lake areas. Whether pulling planer boards or downline fishing, focus on main-lake points in 25 to 30 feet of water. As warmer weather sets in a little more, expect the hybrids to be on the lower end of the lake on the sides of humps or underwater islands 35 to 45 feet deep. The biggest key right now has been to locate the bait, and the hybrids and stripers will be lingering close by feeding. There are still some nice fish being caught below Russell Dam pulling planer boards with gizzard shad.

Crappie: “The crappie have started moving back onto submerged timber 12 to 18 feet deep and can be caught using minnow-tipped crappie jigs. White/black and white/pink jigs have been working best,” William said.