Clarks Hill Fishing Report – October 2024

Clarks Hill: Level: 6.7 feet below 330. Temp: Low 70s. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Jon Hair, with Greenfish Tackle, says that more bass move up shallow and the movement speeds up in October. Run the bank early with a buzzbait—try both the Hammerhead Buzz and Toad Toter Buzz—to find and catch active fish. Concentrate on shallow wood and rock cover. When the sun gets high, move to rocky points and brush. Fish them with shaky heads and jigs. Look for more fish schooling on humps in October, and have a walking bait and a small swimbait ready to cast to them.

D.J Hadden, with Hadden Outdoors, says that October is always a fun month to fish for bass on Clarks Hill. “From the beginning until the end of the month, there will be some major changes in fish location,” D.J. said. “The first part of the month the main lake will be the major player for offshore fishing. Anywhere from 15 to 40 feet deep, fish will be suspended or in brush and/or on rock. As the water cools and turns over, fish will get scattered from 25 feet to the bank. Typically any pattern you prefer for the day you can catch some quality fish in mid to late October. The water will be down 6 to 7 feet, unless we have some major rain in October. Look for surface activity all over the lake. Upper regions of the river should hold fish on any shoreline cover that is still in the water. A typical day for me in October is to fish a spinnerbait or buzzbait until the sun gets up and then move offshore and chase schooling fish with walking topwater baits, like Zoom Winged Flukes and Greenfish DOT Minnows in chrome or pearl. Hadden Outdoors will have a special run of Hadden Herring spinnerbaits and Hadden Dirty Slaw spinnerbaits available the first of October.”

David Earl Thorton, with Franklins in Athens, says cooler temperatures have many bass and bait pods moving very shallow to the backs of creeks and pockets this month. “I fish a black Zoom Horny Toad on a Greenfish Toad Toter Buzz buzzbait early and often mix in a black Rico Popper and a weightless Zoom Uni Toad for a few more quality bites,” David Earl said. “When that bite slows down, fish a Greenfish Crawball shaky head and a Greenfish Creeper head on rock. Put a green pumpkin/blue Trick Worm on the heads.”

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