Clarks Hill Fishing Reports – July 2021

Clarks Hill: Level: 0.5 feet above full. Temp: 80-83 degrees. Clarity: Even with all the rainfall in the recent weeks, the lake and rivers have remained fairly clear lake wide. You will run into some stain in the very backs of the creeks and up the major tributaries, but as a whole, the water clarity is great.

Bass: Tournament angler Josh Rockefeller reports, “I’ve been finding fish shallow that are feeding on the bream that are and will be bedding for the next few months. Topwater is working well. Buzzbaits in white and bream colors seem to be working the best if you’re looking for a quality bite. Another bait getting a good bit of attention is the floating worm. I’ve been throwing a bubblegum Trick Worm back at fish that miss the buzzbait, but also casting around shallow cover will yield bites. Fish should also be moving deep on the offshore humps and points down by the dam. I like to throw a big living-rubber jig in green pumpkin, or if the fish are really active, I like the 6XD and 8XD Strike King crankbaits in the herring color.”

Linesides: Guide Bradd Sasser reports, “The hybrids and stripers have moved to mid to lower-lake areas. They can be found feeding off humps in the main channel early in the morning around daybreak. We have been finding the fish holding in 30 to 35 feet of water for the most part during this time. After the initial morning frenzy, they are pushing out into deeper water, more in the 45- to 60-foot range. However, they are still maintaining the same general areas. We have seen some groups of suspended fish 15 to 25 feet deep along the edges of the channel, but they have tended to be smaller hybrids. Downlines with live herring and cutbait have both been extremely effective. These patterns will maintain for the majority of the summer.”

Capt. Eddie Mason reports, “I’m fishing almost exclusively on the lower end of the lake between the dam and Hamilton Branch. We’ve been fishing in water that is about 30 feet deep around the main river channel points and in the ditches. It’s getting hot now, so you really need to be there for the early morning bite. We’re using downrods and live bait. Make sure to keep the bait alive.”