Clarks Hill Lake Fishing Report June 2016

Clarks Hill: Level: Full pool. Temp: Upper 70s. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Tournament angler William Hooker reports, “We fished the Skeeter tournament on Sunday (May 22), and we had 15.19 with my fishing partner O’Neal Johnston. Steve Story, of Appling, won with 17.19. The locals are catching fish on a Wopper Popper. I am still throwing Zoom Flukes in white ice and a Gunfish. The fish are starting to move to summer locations on the Hill that are in deeper water. Jigs, C-rigs and crankbaits are still working for some fishermen. The Tackle Shop has Wopper Poppers.” Guide William Sasser reports, “The largemouth are holding off the sides of grassy points in 12 to 18 feet of water and are feeding heavily on the crawfish in the grass. We are also finding several largemouth mixed in with the hybrids feeding on the herring.”

Linesides: Guide William Sasser reports, “Downline fishing is starting to take the place of trolling planer boards as the hybrids and stripers are starting to group up in deeper water. Right now they are holding off of the edges of ditches and points in about 25 to 30 feet of water in mid-lake areas. Soon this will swap over to the fish holding in 35 to 40 feet of water on the sides of humps in lower lake areas. The hybrids and stripers have been very aggressive and are gorging themselves on bait. If you locate the depth of schools of bait, you will find and catch fish.”

Crappie: Guide William Sasser reports, “The crappie are easing a little deeper and can be caught in structure 15 to 18 feet deep either anchoring and fishing shiners or slow trolling minnow-tipped jigs.”

Shellcracker: Guide William Sasser reports, “The shellcracker bite has been fantastic this year with the full moon and right water temperatures in May really setting it off. This time of year they are so aggressive it doesn’t matter whether you use worms, crickets or minnows. They are going to feed.”

Catfish: Guide William Sasser reports, “The catfish have been feeding and spawning along rocks and rip-rap near the lower dam and the Georgia Little River bridge. Once they move away from this, they will begin holding on the edges of humps and points very similar to the hybrids and can be caught using cut or live herring.”