Clarks Hill Lake regularly ranks as one of the top 20 lakes in the Southeast for bass fishing, as well hybrid striped bass, catfish, bluegill, crappie, sunfish, chain pickerel, and stripers. Also known as Lake Strom Thurmond, this 71,000 acre reservoir straddles the border between Georgia and South Carolina. Four hundred of its 1,200 miles of shoreline are in Georgia, and while many of those miles are only accessible by boat, there are several boat ramps at campgrounds and other places around the lake. Other fishing access can be found on the banks or from the portage of a canoe or kayak.

driving directions

Clarks Hill’s largemouths are often caught in the mid-winter season in its creek channels where they gather, avoiding the banks. Try using jigging spoons for these bass. Head over to Lloyds, Rousseau and Grays Creeks in the Little River Arm to find good largemouth populations. As for the main Savannah River arm, try Murray and Soap Creeks. In the spring and summertime, fish along Big Creek, Bussey Point, Cliatt and Cherokee.

Clark Hill’s striped bass average seven pounds. Find them in Big Creek in the springtime, around the mouths of the major feeder creeks and rivers. Drift live blueback herring for the best striped bass results. Drag redfins or rooster-tails behind your boat. Cast jigging-spoon lines near ledges around 20-30 feet of water. These same techniques work very well when catching the lake’s hybrid bass.

Clark Hill has excellent crappie fishing conditions. Small jigs work well with crappie, and you can experiment with different jig colors. Head toward Soap, Newford and Grays Creeks in the springtime. In the summer and fall months, you’ll have good luck fishing underneath bridges.

Other fish you might find in this lake are bream, catfish, chain pickerel and white perch, The pickerel fishing conditions are also considered to be quite excellent, using the same techniques used to catch Clark Hill’s crappie. The catfish are fond of cut bluebacks, worms and chicken livers.

Most of Clark Hill’s fish spawn in the wintertime, so try creekbacks such as Dry Fork, Cherokee, Knonlic, Big and Hart for good luck during that season.

Clarks Hill Lake boat ramps:

The following boat ramps provide access to Clarks Hill Lake.