There couldn't be a better time of year to be on the lake.  The fall colors are beautiful and the fishing is great.  The lake level, at 10 feet below pull, doesn't affect the scenery or fishing at all.  With a depth finder and map, the lake is not dangerous.  You also have an opportunity to explore it in ways that are rarely possible when it is full. I can only remember three other times that I have been able to  cruise the lake and note potential fishing spots.  Now is the perfect time to take advatage of the low water and walk the shore to find artifacts.

Of Course fishing is my favorite and with the hybrids and stripers everywhere, I'm on the lake as much as possible.  Keg Creek is especially hot now;  I caught a crappie Sunday afternoon in only ten feet of water in Cherokee Creek.  Later on, in the evening, I started throwing hal's flies and caught several hybrids.  You simply never know what you might catch.

To keep an update on the open boat ramps click on the link below:

http://www.sas.usace.army.mil/lakes/thurmond/Thurrampstat.htm  

Remember, with 1200 miles of shoreline, catching fish is a lot like finding the perfect waterfront property to buy, you gotta know where to go....

.....And we know, Turner Realty is your Lakefront Property and Lifestyle Resource.  Hey, we'll see ya on the lake!

This Saturday, September 29th, between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. at Elijah Clark State Park in Lincolnton, Gerald Smith will show how army doctors treated patients in the 18th century by using home grown herbs and medicines.  The link below provides more information.

http://gastateparks.org/net/calendar/details.aspx?c=26924&s=146962.0.1.5 

 The hybrids and stripers have finally begun to school in earnest.  So far this year, all the schooling fish have been small.  The big fish have been almost  impossible to find.  After the full moon and another coudy forecast for the end of the week, we should have some real good fishing.  We expect the big fish to join in and feed on the surface as well.  This is what all striper fisherman love to see.

The crappie have begun to bite as well.  While crappie fishing this past weekend, my neighbor caught catfish on small minnows.  He also caught some nice crappie.  One catfish was caught that weighted 41 pounds; however, he struck on live herring.  I really feel if you targeted catfish, you could have success right now.  I don't think many people try this in the fall, but perhaps it is something we all overlook.  I really feel the next couple of weeks we will experience some really good fishing.  Whether you like crappie, stripers, catfish or black bass, they all should be biting.  Either way, you can't catch a fish without wetting a hook.

Remember, with 1200 miles of shoreline, catching fish is a lot like finding the perfect waterfront property to buy, you gotta know where to go....

.....And we know, Turner Realty is your Lakefront Property and Lifestyle Resource.  Hey, we'll see ya on the lake!

 

 

Let the cool air get you in the mood to explore primitive camping at Mistletoe State Park. These remote campsites can be reserved for groups of ten or more and are located just 100 yards from Clarks Hill Lake.  

  Pioneer Camp Ground

Visit this site for more information and to make your reservations. http://www.georgia.reserveworld.com/CampGroundInfo.aspx?i=180&p=D

The stripers are still schooling and will do so until the lake turns over near Thaksgiving each year.  Then, they will head up the rivers and creeks chasing shad into areas like Raysville, Soap Creek, and the Carolina Little River.  For now, however, I would stay at either end of the lake.  Tommy Dudley says to only go on the north end of the lake when they are pulling water at the Russell Dam.  The Corps will provide you with those times if you call them.  The larger fish have been hard to find but we expect that to change by the end of next week.

The crappie have been biting good on small minnows and a variety of jigs.  There are still good numbers under your bridges, but the best action is on brushpiles in 20 to 30 feet of water.  To find these spots, you need a good depth finder.  Ease along with your big motor down any of your secondary creeks or go to the end of your main creeks and look in the 20 to 30 feet range.  Mark your spots and go back with your troll motor and fish it for 15 to 20 minutes, trying various depths and jig colors.  If you don't catch anything, move on to another one.  Write down each spot so you can try it later that day or on another tirp.  Crappie are nomads and they regurlarly change which brushpiles that stay on.  If you fish for crappie regularly, you can always take some dog food and bait the spot up for later.  The next 2 months can be someof the best crappie fishing of the year.  Find a hot spot and it can stay hot for weeks even a month or two at a time.  Remember you can't catch a fish without wetting a hook.

Remember, with 1200 miles of shoreline, catching fish is a lot like finding the perfect waterfront property to buy, you gotta know wher to go....

.....And we know, Turner Realty is your Lakefront Property and Lifestyle Resource.  Hey, we'll see ya on the lake!

The annual Elijah Clark Bluegrass Festival begins this Friday, September 14th at Elijah Clark State Park in Lincolnton, Georgia.  You won't want to miss these three fun-filled days of great food and foot-stompin' blue grass.  Come on out and bring your lounge chairs; admission is free and parking is only three dollars.  For more information, click on the link below.

http://gastateparks.org/net/calendar/details.aspx?calendarid=26920&s=65830.0.1.5

There are no real changes in my report so I would like to discuss the use of a spoon.  If you have never fished a spoon, you are simply missing out on some fantastic fishing.  Not only will it outfish live bait at times, but I delieve it catches the biggest fish.  I have seen it happen over and over again.  The smaller fish always seem to be on top.  They have more energy and that's why you'll catch smaller fish on the surface when they are schooling.  There are exceptions however, and when the big fish are up, I go to another big fish lure, the super spook.  As a general rule however, the large fish stay under the action and take the injured bait and bits and pieces falling to the bottom.  Maybe that's why the falling spoon works so well this time of year.  Watch your depth finder when you are on a school of fish and use your spoon to drag to the depth you see the fish.  I like to go as deep into the school as I can get because I firmly believe thats where the biggest fish are.   Simply use sharp jerks up and let it fall, if it stops, set the hook.  You better hold on tight when they hit because the big ones actually jerk the rod out of your hands.  Last year , one of my fishing buddies actually had a 15 lb striper break his rod into three pieces and he pulled the fish in by hand.  About three years ago, another of my friends and I jigged up a limit of 20 stripers that averaged 17 lbs a piece.  We jigged some as deep as 65 feet at the bottom of the school.  Use a good rod and bait caster reel with 15-20 pound test line.  The bait caster can be lowered quickly below the boat.  You can also use the spoon on the surface or at various depths.  All you do is cast to the school and reel it  fast across the surface, pausing the lure several times.  You can also let it sink a little and reel it in slowly with a jerk here and there.  They will almost always hit it on the fall.  I like the 3/4 oz Hopkins spoon with the white and red feather.  Other people swear by Berry's flex spoon which can be bent into a slight S shape.  No matter which spoon you choose, it won't catch a fish if it doesn't get wet!

Remember, with 1200 miles of shoreline, catching fish is a lot like finding the perfect waterfront property to buy, you gotta know wher to go....

.....And we know, Turner Realty is your Lakefront Property and Lifestyle Resource.  Hey, we'll see ya on the lake!

 

 

 

Plan your visit to Mistletoe State Park on Saturday, September 08, 2007 between 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Bob and Jan Perry will demonstrate the life of 18th century hunters and trappers. Visitors can feel the different animal skins and see how traps were set to capture animals that provide food and skins for trading and making clothes. There’s a $3 parking fee. For more information, click on the link below.

gastateparks.org/net/calendar/details.aspx

 

The fishing on Clark’s Hill for striped bass and hybrids continues to be red hot. You can catch them trolling as I discovered last week; it is the easiest method. You can ride around the lake and look for schooling fish. When you locate some fish, use top water bait until they go down. You can use a wide range of top water lures. I usually have a thing popper rigged. This is the most reliable lure, however, you must reel it in at a steady ‘Herky-Jerky’ motion. If a fish hits at it, do not pause but keep it moving all the way back to the boat. Have faith in this method, it will work. If there are some bigger fish present, I like to ‘walk the dog’ with a number of top water lures. Clear is the best color. When the fish go down, rely on your depth finder to relocate the school; now its time to drop live herring. If you want to go all artificial, then drop a spoon to them. I like to go to the bottom of the school where the bigger fish hang out. Again, any number of spoons will work but I still catch plenty on the reliable ¾ ounce Hopkins spoon dressed with a white and red feather.

 

For you crappie fisherman, good times are just a few weeks away. I went out on a half day trip last week to check out a few brush piles. I managed to catch a few nice crappie on one-thirty second ounce pink and chartreuse doll fly. The second week in September is usually when we get a little break in the heat; this always brings a lot of crappie back into the creeks where they are a little easier to catch. Fall fishing for crappie can be as good as the spring, there’s only one thing different, there’s no one else fishing for them. I love my striper fishing and most people don’t understand how I could crappie fish when the hybrids are schooling. Well, I like nothing better than fooling a 2 or 3 pound crappie off a brush pile on a jig. I’m sure there are plenty of people who agree.

 

Remember,  with 1200 miles of shoreline, catching fish is a lot like finding the perfect waterfront property to buy, you gotta know where to go....

 

.....And we know, Turner Realty is your Lakefront Property and Lifestyle Resource.   Hey' we'll see ya on the lake!

 

 

Clark's Hill never ceases to amaze me.  Just when you think nothing is going on, you hear about all kinds of fish being caught.  Fish don't bite all the time and some days you just can't catch a fish.  If you go very often and do things halfway right, you will catch fish on this lake.  I have said for many  years, Clark's Hill fishing is often all or none.  When you find fish on the lake, you can often catch many times your limit.  I personally keep few fish anymore.  I do take some, however, especially those that probably  won't survive. I know it would never work, but I would like to see our lakes undergo a period of time where no fish could be removed.  Could you imagine how good the fishing could get.  It was done on the Savannah River for striped bass for years and now the striper fishing is tremendous.  I sure wish we could do it on the lake.

Crappie fishing has been very good lately.  My good friend, Mike Dewberry, wore the big ones out on one of our brush piles we made two years ago.  I've seen several coolers full from night fisherman as well.  The hybrids are beginning to school a little better now and will continue to get better.  I saw a large school while showing property by boat near the mouth of Fishing Creek.  I have had reports of schools from all over the lake.  Many lures will take these fish ...  zara spooks, gunfish, pointers, thing poppers, spoons, rooster tails, grubs, little fishes and flukes ... just to name a few.  Trolling will start to come into play though the dog days of late July and August.  You can use redfins, rebels, bucktails, and umbrella rigs.  They will all catch fish.  While trolling, you can watch your depth finder and look for schooling fish.  It is a good way to find some fish. 

Remember, you can't catch a fish without wetting a hook and with 1,200 miles of shoreline, catching fish is a lot like finding the perfect waterfront property to buy, you gotta know where to go ....

And we know, Turner Realty is your Lakefront Property and Lifestyle Resource.   Hey ...  we'll see ya on the lake!

 

Have you ever been to the J. Strom Thurmond Dam?  If not, its quite impressive.  It took more than 100 million yards of concrete during construction.  They have a nice visitors center on the South Carolina side.  There is also a park just below the dam with a ramp to the river.  For more details, visit http://www.sas.usace.army.mil/lakes/thurmond/dayuseinfo.htm#belowdamday . 

If you're planning on camping this summer, make your reservations now as the camps fill up fast.  Of course, that's no problem if you live here like we do.......

This is the time of year for night fishing.  Really for all species.  Bass will feed in the shallows at night.  You can use the same tactics you use during the day.  Mornings are better than afternoons in general because the fish are more comfortable after the water has cooled at night.

For crappie, I would go to the back of any creek until I got to 30 feet and anchor there.  Use lanterns to attract the baitfish and crappie.  Use small minnows and a small hook with just enough weight to keep the line tight.  I like to use a #4 and even a #6 hook.  Most people use too large a hook, in my opinion.  If you fish during the day, try standing timber. There are a lot of trees submerged on the lower end of the lake.  They are all along the Savannah River and also up the Georgia Little River.  In the upper portion of the lake the trees weren't cut and are visible now.

Catfish are on a tear right now.  Fish live bream, perch, or herring on bottom at night for the big flatheads.  For the smaller fish, use worms, liver, or cut herring.  Be patient for the big fish; most nights you will get a few shots at fish over 15 pounds.  Fish over 20 pounds are regularly caught and  I'm sure there are some  over 80 pounds. 

Those who are trying to catch the big are doing so.  I, personally, feel they are underfished and have some concerns for our bream populations.  I am catching more and bigger catfish while fishing for striper in the last few years.

Remember, you can't catch a fish without wetting a hook and with 1200 miles of shoreline, catching fish is a lot like finding the perfect waterfront property to buy, you gotta know where to go....

And we know, Turner Realty is your Lakefront Property and Lifestyle Resource.   Hey' we'll see ya on the lake!

 

 

If you like hiking, the Bartram Trail at the lake is a good one.  The eight mile trail is well marked with yellow blazes.  The lake springs spur splits off where a day use facility is located.  There's an old abandoned air strip being used as a wildlife food plot.  Select this site  for a map and other information.http://www.sas.usace.army.mil/lakes/thurmond/dayuseinfo.htm

The fishing has continued to be as hot as the weather.  Ther striper and hybrids are surface schooling in the mornings.  I've had good reports from both ends of the lake, especially below the Russell Dam where some really big fish were taken week. 

 This a a 28.5 pound catfish caught while fishing with Dale Turner last week.

 If you're looking for that monster catfish, now is the time to go.  I would use live bream at night.  I suggesst fishing the Raysvile area or in the South Carolina Little River area.  See the sites below for fishing regulations.

South Carolina Fishing        http://www.dnr.sc.gov/

Georgia Fishing                     http://georgiawildlife.dnr.state.ga.us/

I can tell you the fishing has been real good last week and I see no reason next week shouldn't be as good.  I like to use the solunar tables to help me decide when to go.  It can tell which days of the month are best and which hours of the day should be best.  July 11th thru the 16th are the best rated days of  this month.  Mornings are always good this time of year and will be until the cooler weather starts to arrive in September.  So, definitely fish the mornings.  I would usually quit by lunch, but these days show the middle of the day to be excellent.  I would stay a little longer this week, you could see some good fishing at or around noon.  I have heard a few people seeing some schooling fish at 10:00 to 11:00 in the morning lately.  I may be wrong, but I predict some strong schoolng actively later in the day.  This feeding time is good for all species.

Black bass fishing should be red hot fishing humps.  You can try a clear gumfish early, then go to small plastics later.  Try some 4" lizards or 4" chartreuse worms rigged Carolina style.  Last year at this time, there were many catches of 30 fish per day.  This pattern should last for a few more weeks.

Shellcracker and smaller catfish are still on a tear off points on worms.  Don't stay on one point more than thirty minutes if you're not catching fish.  Move from point to point until you get some action.  There couldn't be a better time to catch these montser flatheads than now.  Go at night and fish either the Raysville area of the South Carolina Little River area.  Take either live bream (and don't be afraid to ace a big one) or herring.  Anchor up the front and back of the boat and chum the area with herring if possible.  Put out several rods and with some patience, you will be rewarded. 

Remember.........You can't catch a fish without wetting a hook. And....with 1200 miles of shoreline at the lake, catching fish is a lot like finding that perfect waterfront property, you gotta know where to go..and WE KNOW! Turner Realty is your lakefront property and lifestyle resource....and Hey, we'll see you at the lake!

 

Bring chairs and a blankets to Elijah Clark State Park this Saturday and watch the annual Thunder over Thurmond fireworks show, sponsored by Lincoln and McCormick Counties.  Beginning July 3rd there are activites scheduled throughout the week including a concert  featuring Confederate Railroad at the American Legion Post 194 fair grounds in Lincolnton.  Please go to turnerrealtyonthelake.com for a link to more information.

If you're a new boat owner and wondering where to launch, we have a complete list of launching ramps as well as swimming area  information about corps day use on both Georgia and South Carolina sides.  It's all on our  web site for your convience. 

We are definitely in the summer pattern now.  The water is warming up fast.  The spawn is basically over for the year.  However, there are always a few late bedders to be caught.  The shellcracker and catfish will still do a little bedding but usually to a  lesser degree than in previous months.

The crappie will begin to orient towards the creek channels.  Standing timber is a good place to look for  them.  Also look for deep brush in the creek channels.  If you see a lot of small arches anywhere, try it.  Sometimes you can really find a good group this way.

Shellcracker and catfish can always be caught this time of year fishing worms on sandy and rocky points, especially if there are plenty of muscle shells there as well.  It is essential to use two anchors to keep the bait still.

I have had excellent reports from several bass fisherman who say they have caught 20 -  30 bass on their last few outings fishing humps with small plastics.

Hybrids and stripers are schooling but on an inconsistant basis.  The early morning bite has been far better than in the late afternoon.  Expect trolling to become one of the better methods in the weeks ahead.  You can also jig a hopkins spoon just above any fish spotted on the dept finder.

The bottom line is no one ever caught a fish sitting at home.

Remember with 1200 miles of shoreline at the lake, catching fish is a lot like finding the perfect water front property to buy - you gotta know where to go.

... And we know - Turner Realty is your lakefront property and lifestyle resource.

Hey' we'll see you at the lake

 

 

 

Hands on candle making this weekend at the lake. Join Becky Bresnahan as she demonstrates candle making the old fashioned way. This is for kids and adults.

If you have any questions about Georgia or South Carolina fishing regulations at the lake, we have the DNR site links:

South Carolina State Fishing Regulations

Georgia State Fishing Regulations

June is transition month. The air is hot and the water will stratify. Most fish are in the after spawn mode and will feed shallow early and late. In the middle of the day, they will pull out into deeper water. This is especially true on sunny hot days. On cloudy days, your good fishing times will last longer and be more comfortable. This will up your odds.

Night fishing for hybrids under ridges is good thru June. You can usually net your own bait but you can’t count on it. Crappie fishing at night is good now as well. You can actually fish for both at the same time.

Top water fishing is being overtaken now with fishing mop jigs on Carolina rigged worms and lizards. Try 4” worms and lizards, fish humps, and the end of long points on the main lake.

Catfish can be taken on jugs, trot lines, and rod and reel. Shell cracker will be again in Jun but you have to be lucky to find them. Crappie will get on brush piles and under deeper docks for shade.

I would like to thank, Capt. William Sasser, U.S. Coast Guard-licensed professional guide specializing in crappies, hybrids and striped bass. (706) 589-5468, and Ralph Barbee, professional guide specializing in hybrids, stripers and largemouth bass, (706) 860-7373 for putting me onto the fish last month.

Remember, with 1200 miles of shoreline at the lake, catching fish is a lot like finding the perfect water front property to buy - you gotta know where to go.

And we know... Turner Realty is your lakefront property and lifestyle resource.