The largest Corps lake east of the Mississippi, where blueback-herring-fattened largemouth and spotted bass roam open water and rip topwater over deep offshore humps at first light.
Georgia71,100 acresMAX DEPTH 180 FT
Clarks Hill (J. Strom Thurmond Lake) shoreline — open the app for the full depth map
The fishery
J. Strom Thurmond (Clarks Hill) is a 71,100-acre USACE reservoir on the Savannah River at the GA/SC line, held at a 330-ft full pool with roughly 1,200 miles of shoreline. The lake splits into two major arms: the Georgia Little River arm to the west and the main Savannah River arm running north, joining near the dam and the Keg Creek confluence. Since blueback herring were introduced, the bass fishery has shifted to an open-water, herring-chasing pattern - fish live deep in summer and winter and roam offshore points, humps, and 'islands' rather than the bank except during the spawn. Classic structure includes long parallel underwater points, submerged humps and shoals, standing timber and brush in creek arms, and rocky mid-lake points that hold spotted bass. Seasonally: prespawn and spawn (Feb-Apr) pull largemouth into Little River creeks (Grays, Lloyds, Rousseau); summer and fall bring schooling topwater blowups over offshore structure at dawn as bass and hybrids corral herring, and spoons or drop shots work the 25-40 ft range midday.
Species
Largemouth bass · Spotted bass · Striped bass · Hybrid striped bass · Black crappie · Blue catfish · Bluegill
On BassHawk
Everything below points at one goal — finding the most, and the biggest, largemouth bass on Clarks Hill (J. Strom Thurmond Lake).
Lake mapFull nautical-dark lake map with curated fishing spots and structure.
Daily guide reportA fresh report for Clarks Hill (J. Strom Thurmond Lake) every day — where the bite is, what's working, what changed.
Live bite forecastHour-by-hour bite score from weather, solunar, pool trend, and water temp.
Routed trip plansA timed, routed fishing plan built for the day you're going — launch to last cast.
Fish attractors62 state-placed brush piles and habitat sites marked on the map.
Spots & logSave your own spots, log catches, and carry them across devices.
Getting on the water
Amity Recreation Area Baker Creek State Park Baker Creek Welcome Center Below Dam, GA Below Dam, SC Big Hart Recreation Area Bobby Brown Day Use Broad River Campground Buffaloe Creek Subdivision Bussey Point Mgt. Area Calhoune Falls Park Camp Knox Catfish Subdivision Chamberlain Ferry, GA Chamberlain Ferry, SC (Closed) Cherokee Recreation Area Clarks Hill Park Clay Hill Campground Dordon Creek Ramp Dorn Ramp Double Branches Boat Ramp Eddie Fletcher Memorial Park Elbert Co. Subdivision Elijah Clark SP Campground Elijah Clark SP Campground Elijah Clark SP Campground Elijah Clark SP Day Use Fishing Creek Ramp Fishing Creek Ramp (Closed) Forest Lake Estates Boat Ramp Ft Gordon Recreation Area Ft Gordon Recreation Area Gill Point Recreation Area Greys Creek Ramp (Closed) Hamilton Branch Campground Hamilton Branch Day Use Hawe Creek Campground Hesters Ferry Campground Hickory Knob State Park Hickory Knob Subdivision Hidden Harbor Subdivision Holiday Park Holloway Ramp Hwy 220 Ramp (Crooked Bridge) Hwy 28 Access Keg Creek Boat Ramp Lake Spring Recreation Area Lakeside Estates Landam Creek Ramp Leathersville Boat Ramp Leroys Ferry Little River GA Boat Ramp Little River Marina - Main Ramp Little River Marina Dry Stack Little River Quarry Little River Subdivision Long Cane Creek Park Maxim Village Subdiivision McIntosh Bottoms Mistle State Park Campground Mistletoe State Park Cabins Mistletoe State Park Day Use Modoc Boat Ramp Modoc Campground Modoc Shores Montego Point Morrahs #2 Morrahs Ramp #1 Mt. Carmel Campground (Closed) Mt. Carmel Day Use Mt. Pleasant Murry Cr. Park Ramp (Closed) Murry Creek Boat Ramp New Bourdeaus Subdivision Parksville Recreation Area Parkway Boat Ramp Petersburg Campground Pistol Creek (Closed) Plum Branch Yacht Club Raysville Campground Raysville Marina Ridge Road Campground Rousseau Cr. Subdivision Scotts Ferry Service Area Soap Creek Marina Soap Creek Subdivision Tradewinds Marina (old ramp) Tradewinds Marina Main Ramp Wells Creek Subdivision Wildwood Park Wildwood Park Winfield Campground Winfield Hill Sub. Ramp B Winfiled Hills Subv. Ramp A