The Bassmaster Elite Series will bring its fifth tournament of the season — the Pride of Georgia presented by Evan Williams Bourbon — to the Peach State.
Clarks Hill Lake, a 39-mile-long impoundment located 22 miles north of Augusta, is a 71,535-acre fishery officially named the Strom Thurmond Reservoir. It forms the border between Georgia and South Carolina and is a renowned topwater lake.
Fishing fans can watch the on-the-water action from the May 1-4 Pride of Georgia on The Bassmasters, which airs Saturday, May 10, at 9 a.m. ET on ESPN2.
This is the fourth straight season in which BASS' top level of competition will visit Clarks Hill Lake, a quality bass fishery highlighted by an explosion of blueback herring, a saltwater forage fish. The baitfish, which also include significant amounts of threadfin shad, provide a plentiful food base for bass, especially largemouth looking to feed in the shallows.
In 2006, Davy Hite of Ninety Six, S.C., posted his seventh BASS win at Clarks Hill with a four-day total of 71 pounds, 12 ounces. Hite's success came while he fished a ½-ounce jig in the Parksville area and Little River and King Creek areas located on the Georgia side of the impoundment.
During last season's stop at Clarks Hill, Mike McClelland of Bella Vista, Ark., fished a jig throughout the four days and surprised Chris Lane of Winter Haven, Fla., who had led the tournament going into the final day. McClelland won by just more than 1 pound, with 70 pounds, 7 ounces overall to Lane's 69 pounds, 0 ounces.
"One of the keys to succeeding on Clark Hill Lake is finding the baitfish and where the blueback herring are grouped together," said McClelland, who is atop the standings in the 2008 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year race and aiming for his seventh BASS victory. "Many people think its necessary to "match the hatch" and mimic those baitfish but once you find areas they are in, you can catch them pretty much anyway you want."
With seven Elite stops to go, at stake at Clarks Hill is a $100,000 top prize and valuable points in the TTBAOY race.
"Getting that Angler of the Year title is the ultimate goal for me," McClelland said. "I just need to maintain consistency and hopefully the rest falls into place."