Some of those stripers are still in the lake, but most of the hybrids have been caught or died. A few of those pre-2001 stripers are big, with a 50-pound striper possible.

This year, there should be good numbers of 10-pound stripers in the lake, according to Ed Bettros, fisheries biologist. "Good," that is, relative to the numbers in the past, he reminds fishermen. The stripers will be easier to catch, but not as easy as a 3-pound hybrid.

There is a concern about the colder, less-oxygenated water from Russell coming into the upper Savannah River. An oxygen system has been put in at the Russell dam to increase oxygen content, but that improvement does not extend for very many miles downstream. There is hope of another oxygen system being put into the Savannah River several miles downstream of the Russell dam to help the main lake.

Droughts hurt both Russell and Clarks Hill lakes. With less water filling each lake, the band of water ideal for linesiders is squeezed thinner. Growth rates as well as survival are impacted. Last year, we got through the summer without major problems, but if the drought extends through this summer, there may be problems.

Growth rates in Clarks Hill are similar to Hartwell, with both stripers and hybrids adding about two pounds per year to their weight. Stocking is spread out on this lake, too, to help survival rates.

Anthony Rabern's tips for Hartwell will help you on Clarks Hill too. Stripers and hybrids can be caught from above Raysville Bridge in the Georgia Little River to the dam, and up the Savannah to the Russell dam. Clarks Hill has big flats where baitfish and hybrids congregate, and you can catch them there.

Always watch for gulls diving on the water, too. This is true on all three lakes. When the schools of stripers and hybrids start hitting the blueback herring, the gulls join in the feast, picking off injured herring that float to the surface and grabbing live ones that try to escape and swim too close to the top.

Dave Willard guides on Clarks Hill for both stripers and hybrids. He says you'll be surprised at how shallow big stripers will get at some times of the year. He'll use a planer board to take his bait up into three feet of water on points. The planer board lets him keep his boat out and away from the shallows so he doesn't spook the fish.

Drifting live blueback herring on the main lake's points and flats will produce stripers and hybrids. Always look for baitfish. Drop several bluebacks down on Carolina rigs with a 1-ounce sinker above a swivel. Have a 36-inch leader tied from the swivel to a 3/0 hook, and put the herring on it.

As you ease around the flats and points, try to keep your bait down just above the level where you're seeing bigger fish on your depthfinder, but just below the schools of baitfish. Make it look like a baitfish that got separated from the school and should be an easy meal.