Lizards will be the hot bait on this sprawling South Carolina reservoir system, predicts EverStart contender Wayne Clifton of Goose Creek, S.C., and anglers can target either spawning or postspawn bass.

“I think in order to win this tournament, anglers will have to catch 28 pounds or more a day,” Clifton said. “It’s been fishing very well, despite the loss of aquatic vegetation a few years ago. The bass will likely be shallow, 4 feet or less, even after the spawn.”

In addition to lizards, Clifton believes Rat-L-Traps will be productive. “I like half-ounce chrome and blue lures,” he said. “The top lizard colors are June bug and black and blue.”

According to Clifton, most tournaments are won in Moultrie, the lower lake, for reasons he simply can’t explain.

“If the lake is down a few feet, people need to use extreme caution when they run it,” he said. “There will be exposed stumps all over the place that are normally far enough underwater that they don’t pose a problem.”

Links:

Pro field
Co-angler field
Tournament details and payouts
Pre-tournament press release