Hartwell Bass Fishing Report: April 16, 2025

Raymond English won the two-day club tournament with 32.33 pounds.

Hartwell: Level: Full at 660. Temp: 62-64  degrees. Clarity: Clear except for some runoff in the creeks.

The Potato Creek Bass Masters club fished a two-day tournament at Hartwell on Friday and Saturday. Raymond English won with 10 keepers that weighed 32.33 pounds. He had five at 21.41 on Friday, including a 5.77-lb. kicker. His big one hit a Trick Worm. All others hit a Carolina rig.

I had big fish with a 6.63-lb. largemouth that looked postspawn. It hit a wacky-rigged Zoom Fluke Stick with the tails dipped in chartreuse J.J.’s Magic. Fish were caught in a number of ways: topwater, crankbaits, jigs and flukes. Many fish were bedding and cruising.

I got on a fun pattern Saturday. I fished a Fluke Stick on clay with rocks on sloping banks for 2-lb. spots. They were in 8 to 12 feet of water. They were fun but not tournament-winning fish. I did have one 3.75-lb. spot doing that. I had 10 fish weighing 24.29 pounds for sixth place.

It took 20-lbs., 9-ozs. to win the BFL on Saturday. Spawning bluebacks were a key pattern for the winner.