Lake Hartwell Fishing Reports – December 2020

Hartwell: Level: Full pool. Temp: 65-72 degrees. Clarity: Water turnover should be complete by December. After the turnover, the water gets a pretty green color.

Bass: Guide Matthew Justice reports, “Fishing has been improving day by day. Bait is moving into the creeks, and bass are feeding aggressively on secondary points and rocky areas. Fish with 3- to 12-foot diving crankbaits, like a squarebill or a Strike King 3XD. Some herring are moving into ditches, but that bite has been off and on. Throw an underspin and a spoon into bait schools in 20 to 30 feet of water.”

Linesides: Guide Preston Harden reports, “After the turnover, fish go into a feeding frenzy. The best days will be before a front when it gets calm and cloudy. The worst days will be after a front when the sun gets bright and the wind blows hard. Hybrids and stripers move up the lake and into the major creeks by December. They move shallow and chase bait on the banks and on the surface. A bucktail jig and a small fluke that imitates a small shad works. Fly fishing becomes viable with a small Clouser on sinking line. Live blueback herring can put lots of fish in the boat. Downlines work midday on bright, sunny days and freelines works early and late day. Freelined herring works all day on cloudy days.”