Lake Hartwell Fishing Report – April 2010

Hartwell: Level: 0.9 feet above full pool. Temp: 53 degrees. Clarity: Stained in the backs of drainages.

Bass: Good. Josh Fowler reports, “The shallow cranking bite has been the best deal going, and it should continue to produce until the fish go on the bed. On March 13 Greg Kellum and I won the NSA Team Trail Tournament with more than 20 pounds using the shallow-cranking approach. The fish have moved up into the backs of the pockets, and it’s all about being in the right place at the right time. When you hit an active school, you can catch several fish really quick. You need to have a milk run of pockets so you can move around. The wind is critical for this shallow-cranking bite, especially in the clear water. If the wind is calm, you can run up the lake and get in the stained water and use the same approach. A variety of shallow-running crankbaits will work, but I’m using the Lucky Craft D-7 and D-9 Slim Shad in chartreuse-shad or American-shad colors. As we move into April, you can expect the fish to be focused on spawning. You will find fish in all stages of the spawn, and a variety of baits will work. My go-to baits in April include a 1/8-oz. Buckeye Lures Flick-It jig head rigged with a Zoom Super Finesse worm, a 3/8-oz. Redemption spinnerbait, a Zoom Horny Toad and a 5/8-oz. Spot Remover jig head rigged with a white Zoom Speed Craw. You should be able to find fish in just about any shallow pocket or cove as you work your way around the lake.”

Linesides: Excellent. Preston Harden reports, “The bite is wide open. All the major creeks are holding fish now. Good creeks are Estanolle, Choestoea, Gumlog and Shoal creeks on the Tugaloo. Martin, Coneross and Eighteen Mile creeks are prime creeks on the Seneca River side. Twenty Six Mile Creek is also holding lots of fish. Throw bucktails, flukes, Shad Raps and other small lures that look like a small minnow. Cast to the bank on the wind-blown banks. The afternoon bite is best until about mid April, and then the morning bite will turn on and the herring bite will start. By mid May the morning bite will be better than the afternoon.”

Crappie: Good. “The crappie have moved shallow around structure less than 6 feet deep,” Preston said. “Put a small jig 3 to 4 feet under a small float. Cast it around structure, and twitch the float a foot or two and let the jig settle for a few seconds. Set the hook if the float moves at all.”