Lake Hartwell Fishing Report – April 2024

Hartwell: Level: 1.1 feet above 661. Temp: 58-65 degrees. Clarity: The main lake and bigger creeks are clear, but there is some stain in coves and smaller creeks.

Bass: Trent Gober, with Fish Hartwell Guide Service, reports that bass are moving up the hill, headed to spawning areas. Some largemouth spawned in March, but many more will spawn in April back in the pockets. Spots will be spawning out on islands, shoals and points 10 to 12 feet deep. Shad will be in full spawn on rip-rap, rocks and docks, and herring seem to be preparing to spawn early, in April, this year, not May. All the spawning activity of bass and bait means many patterns and baits will work. For prespawn, spawn and postspawn, fish for largemouth in the pockets with a white or white-and-chartreuse bladed jig around any wood or grass. Put a Zoom Tennessee shad colored Shimmer Shad on it as a trailer. It is super soft and has great action on a bladed jig. If the water is stained, try the same with some red and chartreuse in them. Try a Vision 110 with some blues in it around the areas where spots spawn. A weightless green pumpkin or watermelon-red Senko will catch fish under many conditions, as will a wacky-rigged worm. Fish them around rocks and wood cover from the main lake into the pockets. If you spot bass on the bed, try a drop shot with a red-crawfish bait. The color doesn’t matter to bass, so use a bright color that you can see to detect bites.

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