Lake Hartwell Fishing Report – February 2008

Hartwell: Level: 12.5 feet below full pool. Temp: 48 degrees. Clarity: The main lake and the rivers are clear, the backs of the creeks have a heavy stain.

Bass: Bass fishing has been good the past few weeks, said guide Josh Fowler. “The Royston Bass Club fished on Jan. 19. The winning team had 18 pounds, and it took 13 pounds to get a check. For the first three weeks of January the fishing has been fantastic. The largemouths have been schooling and chasing bait in just about all the major creek arms. The bait has migrated to the back of the creeks, and on those mild overcast days the bass get in a feeding frenzy. For the fish that are feeding on the surface, try a Buckeye Lures 3/8-oz. Su-Spin blade rigged with a Zoom Super Fluke Jr. or a 3/4-oz. C.C. spoon. Cast right into the surface activity, and let the lure fall on a slack line. The fish will hit the bait as it falls. When the fish go down, stay in the same area and cast a 1/4-oz. Spot Remover jig head rigged with a green-pumpkin Zoom Trick Worm or a Carolina-rigged green-pumpkin 5-inch lizard. If we get a week or so of cold weather, your best bet will be to head for the deep timber. Use your electronics to find fish holding in and around the trees. Vertical presentations will work well in these situations. Something to keep in mind while you’re fishing is the opportunity to see the lake while it’s down. Take advantage of this time to get a better understanding of your fishing holes. For those that are not familiar with the lake be sure to stay in the channel, some of the timber is just under the surface!

Linesides: Slow on live bait, but some jigging spoon fish have been caught. “You can go up the Seneca and mark gobs of fish, but they won’t take live bait.” Steve said the fish are feeding on very small shad in the 1 1/2- to 2-inch range, and they don’t seem to be interested in live bluebacks. “Some of the guys pulling umbrella rigs back in the creeks are catching a few fish. I think it’s a reaction bite, the fish see the artificial go by and they are hooked before they know it.” Steve thought it might be a month before things pick up. “Usually about the end of February or the first of March they will start moving up on the banks back in the creeks, and the fishing will pick up.”

Crappie: Steve said the fish should be on deep brush — if you can find any. “A lot of my brushpiles are up on the bank,” he said. “If you can find brush in 20 to 25 feet of water, the crappie should be in it.”