Lake Hartwell Fishing Report July 2013

Hartwell: Level: 1.7 feet above full pool. Temp: 79 degrees. Clarity: Main lake is clear; creeks and rivers are stained.

Bass: July is the month when largemouth and spot fishing slows down. The bass will start suspending over deeper water and will be concentrated around baitfish pretty good. There is still a topwater bite especially if you get around some schooling fish.

Linesides: Guide Preston Harden reports, “Summer fishing is hot. June has been more like May. Fish have been shallow early, chasing baitfish on the surface. Locating fish has not been easy, as the fish have been scattered all over the lake and moving fast. With warmer air temperatures, the water is warming fast and the fish are moving out of the creeks and upper rivers. Look for fish in 30 to 40 feet or deeper. A good graph is important for locating fish in deep water on the lower half of the lake. A blueback herring will catch fish if you can find them. Drop the herring down to the level of the fish on a Carolina rig. For those who like to fish artificials, these aggressive fish will eat a big 1-oz. jig head and a large swimbait. My favorite is a 5-inch Berkley Power Bait swimbait. Cast out, and let it fall on a tight line. Give it a pop every few seconds. If you don’t get hit on the fall, reel it back very fast. Later in the summer, as fish go to 60 to 100 feet, drop the jig straight down to the fish marked on the graph. When they move toward the jig, reel fast and hold on.”