Lake Hartwell Fishing Report June 2012

Hartwell: Level: 8.0 feet below full pool. Temp: Mid 70s. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Guide Brad Fowler reports, “June fishing for the most part revolves around topwater action that happens during different times of the day. Working various walking baits on top over points, humps and standing timber is the best way to target the fish. If the fish are not wanting to come up, soft plastic worms and swimbaits can be worked slow on deep points and through the standing timber. If possible, fish during the week to avoid the recreational boaters as the lake gets a lot of boat traffic.”

Linesides: Fair. Guide Preston Harden reports, “Stripers and hybrids have been active mostly early in the mornings, and then they scatter by mid mornings. On cloudy days, they may stay shallow all day. The fish are still scattered from Keowee Dam to Hartwell Dam and even up the Tugaloo past Toccoa. They will eat herring pulled with no weight or on a Carolina rig dropped on them, especially when they are on the bottom. After the sun gets up high by late morning, fish can still be caught shallow or Carolina-rigged herring will catch fish. If artificial is your preferred choice, I recommend a Zoom Super Fluke Jr. in white ice on a 1/4-oz. Scrounger jig head. When fish chase bait and knock water in the air, try a topwater like a Zara Spook or Lucky Craft Sammy. My favorite color is ghost. It won’t be long before fish start their migration to the main lake. At that point, they will be easy to find migrating south on the thermocline.”