Lake Hartwell Fishing Report May 2017

Hartwell: Level: 8 feet low. Temp: 72 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Linesides: Guide Preston Harden reports, “The month of May might be the best month of the year for catching lots of fish. Hybrids and stripers are very shallow right now. They are oozing sperm and eggs when we bring them into the boat. They will get very hungry after they drop their eggs. The blueback herring are starting their spawn, and this will keep the fish shallow. Hybrids and stripers will dominate the shallow points, humps and shoals early in the day. The largemouth and spots will stay shallow all day long. Fish with imitations that represent blueback herring. If herring follow your lure back to the boat, you are in the right area. As we transition into May, I will go from a 1/4-oz. scrounger jig head and a Zoom Super Fluke Junior in green albino to a Sebile Magic Swimmer. I like the slow-sinking, white color style Sebile. By the end of the month, I will tie on a Lucky Craft Sammy in ghost minnow. I will also have live blueback herring. Fish will come from a long ways away to eat a herring right now.”