Lake Hartwell Fishing Report – May 2021

Hartwell: Level: Full pool. Temp: 68 degrees. Clarity: Two to 4 feet of visibility.

Bass: Guide Matt Justice reports, “Fishing in May on Hartwell can be really amazing. Our local population of blueback herring are spawning, and the bass are keyed in. Look on main-lake flat points, and throwing Zoom Super Flukes is by far the best bet when fishing in 2 to 10 feet of water. As the month draws close to an end, look for some bass to move to the cain piles out on points and humps in 15 to 25 feet of water. Fishing Zara Spooks in chrome over these brushpiles can get some violent reactions.”

Linesides: Guide Preston Harden, of Bucktail Guide Service, reports, “May is a great month. Most game fish have completed their spawn. They are hungry after the rigors of the annual spawn. Fish are still very shallow, especially early mornings. Hybrids and stripers drop out to deeper water by late mornings, but the bass will stay shallow all day. The herring spawn in May around shallow points. When you find the herring, you will find the fish.”