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Lake Hartwell Fishing Report November 2015

GON Staff | October 29, 2015

Hartwell: Level: 2.5 feet below full pool. Temp: 65-69 degrees. Clarity: Clear with some stain in the rivers.

Bass: Tournament angler Kerry Partain reports, “You can see a lot of baitfish activity in the creeks and the major pockets off the main lake, both on the surface and on the Lowrance graph. There has been schooling activity throughout the day on the points and humps in 15 to 25 feet, so move around until you find some active fish. Once you locate the bass, you can catch them on a variety of lures from topwater lures and Zoom Super Flukes on the main lake to jerkbaits and crankbaits in the creeks. You can still catch spotted bass on a drop shot around the brush in the same areas, and they are really feeding up for the winter. There are some big largemouth shallow in blowdowns and brush along the bank, and you can catch them with a spinnerbait and a Texas-rigged Baby Brush Hog. By mid November, the baitfish will begin to stack up in the ditches and major pockets, and then you can catch them on a jigging spoon and a Blade Runner.”

Linesides: Guide Preston Harden reports, “November can be good one day and bad the next. It depends on cold snaps that trigger the turnover. When the lake is turning, it can get tough. Look for greener colored water as the lake does not all turn at once. Usually, the upper lake and creeks complete the turnover first. The fish migrate to the creeks and up the lake looking for cleaner, oxygenated water. It is time to put up the topwater plugs until next spring. The fish are now feeding on threadfin shad and are looking for small baits. Small flukes on jig heads and other threadfin shad imitating lures will catch finicky fish. Bass and crappie also migrate back into the creeks and up shallow feeding more aggressively as the water cools. Fall fishing can be as good as spring fishing with November being similar to April.”

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