Lake Hartwell Fishing Report – September 2007

Hartwell: Level: 6.7 feet below full pool. Temp: 85 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: The summertime topwater Spooks & Flukes bite on main-lake points and humps has faded in August, according to Hartwell fishing guide Buster Greene. In early August it had been taking 17 to 18 pounds to win a four-hour pot tournament. In late August the weights had dropped into the 8 to 11-lb. range. “You still have to take a number to get on the main-lake points, but it isn’t working as well as it was,” said Buster. He expects the topwater bite back in the creeks to improve as water temperatures begin to drop. Key on boat docks or blowdowns with topwater like a buzzbait or frog. After the sun comes up, a big worm or crankbait fished on creek ledges around brush may pick up a fish or two. On the main lake, you can still catch fish on topwater with Sammys, Creek Chubs and flukes. If the topwater slows, try a pearl-colored fluke on a leadhead jig, or drop back to a green-pumpkin Zoom Finesse worm on a Carolina rig on the same points and humps.

Linesides: Fair despite the heat. Guide Wayne White said that throughout August his guide parties were boating anywhere from 15 to 25 hybrids and stripers in the 2- to 4-lb. range on nighttime trips. He is fishing live bluebacks on clear bottom in 30 feet of water in the area near Portman Shoals Marina. The guys fishing sodium lights over the river channel near the dam are reportedly catching fish in the 40- to 45-foot range. Fishing will improve as the water temperature drops in September. “When the water cools, the fish will school,” said Wayne. “The bait will come up, and the stripers and hybrids will come up, too.” When they do, Wayne will fish a combination of downlines, freelines and topwater. Buster is also fishing in relatively shallow water, about 40-feet deep and catching lots of small stripers. “The fish are predominantly striped bass in the 2 1/2- to 3-lb. range. They were catching some better fish out over 140 feet on the river channel, but that has slowed down.”