Lake Hartwell Fishing Reports – November 2020

Hartwell: Level: Full pool. Temp: 70 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Tournament angler Kerry Partain reports, “The bass fishing has still been tough, and some days are better than others, especially if they are generating. The turnover is still effecting some areas of the lake, but this should be over soon, and the fish will start feeding up on baitfish. This time of year is my favorite time to fish with less boat traffic and more active fish that actually bite. For shallow fish, you can throw a crankbait or jerkbait around rip-rap or laydowns and catch a few bigger largemouth, but most of the bass are following the baitfish on the main lake and at the mouths of creeks and ditches. For these fish, a drop shot or a jigging spoon will be good lures to use as cold November weather rolls around. Typically this time of year, we also have a lot of schooling activity, and I throw a Zoom Super Fluke and a Sammy, but this has been hit or miss at best.”

Guide and tournament angler Matt Justice reports, “Fishing has been pretty tough as far as tournament weights go. Catching numbers of fish hasn’t been a problem on recent trips. Fishing rocky points and rockpiles with crankbaits has produced plenty of spotted bass. Fishing Ned rigs in the same areas has been productive when the bite slows. Fishing shallow has produced some larger fish, but the bites are few and far between as the lake is full and in the bushes. Fishing a black buzzbait or a frog in these areas can get some bites, as well as flipping a jig around brush. Look for the natural ditch bite to get better as water temps cool. Some topwater schooling can still be found around cane piles and timber on the lower end of the lake.”

Linesides: Guide Preston Harden, of Bucktail Guide Service, reports, “November is a transition month on Lake Hartwell. Understanding the transition and migration is the key to success. Turnover occurs in November. The surface water sinks, and the deep water rises. The water turns brown and sometimes gets a foam on top. It is worse after a cold front. It gets better after a few mild days. It starts in the creeks and the upper lake. It progresses down the lake to deeper water. The oxygen gets low as the water turns. Fish run from turning water. By late November, game fish will migrate up the lake and into the creeks. I look for green water and try to avoid brown water. This migration includes bass, stripers, hybrids, crappie and catfish. November can be a tough month, but understanding the conditions and the migration can increase your odds.”

A Hartwell hybrid caught with Guide Preston Harden.