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Lake Hartwell
Lake Hartwell is a 56,000-acre Corps of Engineers reservoir bordering Georgia and South Carolina on the Savannah, Tugaloo and Seneca rivers. Lake Hartwell is one of the southeast's largest and most popular recreation lakes, and it offers good fishing, particularly for bass and stripers. Three recent Bassmaster Classic tournaments have been held at Hartwell. The lake is created by Hartwell Dam located on the Savannah River 7 miles below the point where the Tugaloo and Seneca rivers join to form the Savannah. Interstate 85 crosses Lake Hartwell at the Georgia-South Carolina line.
Lake Hartwell Resources
Hartwell: Level: 0.6 feet above 660. Temp: 68-73 degrees. Clarity: The main lake is clear, some creeks are stained. Bass: Cole Wilson, with Spot Chaser Guide Service, reports, “Fish are in all phases across the lake. It’s a time of year when you can pick your favorite thing to do and go do it. Look for the fish to continue spawning and pushing up to bed, as well as the herring and shad spawns across the lake. Target the herring and shad spawns by fishing shallow, flat clay or sandy points. Lots of times you can see these fish schooling and feeding up early in the morning. A weightless fluke and swimbait, such as a Keitech, are my favorites to target these fish. There is also a brushpile bite starting to happen. This pattern isn’t as effective yet, but it is a good pattern to keep in the back of…
Read MoreLake Hartwell Fishing Articles
According to bassmaster.com, a Bassmaster Elite Series pro likely saved a man’s life after pulling him from the frigid waters of Lake Hartwell on Sunday, Feb. 15. David Walker, of Sevierville, Tenn., was practicing for this week’s Bassmaster Classic when he noticed a man in the water. David was able to quickly get to the…
Kerry Partain learned a long time ago that February fishing at Lake Hartwell has its own set of rules. “One of the first things you have to do is see what kind of mood they’re in,” he said. “They might be feeding—or they may not be doing much of anything and just sitting on the…
The rock stars of the professional bass fishing world are coming to Lake Hartwell as the reservoir plays host to the 2015 Bassmaster Classic Feb. 20-22. No Georgians qualified for this year’s event, but top pros like Aaron Martens and Skeet Reese will be fishing. Last year’s winner, Randy Howell, of Springville, Ala., returns with…
As a fisherman, Chris Powell is most at home when he is on the pointy end of a bass boat with rods scattered at his feet and a target in range of his next cast. If that bass boat is on Lake Hartwell, then Chris is not just at home, he is in his own…
The chill of winter puts far too many anglers on the sidelines. Some of the biggest and most impressive stringers of fish you will ever see are caught in early February while air and water temperatures are at their lowest. My advice is to put on plenty of clothes and strike out to Lake…
Lake Hartwell Record Fish
| Largemouth Bass | 12-lbs., 6.5-ozs. | Jack Breshears | 03/08/76 |
| Spotted Bass | 6-lbs., 4-ozs. | Chad Mrazek | 03/16/25 |
| Redeye Bass | 3-lbs., 7-ozs. | Steve Williams | 04/17/04 |
| Striped Bass | 59-lbs., 8-ozs. | Terry McConnell | 02/03/02 |
| Hybrid Bass | 20-lbs., 1-oz. | Buster Green | ----- |
| White Bass | 4-lbs., 5-ozs. | H.T. Davis | 02/06/67 |
| White Crappie | 4-lb., 4-ozs. | Charles McCullough | 04/27/68 |
| Black Crappie | 3-lbs., 1.76-ozs. | Jimmy Burns | 03/02/22 |
| Walleye | 9-lbs. | T.O. Sherriff | 1974 |
| Blue Catfish | 30-lbs., 8-ozs. | Melvin Wall | 06/26/03 |
| Flathead Catfish | 66-lbs. | Darrin Sealey | 04/04/10 |
| Shellcracker | 1-lb., 4.16-ozs. | DJ Hill | 05/13/23 |
| Chain Pickerel | 2-lbs., 5-ozs. | Jay Franklin | 03/16/23 |