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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

Lake Hartwell Fishing Report – April 2024

By GON Staff | March 27, 2024

Hartwell: Level: 1.1 feet above 661. Temp: 58-65 degrees. Clarity: The main lake and bigger creeks are clear, but there is some stain in coves and smaller creeks. Bass: Trent Gober, with Fish Hartwell Guide Service, reports that bass are moving up the hill, headed to spawning areas. Some largemouth spawned in March, but many more will spawn in April back in the pockets. Spots will be spawning out on islands, shoals and points 10 to 12 feet deep. Shad will be in full spawn on rip-rap, rocks and docks, and herring seem to be preparing to spawn early, in April, this year, not May. All the spawning activity of bass and bait means many patterns and baits will work. For prespawn, spawn and postspawn, fish for largemouth in the pockets with a white or white-and-chartreuse bladed jig around any wood or grass. Put a Zoom Tennessee shad colored Shimmer Shad…

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Lake Hartwell Fishing Articles

Hartwell Crappie Overlooked And Under-Fished

With 56,000 acres of surface water and a wealth of linesides and largemouths, Hartwell may be known as a striper and hybrid fishery, as well as a great place for topwater bass explosions in the spring. But one thing that is often overlooked on this large lake on the Georgia/South Carolina border is the crappie…

Probe the Depths For Lake Hartwell Winter Bass

Tournament bass anglers are a serious and dedicated bunch. You’ll find them lined up at first light at boat ramps on most of our Georgia reservoirs, ready to blast off for a day of competition. Winter is no exception. While most of us prefer to sit at home on blustery cold days and sharpen hooks,…

Go To School For Hartwell Fall Bass

If you are an angler, you have to love the fall. We get less competition from our hunting brothers while they put on their camos and pursue game, the recreational boaters are home waiting for a football game to start and the lakes are quiet and smooth. Add to that the fact that almost every…

Top To Bottom Hartwell Bass In June

Ziiiipppp. I heard the drag on Randy Childers’ reel make that distinctive sound that tells anglers they have just hung into something solid. When I turned and looked, Randy’s rod was doubled over, and his line was still. “Stump?” I asked. “Good fish,” Randy replied, not really talking to me as much as affirming the…

Carver, Ferman Win Berry’s Tournament At Oconee And Anglers of the Year

Kim Carver and Matt Ferman said changing weather conditions and a spinnerbait were key ingredients in their win at Berry’s Lake Oconee tournament Saturday, May 13. “We struggled all morning,” said Kim. “We mostly caught our fish off a Zoom lizard. We’d catch one on a dock, then one on a seawall, we probably only…

Lake Hartwell Record Fish

Largemouth Bass12-lbs., 6.5-ozs.Jack Breshears03/08/76
Spotted Bass5-lbs., 6.08-ozs.Raulie Bleech03/18/07
Redeye Bass3-lbs., 7-ozs.Steve Williams04/17/04
Striped Bass59-lbs., 8-ozs.Terry McConnell02/03/02
Hybrid Bass20-lbs., 1-oz.Buster Green-----
White Bass4-lbs., 5-ozs.H.T. Davis02/06/67
White Crappie4-lb., 4-ozs.Charles McCullough04/27/68
Black Crappie3-lbs., 1.76-ozs.Jimmy Burns03/02/22
Walleye9-lbs.T.O. Sherriff1974
Blue Catfish30-lbs., 8-ozs.Melvin Wall06/26/03
Flathead Catfish66-lbs.Darrin Sealey04/04/10
Shellcracker1-lb., 4.16-ozs.DJ Hill05/13/23
Chain Pickerel2-lbs., 5-ozs.Jay Franklin03/16/23