Advertisement
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: 0.2 feet below 660. Temp: 56 degrees. Clarity: Clear. Bass: Cole Wilson, with Spot Chaser Guide Service, reports, “Fish are in all stages across the whole lake. There are some fish in prespawn, spawn and even postspawn out there right now. For prespawn fish, look in ditches and rocky points throwing a Damiki jig, shaky head and crankbait. For spawning fish, any flat pocket protected from a north wind should be holding spawning fish. Target these fish with a wacky worm or swimbait. Another spawning pattern is to target rocky shoals with a Keitech swimbait slow-rolled on the bottom. For postspawn fish, remember they are going to be lazy but will fall for a slow-moving bait like a Carolina rig, shaky head or a wacky worm. Target these fish on the first points coming out of the spawning pockets. Full moon is April 12, so the biggest wave…
Read MoreLake Hartwell Fishing Articles
If you’ve ever come out of the canal in Mexico Beach, Fla. and run 3 miles south into the Gulf of Mexico along the buoy line and experienced fish busting on top as far as you could see, that’s what it reminded me of—even if I was hundreds of miles from the salt. The scene…
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District, Hartwell Lake Project Office will open three of its larger recreation areas for hunting during the regular hunting season for 2024-2025 in Georgia, in addition to the seven areas within Fant’s Grove Wildlife Management Area in South Carolina. In Georgia, 410 acres at Hartwell Dam Quarry Area,…
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District, Hartwell Dam and Lake Project Office is seeking volunteers for the fall “Splash Away the Trash” event on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in support of National Public Lands Day. Families, friends, scout groups, civic organizations, church groups, schools, sport clubs and businesses can volunteer to help keep…
July bass fishing is hot on Lake Hartwell —in more ways than one. Hartwell largemouth and spots set up on brush and canepiles on the main lake, and you can catch numbers and quality on a variety of baits. Hartwell’s 55,000 acres make it our second-biggest lake. It is located at the beginning of the…
With a three-day total weight of 44-lbs., 1-oz., Mike Corbishley takes the victory at stop No. 2 of the National Professional Fishing League (NPFL) season at Lake Hartwell, hosted by Anderson County, S.C. Corbishley had his toughest day of the week with 12-lbs., 9-ozs., on Day 1, added 17-lbs., 7-ozs. on Day 2, and 14-lbs.,…
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 |