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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 2025

By GON Staff | March 27, 2025

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…

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Lake Hartwell Fishing Articles

Corps Seeks Campground Park Attendant At Lake Hartwell

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District, Hartwell Dam and Lake Project, has a campground park attendant contract position open at the Twin Lakes Campground in Pendleton, South Carolina. Lake Hartwell officials are currently looking for an outgoing, active couple who would like to work as paid contract park attendants from April 1 through November…

Davis Makes History As First Back-To-Back Winner Of B.A.S.S. Nation Championship

Will Davis Jr. made history Friday when he won the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship for the second consecutive year. Not only did the 31-year-old Sylacauga, Ala., resident become the first angler to win the event in back-to-back seasons, but he started a chain reaction that helped two other anglers receive a bit of B.A.S.S.…

Davis Takes Lead, Eyes Repeat At B.A.S.S. Nation Championship On Lake Hartwell

Will Davis Jr. hoisted the Bryan V. Kerchal Memorial Trophy a year ago, and by all accounts, it looks like he wants to hold on to the hardware that is awarded annually to the winner of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship. Davis, in second place after Day 1 with 16-lbs., 1-oz., jumped into the…

Big Limit Of Spots Leads B.A.S.S. Nation Championship On Hartwell

Tim Dube had never fished a competitive round on Lake Hartwell prior to Wednesday’s start of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship. But he went out and treated the place like home water. Dube, a 29-year-old New Hampshire resident, caught a limit of five spotted bass for a total of 16-lbs., 3-ozs. That was enough…

Turn-Over Could Impact Hartwell Bass Bite As Top Club Anglers Compete

Several dynamic scenarios will be at play when anglers take on Lake Hartwell for the 2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, and Bassmaster Elite Series pro Brandon Cobb believes everything will depend on the lake turnover. “This time of year is kind of a strange time,” the Greenwood, S.C., native said. “On Hartwell the fish…

Lake Hartwell Record Fish

Largemouth Bass12-lbs., 6.5-ozs.Jack Breshears03/08/76
Spotted Bass6-lbs., 4-ozs.Chad Mrazek03/16/25
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