December 15

Lake Hartwell water levels are all the way down to 656.50 (full pool is 660.00) and the lake is very clear. Morning surface water temperatures have dropped to about 60 degrees.

As the birds have arrived there are more clues for finding striped bass, but Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports that most of the gulls diving on the surface right now are on loons. However, birds are likely to be in the area where the bait is located and so they can tip you off to where to fish. 

Overall fish are still in the same places well up the rivers and creeks, and they will remain there as long as temperatures stay in this ideal range of about 58-61. They are mostly set up on points and ridges with clean flat bottoms in about 40 feet of water. They remain related to the bottom and down-lines are the best way to target them. Fish are extremely bait-oriented, and again – if you don’t mark bait you aren’t going to see fish.  

There is still no substantial schooling activity and the few fish breaking are usually spotted bass.

Chip notes that when there is no wind the fishing is usually a little tougher. 

Speaking of bass, Guide Brad Fowler reports that with water levels continuing to drop the deep bite continues to be the best thing going, and out in 20-45 feet of water catching fish on a drop shot, spoon, jig or shakey head continues to be pretty easy.  Fish are generally still related to creek channel edges, drops and ditches. Some of them are suspended but most of them are on the bottom. 

The best stuff Brad has found is out on the main lake but you can also find fish in the creek ditches on the shallower end of the depth range. 

Captain Bill Plumley is back on the catfish again, and from what he has seen they have moved very deep. The blue catfish he has caught have been out in 50-75 feet of water, and except for some smaller fish the channels seem to have moved out deep, too. At night they may move up shallower. 

A variety of cut baits are working. 

December 2

Lake Hartwell water levels are all the way down to 657.44 (full pool is 660.00) and the lake is very clear. Morning surface water temperatures have dropped to about 61-63 degrees.

While water temperatures are still in a range where there should be plenty of bass eating up shallow, Guide Brad Fowler reports that they are pulling the lake down so fast that most of the fish just don’t want to be up there. In three days water levels have dropped a foot! 

Still, Brad has found very good fishing in deeper water where fish are grouped up in 30-40 feet of water with a few a bit deeper. He has found them in the main lake as well as at the mouths of several creeks, and they are not related to brush but instead holding to creek channel edges, drops and ditches. Drop shot, spoons and football jigs are all working and fish seem to be over most all the deeper structure.  

While catching numbers is easy right now, there are also some quality fish being landed. A recent tournament was won with a whopping 26 pounds and there was also another bag near 20. 

Captain Bill Plumley has also been catching plenty of spotted bass on minnows in about 40 feet, and he notes that they are getting into their winter patterns. 

While the pattern for striped bass fishing has not changed very much, Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports that the fishing has been excellent this week for good numbers of striper, spots and hybrids. They have also caught (and released) some quality fish in the teens. 

Fish are still in the same places well up the rivers and creeks, and they will remain there as long as temperatures stay in this ideal range of about 58-61. They have moved a bit deeper, and fish are mostly set up on points and ridges with clean flat bottoms in about 36-40 feet of water. They remain related to the bottom and down-lines are the best way to target them. Fish are extremely bait-oriented, and again – if you don’t mark bait you aren’t going to see fish.  

Again this week there was no substantial schooling action, but there are a few single fish running up to the surface.

November 19

Lake Hartwell water levels are down to 658.95 (full pool is 660.00) and the lake is clear. Morning surface water temperatures have dropped to about 65 degrees.

It continues to be an excellent time to catch spotted bass around brush on Clarks Hill, but Guide Brad Fowler reports that between the dropping water levels and the time of year including incoming cold fronts the shallow bite that is already dropping off should get tougher. 

Fish are starting to get in ditches and creeks as they pull water, and in 25-40 feet spoons, shakey heads and blade runners are starting to work. Of course, fish can still be caught out on main lake points and brush piles with spoons and drop shots.

In addition to artificial lures, spotted bass can also be caught on herring or long-lined minnows (and jigs) just as if you are crappie fishing. Spots are feeding very well right now.

It continues to be good striped bass fishing on Lake Hartwell, and Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports that this week he has caught fish in all the rivers and creeks except for Six and Twenty Creek. There was very little bait in there, which is still critical. But that does not mean bait and fish could not run in there tomorrow!

Overall fish are in about the same places in the rivers and creeks as last week. They will move a little further up the rivers, but they are about as far back in the creeks as they will get until early spring. 

Fish are still set up on points and ridges with clean flat bottoms in about 30-35 feet of water. They remain related to the bottom and down-lines are the best way to target them. Fish are extremely bait-oriented, and again – if you don’t mark bait you aren’t going to see fish.  It’s a pretty straight-forward pattern, but one skill is knowing when to stay and when to move. Fish will come through in waves, and if you don’t wait long enough or wait too long you will miss opportunities. 

Again this week there was no substantial schooling action, but there are a few single fish running up to the surface.

In 15-20 feet of water Captain Bill Plumley reports that the bite for channel catfish is still pretty good with worms and cut herring, while the bigger blue catfish are generally still out in the deep timber. With the water cooling it’s a good time to pursue a flathead with live bream or perch around brush.  At night they will get as shallow as just a few feet of water, while during the day they will be in 30-50 feet. 

November 11

Lake Hartwell water levels are finally below full pool at 659.79 (full pool is 660.00) and the lower lake is in the process of turning over. Morning surface water temperatures are down to about 66-67 degrees.

The bass fishing on Lake Hartwell was better than expected last weekend, and in the 2-day Phantom Invitational many anglers reported catching 50 and even 100 fish in a day. Simply getting bites is fun and easy, and you can catch fish on a drop shot, shakey head, swimbait, by cranking the bank and on a buzzbait. At the same time, catching better fish is proving more challenging.

Still, there were more heavy bags than anticipated. It’s not entirely clear how the bigger fish were coming, but Guide Brad Fowler who did not fish understands that some better ones were caught on a buzzbait. The schooling fish which are still prevalent are mainly smaller. 

Overall it’s a great time to catch spotted bass on Lake Hartwell, even though not everyone is managing to get into the better largemouth. 

There’s not a lot of change in the striped bass fishing on Hartwell, and Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports that fish are in about the same places in the rivers and creeks as last week. They will move a little further up the rivers, but they are about as far back in the creeks as they will get until early spring. 

Fish are still set up on points and ridges with clean flat bottoms in about 28-35 feet of water. They remain related to the bottom and dow-lines are the best way to target them. Fish are extremely bait-oriented, and if you don’t mark bait you aren’t going to see fish.  

Again this week there was no substantial schooling action, but there are a few single fish running up to the surface. 

In 15-20 feet of water Captain Bill Plumley reports that the bite for channel catfish is still pretty good with worms and cut herring, while the bigger blue catfish are generally still out in the deep timber. With the water cooling it’s a good time to pursue a flathead with live bream or perch around brush.  At night they will get as shallow as just a few feet of water, while during the day they will be in 30-50 feet. 

November 4

Lake Hartwell water levels are still high but down to 660.17 (full pool is 660.00) and with what appears to be an early turnover the lake is a little stained in places. Morning surface water temperatures are still about 70 degrees.

In the last few days the schooling action for striped bass has significantly slowed down on Lake Hartwell, and Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports that fish are really starting to get into fall patterns. They will head a little further up the rivers, but they are about as far back in the creeks as they will go until early spring. Fish are setting up on points and ridges with clean flat bottoms in about 28-35 feet of water and they are related to the bottom. Fish are extremely bait-oriented, and if you don’t mark bait you aren’t going to see fish. 

Numbers of striper are a bit down right now, and the catch is mostly hybrids but with a ton of spotted bass mixed in. Some areas have just spots, and others have hybrids and spots, but it would be rare to find an area without spotted bass.

 

While the schooling activity for striper is slowing down the spotted bass are schooling like crazy, and Guide Brad Fowler reports that he is mostly seeing them chasing bait at the mouths of creeks. Long fingers off the main lake are also holding a lot of bait and fish. 

While there are probably some better fish mixed in a lot of these spotted bass are small, and to target better fish Brad advises that the turnover has started some fish migrating towards deeper water while others are moving to the bank at the mouths of creeks as well as further back.  The surface bite may not last much longer but for now buzzbaits are still working, with spinnerbaits and crankbaits also productive.   

In 15-20 feet of water Captain Bill Plumley reports that the bite for channel catfish is pretty good with worms and cut herring, while the bigger blue catfish are generally still out in the deep timber. With the water cooling it’s a good time to pursue a flathead with live bream or perch around brush.  At night they will get as shallow as just a few feet of water, while during the day they will be in 30-50 feet. 

October 21

Lake Hartwell water levels are still high but slightly down to 661.39 (full pool is 660.00) and the main lake is clear while the rivers are dirty to muddy. Morning surface water temperatures range from the low 70s to about 75 degrees depending on area. 

While there’s no doubt you can catch a lot of spotted bass around brush piles, Guide Brad Fowler reports that there is starting to be some really good schooling activity – particularly at the mouths of major creeks. Fish are chasing bait and starting to move into the creeks as the water temperatures drop, and the topwater schooling is getting pretty widespread across the lake. 

For right now the fish will take smaller topwater lures (they are on small bait), but as water temperatures drop and the fish follow the bait into the creeks at some point they will still be schooling but want a subsurface lure like a plain fluke, small swimbait, or an underspin and fluke. When fish are not feeding on top in the creeks but still on bait they will take down-sized spinnerbaits, Chatterbaits, square-bills and other baits that imitate shad.

October 20

Lake Hartwell water levels are way above full pool at 661.71 (full pool is 660.00) and the main lake is clear while the rivers are dirty to muddy. Morning surface water temperatures range from the low 70s to about 76 degrees depending on area. 

It’s been a while since we had a crappie report on Lake Hartwell, but courtesy of veteran tournament angler Will Hinson of Cassatt it’s a good one. This weekend Will and his tournament partner won the Crappie USA Classic’s amateur division on Lake Hartwell, with a 7-fish limit of 8.96 pounds the first day and 9.15 the second. 

Unsurprisingly they caught most of their fish on wood and brush, but it was a tale of two different areas. In the muddier river they found abundant fish around brush, standing timber, and docks with brush, but generally the fish were on the smaller side in the ½ - ¾ pound range. They did weigh one river fish that weighed 1.30. 

In contrast, there were less crappie around brush piles in the clearer waters of the main lake but they were bigger fish. In both areas they found fish in the 14-32 foot range. 

Fish Stalker jigs worked very well when they would first get to a spot, but soon the fish would get wise to the artificial bait and they would have to downsize to the smallest minnows to get bites. 

Will notes that they caught an unbelievable number of spotted bass on the small jigs while crappie fishing, and they would repeatedly watch on their electronics a school of spotted bass come up chasing their bait and push the crappie off of brush. 

The striped bass are continuing their fall progression on Lake Hartwell, and Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports that from what he is seeing they are about mid-way up both rivers right now but fairly stationary. While they are moving a lot within the area where they are holding, their progression is halted at the moment. The fish are suspended between the bait and the thermocline, generally over about 50-120 feet of water. There is some schooling activity when they will take surface lures, and free lines are also working well. At other times they will take down-lines about 25-30 feet deep. 

The schooling can be a little hit-or-miss, and two days ago there was outstanding schooling while yesterday it was rare. 

The catfish and shellcracker bite remains fair on Lake Hartwell, and Captain Bill Plumley reports that both species are still in about 20 feet of water. Worms fished over sand will catch both species, while to target channels you can expand your offerings to include everything from herring to chicken livers to dip baits and look over a greater range of bottoms.   

Flatheads can also be caught fishing large live baits around trees, but how deep you need to target them depends on the time of day. At night they will get as shallow as just a few feet of water, while during the day they will be in 30-50 feet. 

When water temperatures drop a couple more degrees then it will be time to start looking for some blue cats coming out of the deep timber.

More information to follow on bass. 

October 7

Lake Hartwell water levels are up about a foot to 659.79 (full pool is 660.00) after several inches of rain with more coming, and the very backs of some creeks are getting dirty although the main lake is unlikely to be affected. Morning surface water temperatures are still about 78 degrees.

It’s been a delayed year but Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports that the striped bass are starting to catch up with where they are supposed to be in October. While there are still some fish at the dam (which are very skittish and extremely difficult to catch), by now most of the fish are about halfway up the Seneca and Tugaloo and just starting to move into the mouths of creeks. Early in the morning they are schooling on top and can be caught with free-lines and casting, while later in the day they move out to the edges of the channel where they can be caught on down-lines 30-40 feet down over 50-90 feet of water. 

If you want to get a lot of bass bites Guide Brad Fowler still advises fishing offshore, but as the water gets more stained and temperatures continue to drop the shallow bite is definitely getting better. Brad is seeing more bait getting back in the creeks now, and bass are already starting to run long coves/ short creeks off the main lake. Very soon bass will migrate into the creeks proper. A buzzbait is a good shallow option as is a square-billed crankbait, and now that there is more colored water a spinnerbait will get better and better.

Offshore, drop shot rigs will still catch plenty of fish and the topwater bite has also been decent with small jerkbaits, Spook Juniors or the smallest Sammys.

The catfish and shellcracker bite is still fair on Lake Hartwell, and Captain Bill Plumley reports that both species are in about 20 feet of water. Worms fished over sand will catch both species, while to target channels you can expand your offerings to include everything from herring to chicken livers to dip baits and look over a greater range of bottoms.   

Flatheads can also be caught fishing large live baits around trees, but how deep you need to target them depends on the time of day. At night they will get as shallow as just a few feet of water, while during the day they will be in 30-50 feet. 

When water temperatures drop a few more degrees then it will be time to start looking for some blue cats coming out of the deep timber.

September 30

Lake Hartwell water levels are down to 659.01 (full pool is 660.00) and the water is clear. Morning surface water temperatures are down to about 79 degrees.

With water temperatures having only dropped a few more degrees Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports that the movement of striped bass up the lake and out the river arms has essentially stalled out, and fish are still in basically the same places where they were two weeks ago. They are still in the top 25 feet of the water column over deep water in the Savannah, Seneca and Tugaloo, and they have only moved back a little ways into the creeks. There are a few deeper fish 40-50 feet down but this is not a major pattern.  

There continues to be some surface activity but the fish are still extremely boat shy, and so numbers are a little down. You can either cast artificial lures or let them swim onto relatively shallow down-lines. 

Even though the best bass fishing on Lake Hartwell is still offshore right now, Guide Brad Fowler reports that the shallow bite is also starting to improve. Fish have not really moved back into the creeks following bait yet, but bass are on the verge of making that move as bait is just beginning its migration.  For now pockets off the main lake and the mouths of creeks are both holding shallow fish. A buzzbait is a good shallow option as is a square-billed crankbait, and if you can find some colored water a spinnerbait can be good.  

Offshore drop shot rigs will still catch plenty of fish and the topwater bite has also been decent with small jerkbaits, Spook Juniors or the smallest Sammys.

The catfish and shellcracker bite is still fair on Lake Hartwell, and Captain Bill Plumley reports that both species are in about 20 feet of water. Worms fished over sand will catch both species, while to target channels you can expand your offerings to include everything from herring to chicken livers to dip baits and look over a greater range of bottoms.   

Flatheads can also be caught fishing large live baits around trees, but how deep you need to target them depends on the time of day. At night they will get into just a few feet of water, while during the day they will be in 30-50 feet. 

September 16

Lake Hartwell water levels are down to 659.73 (full pool is 660.00) and water temperatures are around 83. 

The striped bass fishing on Lake Hartwell has gotten exciting, and Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports that early in the morning the fish are schooling very well on top. He is finding them in the top 25 feet of the water column over deep water in the Savannah, Seneca and Tugaloo, and the fish they were on yesterday were over 153 feet of water in the Savannah! Overall the fish are just starting to inch their way back into the creeks.

The hardest part of catching the fish is staying with them, and after months of fishing pressure they are very boat shy. While you can cast artificial lures at the fish a couple of down lines and 4 or 5 free lines are often working better for guide parties, but you really have to approach them very slowly with the trolling motor or ideally let them come to you. One reason early morning is better is because fish can’t see the boat as easily.  The fish are generally on 3-4 inch bait and if you can get a bait near them they will eat it.  

The consensus is that the best bass fishing on Lake Hartwell is offshore right now, and Guide Brad Fowler reports that he hasn’t really heard of a good shallow bite. Nor is he seeing many fish shallow around docks. The BFL was won with 29 pounds over two days and most of the top bags were reportedly caught offshore. 

Drop shot rigs will catch plenty of fish, but the topwater bite has also been good even though fish are on small bait. You should downsize to small jerkbaits, Spook Juniors or the smallest Sammys,

The catfish and shellcracker bite has gotten even slower on Lake Hartwell, although Captain Bill Plumley reports that both species can still be found in 15-20 feet of water. Channel catfish can also be caught from that range out to 55 feet. 

Worms fished over sand will catch both species, while to target channels you can expand your offerings to including everything from herring to chicken livers to dip baits and look over a greater range of bottoms.   

Flatheads can also be caught fishing large live baits around trees, but how deep you need to target them depends on the time of day. At night they will get into just a few feet of water, while during the day they will be in 30-50 feet. 

September 2

Lake Hartwell water levels are down to 660.48 (full pool is 660.00) and water temperatures are still in the mid-60s. 

It’s still a very good bite for hybrid bass early in the morning, and Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports that overnight bait congregates on the bottom in 30-35 feet of water around road beds, humps and shoals and then the hybrids gorge on them in the wee hours. After that initial feeding binge the bite really slows in the morning, but you can find some hybrids and striped bass suspended 40-60 feet down near the dam on the edges of the Savannah River channel in 80-100 feet of water. The afternoon bite continues to be better than the mid-morning action. 

The bass fishing is still slow on Lake Hartwell, and Guide Brad Fowler reports that the topwater bite for suspended offshore fish is off right now and dropping lake levels have also hurt the shallow bite. He is still seeing the occasional fish cruising, but there don’t seem to be as many around the banks right now. The water temperatures are still about as high as they have been all year, and it won’t be until they start to drop that the fishing really improves. 

You can still catch plenty of small spots fishing a drop shot around brush. 

The catfish and shellcracker bite now rates as fair on Hartwell, and Captain Bill Plumley reports that both species can be found in 15-20 feet of water. Channel catfish can also be caught from that range out to 55 feet. 

Worms fished over sand will catch both species, while to target channels you can expand your offerings to including everything from herring to chicken livers to dip baits and look over a greater range of bottoms.   

Flatheads can also be caught fishing large live baits around trees, but how deep you need to target them depends on the time of day. At night they will get into just a few feet of water, while during the day they will be in 30-50 feet. 

August 20

Lake Hartwell water levels have shot back up to 661.37 (full pool is 660.00) after the torrential rains, and while the main lake has stayed clear some of the backs have gotten a little cloudy.  (It would be highly unusual for the lake to get muddy during the summer). Morning surface temperatures dropped from 87 to 84 this week, but they will probably return to the high 80s soon.  

Early in the morning it’s still a very good bite for hybrid bass, and Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports that they are catching the fish in about 35 feet of water off points on down-lines.  After the early bite morning fishing gets sluggish even though you can mark a ton of fish, but then again in the afternoon the fish are feeding better. This is likely a function of when they are generating power at the dam and the current seems to activate the fish. Instead of catching 2 or 3 in a school of 100 you can catch 10-20.

In the afternoon the fish are usually suspended 40-60 feet down along the edge of the river channel in 100-140 feet of water. They are not usually in the actual channel, which is 155-170 feet deep.

Most of the fish are now within about 5 miles of the dam, from the “junction” of Sadlers Creek and Lightwood Log south. 

The bass fishing has slowed some more on Lake Hartwell, and Guide Brad Fowler reports that getting bites has been pretty tough. There are still a few suspended fish feeding on top, but the easier way to get bites is to fish a drop shot around brush for smaller spots. It could be a function of stained water, but Brad has not seen much in the way of shallow activity the last couple of weeks. The wolf packs he was seeing cruising seem absent. 

Overall this is likely the slowest period of the whole year, and it probably won’t be until temperatures drop that the topwater action really comes on. That used to be in mid to late September, but more often recently it has been in October. 

The catfish and shellcracker bite is still good on Hartwell, but Captain Bill Plumley reports that both species have gone deeper and he is now catching them in 15-20 feet of water. Channel catfish can also be caught from that range out to 55 feet. 

Worms fished over sand will catch both species, while to target channels you can expand your offerings to including everything from herring to chicken livers to dip baits and look over a greater range of bottoms.   

Flatheads can also be caught fishing large live baits around trees, but how deep you need to target them depends on the time of day. At night they will get into just a few feet of water, while during the day they will be in 30-50 feet. 

August 6

Lake Hartwell water levels are finally down below full pool at 659.88 (full pool is 660.00)! Morning surface water temperatures had gotten into the upper 80s but have dropped to about 83. 

The front briefly messed with the hybrid and striped bass fishing earlier this week, but Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports that was only temporary. As of 7:06 this morning they had already caught 27! Early in the morning fish are mostly still in about 35-40 feet of water off points. 

During the day the front briefly caused fish to get on the bottom more in 50-60 feet, but by now they are more back to normal suspended over trees 30-40 feet down over 50-70 feet of water. 

By now most of the fish have made their way down the lake, and they are catching them in the main Savannah River run (or just off it) or near the dam, including in creeks on the lower end. 

Down-lines are still the most effective, although occasionally there is some schooling activity. 

The bass fishing has slowed a little on Lake Hartwell, with Guide Brad Fowler reporting that, although there are still suspended fish feeding on bait on the main lake that will take topwater lures, that action has dropped off.  The best pattern this week has probably been fishing a drop shot around brush, particularly out on humps. 

Even though water levels have dropped a little, they are still very high and so there are still plenty of fish up shallow feeding on bream. Topwater lures, Senkos and more will work.

The catfish and shellcracker bite is still good on Hartwell, but Captain Bill Plumley reports that one surprise this week was that his boat picked up some decent blue catfish up a cool creek in relatively shallow water. Overall, however, they are still catching far more channels, and his boat is targeting cats and shellcracker in the 8-15 foot range. Channel catfish can also be caught from that range out to 55 feet. 

Worms fished over sand will catch both species, while to target channels you can expand your offerings to including everything from herring to chicken livers to dip baits and look over a greater range of bottoms.   

Flatheads can also be caught fishing large live baits around trees in 15-20 feet of water in the creeks.  While you can fish for them in the dead of night, fishing around dawn from about 3:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. is another good time to target them.

July 28

Lake Hartwell water levels remain very high at 660.84 (full pool is 660.00) but the lake has cleared a little. Morning surface water temperatures are still in the mid-80s. 

There are a few more changes with the hybrid and striped bass bite this week, and one is that Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports that more fish have arrived at the dam. The fish that have not yet left the rivers are also further down.  

Early in the morning fish are generally still on the bottom in about 35-40 feet of water off points, particularly the deep point between two gullies. While during the day there are still some fish relating to ridges and gullies, another change is that more fish have been suspended out over trees this week. There are generally sitting 30-40 feet down over 50-70 feet of water. 

While most of the action is still coming on down-lines, there are some times when fish will come up to take a free-line pitched to them. And at rare times they will even school. 

It continues to be a better-than-expected period for bass fishing on Lake Hartwell, and Guide Brad Fowler reports that fishing with topwater lures for suspended fish that are feeding on bait on the main lake is still the best thing going. Sometimes they are schooling and at other times they will come up to take a fluke or topwater lure.  This pattern will land largemouth and spotted bass, and some really big spots were boated this week.  

You can also still catch fish on a shakey head or drop shot around brush, and with high water levels there are also plenty of fish feeding on bream around the banks. Topwater lures, Senkos and more will work.

The catfish and shellcracker bite is still good on Hartwell, and Captain Bill Plumley reports that his boat is again catching both species in the 8-15 foot range. Channel catfish can also be caught from that range out to 55 feet. 

Worms fished over sand will catch both species, while to target channels you can expand your offerings to including everything from herring to chicken livers to dip baits and look over a greater range of bottoms.   

Flatheads can also be caught fishing large live baits around trees in 15-20 feet of water in the creeks, although this week the action has been a little slow. While you can fish for them in the dead of night, fishing around dawn from about 3:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. is another good time to target them.

July 21

With recent rains Lake Hartwell water levels have shot up 8-10 inches to 660.79 (full pool is 660.00). While the creeks are muddy the main lake is still gin clear. Morning surface water temperatures dropped a degree to about 83.5 degrees. 

It continues to be a better-than-expected time for bass fishing on Lake Hartwell, and Guide Brad Fowler reports that this July is fishing way better than the last few Julys. Fish are still on a bunch of different patterns, but the best action probably continues to be targeting suspended fish that are feeding on bait on the main lake. Sometimes they are schooling and at other times they will come up to take a fluke or topwater lure. 

You can also still catch fish on a shakey head or drop shot around brush, and on this next full moon there should again be a lot of fish pulled up around bream beds.  Topwater lures, Senkos and more will work. 

There are finally some significant changes with the hybrid and striped bass, and Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports that fish are starting to move out of the rivers. There are already a lot of fish at the dam, and the fish that have not yet left the rivers are much further down.

Early in the morning fish are generally on the bottom in about 35-40 feet of water off points, particularly the deep point between two gullies. During the day they are start to relate better to the ridges and gullies themselves, with some fish on the bottom in 45-50 feet of water and a few suspended over the tops of trees in 70-80 feet. More will move into this pattern in August. 

While most of the action is coming on down-lines, there have been occasional times when fish will come up to take a free-line pitched to them. One recent day when it was raining there was even some schooling on the surface. 

The catfish and shellcracker bite has picked up a again on Hartwell, and Captain Bill Plumley reports that his boat is again catching both species in the 8-15 foot range.  Channel catfish can also be caught from that range out to 55 feet.  

Worms fished over sand will catch both species, while to target channels you can expand your offerings to including everything from herring to chicken livers to dip baits. 

Flatheads can also be caught fishing large live baits around trees in 15-20 feet of water in the creeks, although this week the action has been a little slow. While you can fish for them in the dead of night, fishing around dawn from about 3:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. is another good time to target them.

July 8

Lake Hartwell water levels are still very high at 660.42 (full pool is 660.00) and the lake remains very clear. Morning surface water temperatures are about 84 degrees. 

June used to be a really good month for bass on Lake Hartwell, and with conditions running a little behind this year Guide Brad Fowler reports that right now the lake is fishing like June used to. There is still a little bit of everything going on, but the most exciting action Brad has found has been that some big largemouth are schooling on the main lake near sunken cover. He has seen four- and five-pound fish chasing herring, and while you have to hit them almost on the nose while they are up, they will take topwater lures if you get the right cast. It hasn’t just been one day or one spot, and this pattern has repeated itself in different but similar areas. 

You can also still catch fish on a shakey head or drop shot around brush, and there are also a ton of fish up shallow around bream beds. While they will take a Pop-R or frog, overall these fish are pretty skittish and they are easier to see in the clear water than catch. 

Working the bank with a buzzbait has also been productive. 

The hybrid and striped bass continue to exceed expectations from 2020 on Lake Hartwell, and Guide Chip Hamilton(864-304-9011) reports that numbers continue to be very good. In his last trip they got 26 hybrids and striper to go with nine spots (good ones), two catfish and one perch.  Right now the spots and mingling with the hybrids.  

Again there are a few more fish showing up at the dam, but overall the best concentrations remain about mid-way down the rivers and creeks. The early bite is in 20-25 feet of water off points, while later on they are in more like 40-45 feet.  

While everything is coming on down-lines, there is still sporadic schooling which will periodically give away the locations of the fish even if they don’t stay up for long.

The catfish and shellcracker bite seems to have slowed a bit on Hartwell, and Captain Bill Plumley reports that catches for both species are down in 2-20 feet of water across the lake.  It could be that the coming storm slowed down the action, in which case the fishing is likely to be good after the storm.  

Worms will catch both species, while if you want to target just channel cats then cut bait, shrimp, dip baits and more will also work. The common denominator for finding both species together is that they will be around sand, as most of what shellcracker eat lives in sand and channels will feed on the same stuff. 

Flatheads can also be caught fishing large live baits around trees in 15-20 feet of water in the creeks. While you can fish for them in the dead of night, fishing around dawn from about 3:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. is another good time to target them.

June 23

Lake Hartwell water levels are still very high at 661.22 (full pool is 660.00) and the lake is very clear. Morning surface water temperatures are 82-83 degrees. 

It’s been a really good year so far for hybrid and striped bass on Lake Hartwell, and Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports that there’s no doubt that 2021 is fishing way better than 2020 did. They are catching very good numbers of fish, and each day for about the last week they have caught thirty plus.

More fish are showing up at the dam, but overall the best concentrations are still about mid-way down the rivers and creeks. Now the early bite is in 20-25 feet of water off points, while later on they are in more like 40-45 feet.   

While everything is coming on down-lines, there is some very sporadic schooling which will periodically give away the locations of the fish even if they don’t stay up for long.

One morning Chip saw 4 or 5 fish run up bait off a steep bank in about 20 feet of water, and when he idled over he marked a huge school of fish in 40 feet just away from the ones that had been on top. 

There are still a bunch of different ways to target bass on Hartwell, and even though high water levels change the bite a bit Guide Brad Fowler reports that fishing has been decent. 

The combination of the June 24 full moon and high water levels have a ton of bream up shallow, and Brad is seeing a lot of wolfpacks roaming the shallows. Buzzbaits, Pop-Rs and subsurface baits can all work. 

Brad has also caught some fish suspended near deep brush on flukes, and then there is a pretty good offshore bite with Carolina rigs and big worms on a Texas rig around humps, drops and of course brush. 

The catfish and shellcracker bite is still good on Hartwell, and Captain Bill Plumley reports that both species can be found in 2-20 feet of water across the lake.  Worms will catch both species, while if you want to target just channel cats then cut bait, shrimp, dip baits and more will also work.  The few shellcracker that are still spawning will of course still eat, but the channel catfish are less likely to feed during the spawn.  But they don’t all spawn at once.

The common denominator for finding both species together is that they will be around sand, as most of what shellcracker eat lives in sand and channels will feed on the same stuff. 

Flatheads can also be caught fishing large live baits around trees in 15-20 feet of water in the creeks. While you can fish for them in the dead of night, fishing around dawn from about 3:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. is another good time to target them.

June 10

Lake Hartwell water levels are still very high at 661.44 (full pool is 660.00) and the lake remains clear. Morning surface water temperatures are in the lower 80s.   

The hybrid and striped bass on Lake Hartwell are still in the same general areas, and Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports that even though a few fish are showing up at the dam the best concentrations are still about mid-way down the rivers and creeks.  They have pushed a little deeper, however, and the early bite is now in more like 15-20 feet off points. When the sun gets up they get into 30-40 feet of water in the same areas. The good news is the bite has gotten a little more prolonged, with good fishing lasting until about 9 o’clock. 

Overall numbers are very good with some big fish mixed in.

At the same time that the striper seem to be getting into a good warm water pattern, Guide Brad Fowler is less enthusiastic about the bass bite. Fish have moved into a full-on summer pattern, and as is normal at this time of year on Hartwell there is a little bit of everything going on but nothing is great. 

High water levels have probably kept a few more fish shallow, and there are a lot of bass up shallow cruising that will take buzzbaits and Pop-Rs as well as subsurface baits. There are tons of bream around the banks. 

At the same time high water levels are not as good for the offshore topwater bite because fish aren’t set up as well. You can still catch some fish on top but the better pattern may be fishing with a drop-shot rig. 

 The catfish bite is still predictable and solid on Hartwell, and Captain Bill Plumley reports that the channel cats can be found in 2-20 feet of water across the lake. They will take cut bait, worms, shrimp and processed dip baits. 

Flatheads can also be caught fishing large live baits around trees in 15-20 feet of water in the creeks. While you can fish for them in the dead of night, fishing around dawn from about 3:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. is another good time to target them.

Finally, there is a good bite for better bream in 8-10 feet of water. Look for sandy spots and fish worms.