March 25

Lake Hartwell water levels are up to 661.24 (full pool is 660.00) and the creeks are still muddy. Morning surface water temperatures up the rivers have hit the lower 60s. 

For weeks Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) had to report that the hybrid and striped bass were

March 10

Lake Hartwell water levels are above full at 660.23 (full pool is 660.00) and after a good bit of rain some of the major creeks should soon be muddy in the backs.  Morning surface water temperatures got as high as 59 on the main lake and 61 in the backs but they are starting to drop. 

He’s not saying he told you so – but I am saying he did – as Guide Brad Fowler almost

March 1

Lake Hartwell water levels are at 659.55 (full pool is 660.00). The water is clear on the main lake but there is some color in the back of creeks. Water temperatures are about 54-57 degrees.   

There’s apparently a little bass tournament coming to Lake Hartwell this week, and Guide Brad Fowler reports

February 24

Lake Hartwell water levels are up to 659.22 (full pool is 660.00). The water is pretty clear and morning surface water temperatures range from about 52 to 54 degrees.  

With rising temperatures the hybrid and striped bass fishing has significantly removed on Lake Hartwell, but Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports

February 17

Lake Hartwell water levels are up to 659.03 (full pool is 660.00). The water is pretty clear and morning surface water temperatures range from about 48 to 50 degrees.  

Even though it’s still cold the hybrid and striped bass fishing has picked up a little on Lake Hartwell, and Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports

February 10

Lake Hartwell water levels are at 659.17 (full pool is 660.00). Some creeks are dingy to muddy but the main rivers are clear. Morning surface water temperatures are down to about 47 degrees. 

With the cold conditions it’s not surprising that fish are deep, and Captain Bill Plumley reports

February 1

Lake Hartwell water levels are at 658.11 (full pool is 660.00) and the lake has typical clarity. Morning surface water temperatures are about 49-52 degrees. 

Very cold weather has done nothing to push bass shallower on Lake Hartwell, and Guide Brad Fowler reports

January 20

Lake Hartwell water levels are at 658.28 (full pool is 660.00) and the lake is still relatively clear even after recent snow and ice. Morning surface water temperatures have dropped to about 50 degrees. 

We have gotten into that time of year where the striped bass fishing really slows down on Lake Hartwell, and Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports

January 6

Lake Hartwell water levels are back up to 657.86 (full pool is 660.00) and the main lake is still clear even as some of the creeks have gotten muddy. Morning surface water temperatures have dropped to about 57 degrees. 

The bass fishing has been pretty good on Lake Hartwell, and Guide Brad Fowler reports

December 22

Lake Hartwell water levels are at 656.52 (full pool is 660.00) and the lake is still clear. Morning surface water temperatures are still about 59 degrees.

With water temperatures surprisingly stable there’s not much change with the striped bass this week, and Guide Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011) reports

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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