Lake Hartwell Fishing Report

July 17

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Lake Hartwell is in a classic summer pattern. Water temperatures are in the mid-80s, the lake is clear, and the best fishing is happening during the first few hours of daylight and again late in the evening. Once the sun gets high, most fish are moving deeper around brush piles, points, and creek channels. If you’re fishing during the middle of the day, expect to slow down and fish offshore. 

Bass

Hartwell is known for its spotted bass, and they’ve been the most consistent bite lately. Early in the morning, fish are chasing blueback herring on long points, humps, and around the mouths of pockets. Keep a topwater bait ready because schools can show up with very little warning.

After the morning bite slows down, many of the better fish move to brush piles in 20 to 35 feet of water. Drop shots, shaky heads, finesse worms, and small swimbaits are producing steady action. If you can find bream beds in the backs of creeks, don’t overlook them. Bass are hanging around those areas looking for an easy meal. 

Bass Tips

• Have a walking bait or popper ready first thing in the morning for schooling fish.

• Once the sun gets up, focus on brush piles with a drop shot or shaky head.

• Use your electronics to locate bait and offshore brush before making your first cast.

 

Crappie

Crappie have settled into deeper summer cover and are holding around brush piles, standing timber, bridge pilings, and man-made fish attractors. Most fish are suspended over 15 to 25 feet of water and are staying close to cover throughout the day.

Live minnows continue to be the top producer, but small tube jigs and curly-tail jigs are catching plenty of fish when worked slowly through the brush.

Crappie Tips

• Look for deep brush and fish attractors instead of shallow cover.

• Keep your bait just above the fish. Crappie feed upward much more often than downward.

• If you’re fishing after dark, bridges and lighted areas can produce excellent catches during the summer.

 

Striper

Stripers are holding over deep water and following schools of blueback herring. The best bite is early in the morning before boat traffic gets heavy. Anglers fishing live blueback herring are putting together the most consistent catches, while spoon and swimbait fishermen are catching fish when schools move to the surface.

Most of the fish are relating to creek channels and deeper parts of the main lake, so don’t be afraid to fish over 40 feet of water if that’s where you’re marking bait.

Striper Tips

• Spend more time searching for bait than fishing empty water.

• Fish at the depth you’re marking fish on your electronics instead of guessing.

• Keep a spoon or paddletail swimbait ready for fish that suddenly come up chasing bait.

 

Overall Outlook

Lake Hartwell is fishing well for the middle of July if you’re willing to adjust to the summer pattern. Get on the water early, stay mobile, and let your electronics do the work. Bass are relating to brush and schooling on herring, crappie are holding on deep cover, and stripers are following bait over deep water. Find the bait, and you’ll usually find the fish.