Spending several hours out on a fishing boat with a stranger can be kind of an awkward situation, but right from the start, I could tell I was going to like fishing with Chris. "If the fisherman is willing to give up action on numbers of fish, we'll focus on a technique for a striper in the 20- to 40-pound size class. All Rights Reserved. Water temps were pushing 62 yesterday afternoon, so it could literally be overnight when a mass of fish shows up. "I use 20-pound-test clear line during this time of the year," Hamilton said. Yahoola Creek Reservoir: Gainesvilles Aquadog made another trip up to Yahoola Creek Reservoir this week and reports the water temperature was 51 degrees and very muddy. Anyone who's tried casting for these fish knows why - they bite quickly and furiously, providing for one of the best freshwater battles around. Most bites will be in 8-10ft of water. Even when the bait is out, Hamilton will focus his attention on the depthfinder. Casting worked later in the afternoon, and we ended up with 24 bowfin trolling and 9 casting. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. The bream are also out and looking nice. Some of these bass are holding very tight to heavy structure and by using this method, increase the chances of hooking the bigger fish. As readers of the blog, you may recognize all 3 of those names Emilia Omerberg, Anthony Rabern and Bert Deener for their many contributions to great fishing info! He explained that the lake is impounded by the Hartwell Dam located on the Savannah River seven miles below the junction of the Tugaloo and Seneca rivers. Hartwell is home to picturesque campsites with lakefront views, hiking trails, and comfy yurts. Its a 20-minute drive from the town of Hartwell and offers great lakefront views. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. I'll often mark a lot of fish several feet off the bottom, but if there are some big fish lying near the bottom, that's my key. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. This picturesque reservoir is a favorite spot for amateurs and pros alike. We guide for all species on Lake Hartwell and Striper/Hybrid on Clarks Hill. So here are a few tips to help you get the best results. Working the bait slow is the key and letting it hang up in the numerous brush piles that are present will draw a good bite. (Fishing report courtesy of Emilia Omerberg, Fisheries Biologist with Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division, with help from Region Staff and Local Experts), Beautiful Bluegill at Tired Creek (Photo: Emilia Omerberg), Largemouth Bass from Tired Creek (Photo: Emilia Omerberg), Tired Creek Crappie (Photo: Emilia Omerberg). Some nice bream and warmouth are also out there waiting to be caught. 2014 for Lake Hartwell Guide by Everything Internet LLC, 3 Tips For Striper Fishing On Lake Hartwell, If you ever have the opportunity to go striper fishing on Lake Hartwell, I strongly encourage you to do it. Position your boat right above a school of active stripers before you drop your bait. You can also try a Big Bite Cane Thumper in and around the grass. The white bass spawning run appears to be in full swing right now, which is WAY earlier than normal due to the record high temps weve been experiencing. Use the small ounce jig or a 4 to 4- and 1/2-inch Texas rigged worm right at the target. Try to find structure in the same depth the fish are holding. When you call, make sure to let him know we sent you! I learned that on a trip to this deep, clear lake last spring. Both the full size umbrellas and the Mini Macks are effective. "There usually won't be as much action as with our more traditional fishing pattern. Moving baits didnt produce much, but a Bobby Garland Baby Shad about 3 ft. under a float cleaned house. Here's everything you need to know before you plan a trip. A couple of boats headed to Guadalupe to no avail. With 30 years of experience fishing on Lake Hartwell, Chris had plenty of tricks up his sleeve to make sure we got lots of bites on our trip on the lake. Theres no fee for using the ramp, and its open year-round for tourists. This 393-acre campground is perfect for the occasion. Browning Ammunition has two big-game hunting loads new for 2023 that are effective on a wide range of species: the Max Point and Silver Series. You can reach them at 706-376-8590. I'll bait with live blueback herring. See you all in 5 days. Most of the action is on live bait, but there can be some topwater schooling action, too. to use bait, it is no problem. He added that it is essential to get the boat positioned just right, so he studies the layout of the fish as depicted on the graph. These fish were all found amongst big schools of gizzard shad, their preferred prey. The water is no longer muddy but still quite stained. Watch for birds and your electronics and once youre ready put out your spread. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. After 30 seconds without a bite, Hamilton mentioned something about it being a slow morning. The hybrids will usually average in the 5- to 7-pound class on Hartwell. The usual stink baits, homemade fermented catfish balls, and worms are working. monster bowfin on a jackfish Dura-Spin. on average. Hamilton added that generally the typical depth to catch fish at this time of the year would be in the 35- to 50-foot depth range; the exact depth of the fish, not surprisingly, may change a few feet either way on a given day. The SC 93 and SC 123 bridges are favorite places for Jay Bruce to catch a stringer of big Lake Hartwell slabs. Here youll find many single parking spots and nice restrooms. Once you start fishing or hook a fish look for others in the area to come over to see what is going on. We'll be in tomorrow and Tommy will be coming back out for 5. When in Doubt, Fish Streamers (And Dont be Afraid to Go Big) Add a Stinger Hook. The whites are still lagging a little. I have been guiding on Lake Hartwell since 2001, but I have been fishing for stripers since the mid 1980's. "For that reason, I'll usually lower my bait so it's about 3 feet off the bottom," he said. Unfortunately, by planning on it, it put us in this years desert zone. Their professionals offer to haul, store, tow, and launch your boat. They said that the parking lot was full on the holiday weekend, and the waterway was very busy with kayaks, canoes, and motorboats. occupy most of my time (about 200 days a year). And that's part of what makes fishing for stripers so much fun! You can visit Hartwells art galleries, cruise the lake in a boat, sign up for a bass fishing tournament, or find your way to an exclusive annual regatta. Bass: Guide Matthew Justice reports, "As we enter into December and the month passes on, we will have a more established winter pattern with the fish moving deep looking for schools of herring. Mop jigs, slow-rolled spinnerbaits, and cranks are effective when fishing in the South Carolina part. They ended up catching 9 fliers then we focused on bowfin. Reservations can be made through the Hart County Chamber of Commerce. The marina offers a wide range of services such as boat and slip rentals, fuel sales, an expansive ship store, and a restaurant. Carolina rigged finesse worms are also working on or near any sharp bends of the rivers channels. The catfish in Frog Pond are still sluggish, but we expect to see more kitties being caught as the water temps continue to rise. Bass fishing is fair. Photo: Brad Fowler. ABIGthank you for supporting Georgias cold-water resources through the purchase of yourfishing licenses, tackle, andTU Brook Trout vehicle tags! I sugar coat nothing. Hamilton wants to be on this clearwater lake and fishing about an hour before sunrise. Newbie to Trout Fishing? Almost as fast as you can reel them in, youve got another striper on the line. Subscriber Services. If you are interested in hiring a striper fishing guide on Lake Hartwell, SC, make sure you call us here at Southern Obsession Fishing Charters. The key will be to throw in shallow and work the cranks and lizards real slow. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. The Striped Bass Challenge the largest fresh water striped bass tournament came to lake Hartwell SC this year. Fish the larger Rapala Shad Raps and Risto Raps can take a few big fish mid-morning. Crank baits will be the bait of choice and the Rapala DT6 along with the RS Shad Raps and Ito Vision 110 jerk baits are catching bass. Ultimate Fishing & Outdoors | Anderson SC A number of Georgia Fisheries Management staff helped organize and attended the annual meeting of the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Some spotted bass are being caught on secondary points on crank baits and Carolina rigs. Field staff update the fishing reports each week through the fishing season, reporting on fishing success, lake levels, water temperatures, and other important information. Striper, Hybrid Bass Fishing on Lake Hartwell If you are interested in doing some Lake Hartwell striper fishing this winter, and you want to know about the best way of hooking monster striped bass, we would highly recommend that you use artificial lures rather than live bait. Chris is based in Anderson but can meet you at various boat ramps. By letting it hang up and feel the brush pile, stop the bait and just lift the rod tip slowly and let the bait fall right back into the structure. He added that as the eastern sky begins to get the first hint of light, the stripers sometimes go on a feeding binge. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The Gum Branch Mega Ramp will host two big fishing tournaments this April. The drop shot rig can even be fished from shore. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. "Sometimes the boat will spook the fish at first, but they'll usually get used to it pretty quick," Hamilton said. Bank anglers have been using live bait to catch bass and crappie. The water is deep, so anglers often use a fish finder to locate groups of stripers. It's certainly not a sure-fire setup, but it's the best way I've found to specifically target the really big fish.". Small Zoom lizards are a good choice to rig up also. Our first trip to the islands is tomorrow, Friday 27th. Fishing on Lake Hartwell is fun and challenging. The San Diego would like to thank everyone for a Great Year! Fliers then we focused on bowfin with the website Rapala Shad Raps and Risto can! Produce much, but there can be some topwater schooling action, too both the full size and... 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