Hartwell Lake Fishing Spot

• Elevation: 792'
• Last Modified By: vinny60 on 09/08/09 02:25 PM
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Hartwell Lake offers more than 80 public park sites with picnicking, camping, or boat launching facilities. For those wanting more solitude, there are a number of undeveloped sites and islands. In addition, there are five marinas that provide boat rentals, oil and gasoline, and boat repair. Hartwell Lake is located in the upper Piedmont of Georgia although its northern reaches extend into the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Because of this location, there are wide differences in soil, terrain, climate, and vegetation resulting in highly diverse wildlife habitats. These include aquatic, marsh, old field, pine-hardwood, and mixed pine-hardwood habitats which are the home for more than 250 species of birds, 40 species of mammals, and numerous aquatic, reptilian, and amphibian species. Bird watching, photography, hiking, and other wildlife-related recreational pursuits, including a half-mile, self-guided nature trail which leads through a variety of habitat, attract visitors to Hartwell Lake. And for hours of leisurely hiking, there are miles of old logging roads and fire trails. The area is served by I-85 with easy access to the lake. Lake Hartwell's 962 miles of shoreline and 56,000 acres feature over 80 public boat launch, recreation, and park areas with some of the best boating, water-skiing, and fishing in Georgia. You may fish anywhere on Lake Hartwell with a valid license from either Georgia or South Carolina. Keowee requires a South Carolina license. Youth under 16 are not required to have a license. To catch or possess Trout a Trout stamp is required and other rules apply. BREAM (Bluegill, Redbreast, Shell cracker, Pumpkinseed) - Bream congregate under docks, around piers and in submerged brush. They are easy to catch using worms, crickets, and other insects as bait. Bream are responsible for introducing more youth to fishing than any other fish. Common sizes range from 3 ounces to 1 pound with the record shell cracker exceeding 5 lbs. A daily limit of 30 total Bream applies. CRAPPIE (Black Crappie and White Crappie) are one of the most popular sport fish in Lake Hartwell. They are often caught in large numbers using minnows around piers and submerged brush. Crappie may range up to 5 lbs. with the "Typical" catch ranging from 1/2 lb to 1-1/4 lbs. A total daily limit of 30 applies. LARGEMOUTH BASS - More time and money are spent in the pursuit of this fish by anglers than any other species. They may be caught at any time of the year feeding near the shore in early morning. In Lake Hartwell and Lake Keowee they are most commonly fished for using artificial bait. Large mouth bass range up to 16 lbs. with the "Typical" catch ranging from 1 to 8 lbs. A daily limit of 10 fish applies. Fish caught in Georgia waters shorter than 12" must be released immediately. HYBRID BASS - A cross between a male white bass and a female striped bass, hybrids may grow to 20 lbs while the "Typical" catch is 2 lbs to 3-1/4 lbs. Hybrids are a strong and aggressive fighter making them a favorite of Lake Hartwell fishermen. Bait includes shad and blueback herring. A limit of 10 total Hybrid and Striped Bass applies. STRIPED BASS - The granddaddy of sport fish in Lake Hartwell, Stripers range up to the recent (2/2002) record of 59-1/2 lbs with a "Typical" catch ranging from 3 to 10 lbs. Fish in the 15 to 30 lb. range are routinely caught. Preferred bait is blue back herring. Striped bass will sometimes push schools of bait fish to the surface then feed in a frenzy. A limit of 10 total Hybrid and Striped Bass applies.