By Capt. Cefus McRae, Nuts & Bolts of Fishing Series
Every freshwater fishing enthusiast has a favorite body of water. For some, it’s a huge reservoir with thousands of acres to chase their finned foes. For others, it’s a small farm pond where they can relax along the shore with a tub of night crawlers and fill a bucket with tasty bluegills. And still others prefer a cool mountain stream that conceals wary trout that will sip a dry fly. For me, I like it all. But I will say I am a little partial to a reservoir in northeast Georgia that also happens share it’s northern shoreline with South Carolina. I’m talking about Lake Hartwell. With 52,000 acres of surface area and almost 1,000 miles of shoreline, Hartwell is one of the largest reservoirs in the southeast US, and it is one awesome fishery.
From an angler’s perspective, Hartwell can be imposing. Hundreds of small creek arms, coves, islands, and of course the primary water sources… the Tugaloo and Seneca Rivers…combine to present a quandary on where to go and how to fish a particular spot. Factor in the seasonal patterns and water level fluctuations due to power generation and Corps of Engineers water management policies, and you can really start to scratch your head. Yep, Hartwell can be challenging. And honestly, that’s part of its appeal.
Lake Hartwell is home to a cornucopia of finned critters. Both largemouth and spotted bass, stripers and hybrids, several varieties of catfish, crappie, bluegill, perch, gar, carp and the occasional walleye. To keep everything fed, it has a well-established population of blueback herring, threadfins, shiners, gizzard shad, and crayfish. As a result, Lake Hartwell represents a vibrant fishery with plenty of food sources to grow big fish. By example, this March, a new Hartwell record for spotted bass was set by Chad Mrazrek while fishing the MLF Invitational with a 6 lb 4 oz spot.
With so many fish, and so much water to cover, the question is usually…”Where are they, and what are they biting?” The good news is Lake Hartwell tracks with many of the other reservoirs in the southeast. Seasonal temperature and rainfall differences from one geographic area to another can either delay or speed things up. But normally, when a particular pattern is occuring on Murray or Lanier or Moultrie, it ought to be about the same on Hartwell. One thing of note is the lack of shoreline vegetation on Hartwell. There are very few patches of shoreline weeds, lily pads or water grasses. This is primarily due to the continually changing water levels, and the hard clay bottom. But there are plenty of other fish-holding features. Rock outcroppings, drop-off’s, creek channels, boat docks, deadfalls, stump fields…and TREES.
In 1955, the US Army Corps of Engineers began construction of a hydroelectric dam, and in 1962 the impoundment reached full pool at 660 feet above sea level. But the bottom of the lake was not bulldozed. Instead, timber that wasn’t harvested ahead of time was cut at the water’s surface when the lake reached about 20 feet below full pool. This created a natural haven up and down the lake for predators and prey. It’s quite amazing to see tops of trees still leaning against their trunks on sonar; evenly topped off like a crew cut.
For bass anglers, these submerged treelines also correspond to submerged creek channels and road beds which are mapped on your chartplotter. Other man-made structure like home foundations and old bridges can be marked as well. Combine those marks with contours showing humps and ledges, and these indicators can be valuable tools when developing a fishing gameplan. And, of course, the typical tactics can work like a charm one day and be totally useless the next. Remember, that’s why we call it ‘fishing’ and not ‘catching’.
Bass fishing is the calling card that brings big tournaments like the MLF and BassMaster’s to Lake Hartwell. There are dozens of local clubs that have regular tourneys here year ‘round too. But the king of the hill in these waters, if you’re looking to really bend a rod, has stripes on its side.
Lake Hartwell is home to both striped bass and hybrids. The lake gets the benefit of annual stockings coordinated by both Georgia and South Carolina DNR’s. Although Hartwell stripers typically do not reach the size of their counterparts on some other southeastern impoundments, there are still plenty of fish tipping the scales over 20 pounds. Tactics change seasonally, but live baits like blueback herring and gizzard shad tend to produce best. When the water is cold, stripers will follow bait schools in the creeks. Smaller baits and flukes are very effective. In the summertime, they will go deeper to find cool, oxygenated water in the main river channels. Slow trolling the thermocline with a Scotty downrigger helps keep your baits in the strike zone around 25 to 30 feet.
This lake has a robust population of catfish as well. This year, a 75-plus pound blue cat was caught and released on Hartwell. Flatheads are pretty common in the 20 to 40 pound range; and tasty channel cats can be caught throughout the entire lake.
The net-net is pretty simple. Lake Hartwell has something to please just about every freshwater angler. Feisty spots, string-stretching stripers, and tasty catfish filets. And it all comes with magnificent scenery, lakeside restaurants, and small town southern hospitality. It’s become one of my favorite fishing destinations, and I’m sure this freshwater gem will become one of yours as well.
Tight Lines and Calm Seas,
Capt. Cefus McRae
GEORGIA OUTDOOR WRITERS ASSOCIATION 