Georgia–South Carolina line · 56,000 acres
Lake Hartwell fishing guide
Hybrids, stripers, spotted bass and a strong crappie fishery on the Savannah River.
- Where
- Savannah River, Georgia–South Carolina line
- Fish
- Hybrids, stripers, spotted bass, crappie
- Best
- March–May and mid-October on
- Size
- About 56,000 acres
About the water
Lake Hartwell spreads across about 56,000 acres of the Savannah River on the Georgia–South Carolina line.
Hybrid fishing is strong while the striper population rebuilds after losses in 2018, and the lake adds spotted bass and a strong crappie fishery.
What’s biting, season by season
The crappie bite is best in February and March.
Hybrids and stripers are at their best from March through May.
Fish move deep. Early and late in the day are best.
Hybrid and striper action returns from mid-October.
Tips from the guides
- Watch for gulls and surface activity in fall, a sign of hybrids pushing bait.
- Keep a topwater or spoon rigged and ready for schooling fish.
- Fish brush piles and docks for crappie in late winter.
- Spotted bass relate to points and rocky banks.
Access & rules
Public boat ramps and Corps of Engineers parks line both sides of the lake.
The lake straddles two states, so check Georgia and South Carolina license rules for where you’ll fish.
Ask Chris
Headed to Lake Hartwell? Ask Chris.
Chris Scalley has fished just about every water in Georgia and the Southeast, and he has guided since 1994. Ask him where to go, what’s biting, or who to fish with. He reads every question himself.
- Where and when to fish Lake Hartwell
- Which local guide or charter is worth booking
- A trout trip on the Hooch with River Through Atlanta
From the guides at River Through Atlanta
Hartwell hybrids pull hard. Ready for a different kind of fight? Try a wild brown on the Hooch.
Below Buford Dam, cold water from the bottom of Lake Lanier keeps 48 miles of the Chattahoochee cool enough for trout all year. It’s western-style fly fishing from a drift boat, for rainbows and wild browns, right through Atlanta. Our Orvis-endorsed guides have fished it since 1994, and beginners are welcome.
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