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Summer striper fishing on Lake Hartwell in GA/SC

24K views 6 replies 5 participants last post by  stevetrammell 
#1 ·
It is now July and everyone is saying the stripers on Lake Hartwell are in the big waters near the dam. I have never had any luck out near the dam. I am new to striper fishing and most of my fish have been caught up the creeks and rivers. Is there any Lake Hartwell fishermen that have any advice? I fish with live blueback herring.
 
#2 ·
wilmac247,

If you find out anything please follow up here. I'd posted an article in another newsgroup about Hartwell/Clark Hill fishing. I'm in Columbia and surrounded by Striper lakes and rivers. But every time I go by Clarks Hill I'm curious what the fishing is like there...especially in regard to stripers.

BA
 
#3 ·
bad-angler,

My wife is from Pomaria, in Newberry County. Her father and mother both work in Columbia. We live in Anderson, and I bought a 22 ft center console back at the end of March. I am new to striper fishing and became an instant addict after catching two 15 pounders at the end of May. Had great luck in June fishing in the creeks and rivers of Lake Hartwell. I would catch between five and eight stripers just about everytime I went out. Most all of them being in the 8 to 12 lb range. In July my luck went South. Everyone was saying that the stripers were moving out in the big waters near the dam. I would fish down in that area with very little luck. I guess I will have to wait until the weather turns cooler and the stripers move back into the creeks and rivers. I still go out about twice a week and try new places. I did run into some last night but only caught two. Neither were of any good size. I still ask everyone that I know who striper fishes to give me some tips. I know I will learn more the longer I fish.
 
#4 ·
I used to fish Hartwell as a kid 20-25 years ago. I only fished the upper stretched of the lake and remember seeing hundreds of stripers caught below Isaqueena dam in the spring. I'm sure you'd find them just below the Keowee dam in the spring as well. Sorry that's not helping you now.

For Wilmac, which creeks were you having success in? Did you catch the larger ones on artificials or live bait?

Anyone fishing the Savannah River just below Hartwell dam? I remember catching trout down there before Lake Russel was built. I was told, "Sorry son, the stripers will eat up all your trout when the Russell dam is built. Just wondering if the cold water discharge from Hartwell keeps the stripers below it in the summer like the other GA tail races.
 
#5 ·
The area where I had the most luck in the spring was up the Seneca river at the mouth of several creeks. Also had luck up 23 mile creek near I-85 bridge. I have been trying out near the dam at night during August. I've been fishing over the Savannah river channel at about 45 ft. I have had some luck, but nothing like when there were up in the creeks. I have not heard much about behind the dam.
 
#6 ·
Im from Anderson and my main fishery is Lake Hartwell...In mid summer when the water temp reaches in the 70s..Striper go deep for cooler water..Cool water holds more oxgen. Sence striper are bigger fish they need more oxgen to live..With this being said, the deepest water in Hartwell is by the dam..I would try looking in 100 foot for tember..Striper hold in the tree tops waiting for bait fish to swim by....Find the bait fish and down line live herring over the top of the tember..Have strong gear because you will need to stop the fish from returning back to the tember after the strik...Hope this helps and leave some fish out there for me
 
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