Lake Hartwell fishing conditions · South Carolina

Tomorrow, 12 pm–8 pmLargemouth bass

The bite peaks at 78.

Right now: 68 for largemouth bass, marginalTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Largemouth bass, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

684 pm
68
68
687 pm
53
53
5310 pm
53
53Sun
531 am
53
53
534 am
53
53
537 am
53
53
5310 am
58
78
781 pm
78
78
784 pm
78
78
787 pm
60
55
5310 pm
53
53Mon
581 am
58
68

Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Water: No reading
Wind: 2 mph
Light: Daylight
Sky: Partly Sunny
Air: 69°F
Barometer: Falling
Moon: 5% lit

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are South Carolina regulations for these waters.

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

78Worth the tripTomorrow, 12 pm–8 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Largemouth bass bite in 55–85° water, best near 72°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

12" minimum · 10 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. No largemouth under 12"; 10 black bass a day combined.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Lakes Hartwell and Thurmond

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Feb–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on largemouth bass

Striped bass

Morone saxatilis

78Worth the tripTomorrow, 12 pm–8 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Striped bass bite in 50–72° water, best near 62°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 5–35 ft down.

Keep

10 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 10 striped or hybrid bass a day, only 3 of them over 26".

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Lakes Hartwell and Thurmond

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Jun, Oct–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on striped bass

Crappie

Pomoxis spp.

78Worth the tripTomorrow, 12 pm–8 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Crappie bite in 50–80° water, best near 65°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

8" minimum · 20 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. South Carolina statewide: 8" minimum, 20 crappie a day, within the 40-fish daily game fish total.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · South Carolina

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Feb–May, Oct–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on crappie

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

78Worth the tripTomorrow, 12 pm–8 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Channel catfish bite in 60–85° water, best near 75°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. South Carolina sets no daily or length limit for channel catfish; the state nongame limits cover only blue catfish and American eel.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · South Carolina

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on channel catfish

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

78Worth the tripTomorrow, 12 pm–8 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Common carp bite in 52–86° water, best near 72°.

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. South Carolina's nongame size and possession table does not include common carp, so no limit applies. Grass carp are protected; SCDNR: "It is unlawful to take, harm or kill grass carp in public waters."

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · South Carolina

Last checked 20 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp

The water

Water temperatureNo reading
Barometer29.98 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

Sunset today5:33 pm
Sunrise tomorrow6:58 am
MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
Minor solunarToday 4:00 pm–5:00 pm
Major solunarTonight 10:20 pm–12:20 am
Minor solunarTomorrow 6:00 am–7:00 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

South Carolina DNR report, undated

Names crappie, striped bass, which people fish for here. It covers the whole state, so it may not describe these waters.

Read it at South Carolina DNR

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

A 56,000-acre Savannah River reservoir on the Georgia–South Carolina line — a national-tournament largemouth and spotted bass fishery with strong striped and hybrid bass, crappie, and catfish. Corps ramps line both shores.

SC: largemouth 12" minimum, 10 black bass/day. Striped and hybrid bass run the open water chasing blueback herring.

WaterReservoir
AccessPier, shore and ramp
RulesSouth Carolina
WhereAnderson County · 34.5000, -82.8500

Nearby

The closest public spots we cover, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Clarks Hill Lake (J. Strom Thurmond)69 mi · South CarolinaBest now until 8 pm

68Marginal

Lake Lanier72 mi · GeorgiaBest tomorrow 1 pm–7 pm

78Worth the trip

Lake Murray93 mi · South CarolinaBest now until 8 pm

68Marginal

Chattahoochee River (Atlanta tailwater)99 mi · GeorgiaBest tomorrow 1 pm–7 pm

84Worth the trip

Hiwassee River105 mi · TennesseeBest now until 7 pm

84Worth the trip

Lake Wylie110 mi · South CarolinaBest tomorrow 1 pm–5 pm

78Worth the trip

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Lake Hartwell?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Lake Hartwell you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Lake Hartwell?

Lake Hartwell is listed on this site for 5 commonly-targeted species: Largemouth Bass, Striped Bass, Crappie, Channel Catfish, and 1 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Lake Hartwell?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Lake Hartwell against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Lake Hartwell have?

Lake Hartwell has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. SC: largemouth 12" minimum, 10 black bass/day. Striped and hybrid bass run the open water chasing blueback herring.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Lake Hartwell?

state agency regulations apply at Lake Hartwell. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Lake Hartwell tidal water?

No. Lake Hartwell is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.