Fishing at Lake Hartwell

Licenses Required for Fishing

You must have a valid fishing license from either Georgia or South Carolina to fish in Lake Hartwell. Children under the age of 16 are not required to have a license. In addition, a trout stamp is required if you want to catch and process trout. Fishing is year-round.

There are five main types of fish at Lake Hartwell, including the popular striped bass. Bream can be easily caught using crickets and worms. Both white and black crappie can be caught along the piers using minnows. Largemouth bass can be caught near the shore while they are feeding, though they are one of the more difficult fish to catch. The lake is also stocked with hybrid bass, which are reated by crossing a male white bass and a female striped bass.

There are daily limits for each of the five variety of fish found in Lake Hartwell. You may catch 30 each of bream and crappie over the course of a day. For largemouth bass, hybrid bass and striped bass, a total of 10 each may be caught.

You can bring a fishing boat and equipment with you when you fish at Lake Hartwell or rent a boat and equipment at the lake. You can find shops for tackles, lines and bait in the area as well as shops that can repair or service your boat and fishing gear.

There are two million acres of national forests and mountains around Lake Hartwell with hiking trails and mountain streams filled with freshwater trout. You can view water falls and go white water rafting when in the area, and enjoy rock climbing, canoeing, horseback riding and mountain biking.