Lake Hartwell Fishing
A 56,000-acre Georgia reservoir in Hart County, Stephens County and Franklin County.
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First things to know about Lake Hartwell
Lake Hartwell is a Georgia reservoir of 56,000 acres located in Hart County, Stephens County and Franklin County. Another name in use for it is Hartwell Lake. For fuel and food, Lavonia sits about 5 miles off.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers runs the dam and the water level. The full pool elevation on record is 660 feet (NGVD29). The Georgia share of the lake is near 55%, the rest in South Carolina. Species flagged for it by WRD include largemouth bass, spotted bass, hybrid & striped bass, black crappie, walleye and striped bass. There are 28 public boat ramps on it. Land-based anglers can use 2 pier or bank fishing sites.
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The WRD forecast for Lake Hartwell reads in part as follows.
“Lake Hartwell is one of the three large reservoirs on the Savannah River operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This 56,000-acre reservoir provides a wide variety of fish habitats that ranges from rocky bluffs on the upper Tugaloo River arm to shallow cove pockets and sandy flats in the middle and lower sections of the lake.”
WRD points anglers on Lake Hartwell toward Largemouth Bass, Spotted Bass, Hybrid Bass, Striped Bass, and Crappie.
| Species | WRD prospect (quoted) |
|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | Bass are king in Lake Hartwell because they are the most fished-for species in the lake. Catch rates from spring sampling showed the abundance and size structure for the population has largely remained the same. |
| Spotted Bass | Spotted Bass numbers had an almost identical abundance as last year, with most fish remaining in the 1 – 2 pound range for weight. |
| Hybrid & Striped Bass | The Georgia and South Carolina DNRs both contribute in maintaining the Striped Bass and Hybrid Striped Bass fisheries for Lake Hartwell via annual stocking efforts in the spring. |
| Crappie | In similar fashion to last year, the outlook continues to be very bright for folks targeting Black Crappie on Lake Hartwell. Fall sampling showed an abundance of individuals hovering around the 1 pound mark, with the largest fish captured measured around 13 inches in size. |
| Walleye | From February to early April, Walleye can be found in the Tugalo River headwaters of Lake Hartwell where they spawn along the rocky bottoms from the Walker Creek boat ramp upstream to Yonah Dam. |
Georgia WRD fishing forecast for Lake Hartwell, updated June 18, 2026. Read the full forecast.
The Lake Hartwell species list
Every fish here is named for Lake Hartwell by a WRD source.
WRD Water Access Points species flags, WRD fishing forecast and WRD record lists; checked October 2026.
Ramps that put trailers into Lake Hartwell
- Gum Branch Boat Ramp6 lanes, dock, restroom, Hart County
- Tugalo State Park6 lanes, dock, restroom, fee, Georgia State Parks (DNR)
- Big Oaks Recreation Area2 lanes, dock, restroom, fee, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Jenkins Ferry Boat Ramp2 lanes, dock, fee, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Poplar Springs Boat Ramp2 lanes, fee, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Bruce Creek Boat Ramp1 lane, dock, restroom, Stephens County
- Carters Ferry Boat Ramp1 lane, dock, fee, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Cleveland Access1 lane, fee, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Crawfords Ferry Boat Ramp1 lane, dock, fee, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Duncan Branch Boat Ramp1 lane, fee, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Elrod Ferry Boat Ramp1 lane, dock, fee, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Harbor Light Marina1 lane, dock, restroom, fee, a private operator
- Hart State Park Campground1 lane, fee, Georgia State Parks (DNR)
- Hart State Park Day Use1 lane, restroom, fee, Georgia State Parks (DNR)
- Hartwell Marina1 lane, dock, restroom, fee, a private operator
- Long Point Recreation Area1 lane, dock, fee, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Mary Ann Branch Boat Ramp1 lane, dock, fee, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Milltown Campground1 lane, dock, fee, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- New Prospect Boat Ramp1 lane, dock, fee, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Payne Creek Campground1 lane, fee, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Paynes Creek Boat Ramp1 lane, fee, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Powderbag Creek Boat Ramp1 lane, fee, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Reed Creek Boat Ramp1 lane, fee, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Rock Springs Boat Ramp1 lane, fee, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Spring Branch Boat Ramp1 lane, dock, fee, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Stephens County Park1 lane, dock, fee, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Tugalo State Park Campground1 lane, fee, Georgia State Parks (DNR)
- Watsadler Campground1 lane, dock, fee, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Walk-up fishing spots at Lake Hartwell
- Bruce Creekfishing pier, Stephens County
- Harbor Light Marina Southbank fishing area, a private operator
WRD Water Access Points layer and CRD coastal ramps, checked October 2026.
Water height on Lake Hartwell
US Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District (CWMS) reading for HARTWELL DAM (NGVD29), recorded October 22, 2026; retrieved October 22, 2026. Values are provisional.
Harvest rules for Lake Hartwell
Special regulations for Lake Hartwell appear in the 2026-2027 Georgia Hunting and Fishing Regulations, shown first below.
| Water as printed | Rule |
|---|---|
| Lake Hartwell | Georgia-South Carolina agreement water: striped bass or hybrid bass or combination 10, only 3 may be over 26 inches; white bass 10; trout 5; bass (largemouth, spotted, redeye, smallmouth) 10 with 12-inch minimum for largemouth; walleye or sauger 8; aggregate of all game fish (not catfish) 40. Live b |
Border water limits on Lake Hartwell
| Species | Where | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Striped bass, white bass and/or hybrid white-striped bass | Savannah River and its tributaries downstream of J. Strom Thurmond Dam | 2 in total, both of which must be 27 inches in length or longer |
| Striped bass | Lake Richard B. Russell (Russell Dam to Hartwell Dam and Lake Secession Dam) and all tributaries | 2 per day, only one of which can exceed 34 inches in length |
| Striped bass or hybrid bass or combination | Lakes Hartwell and Clarks Hill | 10; Only 3 may be over 26 inches |
| Striped bass or hybrid bass or combination | Lake Russell | 2; Only 1 may be over 34 inches |
| Striped bass, hybrid bass, white bass or combination | Savannah River downstream of Clarks Hill dam | 2; 27-inch minimum length limit |
| White bass | All border waters covered except for Savannah River downstream of Clarks Hill dam | 10; No size limit |
| Trout | All border waters covered | 5; No size limit |
| Bass (largemouth, spotted, redeye, smallmouth or combination) | All border waters covered | 10; 12-inch minimum length for largemouth bass |
| Walleye or Sauger or combination | All border waters covered | 8; No size limit |
| Aggregate of all game fish (does not include catfish) | All border waters covered | 40 |
Reciprocal agreements let a Georgia license ($15 resident, $50 nonresident) cover the shared border water as the guide lists it.
2026-2027 Georgia Hunting and Fishing Regulations, effective July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027; checked October 2026.
State-record catches from Lake Hartwell
| Species | Weight | Date | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redeye Bass | 3 lb, 7 oz | April 17, 2004 | hook and line |
WRD state record freshwater fish list; angler names left out. All Georgia records.
Bass tournaments on Lake Hartwell
Event dates and winners on Lake Hartwell are on a separate page.
Lakes near Lake Hartwell side by side
Of the lakes around Lake Hartwell, Victoria Bryant State Park Lake is nearest (15 miles) and Lake Tugalo is largest.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Ramps | Type | Species listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Hartwell | 56,000 | 28 | reservoir | 13 | |
| Victoria Bryant State Park Lake | 15 miles southwest | 1 | 0 | lake | 4 |
| Lake Yonah | 22 miles northwest | 330 | 2 | reservoir | 10 |
| Lake Tugalo | 24 miles northwest | 600 | 1 | reservoir | 11 |
| Nancytown Lake | 24 miles west | 6 | 1 | lake | 4 |
| Lake Russell, Habersham County | 25 miles west | 95 | 1 | lake | 7 |
WRD waterbodies, reservoirs and Water Access Points layers.
Within reach of Lake Hartwell
Neighboring lakes to Lake Hartwell
- Victoria Bryant State Park Lake15 miles southwest
- Lake Yonah22 miles northwest
- Lake Tugalo24 miles northwest
- Nancytown Lake24 miles west
- Lake Russell, Habersham County25 miles west
Creeks and rivers around Lake Hartwell
- Tugaloo Riverunder a mile
- North Fork Broad River14 miles
- Middle Fork Broad River14 miles
Bait and tackle stops near Lake Hartwell
- Harbor Light Marinamarina, Lavonia, 1 mile
- Harbor Light Marina Southmarina, Lavonia, 2 miles
- Dutch Boat Storagebait and tackle shop, Martin, 8 miles
- Gordon's Marine Servicemarina, Hartwell, 10 miles
- Hartwell Marina & Boat Salesmarina, Hartwell, 11 miles
- Bait Jacuzzibait and tackle shop, Eastanollee, 14 miles
Georgia towns handy to Lake Hartwell
- Gumlog2 miles
- Lavonia5 miles
- Martin8 miles
Which counties share Lake Hartwell
- Hart Countyseat: Hartwell
- Stephens Countyseat: Toccoa
- Franklin Countyseat: Carnesville
Piscifun reels to rig up for Lake Hartwell
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Scenes from the water around Lake Hartwell
Photo: Thomson200, CC0 1.0
Photo: Thomsonmg2000, CC0 1.0
Photo: Unknown, Public domain
Photo: pseabolt, CC BY 3.0
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Lake Hartwell in a few quick answers
Which Georgia town makes a handy base for Lake Hartwell?
Head for Hart County, Stephens County and Franklin County, about 5 miles from Lavonia.
What size is Lake Hartwell on the state map?
Georgia data give 56,000 acres, with full pool at 660 feet.
Where do I launch a boat on Lake Hartwell?
Try Gum Branch Boat Ramp, one of 28 public ramps.
Which fish do Georgia sources tie to Lake Hartwell?
Expect largemouth bass, spotted bass, hybrid & striped bass, black crappie, walleye, striped bass and hybrid striped bass.
Are there exceptions to statewide limits on Lake Hartwell?
Lake Hartwell: Georgia-South Carolina agreement water: striped bass or hybrid bass or combination 10, only 3 may be over 26 inches; white bass 10; trout 5; bass (largemouth, spotted, redeye, smallmouth) 10 with 12-inch minimum for largemouth; walleye or sauger 8; aggregate of all
Is a trout license needed at Lake Hartwell?
Reciprocal agreements let a Georgia license ($15 resident, $50 nonresident) cover the shared border water as the guide lists it.
Is there a bait store close to Lake Hartwell?
Harbor Light Marina is the nearest at 1 mile.
Is there another lake near Lake Hartwell?
Victoria Bryant State Park Lake sits 15 miles from it.
What are the best bets on Lake Hartwell?
The forecast names Largemouth Bass, Spotted Bass, Hybrid Bass, Striped Bass, and Crappie.
Circle a Saturday for Lake Hartwell
Read the posted rules and keep your license on you.