Courtesy www.wyff.com
It’s a well-known fact to Upstate anglers, but now the catfish is out of the bag: When it comes to winter fishing, Lake Hartwell is one of the best lakes around.
FishingBooker named the Upstate lake one of the seven best winter fishing destinations in the country.
The site claims to be the world’s largest platform for booking fishing trips.
“No matter what time of year you visit Lake Hartwell, striped bass fishing is always on fire,” the site said.
The website said writers looked into several factors to make the list.
They looked for destinations that have specific conditions during the colder months, like fishing season for a specific fish species, weather conditions, if there is ice fishing and the different behavior of fish species in a lake during the winter, said FishingBooker’s Rebecca Johnson
“After we found the locations that have some of these conditions, we analyzed customer fishing reports, trip reviews, and found the destinations which customers reported as locations with great fishing conditions, and overall satisfaction with the quality of the trip and the area,” Johnson said.
The article said winter is a great time for beginners to fish for stripers on Hartwell, which straddles the South Carolina and Georgia state lines.
“Stripers are preparing for their spawning season, and they tend to build up their energy more (than in the warmer months),” the article said. “This means they stick to baitfish more than usual, and they are easier to find.”
Writers also cited the fact that Anderson is just a short ride away from the lake.
“If you’re looking to relax, downtown Anderson offers an array of activities including fine dining, theaters, and spas,” the article said.
“The area has a rich history of farm and plantation life, and many tours are created by local historical societies and dedicated to experiencing the fun of the local farms.”
Two other South Carolina lakes, Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion, also made the list.
Both lakes are part of the Santee Cooper lake system and are year-round hot spots for blue, flathead and channel catfish, according to the article.