Lake Hartwell Fishing Forecast for February 2022
Capt. Preston Harden
January 17, 2022
Lake Hartwell - Freshwater Fishing Report
Water Level: 4 ft. Below Full Pool
Water Temperature: 51 degrees
February can be a tough month. Most game fish don't eat much as their metabolism slows and they don't eat. When the water temp. Gets below 48 degrees the only good option is crappie. Crappie will eat no matter how cold the water gets. There are many ways to catch crappie. You have to fish where the crappie are. Small crappie minnow work great. A slip float works to get the minnow to the depth the crappie are holding. Sometimes they are 15 to 30 feet deep. Slow trolling small crappie jigs catch lots of crappie. I like to work a 1/32 oz. Jig in the shade of a dock or a bridge. I work the jig very slow on 4 lb. Test line. The bite will be subtle and hard to detect. Sometimes the line goes slack as they feed up. Crappie are my favorite fish to eat in Lake Hartwell. They taste best when the water is cold.
As we get toward late February the water can get warmer in the backs of the creeks. Usually the biggest stripers get active first.
If you fish in February, be mindful of hypothermia. I always wear a PFD when I am alone. Hypothermia will set in quickly. Have a plan to get back in the boat with wet clothes that are like wearing weights.
Capt. Preston Harden
706-255-5622
www.bucktailguideservice.com
Lake Hartwell, GA
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