Bassmaster Elite at Lake Hartwell
Elite Pros Visit Anderson, SC
April 4th, 2019. The Bassmaster Elite Series brings top professional anglers to Lake Hartwell, just off I-85 on the South Carolina-Georgia border.
Lake Hartwell is a renowned, 56,000-acre fishery with striped and hybrid bass, largemouth, crappie, bream, and catfish.
Conditions & Bite Report
- Weather: Sunny, calm, air temps in the 50s, water temp 55+
- Topwater action: Schooling spotted bass hitting walking plugs, feeding on blueback herring.
- Techniques: When fish stop schooling, pros switch to the Ned Rig.
Anglers Chasing Spawners
Light winds allowed sight fishing for bedding fish in clear water.
Some pros, like Chris Johnston, had big fish locked on beds.
Tip from Clark Wendlandt
“If there is pollen on the water, use a spray bottle with dish soap to clear the surface so you can see the spawning bass below.”
Clark Wendlandt
As afternoon wind picked up, smaller swimbaits came into play.
Bite was tough early; expect bigger fish as the weekend continues.
Day 1 Results
- Brandon Cobb — 19-9
- Hank Cherry Jr — 17-9
- Micah Frazier — 17-9
Brandon Cobb Leads
Cobb led after Day 1. Rain was in the forecast, potentially shaking up the competition.
Cobb’s Approach
Cobb is sight fishing with a Jason Christie Craw — top painted red rather than just the tips.
Cobb continued to dominate, accumulating 55.6 lbs after two days.
Micah Frazier trailed with 49.12 lbs, Hank Cherry slipped to 8th.
Final Results: Wire-to-Wire Victory
Brandon Cobb wins his first Bassmaster Elite Series title at Lake Hartwell
- Four-day total: 72-14
- Methods: Sight fishing, wacky worms, topwaters, shakey head jigs for shallow spawners in 3–5 feet of water
- South Carolina native, winning in his home state
Congratulations to all competitors!
@ksbigbass