Tournament season has arrived; what to know about fishing competitions at Lake Hartwell
Goodbye winter and hello spring. South Carolina fishing season is in full swing March through May.
Warmer water temperatures attract fish species like bass, trout, and catfish.
South Carolina recently ranked fifth in the nation among the best fishing states in the United States, according to fishingbooker.com.
Anderson's Lake Hartwell is known for hosting premiere fishing tournaments such as the American Bass Anglers National Championship, Bassmaster Classic, and Major League Fishing tour events.
"We're excited about the upcoming spring season and about coming to Lake Hartwell this April," said Kyle Curry, Association of Collegiate Anglers managing director.
The lake is home to about 56,000 acres of water with a shoreline of 962 miles, according to usace.army.com
Visitors can easily access Hartwell Lake by Interstate 85.
Here are some fishing tournaments at Lake Hartwell this season.
Jack Hunt Memorial Tournament
The 4th annual Jack Hunt Memorial fishing tournament will be held on March 30 at 470 Green Pond Road.
Visit Anderson, Palmetto Boat Center, and Green Ponding Landing Event Center are sponsoring this event.
The entry fee is $150 per boat.
To participate in the tournament, residents must register at www.pbctournamenttrail.com.
First-place payout is $5,000.
Blast-off, safe light weigh-in, starts at 3 p.m.
Late weigh-in will result in a one-pound penalty per minute for up to 15 minutes.
All proceeds will be donated to the Long Live Jack Memorial Fund.
Hartwell Slam
The Hartwell Slam fishing tournament is the Association of Collegiate Anglers' first event of the 2024 season.
The collegiate bass fishing tournament is a two-day event held at Green Pond Landing, April 13-14.
Registration closes on April 7.
"This year's event will feature over 200 two-person teams," Curry said. "The winner will receive over $20,000 in prizes and count for double points towards the coveted Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia race, which is based on each school's top two finishing teams."
The Bass Pro Shops School of the Year, presented by Abu Garcia, is college fishing's only comprehensive national ranking system.
Over 12 months, bass fishing teams and clubs competed nationwide in major, regional, and club-level events.
The Hartwell Slam is one of the last tournaments before a champion is crowned in June.
Tucker Smith and Hayden Marbut from Auburn University won the Hartwell Slam last year.
"The tournament is evaluated based on the weight of five basses caught by each team," said Curry. "Anglers will compete to catch the best five basses of each day. After two days, the team with the highest total weight of their ten basses will be crowned the winner of the Hartwell Slam."
The Top 15 finishing angler teams automatically qualify for the 2024 Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship.
Curry said that the Hartwell Slam would be nationally televised."We have partnered with Outdoor Action Television to provide live streams.
Military Bass Anglers Association
The Military Bass Anglers Association, sponsored by Visit Anderson and Cayms Boats, is hosting a fishing tournament at Lake Hartwell May 8-10.
On May 7, at the Hilton Garden Inn of Anderson, 115 Destination Blvd, there will be on-site registration and a mandatory briefing dinner.
Registration begins at 3 p.m. and ends at 5 p.m. There will be a mandatory briefing dinner on May 7 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Entry fee is $150, and for members, it's $50 per angler.
The Big Bass fee is $10 per day, and exemptions include life members, visiting directors, and active military.
All boat owners must provide a copy of their insurance declaration showing at least $100,000 liability insurance. Failure to register on-site will result in disqualification.
Tournament practice days are May 4 and May 7, ending at 3 p.m., at Green Pond Landing at 470 Green Pond Road.
2024 National Championship Bassmaster College Series
The 2024 Strike King Bassmaster College National Championship, sponsored by Vist Anderson and Bass Pro Shop, will be held at Lake Hartwell from August 22 to 24.
Anglers weigh in daily and will launch from Green Pond Landing and Event Center at 470 Green Pond Road.
At least 130 teams of university anglers will compete in the Bassmaster College Series.
“We’re so excited to host the Bassmaster College Series National Championship in Anderson County, Green Pond Landing, and Lake Hartwell,” said Visit Anderson Executive Director Neil Paul. "Anderson County's leadership has provided us with a championship-caliber facility in Green Pond and the resources to recruit events such as the national championship."
Travis Rose covers Anderson County for the Independent Mail. Reach him via email at trose@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Anderson Independent Mail: Here are four fishing tournaments scheduled at Anderson's Lake Hartwell
