Get ready for a fishing extravaganza like no other! Lake Hartwell is about to steal the spotlight, and trust us, you won’t want to miss this. South Carolina’s prized fishery has long been a legend in bass tournament circles, hosting a staggering 92 MLF/FLW events, including two BFL All-American championships and four Bassmaster Classics. But here’s where it gets exciting: this week, O’Reilly Auto Parts Stage 2 Presented by Lowrance is bringing the Bass Pro Tour to Hartwell for the first time ever with an every-fish-counts scoring format. That’s right—every catch matters, and the stakes have never been higher.
Spanning 56,000 acres and nearly 1,000 miles of shoreline, Hartwell is a bass angler’s paradise. But don’t let its size fool you—this lake is notorious for ‘swallowing up’ even the largest tournament fields. With only 51 anglers competing, the playing field is wide open, and the strategies are endless. And this is the part most people miss: the warming weather could turn this event into an explosive showcase of bass fishing at its finest.
But here’s where it gets controversial: Will the rising temperatures make the bass easier to catch, or will they scatter the fish between winter hideouts and prespawn staging areas? South Carolina native Mitchell Robinson predicts a daily shift in fish behavior, making it anyone’s game. ‘It’s going to be several different ways to catch them,’ he said. ‘I think every end of the lake is going to play.’ Meanwhile, Casey Ashley, another Palmetto State pro, believes the warmer conditions will open up a variety of techniques, from shallow bites to deeper schools. ‘It’s going to make the shallow bite even better,’ he noted.
The key to victory? Targeting Hartwell’s abundant spotted bass population. While largemouths will make an appearance, spots are the name of the game in this every-fish-counts format. From pelagic bass feasting on blueback herring to schools lurking in brushpiles and docks, anglers will need to master finesse techniques like shaky heads and Neko rigs. But here’s the twist: forward-facing sonar, while crucial, might not be the game-changer some expect. ‘The fish are really smart about it,’ Robinson warned. ‘It might not play a ton.’
Here’s the burning question: Will this tournament favor the tech-savvy anglers with LiveScope, or will traditional finesse methods reign supreme? And with water levels currently low, how will that impact shallow-water strategies? One thing’s for sure: finding bigger-than-average bass will be critical, as Hartwell is teeming with fish under the 2-pound scorable minimum.
Both Robinson and Ashley predict weight totals similar to Stage 1 on Lake Guntersville, with Robinson estimating 35 pounds per day to advance, while Ashley sets the bar at 40. ‘You’re not going to see quite the quality we had at Guntersville, but you’re going to see a lot more numbers,’ Ashley said. Whether you’re a die-hard fishing fan or a casual observer, this event promises non-stop action and plenty of surprises.
Don’t miss a single moment—all four days of competition will be streamed live on MLFNOW! from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET, Thursday through Sunday. Tune in at MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MLF and MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) apps, or the Major League Fishing channel on Rumble. Who do you think will rise to the top? Let us know in the comments—we’re eager to hear your predictions!
