December 15

Lake Russell water levels are above full at 475.67 (full pool is 475.00) and the water is still pretty clear. Morning surface water temperatures are down to about 57 degrees.

It’s been a pretty good bite recently for Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336), and he reports that they have found some fish on the bottom in about 34 feet of water. They are at the very front of the creeks near the main channel, and they have been beside standing timber. A bunch of spotted bass, white and yellow perch, and the occasional crappie have all been mixed together and will take jigging spoons as well as live bait. 

It's a similar report from Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860), although the rain and warm weather has had fish a little more suspended than he would like. The cold weather that is coming should help put fish on the bottom, fortunately.

He’s also had some luck with the striped bass and felt fortunate to find some rolling in a creek where they would take an Alabama rig. Generally Wendell reports that the striper have been harder to catch than usual this December, and while he is also seeing some fish rolling they haven’t gotten into a predictable pattern. That’s largely because the birds aren’t locked in on the striper yet. 

Overall the best pattern right now should be to throw Alabama rigs, although you can also pull free-lines with herring or shiners. The shiners are tougher in the cold and they also mimic the threadfin which striper are eating better than herring do. 

December 1

Lake Russell water levels are at 474.43 (full pool is 475.00) and the water is still clear although the backs will be getting dirty. Morning surface water temperatures are still about 60 degrees.

There’s been very little change in the overall patterns that Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) is fishing, and he reports still catching a mixed bag of spotted bass and white and yellow perch on the same flat points in the creeks and main lake in 15-29 feet of water. The fish are still grouped up on the bottom and eating live bait, although they will also take jigging spoons. 

While patterns have been similar for Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336), his boat has found a lot of variability in the bite from day to day. A few days ago water temperatures had dropped to about 56 degrees, and when that happened they found a dynamite bite for the same mixed bag Jerry is catching in 25-30 feet. They were fishing creeks and coves off the main lake close to the bottom, and the first day they had over 100 fish and caught them on all of their spots. However, as the water temperatures rose each day they found less fish until finally all they could do was scratch together a small catch.   Perhaps the difference between Jerry and Wendell’s report was the depth they were each fishing. 

The best pattern ended up being fish for crappie, and even though the crappie were highly scattered they didn’t leave. Fish for them over clean bottoms with multiple rods in 25-30 feet. 

Everyone is waiting for the striped bass to turn on, and while it may take a temperature drop it’s certainly worth looking in the middle to lower lake. More birds are showing up already.

The fish will usually be over 30-70 feet, and while you can pull herring on free-lines the best pattern is often to throw Alabama rigs where they are feeding. 

November 17

Lake Russell water levels are at 474.79 (full pool is 475.00) and the water is fairly clear. Morning surface water temperatures are down to the lower 60s.

Even as water temperatures have dropped the fish have not yet moved, and Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that they are still fishing the same flat points in the creeks and on the main lake in 25-29 feet of water and finding bass, perch, catfish and even striper.  The fish are on the bottom and everything is biting live bait. 

When the temperatures drop a few more degrees then Jerry expects the fish to make a more significant move, but really only the surface temperature has changed so far. Jerry notes that the striper they have found are small so far. 

Also, if he were to target catfish he would fish the same areas with cut bait, or perhaps target a bit shallower coves. 

Continuing the same theme, Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) also reports very little change this week, and he is fishing up the creeks in 26-28 feet of water and finding the same mixed bag. They are still waiting for the gulls to show up to target striper. 

They have targeted crappie in particular a few times, and they have found better concentrations of crappie on brush in 20-25 feet of water. The fish are suspended 12-14 feet down, and the best brush is in long coves and creeks. Minnows have been effective. 

November 10

Lake Russell water levels are at 474.80 (full pool is 475.00) and the water is fairly clear. Morning surface water temperatures are around 65 degrees.

Even though temperatures haven’t really dropped, Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that the fishing has picked up a little and he thinks the wind is probably responsible. At multiple spots in the creeks and on the main lake they have found bass, perch, catfish and even striper on flat points in 25-29 feet of water, and luckily they are on the bottom. They have even picked up a few crappie in that range!  Everything is biting medium minnows and small herring.

Yesterday on the water it got so windy at times that Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) had to fish areas he doesn’t usually target at this time of year, but way up the creeks he found fish on points that sloped from 8 to about 28 feet. He was catching the same mixed bag as Jerry, and fish were scattered from the shallower part of the point out to the deepest. 

His boat has also run into a few striper, and they actually had a really big one try to eat a crappie right at the boat! The striper he has seen have been further back in coves off the main channel, but they are waiting until it gets cooler and the gulls arrive to really target them. 

Speaking of crappie, they have found better concentrations of crappie on brush in 20-25 feet of water. The fish are suspended 12-14 feet down, and the best brush is in long coves and creeks. Minnows have been effective. 

November 3

Lake Russell water levels are at 474.67 (full pool is 475.00) and the water is fairly clear. Morning surface water temperatures are around 66-68 degrees.

Unfortunately as of a couple of days ago there was not much change with the bass fishing on Lake Russell, and Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that with mild temperatures the fish are again suspended off the bottom.  It’s a mystery how fish on the bottom in 30 feet react so abruptly to a 2-degree temperature change, but it’s no doubt that they do. 

Jerry’s boat is having the best success in 25-30 feet in the backs of creeks fishing live herring or minnows.  Even when they do find a good concentration of fish they usually don’t bite for very long. 

He’s still not seeing any striped bass. 

Jerry wasn’t on the water yesterday, but Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) reports that the last two days things may have started to turn around just a little and they did find some fish closer to the bottom in 22-30 feet of water in a creek. Bass were mixed with white and yellow perch, and everything was on a clean-bottomed creek flat around bait schools. If there had been brush around he suspects they would have picked up a few crappie. 

There are also still some bass on the main lake, and you can target them trolling crankbaits along the main channel. They seem to be so spread out that it would be hard to know where to slow down and target them. 

Wendell isn’t on the striper either, but he has just started to see a few roll like they do in the winter. Without the gulls there it’s hard to make much of a pattern. 

October 26

Lake Russell water levels are at 474.35 (full pool is 475.00) and the water is fairly clear. Morning surface water temperatures are back up to 67-69 degrees.

Just a few days ago the bass fishing had gotten fantastic on Lake Russell, and Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that fish were getting in tight schools on the bottom. They caught more than 70 fish on one spot about 25 feet deep in a creek. But then the water temperatures started to warm up again, and fish scattered out and suspended. 

Now that temperatures are closer to 70 again the fish that Jerry has been finding are in 25-27 feet of water in the creek channels and around brush. Some are on the bottom while more are suspended, and, again, they are more spread out. The bite has also gotten a little more finicky, and yesterday they would only take herring and refused to eat any artificial lures.  There have also been some perch mixed in with the bass, but for now both the white and yellow perch seem to be as scattered as the bass!

This is the time of year when Jerry always seems to lose the striped bass, and unfortunately this year is no exception. They get super spread out, and unfortunately there just isn’t a big enough population on Russell to easily target them if they are very scattered. Once it gets colder the fish will group up again and be easier to find. 

October 21

Lake Russell water levels are at 474.16 (full pool is 475.00) and water conditions are better as the turnover seems to be about done. Morning surface water temperatures are down to about 68 degrees.

With the turnover mostly in the rear-view mirror the fishing has picked up on Lake Russell, and Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) is back on the lake and catching fish. 

While they are mostly targeting bass, it’s the time of year and pattern where they are getting a mixed bag including spotted bass, crappie, yellow perch and white perch. The fish are grouped up in the same areas about 20 feet deep in the creeks, and they real key is to find the bait schools that they are hanging around. Many of the fish are on the bottom and they will take minnows on a drop shot or jigging spoons. However, some of the fish are also suspended around the bait and they are catching particularly bass on small crankbaits worked through the middle of the coves. 

Even though it can be less pleasant to fish, the bite is noticeably better when there is some wind.

Wendell hasn’t been on the main lake as much but the striper seem to be there, and they found some good ones breaking near the dam earlier this week. 

October 13

Lake Russell water levels are up to 474.16 (full pool is 475.00) and the water is still turning over. Morning surface water temperatures are still around 72 degrees.

Unfortunately there isn’t much good news to report on Lake Russell this week, and if you read the Clarks Hill report you saw that Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) has moved over to that lake until things settle out on Russell. His last time out Wendell was trying for a mixed bag but could only get bit on one particular spot – a particular brush pile in a creek at about 22 feet. They only caught about a dozen fish and decided to seek greener pastures.  

Similarly, Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that yesterday was his first trip this year without a striped bass. He was still fishing main lake points in about 30-35 feet of water, and while they marked some fish they would not eat. 

They did catch some spotted bass that were schooling, and they caught others in about 25 feet of water on the bottom. However, the fish are extremely scattered and not really feeding.

Since Jerry has been trying to get striper he has not spent much time in the creeks, but there may be better numbers of spots back there than on the main lake. 

Things should get much, much better once the lake finishes turning over. 

October 6

Lake Russell water levels are down to 473.43 (full pool is 475.00) and, even though they haven’t even gotten a sprinkle of rain, the water is still pretty brown from the turnover. Morning surface water temperatures have dropped to about 72 degrees.

Almost out of nowhere the bass fishing has really improved on Lake Russell, and Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) reports that the fish seem to have magically reappeared and showed up in the places where he is fishing. The spots are on the move, and he is seeing them both on the bottom as well as suspended chasing threadfin shad. Sometimes he marks the suspended fish on the depth finder, but even though they are not seeing them splashing at times they can see shad showing themselves and running on the surface. 

For fish that are on the bottom you can fish drop shots, but for fish higher in the water column throwing a Shad Rap or a ¼ ounce Rattle Trap is a good bet.  Most of the fish have been in the creeks and large coves.  

In addition to the creeks, where he is also seeing bass, Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) adds that he is also seeing more fish shallower on the edge of points. 

His boat is also still doing well with the striped bass, and even though they aren’t catching the numbers anglers might expect on other lakes the quality is impressive. Yesterday they got five between ten and fifteen pounds. 

Fish are still on the lower end off long points around trees, and fish have generally been about 25 feet down suspended in 30-35 feet of water. 

Wendell points out that it’s also worth keeping your eyes open for schooling activity while you are down-lining in deep water. Recently he has seen them schooling over water as deep as 70 or 80 feet. 

While his boat is still picking up some crappie in the creeks around brush in about 16 feet of water, it’s gotten tougher to catch them. That seems to be because the more aggressive spotted bass have essentially run them off. You can still pick up some crappie, but you will probably get more spotted bass on minnows or jigs.  There may be places where the crappie can be found but not the spots but so far Wendell hasn’t found them. 

The catfish seem to have moved much deeper, and while Jerry’s boat has not caught any in the 25-35 foot range somewhat incredibly he has found them deeper in about 60 feet. This is consistent with Captain Chris Simpson’s report that in the fall catfish will often go very, very deep once there is sufficient oxygen at all levels. 

September 29

Lake Russell water levels are at 473.77 (full pool is 475.00) and the lake is dingy from the turnover. Morning surface water temperatures have dropped all the way to about 74 degrees.

The striped bass on Lake Russell continue to outfish their green friends, even though Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that they don’t particularly seem to want to bite either. However, his boat is still catching four or five good ones each day. They are still targeting them in 25-35 feet of water off points on the lower end.  Fish are a little scattered but most of the main lake points are holding some fish which are biting herring on a down-line.  

The bass are really scattered, and Jerry reports that even when they do find a good group of fish they don’t really want to bite. About all they will take is live bait, and you have to really dangle it in front of their faces to get any action. 

The best place to look for bass has been on the edge of points in about 24 or 25 feet of water, with some of the fish on the bottom and others suspended about 15 feet down.

Even with the bigger fish not biting very well, there has been a good crappie bite in the creeks. They are finding fish only a foot or so off the bottom around brush in about 16 feet of water and catching them on jigs and minnows.

While they aren’t getting many slabs they are catching solid numbers of ½ to ¾ pound fish. 

While he isn’t targeting them, Jerry’s boat is picking up some catfish while striper fishing. The best way to go after them specifically would probably be to target the center of coves in 25-30 feet with cut herring. 

September 15

Lake Russell water levels are at 474.34 (full pool is 475.00) and the lake is typically clear. Morning surface water temperatures have dropped to about 79 degrees.

The bass on Lake Russell are still doing a lot of roaming, and Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that from what he is seeing most of them are just chasing bait in open water. They still aren’t related to anything like a point or brush, but the biggest concentrations do seem to be sticking to the 15-25 foot range. His boat is picking up some with bait but not very many. 

Consistent with that, trolling a Shad Rap 10-12 feet down in the main channel is still about the only way that Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) can consistently catch bass, and if he had to use conventional bass fishing techniques Wendell is not sure what he would do! Unfortunately there is still only sporadic schooling. 

Luckily Jerry’s boat is still able to lean on a pretty fair striped bass bite, with the fish they are targeting still in 25-35 feet of water off points on the lower end.  They are also a little scattered but most of the main lake points are holding some fish which are biting herring on a down-line.  

They are also picking up some catfish in these areas, and if Jerry were going to target catfish he would fish cut bait off points in 25-35 feet. 

Wendell reports that there is also some pretty good striper fishing up the lake below the Hartwell dam, and that pattern should stay good until temperatures drop.

But most of all Wendell’s boat has been crappie fishing recently, and they have had some outstanding catches in creeks off the main lake that have standing timber.  They got 62 in one area way back in a creek, and Wendell was surprised at just how shallow the fish had gotten at about 15 feet on the bottom. Everything came on minnow fished on a drop shot. They also managed some white perch, a couple of catfish, a spotted bass, and some early yellow perch. For some reason the perch seem to have started earlier than usual this fall, and they are getting at least one 11- or 12-inch perch every time out.  

You can still catch a mixed bag on main lake flats in 20-30 feet but you need wood cover to also hold crappie. 

September 8

Lake Russell water levels are around full pool (full pool is 475.00) and the lake is fairly clear. Morning surface water temperatures are in the low 80s on the main lake.

The bass still aren’t biting too well on Lake Russell, and Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that all that they can figure out is that the fish have gotten extremely scattered and suspended. The fish aren’t on the points, they aren’t on brush and they aren’t around the banks. Occasionally they find them schooling, but they are on such small bait that they are hard to catch.  They won’t even eat a live herring. 

There’s no disagreement there from Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336), and in fact his report that about the only way they can catch bass is trolling Shad Raps 10-12 feet deep over the main channel offers support. Wendell’s boat is no longer catching many bass mixed in with the other species they are targeting (more below.)

At the same time Jerry’s boat is still finding a decent striped bass bite, and most of them are in 25-35 feet of water off points on the lower end. They are also a little scattered but most of the main lake points are holding some fish. 

The best fishing right now has been for white perch, occasional early yellow perch, and crappie. Brush in coves close to the main lake will hold all three species, but the better perch fishing is on main lake flats in about 28 feet of water. They will take minnows on a drop shot or small jigging spoons and some catfish are mixed in. With cut bait you will catch a lot of channel cats. 

The best crappie fishing is in brush towards the backs of the creeks. Fish have been in a range between about 7 feet down in 14 feet and 14 feet down in 25 feet. Minnows are working the best. 

September 1

Lake Russell water levels are around 474.5 (full pool is 475.00) and the lake is fairly clear. Morning surface water temperatures are about 84 degrees on the main lake.

You can certainly catch striper off the main lake points, but Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) reports that his boat is on a different pattern. They are catching fish 25-30 feet down on the lower end, but they are finding them suspended and roaming out over deep water in 70-120 feet of water. Fish are just swimming around following schools of bait, and so you have to find the herring in order to locate the fish. They have been taking down-lines pretty well. 

His boat is also still catching fish at the top of the lake in the Hartwell tailrace. Sometimes they are catching them on free-lines and sometimes they are schooling. 

Wendell is also finding the bass in a transition period, and the fish seem to be really spread out. They are still picking up fish trolling Shad Raps 10-12 feet deep over the main channel, but they are also catching some fish in large coves off the main channel. In addition to a few bass they are also catching white perch, crappie and catfish. The fish are on the bottom in 15-25 feet of water and a minnow on a drop shot rig is the best way to approach them. You will catch more crappie when there is brush but for the white perch and catfish is does not seem to make a difference. Crappie range from small to large and they are all mixed together in the same areas. 

August 31

Lake Russell water levels are at 474.49 (full pool is 475.00) and the lake is fairly clear. Morning surface water temperatures are about 84 degrees on the main lake.

It seems like the bass have just started to make an early fall move on Lake Russell, and yesterday Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that the fish were leaving the main lake points where they had been catching them and heading shallower towards brush on secondary points – still in the main lake.  The best fishing was coming in about 25 feet of water, and bass would take drop shots, deep running crankbaits and of course live bait.

Even though the bass have started to move the striped bass are still stacked up on main lake points, and Jerry reports that they are still catching them with down-lines in 25-40 feet of water. The bite can be a little inconsistent but there are good numbers of fish off the points. Sometimes when they don’t seem very excited about eating herring you can get a reaction bite with a large spoon. 

Small catfish are still stacked up in 8-15 feet of water in coves and off points, and cut herring is working very well. 

More to follow from Guide Wendell Wilson.

August 18

Lake Russell water levels are around 473.96 (full pool is 475.00) and the lake is fairly clear. Morning surface water temperatures are about 84 degrees over most of the lake.

While the water temperatures are in the 80s over most of the lake, Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) reports that he has been targeting hybrid and striped bass in 65 degree water! Up the lake in the Hartwell Tailrace the water is very cool right now (even though sometimes it’s not, as when they aren’t letting out much water), and it’s attracted a bunch of striper.

Yesterday it was cloudy and rainy and the fishing was better than today, but each day they have caught good numbers of solid striper averaging about 10 pounds. They are catching them on a combination of free-lined herring and topwater lures, and there has been some pretty good schooling activity. 

They have also caught a bunch of good largemouth and spotted bass up to about 5 pounds up there.   

You can also fish for striper down the lake on the lower end, and generally the best pattern is to fish about 30-40 feet down with down-lines over deeper water on flats and off points. 

While there are a lot of patterns for catching bass right now, nothing is really hot in Wendell’s estimation.  Probably the best way to catch fish is to troll crankbaits with a small profile about 10-12 feet down over the main channel. 

You will also pick up some spotted bass fishing in large coves off the main channel, but this is a better pattern for white perch, crappie and catfish. Fish are on the bottom in 14-20 feet of water and a minnow on a drop shot rig is the best way to approach them. You will catch more crappie when there is brush but for the white perch and catfish is does not seem to make a difference. 

August 4

Lake Russell water levels are around 474.5 (full pool is 475.00) and the lake is still clear on the main channel. Morning surface water temperatures are about 85 or 86 degrees.

The bite is fairly stable on Lake Russell, and Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that he is still catching bass, striped bass, some perch, and catfish in the same areas. While they can be a little shallower early, fish are generally off main lake points in 25-40 feet of water. He is also catching them in the center of coves just off the main lake at the same depth. Points with brush are holding more fish, and most of the fish are usually related to the bottom. Live bait is hard to beat but crankbaits and drop shot rigs will also work for bass.   

The striped bass fishing is a little sporadic, and some days they are getting 7 or 8 while other days they are lucky to get two or three. 

All of that is in the middle and lower lake, but Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) reports that his boat has also found some striper on the upper end in the cooler water below the Hartwell Tailrace. The areas he is fishing are less than 15 feet deep, and for these fish he is pulling free-lines. At times they are schooling and then you can pitch topwater lures to them. 

Down the lake Wendell is also fishing for crappie and perch, and picking up some bass and catfish, and he continues to target long coves off the main channel. He is getting in 15-25 feet and dropping minnows on drop shot rigs. When there is brush he is catching more crappie and less perch, and when there is a clean bottom he is catching more perch. 

Small catfish are still stacked up in 8-15 feet of water in coves and off points, and cut herring is working very well. 

July 22

Lake Russell water levels are around 474.4 (full pool is 475.00) and the lake is still pretty clear on the main channel. Morning surface water temperatures are around 84 or 85 degrees. 

The fish are starting to group up more on Lake Russell, and Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that in addition to bass he is catching striped bass, some perch, and catfish in the same areas. While they can be a little shallower early, fish are generally off main lake points in 25-40 feet of water. He is also catching them in the center of coves just off the main lake at the same depth. Points with brush are holding more fish, and most of the fish are usually related to the bottom. Live bait is hard to beat but crankbaits and drop shot rigs will also work for bass.

   

While Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) is on a similar pattern for similar species, his boat is fishing coves off the main channel in about 20 feet of water around brush. By fishing shallower and using minnows he is also getting crappiebut excluding striper.  Perch and catfish are on the bottom, crappie can be on the bottom or suspended, but most of the bass he is targeting are suspended by now. In some ways the graph is looking like fall more than summer, and the fishing is far better than usual for this time of year!  

Wendell does note that he is marking some striper deeper but they are extremely tackle-shy right now. 

Small catfish are still stacked up in 8-15 feet of water in coves and off points, and cut herring is working very well. 

July 14

Lake Russell water levels are at 474.53 (full pool is 475.00) and the lake is still pretty clear on the main channel. Morning surface water temperatures have dropped to about 84 degrees. 

One pattern is still stable with the bass on Lake Russell, and Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that his boat is still catching fish off points in the main lake in 20-30 feet of water. In the morning they may be as shallow as 15 feet on the same points, and they are just sliding deeper as the day goes on. Points with brush are holding more fish, and the bass are usually related to the bottom. Live bait is hard to beat but crankbaits and drop shot rigs will also work. 

However, Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) is doing something different to catch bass on Russell, and he has discovered that there is another group of fish that is suspended over the tops of trees in 50-60 feet of water. In large areas of Russell the timber tops out only 12 or so feet below the surface, and in these areas the spotted bass are setting up about 10-12 feet down. The most effective way that they have found to target these fish is trolling Shad Raps, but of course you can cast the same bait or others like swimbait – or even flip soft plastics. 

In general these are spotted bass and the fish that are around points are often a little bigger. 

The striped bass fishing is pretty good right now, and Jerry’s boat is catching at least a few fish in the 8-20 pound range every time they go after them. In general the fish are holding deeper than the bass around similar points, and they have been about 20 feet down over main lake trees in 30-35 feet of water. Herring on down-lines have been the best way to catch them, and when a school passes through the action can be fast for a few minutes. Of course, Russell is a trophy striper fishery and it does not have the numbers that other lakes have. 

There are probably crappie back in the creeks, but Wendell reports that with water temperatures 90 or 91 back there he just isn’t looking thee. Instead, he is fishing large coves off the main channel at the northern end of the lake, and he is looking for brush about 15-20 feet down. Some of the fish are on the bottom and some are about halfway down. They have pretty much been exclusively using minnows. 

Small catfish are still stacked up in 8-10 feet of water in coves and off points, although Jerry has started to catch some out as deep as 15 feet.  Cut herring is working very well. 

July 1

Lake Russell water levels are at 474.56 (full pool is 475.00) and the lake is still relatively clear. Morning surface water temperatures have dropped to about 84 degrees. 

With a mild week the bass still haven’t gone much deeper on Lake Russell, and Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that his boat is still catching fish off points in the main lake in 20-30 feet. In the morning they may be as shallow as 15 feet on the same points, and they are just sliding deeper as the day goes on. Points with brush are holding more fish, and the bass are usually related to the bottom.  Live bait is hard to beat but crankbaits and drop shot rigs will also work.

 

In general Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) is fishing a similar pattern, but today the weather was so cloudy that the fish were moving around a lot and they actually found them schooling on bait repeatedly. They were in that same depth range of 20-25 feet on main lake points and they caught them on topwater lures. When the fish were not up they caught them on herring.

While Wendell isn’t picking up very many striped bass right now, Jerry’s boat has been catching striper up to 12-14 pound and hybrids as big as 8-9 pounds on the same main lake points. With a smaller population of striper in Russell, some points are holding schools of fish while others are not.  

When they aren’t chasing bass Wendell’s boat has been after the crappie, and they have found a surprisingly good bite on the right brush piles. Wendell notes that usually brush which holds crappie will also hold bass, but just because brush piles hold bass does not mean they will hold crappie. Russell crappie generally prefer brush that is in the middle of coves, while spotted bass will be on brush off points or in coves. 

Today Wendell found the best action 15-18 feet down off brush in about 23 feet of water, and in about a half hour they had a limit of medium and larger fish. The fish seem to be moving out of the backs of the creeks and today they were close to the main channel but still in the creek.

Minnows are working very well. 

Small catfish are still stacked up in 8-10 feet of water in coves and off points, although Jerry reports that soon they should move a bit deeper.  Cut herring is working very well.