November 11

Lake Russell water levels are at 474.66 (full pool is 475.00) and the water is clearing as the turnover winds down. Morning surface water temperatures are about 64 degrees.

Even though he usually finds the best action in the winter, Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that right now it continues to be an outstanding bass bite on Lake Russell. Fish remain in 15-20 feet of water on the bottom at the mouths of creeks and on flats. Live bait is the easiest way to catch fish, but in addition to a drop shot bite he is now also catching them on spoons. 

Even though he is fishing a slightly different pattern for suspended fish back in the creeks, Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) also reports wide-open action that if anything has also improved from already-very good last week. He is still fishing in the creeks in about 20-30 feet of water around schools of threadfin shad, and most of these fish are suspended about 12-14 feet down although they will sometimes run bait up to the surface. The best way to locate these roaming fish is to get in the middle of the coves and look for surface activity then run over them with your depth finder. With minnows on a drop shot you can usually catch 3 or 4 before they move, and you can also target them with a #5 Shad Rap, 2.5 inch paddletail swimbait or ¼ ounce lipless crankbait. 

It’s still about the same word on the striped bass, and Jerry says he has only picked up one in the past week.  According to Wendell this is not unusual for November, when the fish usually get extremely scattered. It probably won’t be until the gulls really arrive in December that the fish are accessible again. 

This past week Wendell reports that crappie have gotten a little tougher to target, which also isn’t unusual. They have slid off into 18 plus feet of water following deeper bait schools, and there they are difficult to fish without very deep brush.

At the same time the white perch and yellow perch bites are starting to improve in about 25 feet of water on the bottom in the same areas where the spotted bass are feeding, and so for a while Wendell will spend more time targeting them instead of crappie.  

While he has not been after them much, Jerry reports that the catfish are still around main lake points 20-25 feet deep or in pockets at about the same depth. Cut herring is hard to beat. 

November 4

Lake Russell water levels are right around full (full pool is 475.00) and the water has gotten much cleaner again. Morning surface water temperatures are about 67 degrees.

It’s an outstanding bass bite right now on Lake Russell, and Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that fish have moved a bit shallower into 15-20 feet of water at the mouths of creeks and on flats. He is killing them with a drop shot worm, catching more than 60 fish in just a few hours yesterday – including a bass on 38 straight casts!  

It’s been a similar story on the water with Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336), but he reports that his boat is catching spotted bass back in the creeks in about 20-30 feet of water around schools of threadfin shad. Most of these fish are suspended about 12-14 feet down, although they will sometimes run bait up to the surface. The best way to locate these roaming fish is to get in the middle of the coves and look for surface activity then run over them with your depth finder. With minnows on a drop shot you can usually catch 3 or 4 before they move, and you can also target them with a #5 Shad Rap, 2.5 inch paddletail swimbait or ¼ ounce lipless crankbait. 

At the same time that the bass have gotten really good both guides agree that the striped bass have basically disappeared, which Wendell says is not unusual for November. In November the fish get extremely scattered and it won’t be until the gulls arrive in December that the fish are accessible again. 

The crappie are generally in the same areas of the creeks as the spots, although Wendell reports that they are around brush piles a bit shallower 8-10 feet down in 15-20 feet of water. They are pretty much on a minnow bite right now. White perch are starting to show up just a little deeper on the bottom in 25 feet of water under the spots, while the yellow perch have not really appeared yet. 

While he has not been targeting them much, Jerry reports that the catfish are still around main lake points 20-25 feet deep or in pockets at about the same depth. Cut herring is hard to beat. 

October 20

After being more than 4 feet above full, Lake Russell water levels have dropped down to a few inches above full pool at 475.33 (full pool is 475.00).  Pretty much the whole lake is stained but it’s much better than it was, particularly in terms of floating trash, and morning surface water temperatures are about 74 or 75 degrees. 

The net result of up-and-down water levels is that the bass have decided the best place to stay is suspended in about the same range where they have been for over a month now, and Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that he is still catching them on drop shot rigs or bait 15-20 feet down over 20-25 feet of water on the main lake.  Some fish may have thought about moving shallower when water levels shot up, but they dropped again so fast that it pulled fish back off the banks.

Jerry’s boat is mainly catching spots (and a few striped bass) this way, although the occasional big largemouth is mixed in. However, if you are a tournament angler or otherwise looking for largemouth his best advice is to throw a buzzbait back in a creek early – or head to another lake!

Even as water conditions got really crazy with floating logs and the like, Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) has continued to be able to target striper fishing down-lines on the lower end. He has found the fish suspended about 20-50 feet down over deep water and the bite has been pretty good. 

The crappie fishing on Russell continues to be pretty strong, and Wendell reports that the action continues to improve in the creeks.  The fish have moved a bit shallower and they are generally holding 12-14 feet down over brush in 18-20 feet of water. 

Most of the catfish still seem to be on the bottom, and Jerry reports that the best place to target them is around main lake points 20-25 feet deep – or in pockets at about the same depth. Cut herring is hard to beat. 

October 6

Lake Russell water levels are well above full pool to 474.49 (full pool is 475.00) and rising fast after recent rains. They have had 5 inches of rain already and are expected to get 3-4 more inches, and so water clarity is dropping fast. In the backs of the creeks to about halfway out it’s already getting pretty bad. Morning surface water temperatures are in the mid-70s. 

Monsoon conditions are unlikely to put the bass on the bottom, and so Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that he expects the fish to stay on the same suspended pattern for a while longer. They are catching them about 15-20 feet down over 20-25 feet of water. Particularly when the sun is out they are starting to pick up more fish tight to brush, while on cloudy days the fish roam more.

While Jerry continues to find some striped bass mixed in with the spots, Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) is targeting the striper and getting some good fish up to the low teens fishing down-lines on the lower end. For right now he is finding the best fish suspended about 40 feet down over deep water. 

There should also still be some striper at the top of the lake that can be caught on free-lines below the Hartwell Dam. 

Even though he has targeted them more on Clarks Hill recently, Wendell reports that the Russell crappie fishing is still pretty good back in the creeks.  They are generally holding 12-15 feet down over brush in 20-25 feet of water. 

Most of the catfish again seem to be on the bottom, and Jerry reports that the best place to target them is around main lake points 20-25 feet deep – or in pockets at about the same depth. Cut herring is hard to beat. 

September 30

Lake Russell water levels are at 474.98 (full pool is 475.00) and the main lake is still clear. However, in the backs of creeks there are signs that the water is starting to turn over and you can already see brown water and bubbles on the surface. Morning surface water temperatures have dropped into the upper 70s.   

Even though it would be customary to expect the bite to fall off a bit when the lake starts to turn over,Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that he is still doing pretty well for spotted bass fishing the same suspended pattern he has been on for some time. However, they are now catching less other species on this pattern and the fish are starting to move a bit shallower chasing bait. They are catching them about 15-20 feet down over 20-25 feet of water. Particularly when the sun is out they are starting to pick up more fish tight to brush, while on cloudy days the fish will roam more. 

Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) is fishing a similar pattern for bass, and for him the key is just finding the bait. In addition to live bait or a drop shot he is also targeting fish with a swimbait or topwater, particularly when he can find them feeding on the surface. The fish are starting to run bait up the top a little bit, and get more ganged up, but that pattern is not wide open yet. 

Jerry is picking up somestriped bass fishing for relatively shallow suspended fish, but the best numbers of striper seem to be coming in the lower lake targeting them 40 feet down over 100 feet of water with down-lines.  You will catch a few spotted bass on this pattern but not as many as shallower, and the striper are generally running a good 10 plus pounds.

There are also some striper at the top of the lake that can be caught on free-lines below the Hartwell Dam.

 

Even though he has targeted them more on Clarks Hill recently, Wendell reports that the Russell crappie fishing is still pretty good back in the creeks.   They are generally holding 12-15 feet down over brush in 20-25 feet of water. 

Most of the catfish again seem to be on the bottom, and Jerry reports that the best place to target them is around main lake points 20-25 feet deep – or in pockets at about the same depth.  Cut herring is hard to beat. 

September 17

Lake Russell water levels are at 474.54 (full pool is 475.00) and the main lake is still clear. Morning surface water temperatures have dropped to about 82 degrees. 

It’ll take temperatures dropping a few more degrees before patterns really change, andGuide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports he is still catching a mixed bag of bass, striper, white perch and catfish suspended 15-25 feet down over 30-40 feet of water. He is still sticking to the main lake off points and the mouths of pockets. All of the fish will take live herring, although the perch are a little harder to hook on big baits.

Jerry suspects that the fish never got on the bottom this summer like they usually do because of all the rains, and with a lot of rain in the last 48 hours that is probably not changing.  

The bass catch is heavily spotted bass, and if you want to improve your chances of catching a largemouth you should still head into the back of a creek and throw a buzzbait. You won’t get many bites but the ones you get should be good ones.

Jerry has caught striper up to 15 pounds mixed in with the other species, but if you want to target just striped bass Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) reports that the biggest groups are still on the ends of the lake. On the lower end fish are about 30-50 feet down over 70-100 feet of water, while in the Hartwell Tailrace you can pull herring or trout in the river channel in 20 feet or less. 

It’s been a better week for crappie again, and Wendell reports that even though they aren’t catching monster spring crappie the numbers of 9-12 inch fish are really good. Brush in about 15-20 feet in the backs of creeks is loaded up with crappie, and they are generally fishing minnows about 10-14 feet down. 

The crappie that are holding on brush are just waiting for shad to swim by to ambush, but there are also some crappie that are out in open water chasing bait at about the same depth. To catch these fish you pretty much have to rely on electronics. 

Finally, while Jerry is still catching suspended catfish, if you want to really target them then fishing on the bottom around main lake points 20-25 feet deep is probably the best pattern. Cut herring is hard to beat. 

September 2

Lake Russell water levels are at 474.35 (full pool is 475.00) and the main lake is still clear. Morning surface water temperatures are 85-87 degrees. 

Even with recent rains there is very little change in the patternGuide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) is fishing, and he reports still catching a mixed bag of bass, striper, white perch and catfish suspended 15-25 feet down over 30-40 feet of water. He is sticking to the main lake off points and at the mouths of pockets. All of the fish will take live herring, although the perch are little harder to hook on big baits.

Jerry suspects that the fish never got on the bottom this summer like they usually do because of all the rains. 

The bass catch is heavily spotted bass, and if you want to improve your chances of catching a largemouth you should still head into the back of a creek and throw a buzzbait. You won’t get many bites but the ones you get should be good ones.

If you want to target just striped bass, Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) reports that there are basically two places to look. One is still the lower end, where fish are about 30-50 feet down over 70-100 feet of water. 

The other place to look is in the Hartwell Tailrace, where you can pull herring or trout in the river channel in 20 feet or less. 

The crappie fishing has dropped off a little, but Wendell has found fish 12-14 feet down in the creeks over brush in 17-22 feet of water.  He never really found fish both stacked up and biting really well, but you can catch a couple off each brush pile before you have to fish elsewhere.  Minnows have been working the best.

August 20

Lake Russell water levels are up to 474.68 (full pool is 475.00) and morning surface water temperatures are about 85 degrees. 

This weekGuide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that the fishing is still about the same for a mixed bag of bass, striper, white perch and catfish. He is still targeting about 30-40 feet of water on the main lake off points and at the mouths of pockets. The fish are still suspended about 15-20 feet down, including the catfish, and they will all take live bait. 

The bass catch is heavily spotted bass, and if you want to improve your chances of catching a largemouth you should still head into the back of a creek and throw a buzzbait. You won’t get many bites but the ones you get should be good ones.

Instead of targeting a mixed bag, this week Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) has been focusing on the striper and he has been fishing the lower end 30-40 feet down over 70-80 feet of water. The really big fish have not been showing up, but they have caught a good number of 10-pound fish on down-lines. 

The other good news from Wendell is that he has found some nice crappie, and on a recent trip they caught about 40 fish with half good ones. Interestingly the fish were near brush in about 22 feet of water in a creek but not on the brush, and using slip floats and drop shot rigs with minnows they caught them 10-12 feet down. It was a matter of getting to a good area and then looking for schools on electronics. 

In the creeks Wendell has found crappie, but if he wants to find white perch the formula is pretty simple.  In larger coves off the main lake, or about any main lake flat, when you get to about 25-30 feet of water the fish are stacked up.

August 6

Lake Russell is down to normal elevation at 474.26 (full pool is 475.00) and the main lake is clear. Morning surface water temperatures are about 84-85 degrees. 

The fishing continues to drop off a bit on Lake Russell, perhaps because of the rain earlier this week, butGuide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that the patterns he is fishing have not changed. They are still catching a mixed bag of bass, striper, white perch and catfish in 30-40 feet of water on the main lake off points and at the mouths of pockets. The fish are still suspended about 15-20 feet down, including the catfish, and they will all take live bait. 

The bass catch is heavily spotted bass, and if you want to improve your chances of catching a largemouth you should still head into the back of a creek and throw a buzzbait. You won’t get many bites but the ones you get should be good ones.

This week Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) has also spent a little time targeting the spotted bass, and he has found some bass and perch on the bottom on a main lake flat in about 28 feet of water. He also found some in a creek on the bottom in about 25-35 feet of water. 

However, Wendell has spent the most time targeting striped bass on the lower end. They are fishing down-lines about 30 feet down over 40-50 feet of water, and in addition to nice 12- plus pound fish they are getting some pretty good numbers.  

This week Wendell has not targeted the crappie, but reports indicate they can still be caught in the creek or in large coves off the main lake.  The fish are about halfway down in 20-25 feet of water and they seem to want minnows. 

While you can still catch a few fish around bridges, either during the day or at night, that action has gotten a little hit-or-miss.  It’s normal for bridge fishing to be better earlier in the summer.

July 28

Lake Russell is still just above full pool at 465.10 (full pool is 475.00) and the main lake is clear with the lake overall clearing. Morning surface water temperatures are about 86 degrees. 

The fishing has slowed down just a little on Lake Russell this week, butGuide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that they are still catching a mixed bag of bass, striper, white perch and catfish in 30-40 feet of water on the main lake off points and at the mouths of pockets. With high water levels the fish are still suspended about 15-20 feed down, including the catfish, and they will all take live bait. 

The catch is mainly spotted bass, and if you want to improve your chances of catching a largemouth you should still head into the back of a creek and throw a buzzbait. You won’t get many bites but the ones you get should be good ones. 

It’s been a few days since Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) has been back in the creeks, but he expects there is still a mixed bag of species that can be caught there. 

However, Wendell – along with other guide boats including refugees from other lakes not fishing as well – has been targeting striper on the lower end with down-lined herring. He is still fishing about 30 feet down over 40-60 feet of water. Even when the big striper are hard to find there are plenty of spotted bass in the area, and on the last trip out even though they only got two striper there were ten good spots to go with them. 

July 21

With around four inches of rain two nights ago Lake Russell water levels shot up about a foot to 475.62 (full pool is 475.00). While the main lake remains clear the backs are murky even in spots that usually stay clear. Morning surface water temperatures are around 85 degrees.   

The action is still very good on Lake Russell, andGuide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that they are now catching bass, striper, white perch and catfish in 30-40 feet of water on the main lake off points and at the mouths of pockets. Perhaps as a result of rising water levels all of these fish are suspended about 15-20 feed down, including the catfish, and they will all take live bait. 

The catch is mainly spotted bass, and if you want to improve your chances of catching a largemouth you should still head into the back of a creek and throw a buzzbait. You won’t get many bites but the ones you get should be good ones.

 

In the creeks Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) is fishing for a similar mixed bag of species (minus the striper) with minnows on a drop shot, but he is finding the fish on the bottom in 25-30 feet of water. They are in areas with clean bottoms, and the white perch and catfish are particularly stacked up. 

When Wendell is targeting striper he is heading to the lower end and down-lining herring about 30 feet down over 40-60 feet of water. Fish are averaging about 12 pounds and yesterday in the rain they caught a bunch of striper and 5 bass including a 5-pound spotted bass!

Occasionally Wendell is picking up a crappie on the bottom with the other species, but generally to target them right now you need to be around brush.  He has found the best action about 10 feet down over 20 feet of water in coves off the main lake. 

There are still some particular bridges that are producing at night on Russell, and the action is typically over 30-40 feet of water. Once you put out a light the crappie will move shallow, and you usually only have to fish just out of sight to about 10-12 feet down.

July 9

Lake Russell water levels are still very high at right around full (full pool is 475.00) and the lake remains clear except in the very backs.  Morning surface water temperatures are around 85-86 degrees.   

It’s been a pretty good bite on Lake Russell for the last week, andGuide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that they are catching spotted bass, hybrids and striper all mixed together suspended about 20-35 feet down over the tops of trees. They are mostly catching fish on live bait, but drop shots, spoons and more will also work. They aren’t catching anything on the bottom except for the occasional catfish, but if water temperatures stay hot then eventually the other species will get there. 

It sounds like a broken record, but if you want to improve your chances of catching a largemouth you should still head into the back of a creek and throw a buzzbait, frog or floating worm around brush, blowdowns or grass early and late.  With this moon phase there are even more bream up shallow around the banks and bass are keying on them. 

While there are channel catfish out deeper, Jerry reports that if you want to target catfish then the best pattern is to head into the middle of coves between points and put out cut herring or catalpa worms on the bottom in 15-20 feet of water. This is a numbers pattern, and yesterday Jerry caught 25 fish up to about 3 pounds in just an hour or two of fishing.

June 23

Lake Russell water levels are still very high at around 474.8 (full pool is 475.00) and the lake remains clear except in the very backs.  Morning surface water temperatures are around 83-84 degrees.   

Unexpectedly, if anything Lake Russell may just be beginning to cool off a little, and as a resultGuide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that the bass are still in the same patterns and haven’t gone any deeper. They are still catching fish on the bottom in 15-20 feet of water, and numbers are still excellent. Jerry is catching fish in the front of creeks and on the main lake. Fish are mostly relating to the edges of brush, and they will take worms on a drop shot – although live herring is hard to beat. 

With limited exceptions this is a spotted bass pattern, and if you want to improve your chances of catching a largemouth you should still head into the back of a creek and throw a buzzbait, frog or floating worm around brush, blowdowns or grass early and late.

While a few striper and hybrids are being caught on the spotted bass pattern, Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) reports that when he is targeting striper they are fishing on the lower end in 25-40 feet of water. They are catching 1-6 fish per trip, but they are generally at least 15 pounds or better!

Gone (for now) are the days when fish would come up for a free-line, with the possible exception of very early, and they are exclusively fishing down-lines. Fish are off shoals and the sides of long points, but mostly they are just trying to mark schools of herring before dropping down baits. 

But perhaps the best bite right now started out as a crappie pattern, and Wendell’s boat is catching a mixed bag with about half crappie, some white perch, spotted bass and catfish in the creeks in 18-25 feet of water. The crappie are generally in the thick of brush, while the white perch are on the bottom in schools just out from the brush. Occasionally they will also catch fish in coves off the main lake on the same pattern, but the creeks have been so productive it’s hard to leave. Minnows have been the bait of choice. 

There have also been some slabs caught fishing around the bridges at night on Russell this week, typically over 30-40 feet of water. Once you put out a light the crappie will move shallow, and you usually only have to fish just out of sight to about 10-12 feet down. 

Finally, while there are certainly other patterns for catching catfish, Jerry reports that he is catching channels in coves and off points in 6-15 feet of water. While they will take other things, he is exclusively fishing cut bait. 

June 18

Lake Russell water levels are still very high 474.73 (full pool is 475.00) and the lake remains very clear.  Morning surface water temperatures are around 83 degrees.   

Even though thebass still haven’t gone very deep on Lake Russell,Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that the fish are starting to move into summer patterns and getting on the bottom pretty well instead of suspending, which make them easier to catch. Right now they are still in about 15-20 feet of water, but soon they will get deeper and then the fishing should get even better. They are already catching a lot, and yesterday’s trip had 36 bass. 

Fish are mostly relating to the edges of brush in about 15-20 of water, and they will take worms on a drop shot although live herring is hard to beat. 

Usually they catch mostly spots on this pattern, but yesterday they caught 6 largemouth in a row and then another four this morning. Still, if you want to improve your chances of catching a largemouth you should still head into the back of a creek and throw a buzzbait, frog or floating worm around brush, blowdowns or grass early and late.

They have also caught a couple of nice striper and a random hybrid on this pattern. 

More information to follow next week from Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336).

June 11

Lake Russell water levels are up to 474.80 (full pool is 475.00) and the lake remains very clear.  Morning surface water temperatures are up to the lower 80s. 

Even though the catch rates are goodbass fishing on Lake Russell,Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that it’s basically an in-between time. The herring are basically done and so the bass are starting to go deeper, but they have not moved into the deep summer haunts where they will load up before too long. 

For right now Jerry is mainly catching fish around brush in 15-20 feet of water, mostly in the main lake but also in the mouth of creeks. While he is typically fishing live bait with charters, drop shot rigs and other artificial baits will also work.

Jerry adds that if you want to improve your chances of catching a largemouth you should still head into the back of a creek and throw a buzzbait, frog or floating worm around brush, blowdowns or grass early and late.   

While Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) is primarily targeting crappie, he has found a pattern that is also a catching a mixed bag with spotted bass and even some catfish. Perhaps Wendell is catching more crappie than Jerry because he is fishing about halfway up the creeks, where more crappie live, and they are targeting brush in 12-18 feet of water. There have been some excellent catches and one day they got 63 fish (including spots and catfish). Some slabs have also been mixed in, like the 2 pound 5 ounce fish Wendell’s son Luke Wilson caught.
The fish are suspended throughout the water column from 3 feet to the bottom, with the smaller fish generally holding higher in shallower water and the biggest fish closer to the bottom in deeper water. The 2-5 fish came on the bottom in 18 feet. Minnows are hard to beat. 

Of course, since it’s summer you can also catch crappie on Russell fishing around the bridges at night over 30-40 feet of water. Once you put out a light the crappie will move shallow, and you usually only have to fish just out of sight to about 10-12 feet down. 

Wendell’s boat is also targeting striped bass and hybrids, and in typical Lake Russell style they are only catching 3-5 fish each trip but they are generally big ones in the 15-pound range. The best action is coming on the lower end off shoals and the sides of the long points where they were eating herring last month, and the fish are mostly 15-20 feet down over 20-30 feet of water.  While down-lines will work the fish are also coming up to eat free-lines.  

While there are certainly other patterns for catching catfish, Jerry reports that he is catching channels in coves and off points in 6-15 feet of water. While they will take other things, he is exclusively fishing cut bait.