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
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
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
May 28
Lake Russell water levels are down to 474.31 (full pool is 475.00) and the lake remains very clear. Morning surface water temperatures are up to the lower 80s.
The herring bite is winding down on Lake Russell if it’s not already effectively over, but Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) reports that nonetheless the bass
May 20
Lake Russell water levels are down to 474.67 (full pool is 475.00) but the lake remains very clear. Morning surface water temperatures are around 72-73 degrees.
It is still a very good time for bass fishing on Lake Russell, and Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports
May 7
Lake Russell water levels are way above full at about 476 (full pool is 475.00) although the lake remains very clear. Morning surface water temperatures are around 70 degrees.
It is still an excellent time for bass fishing on Lake Russell, and Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports
April 29
Lake Russell water levels are above full at 475.03 (full pool is 475.00) and the lake is very clear except for some floating debris and pollen. Water temperatures are in the upper 60s.
The bass fishing is still really good on Lake Russell, and Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports
April 16
Lake Russell water levels are up to above full at 475.26 (full pool is 475.00). Surface water temperatures are in the upper 60s.
The bass fishing remains strong on Lake Russell, and Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports
April 2
Lake Russell water levels are down to 473.91 (full pool is 475.00). Morning surface water temperatures were about 63 or 64 degrees in the creeks before the cold snap but have dropped. The main lake is pretty clear but the creeks have a good stain to them.
The bass fishing has really picked up on Lake Russell, and Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports
March 19
Lake Russell water levels are almost full at 474.88 (full pool is 475.00). Morning surface water temperatures have fall to about 59 degrees. Water clarity is a little stained after the rain this week.
Most bass anglers love spring warming, but on Lake Russell Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) often finds
March 10
Lake Russell water levels are at 473.50 (full pool is 475.00). Morning surface water temperatures are about 54 on the main lake and in the upper 50s in the creeks. Water clarity is normal.
The bass fishing is picking up again on Lake Russell, and tournament angler/ Guide Brad Fowler of Pendleton reports
March 5
Lake Russell water levels are at 472.99 (full pool is 475.00). Morning surface water temperatures are about 53 on the main lake and 57 in the creeks. Water clarity is normal.
Lake Russell offered perhaps the best bass fishing in the state through the winter, so perhaps it’s karma that at least this week as the fishing turns on around South Carolina the action on Russell lags behind. Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports
February 26
Lake Russell water levels are down to 472.88 (full pool is 475.00). The main lake is clear while the creeks are fairly stained. Surface water temperatures are about 50 degrees in the morning.
Even though water temperatures are still cool in the morning, Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports
February 18
Lake Russell water levels are at 474.03 (full pool is 475.00). Water temperatures are in the upper 40s and before today’s rain clarity was still fairly good.
He’s not expecting it to last much past this weekend, but Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports
Tournament results will be posted here as they become available.
February 13
American Bass Anglers Open Series SC Division 9 Tournament on Lake Keowee from South Cove
BFL South Carolina Division Tournament (bass) on Lake Murray from Dreher Island State Park
February 4
Lake Russell water levels are at 474.09 (full pool is 475.00). Water temperatures are down to about 48-49 degrees and the lake is pretty clear.
There has been some really good fishing recently on Lake Russell, and Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports
January 21
Lake Russell water levels are at 473.83 (full pool is 475.00). Water temperatures are down to about 50 degrees and the lake is clear.
Lake Russell remains a really good place to catch bass, and Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) reports
January 13
Lake Russell water levels are down to 473.77 (full pool is 475.00). Water temperatures are down to about 51 degrees and as of yesterday most of the lake is clear.
The bass fishing is similar again this week on Lake Russell, and Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports
January 7
Lake Russell water levels are back down to 474.14 (full pool is 475.00) after reaching a foot above full pool on January 4. Still, the main lake and front of creeks remain clear and water temperatures are about 53 degrees.
There’s a couple of different bass patterns going on right now on Lake Russell, and Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports
December 20
Lake Russell water levels are at 474.66 (full pool is 475.00) and water temperatures are in the mid-50s.
Winter is usually a great time to fish on Lake Russell, and Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports
November 24
Lake Russell water levels are close to full at 474.78 (full pool is 475.00) and water temperatures are about 65-67 degrees. The water is pretty clear.
Even though they have not gotten stacked up in deep water the bass fishing is still strong on Lake Russell, and Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports
November 12
Lake Russell water levels are at 474.39 (full pool is 475.00) and water temperatures are in the upper 60s. As of yesterday the lake was clean but the rain should mess it up.
The bass are the main event again on Lake Russell, and Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports
October 23
Lake Russell water levels are at 474.35 (full pool is 475.00) and water temperatures have warmed back up to 73-74 degrees. Even though it looks okay the water seems to be turning over now and at times it can be hard to read a depth finder.
The striped bass fishing has coming roaring back on Lake Russell, and Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports
October 8
Lake Russell water levels are at 474.74 (full pool is 475.00) and water temperatures range from about 70-74. The water has been dingy from turning over but it just beginning to clear.
It was an uncharacteristically tough few weeks on Lake Russell and Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports