August 28
Lake Russell water levels are around 473.6 (full pool is 475.00) and water clarity is high. Morning surface water temperatures are back to about 82-83 degrees.
Water temperatures dropped to about 79 degrees after the cooler weather, but Guide Jerry Kotal with Jerry Kotal’s Fishing Guide Service (706-988-0860) reports that they have rebounded and the fishing has been a little tough for both striped bass and bass. The silver lining is that the fish are they catching have been better ones.
Both species are suspended about 35-40 feet down over timber in 50-60 feet of water, and Jerry hasn’t really seen many decent bass much shallower. He did catch a bunch of 1 ½ pound spotted bass on drop shot rigs fish around brush on points in 8-10 feet, but they never caught a bigger fish. They have also picked up a few catfish while targeting striper with live bait on shallower spots 35-40 feet deep on the bottom.
That’s consistent with the report from Guide Wendell Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336, who also advises that the decent spotted bass seem to be suspended and roaming right now. They get that way in the summer sometimes and can be hard to catch. Wendell’s boat has picked up some good striper in the 12-14 pound recently, again about 35-40 feet down over deeper water on the lower end.
At the same time there continues to be a pretty good bite for crappie around brush, and they are still catching fish about 10 feet down over 20 feet in the creeks.
Finally, for a mixed bag of large white perch, a few big yellow perch, and channel catfish in the 1-3 pound range, fish remain grouped up on main lake flats in about 28 feet of water. They are eating minnows.
August 16
Lake Russell water levels are down to around 473.5 (full pool is 475.00) and water clarity is still normal. Morning surface water temperatures are 84 degrees on the main lake.
As hoped the striped bass and bass fishing both improved this week on Lake Russell, and Guide Wendell Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336) reports that on their last two trips they found the fish much more willing to eat again. The magic depth – particularly for striper – continues to be about 30 feet, with the striper suspended over deep water on the lower end and about 50 feet (as deep as it gets) on the upper end. They are eating herring on down-rods again and the fish are back to running a good 9-10 pounds.
The spotted bass are also at about the same depth, but instead of suspending they are finding them on the bottom. Humps have been particularly good. Live bait is hard to beat but they will also take spoons and drop shots. In the last couple of days they have managed to tangle with some nice 3-4 pound spots.
Finally, for a mixed bag of white perch, big yellow perch, and channel catfish in the 1-3 pound range, fish are grouped up on main lake flats in about 25-28 feet. They are eating minnows.
Whatever the reason they stopped eating, it appears that the fish are back at it again!
August 13
Lake Russell water levels are around 474.20 (full pool is 475.00) and water clarity is still normal. Morning surface water temperatures are about 83-84 degrees on the main lake and around 86 up creeks.
The bass and striped bass are still in the same areas on Lake Russell, but for reasons that are hard to explain Guide Jerry Kotal with Jerry Kotal’s Fishing Guide Service (706-988-0860) reports that now neither species is biting well. Things may settle out in the next few days, but it has been tough fishing for several days now. Both species are still in about 30-40 feet of water on main lake flats and off points, but while they are marking plenty they aren’t getting many bites. A few spots and the smallest striper (multiple fish in the one-pound range) Jerry has caught in a long time on Russell were the main catch the last time out. It’s hard to describe them as having anything but “lockjaw”.
The one bright spot is with the crappie, and Guide Wendell Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336) reports that even though fish aren’t loaded up on all the brush they are really thick on some brush piles. After bouncing around they finally marked a good number of fish mid-way up a creek in about 20 feet of water on brush, and fishing minnows 8-10 feet down they caught a limit in 30 minutes.
More to follow if conditions hopefully improve this week.
August 1
Lake Russell water levels are up to 474.84 (full pool is 475.00) and water clarity is still high. Morning surface water temperatures are about 83-84 degrees on the main lake.
As water temperatures dropped 2-3 degrees for some reason the bass fishing slowed way down on Lake Russell, but Guide Jerry Kotal with Jerry Kotal’s Fishing Guide Service (706-988-0860) reports that the striped bass are still doing well. The two species are in the same areas in 30-40 feet of water, but the spotted bass are 15-20 feet down and have lockjaw while the striper are on the bottom and feeding. He is fishing with herring, and it’s hard to imagine artificials would do any better for bass. The best concentrations of fish seem to be in the mid-lake and on the lower end.
While the numbers of striper are never great on Russell, yesterday they had five fish from 8-20 pounds! You would be hard-pressed to find a better place to catch big striper in this state.
The rare bass they do catch is a spot, and to target largemouth the best bet is to head into the creeks and target shallower brush in the 10-15 foot range. Big worms and crankbaits will work, and you can also get some bites very early on buzzbaits.
Jerry has also found a decent crappie bite, and yesterday he caught about 20 fish with a good third of them in the one-pound range. The bigger fish seem to be 15-20 feet down around timber in 25-30 feet, while the smaller ones are in brush in 15-20 feet. Jerry has only been fishing with jigs and can’t say how minnows would do.
His boat is also still picking up a few catfish while targeting bass and striper with live bait, but to rally hammer them fishing 20-25 feet of water over main lake humps and in the center of coves with cut bait is the best bet.
July 18
Lake Russell water levels are around 474.35 (full pool is 475.00) and water clarity is high. Morning surface water temperatures are about 86-87 degrees on the main lake.
The striped bass bite continues to be very good on Lake Russell, and Guide Jerry Kotal with Jerry Kotal’s Fishing Guide Service (706-988-0860) reports that he is targeting striper (and bass) in the mid-lake where he is finding both species in the same areas. Most of the fish are around timber in 25-50 feet of water, and some of the fish are on the bottom beside timber while some are suspended over it. In general they seem to just be swimming and eating and moving around a lot, and it’s not unusual to find fish in one area one day but for them to be completely gone the next.
Herring are working for both species and drop shots are also catching bass.
Targeting largemouth is a different matter, as Jerry reports that he is pretty much only catching spots among the bass. To target largemouth the best bet is to head into the creeks and target shallower brush in the 10-15 foot range instead of the very deep stuff on the main lake. Big worms and crankbaits will work, and you can also get some bites very early on buzzbaits.
While he hasn’t been back to the upper end this week, Guide Luke Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336) reports that on the lower end they are still catching suspended striper over water as much as 100 feet deep on herring. Generally fish are 15-50 feet down, but 30 continues to be the best depth most days.
On the crappie front, Luke reports that you can find small crappie on brush in 12 or so feet of water, but the larger fish are on brush in 15-22 feet of water in the back of creeks. They are suspended about halfway down and show a clear preference for minnows right now.
Jerry is still picking up a few catfish while targeting bass and striper with live bait, but if you really want to go after them then fishing in 20-25 feet of water over main lake humps and in the center of coves with cut bait is the best bet.
Finally, one new bite the Wilsons discovered this week is that on the main lake flats in about 28 feet of water there are some massive schools of big white perch. You can catch them with minnows on a drop shot rig. Meanwhile, the mystery of where the yellow perch go in the summer remains unsolved…
July 11
Lake Russell water levels are around 474.3 (full pool is 475.00) and water clarity is high. Morning surface water temperatures are 88 degrees on the main lake.
The striped bass bite continues to be the best thing going on Lake Russell, and Guide Luke Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336) reports that he is catching fish on both ends of the lake right now. They are getting 6-15 fish every day, but three or four of them will often be really big Russell striper. Surprisingly it has not been any cooler on the upper end than the lower end, and in fact the best fishing on the upper end has not been in the tailrace but further down where fish are suspended in 30-50 feet of water. On the lower end the fish could be in well over 100 feet of water. Overall Luke is catching fish with herring on down-rods 15-50 feet deep, but 30 feet down has been the magic depth most days.
At the same time Guide Jerry Kotal with Jerry Kotal’s Fishing Guide Service (706-988-0860) is targeting striper (and bass) in the mid-lake, where he is finding both species together. However, he is seeing way more bass than are willing to bite. Mostly he is catching both species in 30-35 feet of water near the bottom beside timber, although some fish are suspended over it. Bait as well as big, abundant white perch is in the area.
Herring are working for both species and drop shots are also catching bass.
On the crappie front, Luke reports that you can find small crappie on brush in 12 or so feet of water, but the larger fish are on brush in 15-22 feet of water in the back of creeks. They are suspended about halfway down and show a clear preference for minnows right now.
Finally, Jerry is picking up a few catfish while targeting bass and striper with live bait, but if you really want to go after them then fishing in 20-25 feet of water over main lake humps and in the center of coves with cut bait is the best bet.
June 26
Lake Russell water levels are at 474.48 (full pool is 475.00) and water clarity is high. Morning surface water temperatures range from about 83-86 degrees.
The expert consensus between Guide Jerry Kotal with Jerry Kotal’s Fishing Guide Service (706-988-0860) and Guide Wendell Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336) is that some really good striped bass fishing right now is making up for a very slow spring with the striper.
On the lower end Wendell’s boat is finding the fish suspended 30-60 feet deep over 80-100 (or even 120) feet of water in the river channel and on deeper flats. They are related almost exclusively to bait schools, and herring on down-rods have been the ticket.
In the mid-lake Jerry’s boat is also catching striper, and they are finding them 40-50 feet deep close to the bottom. They are on the edge of standing timber.
At the same time, for both boats the bass fishing has been pretty tough. Jerry is not seeing fish in very deep water yet and the bass he is marking have generally been around brush in 15-20 feet. However, they are not feeding very well. The few fish he is picking up have been in the same areas as the striper but suspended higher in the water column around the timber. The one consolation is that they have caught some nice spots this way.
While there are still crappie feeding, the action has slowed down because the fish are now basically feeding in shorter windows either early or late. You can almost forget about catching crappie during the heat of the day. The best action is coming halfway down in 20-25 feet of water around timber in the creeks. Both jigs and minnows will work during the feeding windows.
Finally, the catfish action continues to be strong. Fish can be caught from 15 feet to the banks around coves and points, and they will eat anything from worms to dip bait to cut bait.
June 12
Lake Russell water levels are down to 474.43 (full pool is 475.00) and water clarity is high. Morning surface water temperatures are around 81 degrees.
The bass are moving deeper on Lake Russell, and Guide Jerry Kotal with Jerry Kotal’s Fishing Guide Service (706-988-0860) reports that by now they are catching the most fish in 25-30 feet of water or more. Some of them are suspended and some are on the bottom, and they are mixed between the front of creeks and the main lake. One group of fish is related to points while others are in the middle of coves. They have hooked the occasional striped bass while bass fishing but most of them seem to be in deeper water in the 45-50 plus foot range.
While the bass fishing has been pretty good, Guide Wendell Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336) reports that as long as you enjoy catching a mix of sizes the crappie fishing has been phenomenal. In one morning they caught 150 fish casting into 8-14 feet of water around brush and standing timber in the back of a creek. While they caught 130 of the fish on jigs, they were also very willing to take minnows. Eventually the fish will move deeper but right now they are stacked up on shallow brush.
Finally, the catfish action continues to be outstanding. Fish can be caught from 15 feet to the banks around coves and points, and they will eat anything from worms to dip bait to cut bait.
May 29
Lake Russell water levels are still high at 474.71 (full pool is 475.00) and water clarity is pretty normal. Morning surface water temperatures are up to about 80-82 degrees.
The crappie fishing has been pretty good on Lake Russell this week, and Guide Wendell Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336) reports that they have picked up some big crappie on main lake brush in about 18 feet of water. However, the biggest concentrations of fish they have found have been back in areas like Coldwater Creek in the standing timber. Fish have been about halfway down in 15-20 plus feet of water, and while you can jig for them it’s often easier to target them vertically with a minnow.
At the same time the bass fishing continues to be pretty outstanding, and Guide Jerry Kotal with Jerry Kotal’s Fishing Guide Service (706-988-0860) reports that he is still finding fish in 15-20 feet of water around brush on the main lake and out towards the mouths of creeks, whether in coves or off points. He is also finding some fish now that are as deep as 40 feet around standing timber on the main lake.
While they are catching most of their fish on live bait, a drop shot or shaky head will also work.
Wendell is also still finding the biggest concentrations of bass in 15-20 feet of water on main lake points. He is fishing the clean areas beside timber. They do continue to pick up a few good largemouth around the banks on topwater lures.
Wendell thinks the hybrid and striped bass have now settled into early and late feeding patterns, and to that point Jerry’s boat has picked up a few nice hybrids early in the same areas they are bass fishing. During the day the fish may just not be feeding – or they could have headed to much deeper water.
Finally, the catfish action continues to be outstanding. Fish can be caught in 15-20 feet in the same areas where the guides are bass fishing, and you can also catch them much shallower around coves and points.
May 23
Lake Russell water levels are still high at 474.73 (full pool is 475.00) and water clarity is pretty normal. Morning surface water temperatures are up to about 77 degrees.
This week Guide Jerry Kotal with Jerry Kotal’s Fishing Guide Service (706-988-0860) reports that the herring spawn seems to be about played out – and so is the shallow point fishing for bass. Now he is finding fish in 15-20 feet of water around brush on the main lake and out towards the mouths of creeks. For Jerry the location of the brush doesn’t really seem to matter, and it could be in the middle of a cove or off a point.
While they are catching most of their fish on live bait, a drop shot or shaky head will also work.
It’s a similar pattern for Guide Wendell Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336), who reports that he is also fishing in 15-20 feet of water. However, Wendell is mostly targeting main lake points. Instead of brush he is fishing standing timber, but in the clean areas beside it.
While they are mostly catching spots, Wendell’s son did catch a nice 4 ½ pound largemouth on a wake bait fished shallow in a cove.
Both guides are catching some striped bass on the spotted bass pattern, but Jerry thinks the majority of the striper are out in deeper water in the main channel. Wendell doesn’t disagree but also thinks you can catch plenty of striper on main lake points in 15-20 feet as long as you keep moving to cover water and pull baits on free-lines and planer boards.
The crappie fishing has also been pretty good, and Jerry reports that his boat caught a couple of limits in a creek around brush in 16 feet of water. Wendell’s boat has also been fishing brush at about the same depth, but they are finding the fish very high in the water column just 2-4 feet down over brush in 12-15 feet of water. You can throw jigs or fish minnows under a float for these fish.
Finally, the consensus is that the catfish action is the best thing going right now – almost to the point that they are a nuisance when targeting other species. Jerry is finding them all over the place from coves to points in 10-12 feet of water fishing cut bait, while Wendell is getting them as a by-catch off the main lake points.
May 15
Lake Russell water levels are still above full at 475.28 (full pool is 475.00) and water clarity on the main lake is good while the very backs are muddy. Morning surface water temperatures have dropped to around 74 degrees.
The bass (and striped bass) have moved quite a bit deeper on Lake Russell this week, and Guide Wendell Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336) reports that the herring spawn seems to be about over and yesterday they saw only a very few baitfish up. They are now catching most of their fish in about 15-20 feet of water off flat points and offshore humps, either on the main lake or the very front of creeks. The productive points are basically the deeper ends of the same ones that the herring were spawning on.
For bass soft plastics on drop shot rigs are working well, while both species will take swimbaits or live bait. You can either put out herring on down rods or pull planer boards and free lines.
The crappie are also in relatively deep water but suspended pretty shallow, and in the standing timber back in the stained areas of creeks they are finding them ganged up only three feet below the surface. All sizes seem to be mixed together and taking minnows and jigs. They are also on isolated brush piles, but if these are in clearer areas they will be at least 8-10 feet down.
The catfish are also feeding very heavily as they prepare to spawn, and Wendell reports they are catching tons of them off the same points and humps where they are catching bass and striper. There are also plenty of catfish back in pockets in 5-15 feet of water. They will take live bait but cut bait, worms or about anything else will catch them.
May 9
Lake Russell water levels are above full at 475.09 (full pool is 475.00) and water clarity was high before two inches of rain fell last night! Morning surface water temperatures are around 75-78 degrees.
This week Guide Jerry Kotal with Jerry Kotal’s Fishing Guide Service (706-988-0860) reports that they are still catching some bass in 4-6 feet of water on live bait as well flukes, swimbaits and topwater lures, but the herring spawn is about over and it also appears that the shallow bite for bass (and striped bass) is winding down. The fish already appear to be starting to make their next move into 10-20 feet of water over humps and off the ends of points that have brush on them. A drop shot and deep running crankbait work well for these fish.
Sharing the assessment that the shallow bite is dying down is Guide Luke Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336), and the fish they are catching around bridges are starting to get deeper outside of a very early window.
But the crappie are still relatively cooperative and shallow for Luke, who reports that they are still finding some schools of fish suspended in the middle of coves as well as around shallow brush in about 12 feet of water. By now more of the fish are 8-10 feet down closer to the bottom. It’s a fair to good bite long-lining with jigs or casting minnows to the brush.
At the same time it’s a very good bite for channel catfish, and Jerry is catching them on cut bait anchored over humps and in pockets in 5-15 feet of water. He is fishing the main lake and middle to front of creeks, but while he has not been to the very backs the fish should be there, too.
May 1
Lake Russell water levels are above full at 475.04 (full pool is 475.00) and water clarity is high. Morning surface water temperatures are around 71-73 degrees in the mornings.
It’s a weird late spring for the bass on Lake Russell, and Guide Jerry Kotal with Jerry Kotal’s Fishing Guide Service (706-988-0860) reports that – perhaps because of high water levels – the herring are not in the usual places this year. They are not on the banks like normal, and instead they seem to be in 12-15 feet of water. Nonetheless they are still catching fish in 4-6 feet of water, but not as many as a week ago. Another oddity is that there are places the bass always go that they aren’t catching them this year, and then others where they have not caught them in years that have been productive this year.
Casting topwater lures, flukes and swimbaits will still catch bass as well as striped bass, and both bass and striper will take live bait pitched to the fish. You can also pull free-lines and planer boards across the points.
It’s a similar report from Guide Luke Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336), and they are catching most of their fish free-lining herring just 2-4 feet deep around main lake points and bridges – both the riprap and pilings. However, the catch is that the fish they are after could be as deep as 20 feet of water. They are staying high in the water column all day.
The crappie are still relatively cooperative, and Luke reports that they are finding some schools of fish suspended in the middle of coves as well as around shallow brush in about 12 feet of water. In addition to fish a couple of feet below the surface, like last week, now they are also finding them 8-10 feet down closer to the bottom. It’s a fair bite long-lining with jigs or casting minnows to the brush, but should improve until it gets very hot.
At the same time it’s a very good bite for channel catfish, and Jerry is catching them on cut bait anchored off points and in the backs of coves in 10-15 feet of water. He is fishing the main lake and middle to front of creeks, and while he has not been to the very backs the fish could be there, too.
April 25
Lake Russell water levels are still very full at 474.95 (full pool is 475.00) and clarity is normal. Morning surface water temperatures got as high as the 70s but have dropped back to the low to mid-60s on the main lake after the cool mornings.
It’s still a really dynamic time for fishing on Lake Russell, but Guide Jerry Kotal with Jerry Kotal’s Fishing Guide Service (706-988-0860) reports that the herring spawn is still at best sporadic. He is just not seeing many herring around riprap, banks or boat ramps. Nonetheless they are catching bass and striped bass off the points where herring should be in about 4-6 feet of water. Casting topwater lures, flukes and swimbaits will still catch everything, and both bass and striper will take live bait pitched to the fish. You can also pull free-lines and planer boards across the points.
Yesterday Jerry caught 27 fish with the majority of them on flukes. For one day there were no striper, but most days they get at least one or two.
It’s a very similar report from Guide Wendell Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336), who reports that there is just a trickle of spawning herring right now but the bass are shallow on main lake points in 4-15 feet of water. They are also hooking two or three striper up to 15 or more pounds each day, although landing them is another matter!
The crappie fishing has picked up substantially, and Wendell reports that they are still finding some good fish (mostly males on the banks spawning) that you can cast jigs or minnows to. There are also a fair number of fish ganging up on shallow brush in about 12 feet of water in the creeks. For now they are mostly smaller, but already more good post-spawn fish are feeding again and they will only get bigger as we get into May. The fish are just 2-3 feet below the surface and will take minnows and jigs.
April 11
Lake Russell water levels are still above full at 475.09 (full pool is 475.00), and the lake was clear as of yesterday afternoon. Morning surface water temperatures are around 61-63 degrees at the front of creeks.
The fishing is getting into one of the most exciting period of the year on Lake Russell, and Guide Jerry Kotal with Jerry Kotal’s Fishing Guide Service (706-988-0860) reports that even though the herring spawn hasn’t really taken off yet the bass and striped bass have grouped up on the points where they know to look for herring. Most of the fish are in 5-6 feet of water, and even though they aren’t on all the points yet they are starting to move up in good numbers both in the creeks and on the main lake.
Casting topwater lures, flukes and swimbaits will catch everything, and both bass and striper will take live bait pitched to the fish. You can also pull free-lines and planer boards across the points.
It’s a very similar report from Guide Wendell Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336), and they are finding lots of 3-4 pound spotted bass particularly on long points. The middle of the day has actually been better than the mornings the last couple of days, and jerkbaits have also been very productive.
At the same time both guides report that the crappie are just frustrating, and even when Wendell’s boat marks schools they have been unusually spooky. The fish have been holding just below the surface in the creeks, and there are others that are on brush in 17 feet. They don’t seem to want to bite either, and it seems like a classic post-spawn lull.
Jerry also has had very little luck with the shallow crappie, and the couple of pre-spawn fish that he has caught in 10 feet have been smaller. It seems the better ones have mostly done their thing.