April 3

Lake Russell water levels are down to 474.46 (full pool is 475.00) and the lake is very clear except for the fact that the pollen is peaking, with a yellow line ringing virtually the whole if not the whole lake. Morning surface water temperatures range from about 63 to 66 degrees. 

The crappie fishing is very good right now, although Guide Jerry Kotal with Jerry Kotal’s Fishing Guide Service (706-988-0860) does report that the fish seem to be getting a little smaller. Yesterday he caught 40 fish, mostly males, casting at the banks with jigs and minnows. 

While Jerry hasn’t long-line trolled in a few days he doesn’t doubt it would work, and Guide Wendell Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336) can confirm that after another good day yesterday. They caught fish 4-6 feet down pulling jigs in 12-18 feet of water, and he rates this one of the best crappie seasons in the last 4-5 years. 

The black bass bite is also wide open, and Jerry reports that he caught 30-40 fish Monday fishing in 12-15 feet for pre-spawn fish. There is also a group of fish that have moved up shallower, mostly males, into 5-8 feet where they are preparing beds. Wendell’s boat has caught them on small swimbaits and crankbaits just going down the bank in the main lake, but you can also replicate the same pattern in the creeks. There are less spotted bass in the creeks but you increase your chances of catching largemouth, especially if you throw something like a spinnerbait in more stained areas.  

Still neither guide is spending much time targeting striped bass, and Wendell reports the inability to get large herring has made it tough to attract bites from striper. All that is probably about to change when the herring spawn gets underway, but they are not seeing any signs of it yet.

For now the best bet for striper is, if you can get some bigger bait, to pull free-lines and planer boards in the front of creeks or around shallow main lake points close to deep water. 

March 27

Lake Russell water levels are down to 474.23 (full pool is 475.00) and the lake is almost too clear, minus a pollen line around the shore. Morning surface water temperatures range from about 59 on the main lake to 60 in the creeks.   

It’s all about the crappie right now for Guide Jerry Kotal with Jerry Kotal’s Fishing Guide Service (706-988-0860), who reports that the bite has been good enough this week that they are pretty much exclusively long-line trolling. The fish they are catching are 7-10 feet down in 10-15 feet of water, and they are full of eggs.

Both alone and with guide parties Jerry has fished the banks, and interestingly he has not had a single bite. It seems that temperatures dropped too much and the fish won’t want to go back up there until they get into the low 60s. 

It’s a similar story with the crappie from Guide Wendell Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336), although they also wonder if conditions are too clear for fish to want to hit the banks in a lot of their favorite creeks.  Regardless, they are also doing the best trolling halfway down in 10-15 feet of water and finding fish busting with eggs. They also aren’t doing much if any good on the banks.

The black bass bite has been very good, and in 7-20 feet of water you can basically fish however you want. The best places are points, from the creeks to the main lake. Jerkbaits, crankbaits, soft plastics and more are all working, and fish are very aggressive right now as the spawn approaches.  It’s possible some fish are already bedding, and between spotted bass and Lake Russell fish in general (because of water level changes) bedding deeper it’s hard to say.

While neither guide is spending much time targeting striped bass, they are highly scattered right now. While there are fish from the main channel to the backs of creeks, they are seeing the most about mid-way back in the creeks. Pulling free-lines and planer boards half-way back in the creeks is probably the best way to target them, but they did pick up a 20-pounder on a crappie jig in the very back!

March 20

Lake Russell water levels are down to 474.00 (full pool is 475.00) and the main lake is clear with some stain in the back of creeks. Morning surface water temperatures range from about 58 on the main lake to 60 in the creeks.   

The crappie bite is good on Lake Russell, and Guide Jerry Kotal with Jerry Kotal’s Fishing Guide Service (706-988-0860) reports that the best way to catch fish is trolling jigs. He is mostly pulling them 6-8 feet down in 10-20 feet of water in the backs of creeks, and while you can catch some on the banks after the water temperatures dropped about five degrees earlier this week there aren’t as many up there. That should change soon.

Guide Luke Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336) offers another reason why there aren’t as many crappie on the banks, and with water levels also dropping about a foot in the last few days he doesn’t think that has helped. Neither guide is certain exactly where in the spawn we are, but it seems likely that some fish have spawned but a lot have yet to go. They are catching plenty of fish full of eggs.

Yesterday Luke was fishing a little shallower, and he found the best action 4-5 feet deep trolling 1/16- and 1/32-ounce jigs in anywhere from 6-18 feet of water.

While some black bass are probably already bedding (Lake Russell spotted bass are hard to see as they seem to bed in 5-6 or more feet of water), good numbers of fish are staging in 10-20 feet of water. The best place to look for them is off points, and crankbaits are working well. For shallower fish that may be on beds soft plastics are a better choice.

That’s consistent with the report from Jerry, and yesterday afternoon he found a good bite in 8-10 feet of water with swimbaits. In addition to spotted bass he picked up a nice striped bass back in the creek amongst the bass.

Finally, Luke notes that in their experience right now striper are extremely scattered and they can basically be anywhere at any time. But the best place to target them seems to be about halfway back in the creeks pulling live bait on planer boards and free-lines.   

March 13

Lake Russell water levels are at 474.64 (full pool is 475.00) and the main lake is relatively clear although the back parts of some creeks are stained but clearing. Morning surface water temperatures range from about 55 on the main lake to 57 in the creeks.   

We learned many years ago that Lake Russell crappie move fast, and Guide Jerry Kotal with Jerry Kotal’s Fishing Guide Service (706-988-0860) reports that he has now had two of his best shallow crappie fishing days of what is likely to be the whole spring. One was several weeks ago after a few warm days in the latter part of February when water temperatures in the backs got into the 60s and he could catch fish on jigs around every shallow laydown, and then this past Saturday (when the temperatures were hot but the wind blew so hard) he caught more than 60 crappie just going down the bank and casting a jig in 57-61 degrees water. Some of them were females actually in the process of spawning, and a bunch were big males, and then after the cold came on Sunday and Monday they pushed back out. Tuesday he long-line trolled 6-8 feet down in 10-20 feet, and then yesterday even with temperatures mostly rebounding – and clients who wanted to cast jigs – they found a good but not great bite. It was nothing like Saturday and they caught 23 around the banks, with fish showing a strong preference for jigs over minnows. While fish will continue to be caught around shallow brush and trolling for some time, Jerry fears that each subsequent wave could get smaller and the numbers may not repeat his two best days.  

Again, the crappie move fast on Lake Russell in the spring!

While Jerry has spent more time crappie fishing than black bass fishing, the bass fishing has been pretty good in 8-10 feet of water around points in both the creeks and main lake. Shaky heads and crankbaits are both catching aggressive fish that seem to be getting closer to their staging areas. 

That’s consistent with the report from Guide Luke Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336), who has also been catching bass from about 8-20 feet of water. They are still finding some schools a bit deeper on bait, but also plenty of fish that have pulled up.

They also landed their first striped bass in a few weeks this week, a beautiful 34-inch fish that weighed almost 20 pounds. It was in a creek swirling on bait and took a swimbait.  If clients weren’t so interested in crappie they would have more time to target the big striper that have rolled into the creeks following baitfish seeking warmer water!

March 6

Lake Russell water levels are bouncing around 474.80 (full pool is 475.00) and the main lake is relatively clear although the back parts of some creeks are stained to muddy. Morning surface water temperatures have fallen to about 53 degrees in the creeks and on the main lake with the last two days’ wind and rain. 

This week our guides on Lake Russell have mainly been targeting black bass, and Guide Jerry Kotal with Jerry Kotal’s Fishing Guide Service (706-988-0860) reports that fish are highly scattered. That means you can catch them about any way you want to, and he has caught some fish on the banks and others still out deep. A bunch of different lures are working, from crankbaits and worms to drop shots and spoons. However, he only rates the bite a little above average, and perhaps because of fronts the fish aren’t feeding as well as they should be. 

Guide Wendell Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336) is also seeing fish very scattered, and he and his son Guide Luke Wilson have still found numbers of fish in the creeks in about 28 feet. In addition to tons of spotted bass they have also found some late season yellow perch that don’t seem to have spawned quite yet (perch spawn very early). They caught about 25 fish off one point in an hour and a half yesterday, and probably could have run the pattern much longer if the wind hadn’t gotten too strong.

At the same time they are also catching a decent number of fish off points in about 8 feet of water with shaky heads and crankbaits. 

While neither guide has targeted striper, Wendell’s boat has seen occasional fish hit the surface back in the creeks in 15-20 feet of water. They weren’t rigged up for striper one day and tried to throw a jerkbait at the fish, but only caught a bunch of suspended spots that were in the same area. 

The crappie action has basically stalled as temperatures have done the same, but Wendell believes that a few of the giant fish are already spawning and they have picked up a few very big females around the banks. At the same time long-line trolling remains good but not spectacular. 

For long-lining the best action has come about mid-way back in the creeks, and he is mostly pulling jigs about 6-10 feet down in 20-25 feet of water. 

February 27

Lake Russell water levels are bouncing around 474.25 (full pool is 475.00) and the main lake is relatively clear although the back parts of some creeks are stained to muddy. Morning surface water temperatures range from about 53-55 degrees. 

It’s been mostly about the crappie recently for Guide Jerry Kotal with Jerry Kotal’s Fishing Guide Service (706-988-0860), who reports that long-line trolling is good but not spectacular. The bank bite he was on at the last warm spell a few weeks ago is not as good as it was then, but they are still picking up a handful of fish casting jigs and minnows to shallow brush.

For long-lining the best action has come about mid-way back in the creeks, and he is mostly pulling jigs about 6-10 feet down in 20-25 feet of water. 

Guide Wendell Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336) has been on a similar pattern, and he notes that there are some promising signs that the fishing is about to get really good. Wendell notes that the biggest fish usually spawn very quickly and we may not be too far away from that first wave.

The weather has the black bass pretty spread out right now, and there are some fish at 30 feet on bait and another group that is up shallower in just 7-8 feet. Jerry has caught some just a little off the bank on shaky heads, Texas rigs, and crankbaits. 
It doesn’t seem like fish are getting close to spawning yet but the spotted bass spawn is such a mystery that it’s hard to say exactly when to expect fish to stage and then spawn. 

There are no reports on striped bass this week but there should be fish in the creeks that can be caught pulling free-lines and planer boards, especially if you avoid the muddiest areas and search for warmer water. 

February 19

Lake Russell water levels about full at 475.18 (full pool is 475.00) and the lake is dingy in areas that are usually clear and there are some logs floating in the middle. Morning surface water temperatures range from about 51-52 degrees. 

Even though it has started clearing in the last few days, Guide Jerry Kotal with Jerry Kotal’s Fishing Guide Service (706-988-0860) reports that as the creeks got muddy all the way out to the main lake (and water temperatures dropped as much as 15 degrees!) the fish completely scattered out. Jerry went from catching crappie casting at the banks, to trolling about 8-10 feet down in 20 feet, to not being able to catch any fish in the orange juice-colored water.  It’s still tough, and Guide Wendell Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336) reports that even though they caught a few crappie trolling jigs tipped with minnows yesterday it’s not a reliable pattern again yet. 

Yesterday what struck Wendell the most was just how spread out the bait (and fish) are, and yesterday they found bait in a wide variety of depths. The black bass ranged from about 15-40 feet, but the most dependable group of fish was on 18-25 feet off water off points. While the fish are not really ganged up anywhere, if you hit enough points at that depth range with drop shot rigs or crawling artificials along the bottom you can catch a mess of spotted bass.  

Neither guide has seen much sign of striped bass since the lake got dirty but they should show up again soon. 

February 12

Lake Russell water levels are right around full pool (full pool is 475.00) and morning surface water temperatures have dropped back to the lower 50s. The main lake is still fairly clear but the backs are getting more and more stained. 

The crappie fishing has come on at Lake Russell, and Guide Jerry Kotal with Jerry Kotal’s Fishing Guide Service (706-988-0860) reports that when water temperatures hit the low 60s in the backs they were catching fish all over the banks casting jigs. The first fish they caught was two pounds, and they caught 31 more up to that size just throwing to shallow cover. 

As temperatures have dropped the fish have pulled back out and suspended, and Guide Wendell Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336) reports that long-line trolling is just starting to get good. There is a lot of bait in 8-15 feet in the backs of certain creeks, and the crappie are now in the same areas. It’s not as good as it should be in a couple of weeks but it’s getting there. 

In a similar vein, the shallow black bass fishing was phenomenal during the warm spell over the weekend, and Jerry reports that in about 2-8 feet of water they caught tons of fish in the creeks and the main lake on crankbaits and worms. The cold front seems to have knocked the fish back to brush and deeper areas, but on the next warm spell they should get up there again.

That’s also what Wendell is seeing, and in the last couple of days the bass he has marked have again been mixed between about 15 and 50 feet on the bottom. They are having the best success with drop shot rigs fish around points and humps in 15-30 feet.

On minnows they are also picking up white perch on the deeper end of the same zone. 

Finally, both guides are also seeing a bunch of striped bass back in the creeks rolling, and on one trip Wendell only had crappie gear but still managed to catch several. Interestingly when they have had herring the fish have not wanted them, and so perhaps they are on smaller bait right now. 

Jerry has also seen a lot of striper at the mouths of creeks like they are thinking about going in. 

February 6

Lake Russell water levels are up to 474.73 (full pool is 475.00) and water clarity is very high. Morning surface water temperatures on the main lake are 51 degrees. 

Water temperatures have risen about 5-6 degrees on Lake Greenwood in the last week, and Guide Jerry Kotal with Jerry Kotal’s Fishing Guide Service (706-988-0860) reports that if anything the striped bass fishing has gotten even tougher. He is still marking fish 25-30 feet down in trees over deeper water, but these fish are completely uncooperative. Their best shot at a striper has been when they see them rolling on the surface, usually in 8-10 feet of water, but they are moving fast and if you don’t hit them with a pinpoint cast immediately they are gone. 

The striper have been no easier for Guide Wendell Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336) to catch, although again he reports seeing some fish rolling. These were halfway up a creek.

The best action has come with black bass, and Captain Jerry reports that even though they are really scattered they have managed to catch some big spotted bass drop-shotting around brush. The fish have been about 25 feet deep in the creeks, and even though they aren’t biting easily the quality of the fish they are catching has made up for it.  Yesterday they had five that went 17 pounds.  

 

And while he hasn’t fished back there Jerry has heard of a few largemouth being caught in the backs of creeks shallow on crankbaits, Chatterbaits and spinnerbaits. 

Yesterday Wendell’s boat discovered another pattern for bass, and on points in larger creeks they found spotted bass that had moved up to the 18-20 foot range. They caught them on a drop shot. 

One surprise catch was a very large yellow perch that appeared to be spawning in about 14 feet, again on a point in a large creek. It took a minnow.  

Neither guide has been trolling for crappie yet but they both anticipate that after this next cold front passes, and maybe as soon as this weekend, it will be a perfect time. 

January 28

Lake Russell water levels are at 473.53 (full pool is 475.00) and clarity is normal. Morning surface water temperatures on the main lake are about 46-47 degrees. 

Everything about Lake Russell is a head scratcher right now, and Guide Jerry Kotal with Jerry Kotal’s Fishing Guide Service (706-988-0860) reports that he had been hoping for a cold front to drop the temperatures and turn the fish on. The cold front came but the water temperatures have remained persistently high – while at the same time the bite has deteriorated.

It's hard to explain what is going on, and while he is marking some striped bass they are just suspended and swimming around in deep water, not feeding.  They also are not marking as many as a few weeks ago, and there are very few birds working the surface. It’s as wretched a period for striper as Jerry can remember, and there isn’t even a shad kill to blame.

The news with the black bass is no better, and Jerry reports that they are basically doing the same thing. They aren’t deep on the bottom anymore, and when he tried fishing shallower in 30 feet today he only caught a handful of fish on shaky heads and drop shots. They just can’t seem to find numbers anywhere, and most of what they mark is just roaming and not feeding. 

Unfortunately it’s a very similar report from Guide Wendell Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336), who is also surprised the water didn’t get colder (especially considering that the backs of some creeks froze) and that the birds aren’t more helpful. 

They are trying to target spotted bass and yellow perch, but the perch usually feed under the bass and since they also can’t find bass it’s been very tough. The perch should be on the bottom in 30-35 feet in both the creek and the main lake, but right now they can’t find either.

Yesterday in the rain they did see some striper rolling on the surface over about 30 feet of water in a creek, but they wouldn’t take Alabama rigs or anything else. 

January 15

Lake Russell water levels are at 474.63 (full pool is 475.00) and the whole lake is clear. Morning surface water temperatures on the main lake are about 49 degrees. 

It was a beautiful day on Lake Russell yesterday, and so Guide Jerry Kotal with Jerry Kotal’s Fishing Guide Service (706-988-0860) reports that the striped bass – typically - didn’t do much. It was just a lot of riding and looking, and even though they marked a lot of fish they were not feeding.  In “worse” conditions they always seem to feed better.  

Overall the action for striper has been good, though, and the pattern is still riding around in deep water with timber looking for fish. But the real key is looking for small holes in the timber where you can actually target them, because otherwise they are just swimming through the trees and virtually impossible to catch. 

When you find an opening then you can drop live bait down 30-40 feet to the fish that are generally holding 30-60 feet down in deeper water. Occasionally there are also fish running ten or so feet below the surface that you can target with an Alabama rig, and Jerry says the birds have been pretty useless lately.

Even though the striper weren’t cooperating yesterday, the black bass (spots), white perch, yellow perch, and catfish all continued to bite extremely well. They were in the same areas that they have been – 72 feet deep on the bottom around a drop-off. Everything they caught came on a jigging spoon, and in addition to a limit of bass and lots of perch they managed to catch six 6-8 pound channel catfish and a 12-pound flathead. No birds were in the area.

While there are undoubtedly also spotted bass in much shallower water, Jerry is fishing very similar areas to where Guide Wendell Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336) reports that they have been targeting. They have found gulls diving over 65-75 feet of water the last couple of times out on the lower end, and dropping minnows down to them they have found yellow perch, a few white perch, and spotted bass.  These fish are in the trees but still in fishable area for smaller game.   

January 3

Lake Russell water levels have fallen fast to 474.24 (full pool is 475.00) and the main lake is clear but the backs are a little stained. Morning surface water temperatures on the main lake yesterday were 53 degrees. 

Yesterday evening Guide Jerry Kotal with Jerry Kotal’s Fishing Guide Service (706-988-0860) unintentionally reminded the author that there is no other lake in South Carolina like Lake Russell, as he reports that he had an “average” day striped bass fishing. His client caught five fish, with the smallest 8 pounds and the largest two both weighing in at 20 pounds. Jerry thinks the bite was “slow” because conditions were sunny and still! There’s no other lake around here that we know of where this would be anything but a banner day – unless you are only interested in numbers!

The pattern for catching the striper is pretty easy to describe even if difficult, and Jerry says that he is riding around in deep water with timber looking for fish. But the real key is looking for small holes in the timber where you can actually target them, because otherwise they are just swimming through the trees and virtually impossible to catch.  Jerry says that’s like trying to shoot deer running through the woods with a .30-06!

When you find an opening then you can drop live bait down 30-40 feet to the fish that are generally holding 30-60 feet down in deeper water. Occasionally there are also fish running ten or so feet below the surface that you can target with an Alabama rig, and Jerry says the birds have been pretty useless lately.

Yesterday they were around some black bass in the same areas as the striper but they were not cooperative, although they did manage to catch some bass and white perch on the bottom in 62-63 feet. These came on a drop shot rig and jigging spoons. 

Lest one thinks these are all just fish stories, here’s one of yesterday’s 20 pounders!

January 2

Lake Russell water levels are at 475.22 (full pool is 475.00) and clarity is normal. Morning surface water temperatures are about 52-54 degrees.  

The best fishing days right now seem to correlate with the strongest bird activity, and Guide Wendell Wilson with Wilson’s Guide Service (706-283-3336) reports that in general the birds are far more active on cloudy, sometimes windy days. But their last couple of trips have been on sunny, bluebird clear days when the gulls aren’t diving. They have either been sitting on the water or following loons.

Perhaps because of that Wendell describes the bite recently as good but not great, and he reports that the best action they have found has been on the main lake around bait schools holding close to the bottom in about 55 feet. Spotted bass and yellow perch have been loaded up in these areas, and they are catching them mostly on minnows although spoons will also work.

More to follow.