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The newest Lake Russell fishing report can be found at: http://www.anglersheadquarters.com/ahq-insider-lake-russell-gasc-fall-2019-fishing-report/

August 21

Lake Russell water levels are around 474.75 (full pool is 475.00), and morning surface temperatures are roughly 84-87 degrees.  The lake is clear.

With stable, hot temperatures Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that his boat is still catching bass and striped bass suspended around underwater timber in 30-50 feet of water.  Generally the bass are about 20 feet down over 30-40 feet, while the striper are mixed in with the bass or a little deeper 20-25 feet down over 40-50 feet of water.  In part because Lake Russell timber was not cut off at a uniform height you have to search to find fishable areas, and it’s not uncommon for the biggest fish to break off.

Live bait will work for both species, and for bass you can also fish a drop shot or shakey head.

Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) has noticed some changes in the last week, and he is already starting to see some fish get into a fall pattern.  He is catching a mixed bag of white perch, spotted bass, and channel catfish on the main lake flats in 28-35 feet of water around schools of bait.

There are also some striped bass in similar areas with about 28-40 feet of water, and Wendell notes that striper have behaved differently this summer than usual.  Because there isn’t a lot of water coming into Russell from Hartwell, and because they are back-pumping from Clarks Hill into Russell, fish have not moved to the ends of the lake looking for cool water as is typical at this time of year.  Instead the mid-lake is the most productive.

On the crappie front, Wendell reports that it is slow.  Brush in 20-25 feet of water is probably the best place to look.

July 31

Lake Russell water levels are around 474.0 (full pool is 475.00), and morning surface temperatures are around 85.  The lake is clear.

Water temperatures have cooled off a bit on Lake Russell, but Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that patterns are about the same – even as the bite may be slightly improved.  Thereare still plenty of bass and striped bass being caught suspended around underwater timber in 30-50 feet of water.  Generally the bass are about 20 feet down over 30-40 feet, while the striper are mixed in with the bass or a little deeper 20-25 feet down over 40-50 feet of water.  In part because Lake Russell timber was not cut off at a uniform height you have to search to find fishable areas, and it’s not uncommon for the biggest fish to break off.

Live bait will work for both species, and for bass you can also fish a drop shot or shakey head.

Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) has been fishing a similar pattern for both species, and he notes that sometimes the fish are just off the bottom while at other times they are suspended.  Because there has not been a lot of water released from Lake Hartwell the upper end of the lake is not cold, and so most of the best fishing has been in the lower half of the lake.

Both guides report good catches of white perch in 25-30 feet of water on the bottom with either white perch or small herring.

On the crappie front, Wendell reports that fish remain suspended about 12-15 feet down in brush sitting in 20-25 feet of water.  The best area is mid-lake in creeks as well as coves off the main channel.

Jerry’s boat is also catching catfishmixed in with the striper and bass on each trip, but to target cats specifically fish in 25-30 feet with cut bait on the bottom.

July 19

Lake Russell water levels are around 474.0 (full pool is 475.00), and water temperatures are in the upper 80s.  The lake is clear.

Water temperatures are hot on Lake Russell, but Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that there are still plenty of bass and striped bass being caught suspended around underwater timber in 30-50 feet of water.  Generally the bass are about 20 feet down over 30-40 feet, while the striper are mixed in with the bass or a little deeper 20-25 feet down over 40-50 feet of water.  In part because Lake Russell timber was not cut off at a uniform height you have to search to find fishable areas, and it’s not uncommon for the biggest fish to break off.

Live bait will work for both species, and for bass you can also fish a drop shot or shakey head.

Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) has been fishing a similar pattern for both species, and he notes that sometimes the fish are just off the bottom while at other times they are suspended.  Because there has not been a lot of water released from Lake Hartwell the upper end of the lake is not cold, and so most of the best fishing has been in the lower half of the lake.

Both guides report good catches of white perch in 25-30 feet of water on the bottom with either white perch or small herring.

On the crappie front, Wendell reports that fish have been suspended about 12-15 feet down in brush sitting in 20-25 feet of water.  The best area is mid-lake in creeks as well as coves off the main channel.

Jerry’s boat is also catching catfishmixed in with the striper and bass on each trip, but to target cats specifically fish in 25-30 feet with cut bait on the bottom.

June 25

Lake Russell water levels are around 474.7 (full pool is 475.00), and water temperatures range from 79-82 (morning to afternoon) on the main lake to the mid-80s in the backs of creeks.  The lake remains relatively clear.

Bassfishing remains pretty tough on Lake Russell, and Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that in a tournament this week he took third with 11 pounds, while it only took 13 to win.  To get that weight Jerry had to run about 50 miles from end to end and back again, but pretty much everything he caught came on a drop shot rig beside brush in 20-25 feet.  Both the main lake and creeks produced numbers of small fish.

While the pattern for spotted bass he is catching has not changed, Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) reports that he has discovered a new pattern for largemouth in the last week.  They have seen a good number of largemouth up in the water willow that the Corp planted and which seems to have taken off, and in coves on the lower end of the lake fish are shallow in areas where they should be in April. They will take a topwater bait first thing, but during the day they will eat Shad Raps.

The down-line pattern for striper on the lower end is unchanged from last week, but Wendell reports that fish are just starting to be caught on free-lines at the upper end of the lake below the Hartwell dam.

Jerry reports that there has been a little improvement in the catfish bite, and both in the creeks and the main lake fish can be caught in the center of pockets in 15-20 feet of water on cut herring.

Crappieare still on the same brush pattern described in the last report.

June 20

Lake Russell water levels are around 474.6 (full pool is 475.00), and water temperatures are about 84 degrees.  The lake is clear.

Mild temperatures have actually not been great for the bassfishing on Lake Russell, and Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that once it gets and stays warmer the fish will get in tighter schools and the action should improve. For now his boat is mainly fishing 20 feet down in 30 feet of water at the mouths of creeks and on the main lake, and they are having the most success with live bait.  Using artificial lures they are mainly just catching small fish.

Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) has caught some largemouth in the evening on topwater lures fished around shallow coves, and during the day he says that spots can still be caught off main lake points in 15-20 feet of water with Spot Removers.

While the catfishbite has been a little hit-or-miss, Wendell’s boat has been catching some nice striped bass on down-lines in the lower end.  The best bite has been in the morning 25-30 feet deep, and they have gotten fish over 20 pounds recently.

Crappiefishing has been pretty good, and fish have been caught 10-12 feet down on minnows around brush piles in 20 feet of water.  The best action has been in the creeks, but some fish have also been in coves off the main channel.

June 3

Lake Russell water levels are around 474.6 (full pool is 475.00), and water temperatures are in the low to mid-80s.  The lake is very clear.

The bassfishing is fairly steady on Lake Russell, and Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that he is catching fish about 20 feet down in 30 feet of water on the main lake and at the mouth of creeks.  His boat is using live bait a lot of the time and also picking up striped bassin the same areas, but you can also fish with a drop shot rig.

While he has not spent much time doing it you can also catch a few bass on topwaters such as a buzzbait around the banks early.

Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) is fishing a little shallower off main lake points in 10-20 feet of water, and casting or pulling herring they are also catching a mixed bag of spotted bass and striper.  The bite is very good early, but in the clear, sunny conditions it tapers off around 8:00 or 8:30.  Lures that imitate herring will also get the job done, and after the sun gets up fishing a Spot Remover or a drop shot in 15-20 feet is the better pattern for bass.

Crappiehave still not moved very deep, and for now you can still catch some nice fish 5-12 feet down with both minnows and jigs around brush in 15-20 feet of water.  For now fish are still in both the creeks and of course the main lake.

There are mixed reports on the catfish, and Wendell reports that his boat has been picking up a lot of them as a by-catch while fishing herring off the points.  He thinks that if you fish cut bait in the same areas you could do well.

On the other hand Jerry is finding a slower bite, but the best area he has found is 20-30 feet. It got hot so quickly that the spawn has ended very early this year and he is finding that the fish have pulled deeper earlier than usual.