— Lake Russell water levels are at 330.03, and water temperatures are around 62 degrees. It’s April on Lake Russell, but instead of going up water temperatures have been going backwards or holding steady for some time now.  Almost a month ago after a week or two of 80 degree days Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) […]

— Note: Content on these pages, including tournament reports and fishing reports, is generally available only to customers of the Angler’s Headquarters online fishing tackle store.  Any purchase (no minimum value) gives readers full access to all information on this site for 90 days.    Following in the footsteps of last year’s national championship winning team […]

For a few weeks each year crappie guiding dominates business for Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) and Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860), and that time is now!  Wendell is fishing for crappie up shallow around the banks in 3-4 feet of water, and using a float with a minnow 18 inches below it his boat is catching […]

— Last year at this time Lake Greenwood was giving up 27+ pound bags, but that feat was not to be repeated this past Saturday.  Six months of rain and a cold late winter had Lake Greenwood cold and muddy for the tournament Saturday, but in some tough conditions Jerry Kotal (our customary Lake Russell […]

IMPORTANT site changes coming.  Effective March 1 only customers of the Angler’s Headquarters tackle store will have access to our fishing reports.  Read more here.  It’s winter in South Carolina, which this year means highs in the 70s one week, lows in the 20s and highs in the 40s the next, and then the crazy […]

A few weeks ago Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reported that bass fishing on Lake Russell was very good, but based on historical trends he expected it to soon get even better.  Fish were grouped up in 20-40 feet of water in the middle to backs of the creeks, but as temperatures dropped he expected them […]

Right now bass fishing on Lake Russell is good – maybe even very good – but Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) believes the bite is about to be on fire.  Fish are grouped up in 20-40 feet of water in the middle to backs of the creeks, and catching 30-40 fish in several hours of fishing […]

After several weeks tournament bass fishing away from his home lake Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) was ready to get back on Lake Russell, and boy did he find a hot bite upon his return!  Jerry says that on each of his recent trips he has caught 60-plus bass, and over the weekend he caught more […]

Season changes are also under way on Lake Russell, and Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) reports that with water temperatures dropping fast bait – and predator species – are on the move.  Wendell is finding schools of bait in small creeks and long coves off the main channel, holding near the bottom in 20-25 feet of […]

Lake Russell fishing is pretty strong for early August, but Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) and Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) both report that if you want to be catching fish you had better be fishing deep.  Wendell reports that he has been seeing water temperatures as high as 91-92 degrees in the backs of creeks, and probably […]

There are probably times when spotted bass won’t eat, but right now is not one of those times on Lake Russell! Guide Wendell Wilson reports that even in the heat of summer his boat is catching good numbers of voracious spots fishing off the sides of long sloping points in 15-20 feet of water. He is […]

Lake Russell is at 473.92. Crappie: Good.  Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) reports that his boat is catching a lot of crappie right now, but they have generally been running a bit on the smaller side. Perhaps the bigger fish are recovering from the spawn. The best pattern for catching numbers of fish has been fishing around shallow […]

Lake Russell is at 474.15 and surface water temperatures have shot from the low 40s to the mid- to upper-50s in just over a week. Lake Russell is now 60 degrees in the warmest places and about 55 on the main channel. Crappie: Excellent.  Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) reports that crappie fishing is on fire and fish […]

The Fish the Fall Elite Team Trail had its two-day Lake Murray event on Friday and Saturday (March 6 and 7), and it was a good one.  The father/ son team of Mike and Brian Tidwell won the tournament with a two-day total of 48.33 pounds, including a whopping Day 2 bag weighing 30.79 pounds! […]

Since late summer bass fishing on Clarks Hill/ Lake Thurmond has been tough, and the trend has continued this winter. As far back as September tournament-winning sacks were light, and in the FLW Series Clarks Hill Event this fall ten pounds a day was enough to finish in second place. Theories abound about the reasons […]