Lake Russell Fishing Report – Week of August 22

 

Bass (Largemouth & Spotted):

Bass are holding to summer patterns and biting best in the evenings and at night. Look for them around deep main-lake points, ledges, shaded creeks with brush, and blowdowns near bream beds. Drop-shot flukes and Carolina rigs are good options, especially after dark.

 

Stripers & Hybrids:

August is one of the best times of year to catch big stripers and hybrids on Russell. Fish are concentrated at both ends of the lake above Hartwell Dam and near Russell Dam. Up near Hartwell, run planer boards with big live baits like herring, gizzard shad, or trout. Down at the Russell Dam side, the pattern is down-lining blueback herring around the thermocline at 30 feet. Expect quality fish: stripers into the teens and 20s, hybrids up to 6 pounds.

 

Crappie:

Crappie are stacking on submerged standing timber. Vertical jigging is the ticket right now. Target isolated timber patches near creek mouths, where fish are holding 16–18 feet down over 20–40 feet of water. Use 1/8–1/4 oz vertical jigs with small rubber skirts in chartreuse, white, pearl, or blue.

 

Fishing Tips:

 

• Bass fishing is best late and into the night when the lake cools off.

• For stripers/hybrids, pick your end of the lake: planer boards with big bait on the north end, or down-lines with herring on the south end.

• Keep your tackle in shape stripers will test your knots and gear.

• For crappie, find isolated timber with electronics and drop jigs straight into the school.

 

 

Preferred Baits:

 

• Bass: Drop-shot flukes, Carolina rigs, soft plastics around brush and deep points, especially at night.

• Stripers/Hybrids: Large live bait (herring, gizzard shad, trout) on planer boards; blueback herring downlined 30 feet.

• Crappie: 1/8–1/4 oz vertical jigs with rubber skirts (chartreuse, white, pearl, blue).