Lake Russell Fishing Report February 2014

Russell: Level: 0.2 feet below full pool. Temp: Mid 40s. Clarity: Stained.

Bass: Guide Bill Speers reports, “As of this writing, the lake water temperature is in the mid 40s and falling. With all the wind we have been having, the lake has stayed well mixed, and even on the sunny days the water does not warm much. As the fronts roll in back to back, the bass fishing has really be feast or famine I am currently throwing 1/2-oz. dark jigs, swimbaits and, in the clearer water, jerkbaits of various shapes and sizes in 30-40 feet of water around trees. It is very difficult to predict where February will lead us, but one thing is for sure. As the days lengthen, the big females will get the urge to begin moving up. Look for good fish to locate around the first or second secondary point toward spawning flats. Lipless baits, swimbaits and flat-sided shallow crankbaits should do the trick. As the water warms, the fish will move farther back toward the spawning coves. Fish are like most animals in that they will look for a ‘road’ or path into the spawning flats. It could be an edge between differing bottoms, or maybe a tree line, drain or even an old fence line. As the month progresses, that is where you will find me looking for big mamma and her boyfriend.” Tournament pro Trad Whaley reports, “The fishing on Russell right now is tough as I have ever seen it. There is a shad kill going on all over the lake. By February it should settle down, and we’ll have less shad, which is great for us! The spring migration will be later this year for sure. Start looking for a good Blade Runner bite in the ditches and a jerkbait bite on the main-lake points. Birds still should be working for a good Bama Rig bite. Try drop-shotting in the standing timber. The largemouth bite should start in the creeks with Shad Raps and spinnerbaits later on sunny days on the rock and channel turns if the water stays stained.”