Lake Russell Fishing Report July 2014

Russell: Level: 0.9 feet below full pool. Temp: Mid 80s. Clarity: Mostly clear.

Bass: Tournament pro and guide Trad Whaley reports, “You can catch spotted bass all you want, but everything is about a month behind this year. The fish are still in that 8- to 10-foot range and haven’t started getting deep. The largemouth are not setting up in timber and suspending yet. We tried them again Friday (June 20), and that was after we had 90-degree days all week, and they weren’t in there yet. For numbers right now, fish a shaky head, drop shot, Carolina rig or a deep Little N crankbait in 8 to 12 feet of water in the brush. They usually get on those hard spots by now—those points that drop off into the channel—but they aren’t there yet. There are still bass on secondary points halfway back in the creeks. There is still a little bit of a topwater bite for largemouth in the mornings. For bigger fish, start looking for spinnerbaits and cranking in the trees for suspended fish.” Guide Bill Speers reports, “Unlike last year, this summer is supposed to be hot and dry. My first bit of advice is not to fish during the heat of the afternoon. Most folks just can’t handle it, yet many think they can. Get on the lake before sunrise or after in the evening. Topwaters will be the ticket early and after the sun goes down. If the wind is still, I will be throwing a Spook or a fluke. If there is a breeze, throw a Pop-R. After the sun is up, or before it goes down, get into the major coves that hold submerged trees in the middle. You should find trees starting around the 30-foot mark. If you have a side-scan system, idle down, but back a bit from the tree line. You will be amazed at what you see. I believe the best bait to throw at the fish you see in the trees are swimbaits with the hook slightly buried on 14-lb. or heavier fluorocarbon line. Cast into the trees, let it fall, and work it slowly back out of the trees. That is about it for July. It’s a tough month, so tough it out! There are some good fish to be caught.”