Stripers sizzling at Lake Russell

Lake Russell’s stripers are in feeding frenzy during December

Stripers, as well as numerous other species, feed like mad throughout December at Lake Russell. And the top rule for finding them, according to fishing guide Wendell Wilson, is to find the baitfish.

Wilson said he loves fishing Lake Russell this time of year.

“There’s no question, December is one of my favorite months to fish on Lake Russell,” he said. “We generally have pretty mild weather, but the winter pattern is beginning to set up, and that means finding lots of fish by just finding the schools of bait.”

One popular method of hooking these fish here is by using a jigging spoon. Anglers release the bail on their reels and allow the spoon to freefall to the bottom. Sometimes, a fish will strike it as it falls. Other times, anglers just need to jig the spoon up, reeling some, then jerking up on the rod sharply, then reeling some more and repeating that process until the spoon makes it back to the surface.

“On some days, you’ll also catch crappie, white perch, yellow perch, spotted bass, as well as largemouth and stripers,” said Wilson.

“We’re often fishing in 30 to 50 feet of water, and if you want to improve your chances of catching stripers and not perch, it’s best to go on cloudy, calm days. Rainy days are even better,” he said.

Wilson said fishing during windy days with bluebird skies will increase your chances of hooking into just as many perch and crappie as you do stripers.

A-rigging works too

When stripers aren’t biting the jigging spoons, Wilson said that usually means they are suspended in the water column. In that case, he said nothing beats casting an Alabama Rig.

“You’ll catch some on a free-lined shiner or herring when they’re suspended, but the A-Rig is, in my opinion, the best lure available for stripers,” he said.

Lake Russell grows some trophy-sized stripers, and Wilson said many anglers are never as well-prepared for hooking one as they should be.

“This lake is full of standing forests beneath the surface, and when big stripers feel the hook, they will immediately run into those trees and hang you up,” he said.