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Lake Russell

Lake Russell is one of Georgia's youngest reservoirs, completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1983 with construction of the Richard B. Russell Dam on the Savannah River bordering Elbert County, Georgia and Abbeville and Anderson counties in South Carolina. Lake Russell is 26,650 acres and sits between Lake Hartwell to the north and Clarks Hill Lake to the south. As a newer reservoir, environmental laws impacted construction, one factor being that thousands of acres of standing timber were left. Lake levels don't fluctuate much more than 5 feet. Pumpback features at Russell Dam can both pull and release water into and from the tailrace. In addition to the Savannah River, major tributaries include Beaverdam Creek on the Georgia side and Rocky River in South Carolina.

Lake Russell Resources

Lake Russell Fishing Report – April 2024

By GON Staff | March 27, 2024

Russell: Level: 0.4 over 475. Temp: 58-64 degrees. Clarity: Mostly clear on the main lake and stained in creeks. Bass: Tournament angler Kerry Partain reports, “The bass fishing is on fire, and you can catch them on a variety of baits all over the lake right now. We have been catching a lot of prespawn bass on main-lake points, humps and shoals in 10 to 20 feet of water using a shaky head with Zoom Magnum Swamp Crawler or Trick Worm. There are also some big fish moving shallow to spawn in the pockets, and you can catch them on Blade Runners with Zoom Flukes early or Texas-rigged Trick Worms and lizards throughout the day. If you are looking to get some big bites, try using the Southern Hook Lures glide baits and the Bite Size Herring Swimmer because they are some big-bass catchers. There are also some fish being caught…

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Lake Russell Articles

Lake Russell Bass On Summer Pole Markers

August in Georgia… it’s hot, fish don’t bite very well, and boat traffic is awful on most lakes. Many of us aren’t going to stop fishing, and a good option to avoid the boat traffic and feel some bass bites is at Lake Russell. You can catch as many spotted bass as you want on…

The Whaley Way For Russell Bass In February

If you are looking for an uncrowded lake with lots of spots feeding on rocks and drops, plus a good largemouth bite after a rain, head to Lake Russell. Spotted bass at Russell bite good no matter how cold it is, and if you want to keep some to eat, the lake is overrun with…

Water Willow Planted On Savannah River Reservoirs

Finding a quiet and safe place for a nursery tops the priorities for new parents, be they humans or fish. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and state partners help fish in Savannah River reservoirs find those safe places for their young. To make those safe places this summer, workers, student interns and volunteers have…

Lake Russell Summertime Spotted Bass

Does catching 100 bass a day sound good, even if they are smaller spotted bass? Lake Russell is full of spotted bass in the 11- to 13-inch range to the point of being badly over crowded with these aggressive bass. That makes Lake Russell a great place to go this month to hone your hook-setting…

Lake Russell Spots On Prespawn Points

If you want to see some big spots before your eyes, grab your favorite baits and head to Lake Russell this month. Keep it simple with a jig, underspin, shaky head and crankbait, and concentrate on fishing rocks and clay to catch some quality spotted bass in March. Russell is our newest Corps of Engineers…

Lake Russell Record Fish

Largemouth Bass13-lbs., 4-ozs.Eddy Propes03/04/90
Spotted Bass6-lbs., 8-ozs.Mike Strickland04/06/13
Striped Bass63-lbs. *Terry McConnell04/03/09
White Bass4-lbs., 4-ozs.James L. Payne04/12/94
Walleye11-lbs., 6-ozs.Neal Watson09/11/95
Brown Trout10-lbs., 8-ozs.Tim Harris07/04/93
Black Crappie3-lbs., 6.08-ozs.Aaron Jenkins02/23/24
White Crappie3-lbs.Tony Baker04/03/03
Hybrid Bass14-lbs., 9-ozs.Wayne McCollum01/11/04
Yellow Perch1-lb., 5-ozs.Vern Fulmer09/27/23
White Perch1-lb., 4-ozs.Eric Young01/02/21