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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
Russell: Level: 1 foot below 475. Temp: 75-80 degrees. Clarity: Clear on the main lake, but the creeks are stained. Bass: Tournament angler Kerry Partain reports, “The bass fishing has been a little slower, but they have started to transition to the summer pattern and become a little more predictable as they relate to the deeper water. We have been catching a few good spotted bass in 20 feet on main-lake humps, points and brush. There will still be some fish shallow in the creeks, and a Texas-rigged Zoom Ol’ Monster worm or jig with a Zoom Speed Craw around blowdowns and timber is good for some big largemouth. Right now, the fish seem to be scattered everywhere, but as we head into June, look for them to concentrate more as they begin to setup on the main-lake points around baitfish.” Lake Russell Page: Archived Articles, News & Fishing Reports
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If you want to catch a lot of bass on a beautiful lake with a natural shoreline and clear water, head to Lake Russell. Just make sure you keep some small spotted bass for a fish fry! Lake Russell is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lake on the Savannah River between Hartwell and Clarks…
Mike Strickland caught this 6-lb., 8-oz. lake-record spotted bass on Lake Russell on April 6, 2013. Spotted bass have all but take over what used to be great largemouth bass fishery on Lake Russell. For lots of articles and information on catching spots at Lake Russell, click here.
It’s so hot I saw two trees fighting over a dog. When it’s that hot, you have to wonder if it is worth going fishing. The dog days of August are tough, but head to Lake Russell, and you can catch a lot of keeper bass and have a chance at some quality fish. Russell…
See all of GON’s Official Georgia Lake & River Records Requirements For Record Fish • Fish must be caught legally by rod and reel in a manner consistent with state game and fish regulations. • Catch must be weighed on accurate Georgia DOA certified scales with at least two witnesses present, who must be…
Jimmy Kelley, 68, of Lilburn, died the morning of May 20, 2010, just a month ahead of his 50th wedding anniversary, of complications from injuries sustained in a boat accident. Three other men involved in the accident, which occurred during the blast-off of a Lake Russell pot tournament on May 8, suffered non life-threatening injuries.…
Lake Russell Record Fish
| Largemouth Bass | 13-lbs., 4-ozs. | Eddy Propes | 03/04/90 |
| Spotted Bass | 6-lbs., 8-ozs. | Mike Strickland | 04/06/13 |
| Striped Bass | 63-lbs. * | Terry McConnell | 04/03/09 |
| White Bass | 4-lbs., 4-ozs. | James L. Payne | 04/12/94 |
| Walleye | 11-lbs., 6-ozs. | Neal Watson | 09/11/95 |
| Brown Trout | 10-lbs., 8-ozs. | Tim Harris | 07/04/93 |
| Black Crappie | 3-lbs., 6.08-ozs. | Aaron Jenkins | 02/23/24 |
| White Crappie | 3-lbs. | Tony Baker | 04/03/03 |
| Hybrid Bass | 14-lbs., 9-ozs. | Wayne McCollum | 01/11/04 |
| Yellow Perch | 1-lb., 5-ozs. | Vern Fulmer | 09/27/23 |
| White Perch | 1-lb., 4-ozs. | Eric Young | 01/02/21 |
| White Catfish | 4-lbs., 6.72-ozs. | Garrett Duncan | 05/06/25 |