Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Richard B. Russell Lake is a 26,650-acre U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lake on the Savannah River, between Lake Hartwell and Clarks Hill. Shoreline development is restricted, so it is one of the most natural-looking big lakes in Georgia, and DNR manages it as a trophy striped bass fishery.
- Size26,650 acres
- OperatorU.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Striper limit2 stripers or hybrids a day, only 1 over 34 inches
- ContactsCorps 800-944-7207; DNR 478-825-6151
Getting on the Water
Corps ramps and parks are spread around the lake, and Richard B. Russell State Park near Elberton has a ramp, campground and cottages. Standing timber is common, which is great fish habitat but calls for careful boating.
2026 Fishing Outlook
Summarized from Georgia DNR fisheries biologists’ 2026 forecast for Lake Richard B. Russell, based on their sampling.
| Species | Outlook | Where and how |
|---|---|---|
| Striped bass | Stocked at very low densities every three years since 2011, so catches are few, but most fish average 12 to 15 pounds and many top 25. | The lower third of the lake in deep water with bait in winter; the Hartwell Dam tailrace and the Russell Dam area in summer. Live bait, bucktails, swimbaits and spoons. |
| Largemouth bass | Steady, with average size still improving. | Beaverdam, Coldwater and Pickens creeks. Timber and deep points in winter (and spoons or drop shots on bait schools); shallow timber and secondary points in spring; deep plastics on points and channels, or at night, in summer; spinnerbaits and cranks in the backs of creeks in fall. |
| Spotted bass | Abundant and easy to catch, but smaller than largemouth. DNR encourages keeping them to ease competition. | Creek channels, ditches and points in winter; points and timber in spring; humps, riprap and bridges in summer; points, channel markers and humps in fall. Small cranks, jig-head worms, drop shots, spoons. |
| Black crappie | Strong; most keepers 8 to 12 inches, with bigger fish around. Best February through May. | Creek mouths in early February, then timber, brush piles and shallow cover in Coldwater, Pickens and Beaverdam creeks; shallow shoreline cover in the low 60s; creek mouths, channels, timber and bridges in fall. Minnows and jigs. |
Richard B. Russell Lake
Richard B. Russell LakeContact: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Richard B. Russell Lake, 800-944-7207. Georgia DNR fisheries, 478-825-6151.
More on the Savannah River lakes: Lake Hartwell, Clarks Hill Lake, Bobby Brown Outdoor Recreation Area and all Georgia lakes.
Sources we checked
Facts in this guide were checked against the agencies and operators that run these places:
- Georgia DNR fishing forecast: Lake Richard B. Russell (2026)
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Richard B. Russell Lake
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