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Georgia

Fishing

Fishing

Fishing Methods

Hook & Line

  • There is no restriction on the number of poles and lines used to fish for game fish except:
    • Fishing for trout in designated trout waters: 1 pole
    • Fishing on Public Fishing Areas: 2 poles
    • Sport shad fishing: 2 poles
  • Anglers using more than two poles and lines to fish for shad must abide by commercial shad regulations.
  • Landing nets may be used to land fish legally caught.
  • Game fish may be used as live bait (where live bait is legal) if they are taken legally and you do not exceed daily creel and possession limits.

Sport Trotlines

  • A sport trotline is one line or a combination of lines using less than 51 hooks. Sport trotlines must be:
    1. Marked with the owner’s name and address and with visible buoys, and
    2. Submerged at least three feet below the surface of the water, and
    3. Attended regularly and removed after the completed fishing trip.
  • Unmarked or unattended trotlines will be confiscated by DNR. It is unlawful to use any sport trotline within one-half mile below any lock or dam.
  • Only catfish and nongame fish (year-round) and American and Hickory shad during shad season may be taken with trotlines.
  • Trotlines are not permitted on Lake Tobesofkee or any State Park Lake or at any Public Fishing Area.
  • Use of 51 or more hooks is considered Commercial Fishing (see General Regulations).

Set Hooks & Jugs

  • Only catfish and nongame fish (year round) and American and Hickory shad during shad season may be taken with set hooks and jugs.
  • It is illegal to use jugs and set hooks on Lake Tobesofkee, any State Park Lake, or at any Public Fishing Area.
  • A sport fishing license is required to fish with set hooks and jugs in Georgia.
  • There are no other restrictions on the use of set hooks and jugs (number of, dimensions, materials, etc.).
  • DNR encourages anglers using these methods to check them regularly, remove them at the end of the fishing day, and avoid areas popular with recreational boaters.

Spear Fishing

  • “Spearing” is the use of a handheld spear or similar device and the use of a weapon, other than a firearm, which propels the spear to which a wire, rope, line, etc. is attached and secured to the weapon or the person using the weapon.
  • Only nongame fish, and catfish as described below, may be speared in freshwater and are not to be sold or used for commercial purposes.
  • The taking of flathead and channel catfish by spear may be done any time day or at night by light in the Savannah River and its tributaries and impoundments in the Savannah River Basin only.
  • All spears must have barbs or other devices to recover fish and must be attached to a line secured to the person using the weapon.
  • A sport fishing license is required to spear fish in Georgia.
  • The person spearing fish must be completely submerged.

Note: See Seasons on General Regulations.

Cast Nets, Bow Nets, Minnow Seines & Traps

  • Dip nets and cast nets may be used to take threadfin shad, gizzard shad, and blueback herring for bait except cast nets may not be used in State Park Lakes or at any Public Fishing Area.
  • Bow nets are considered sport shad fishing gear and shall have a minimum legal size of 3½ inches stretched mesh.
  • Up to 50 nongame fish 5 inches in length or less may be taken using a minnow seine or trap and are not to be sold or used for commercial purposes.
  • All other fish and eels taken in a minnow seine or trap must be released immediately unharmed into the water.
  • A minnow seine must be less than 20 feet in length and have a 3⁄8 inch or less mesh (square or diameter).
  • A minnow trap must be less than 24 inches in length, 18 inches in width, or 9 inches in height for a rectangular trap; or, 30 inches in circumference for cylindrical traps. The throat opening must be no larger than 1 inch, and bar mesh must not be smaller than 1/4 inch (square or diameter).
  • Each minnow trap must have an attached tag or float bearing the name and address of trap owner.
  • An individual may deploy up to 2 traps at any time.
  • In addition to designated trout waters, minnow seines and traps may not be used in the following water bodies:
    • Mainstem of Etowah River upstream of Lake Allatoona and all Etowah River tributary streams that enter the Etowah River within or upstream of Lake Allatoona.
    • Raccoon Creek and its tributary streams in Paulding and Bartow counties.
    • Entire mainstem of the Conasauga River and all Conasauga River tributary streams entering the Conasauga mainstem from the east.
    • Coosawattee River and all tributary streams upstream from Carter’s Lake Dam and the Coosawattee River between Carter’s Lake and its confluence with the Conasauga River.
    • Mainstem of Talking Rock Creek.
    • Mainstem of South Chickamauga Creek downstream from Swanson Mill Dam.

Bow Fishing

Nongame fish (does not include channel or flathead catfish, see note below) may be taken by bow and arrow from freshwater under the following conditions:

  • Possession of a sport fishing license is required to bow fish in Georgia.
  • Arrows must be equipped with barbs or similar devices for recovering fish and must be attached to the person or bow by a line sufficient for recovering the arrow and fish.
  • Poisonous or exploding arrowheads are illegal.
  • Arrows cannot be discharged into the water closer than 150 feet to anyone engaged in any other means of recreation.
  • Legal hours for fishing with bow and arrow are from sunrise to sunset, except that fish (nongame) may be taken at night while using a light in reservoirs over 500 acres in size.
  • Any game fish with an open wound possessed by a person bow fishing will be considered evidence of taking fish illegally.
  • Know your target– the take of protected species is unlawful (see pg. 6).
  • Note: Channel and flathead catfish are game fish, and may not be taken by bow and arrow, except in the Savannah River and its tributaries and impoundments in the Savannah River basin by bow and arrow any time during the day or at night by the use of a light.

Noodling

  • Is legal in Georgia’s freshwater from March 1 – July 15 with a sport fishing license.
  • The only species of fish that may be taken by hand, without the aid of any device, hook, snare, net or other artificial element and without the use of any scuba equipment, air hose or other artificial breathing apparatus are flathead, channel and blue catfish.
  • It is not legal to alter any natural or man-made features in order to attract or capture fish by hand. It is not legal to raise any part of a natural or artificial device out of the water to aid in the hand capture of enclosed fish.

Boat Registration

  • All boats that carry any means of mechanical propulsion (electric trolling motor and/or gas motor) and all sailboats 12 feet and longer must be registered.
  • You may register or renew online at GoBoatGeorgia.com
  • A Boat Registration Application by mail can be obtained from GoBoatGeorgia.com
  • Register or renew by phone at 800-366-2661.
  • Georgia honors all other states’ registrations, provided the boat is not used in excess of 60 consecutive days in Georgia.

Personal Flotation Devices

  • A wearable personal flotation device (PFD) is required for each person aboard a vessel. PFDs must be readily accessible to all occupants, in good and serviceable condition, legibly marked with the US Coast Guard approved number, and of appropriate size for the occupants. One Type IV throwable device must also be on board all vessels except Class A vessels (boats less than 15’ 11” which also includes personal-watercraft, canoes and kayaks).
  • Children under age 13 must wear a PFD when the vessel is under way, unless the child is within a fully enclosed cabin.
  • PFDs must be worn by each person aboard a vessel in an area marked as “hazardous area.”

Outboard Motor Restrictions

  • No motor in excess of 9.9 hp may be operated on the Ogeechee River upstream of State Hwy 119.
  • No motor in excess of 25 hp may be operated on Lake Juliette or Lake Tugalo.
  • Georgia State Park lakes often have boat and motor restrictions. Check with the Park Office at each park for details.

Boating Safety

  • No vessel may be operated above idle speed within 100 feet of any moored or anchored vessel, vessel adrift, or any wharf, pier, piling, or persons in the water, or shoreline next to a full or part-time residence, public park, public beach, public swimming area, marina, restaurant, or other public use area.
  • Tybee, Sea, St. Simons, and Jekyll Islands have temporal (May 1 – Sept. 30) 1,000 ft. safety zones.
  • It is unlawful to operate a vessel while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
  • To learn about boating education please visit GoBoatGeorgia.com
  • Visit GoBoatGeorgia.com for complete boating regulations.

It is Unlawful To:

  • Possess or use live blueback herring for bait in all fresh waters except the following: Lakes Allatoona, Bartlett’s Ferry, Blue Ridge, Chatuge, Goat Rock, Juliette, Lanier, Nottely, Oliver, and West Point; and the Altamaha River watershed downstream of the following: Juliette dam on the Ocmulgee River, Lake Juliette dam on Rum Creek, Lake Tobesofkee dam on Tobesofkee Creek, Lake Sinclair dam on the Oconee River; and watersheds of all other streams that flow directly into the Atlantic Ocean (this drainage includes Lakes Hartwell, Russell, Clarks Hill, Burton, Tugaloo, and Rabun).
  • Possess and fish with live blueback herring in Alabama waters.
  • Fish for game fish, except American shad, hickory shad, channel catfish, blue catfish, or flathead catfish, by any means other than pole and line.
  • Take any fish from public freshwater by any method other than the methods listed on this page. Snagging fish is illegal.
  • Use electronic devices, explosives, poisons, or firearms to take fish.
  • Stock or release fish or bait into any public waters except the water from which it was taken.
  • Discard fish caught in public waters.
  • Take protected species (see Definitions).