2026 regulation year
Georgia Fishing Regulations 2026 — License Fees, Seasons, Bag Limits
Last updated
Georgia licences are sold by the Wildlife Resources Division on a calendar year (or 12-month rolling year for short-term licences). The base fishing licence covers freshwater statewide; a Trout Licence ($5 resident / $5 non-resident) is required to fish for or possess trout. Lake Lanier — the 38,000-acre Chattahoochee impoundment north of Atlanta — is one of the world's premier trophy spotted bass fisheries, holding multiple spotted-bass records over 8 pounds. Lake Hartwell on the Georgia / South Carolina border has hosted the Bassmaster Classic five times (most recently 2022) and is on the Bassmaster Classic rotation. North Georgia mountain trout streams (Toccoa, Chattahoochee tailwater below Buford Dam, Soque) deliver cold-water rainbow + brown trout into metro Atlanta.
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License fees
| Licence | Price (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Resident annual fishing | $15.00 | |
| Resident annual sportsman (hunt + fish) | $60.00 | |
| Resident 1-day fishing | $5.00 | |
| Resident senior (65+) lifetime | $7.00 | One-time fee |
| Resident youth (under 16) annual | Free | Not required under age 16 |
| Resident disabled veteran | Free | Honorary lifetime — eligibility required |
| Trout licence (add-on) | $5.00 | Required to take or possess trout |
| Licence | Price (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Non-resident annual fishing | $50.00 | |
| Non-resident 7-day fishing | $20.00 | |
| Non-resident 1-day fishing | $10.00 | |
| Non-resident trout licence (add-on) | $5.00 | |
| Non-resident youth (under 16) | Free | Not required under age 16 |
Buy directly from Georgia Department of Natural Resources — Wildlife Resources Division. Fees may include processing surcharges at point of sale.
Top species — season, bag, size
| Species | Season | Daily bag | Size / slot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth bassCompare across states → | Year-round most waters; per-lake slot regs apply | 10 / day combined black bass (largemouth + spotted + smallmouth + shoal + redeye) | 12 in min statewide most reservoirs; 14 in min on listed trophy lakes |
| Spotted bass | Year-round | 10 / day combined black bass | No statewide length limit on spotted bass; Lake Lanier no-limit policy supports trophy management |
| Striped bass + hybrid striped bassCompare across states → | Year-round | 2 / day striped bass on most reservoirs; 15 / day combined striped + hybrid on listed waters | 24 in min striped bass on most reservoirs; 22 in min hybrid striped bass |
| Trout (rainbow / brown / brook)Compare across states → | Year-round on listed waters; March 30 – October 31 on seasonal streams | 8 / day combined rainbow + brown + brook | No statewide size minimum; trout licence required; Delayed Harvest streams C&R Nov 1 – May 14 |
| Crappie (white + black)Compare across states → | Year-round | 30 / day | 10 in min on listed reservoirs (Eufaula, Sinclair, Allatoona); no statewide minimum elsewhere |
| Channel catfishCompare across states → | Year-round | No statewide limit (channel + flathead excluded from the 50-fish aggregate) | No statewide length limit |
| Bream (bluegill / redear / redbreast) | Year-round | 50 / day combined bream (all sunfish species) | No statewide length limit |
| White bassCompare across states → | Year-round; spawning runs peak Feb – Apr | 15 / day combined striped + white + hybrid (only 2 over 22 in) | No white-bass minimum length |
Notable water-body special regulations
Lake Lanier (Chattahoochee River impoundment)
World-class trophy spotted bass fishery — no length limit on spotted bass supports trophy management; 10 / day combined black bass; striped bass 2 / day, 24 in min
Bassmaster Classic recurring venue; 10 / day combined black bass, 12 in min largemouth, no spotted bass length limit; striped + hybrid combined 15 / day
Lake Allatoona (Etowah River impoundment)
Striped + hybrid combined 15 / day; 10 / day combined black bass with spotted-bass no-length-limit; Atlanta-area trophy striped fishery
West Point Lake (Chattahoochee River, GA/AL border)
10 / day combined black bass, 14 in min largemouth on the GA side; reciprocal coverage with Alabama on the open water
Lake Sinclair (Oconee River impoundment)
Largemouth flagship — 10 / day combined black bass, 14 in min largemouth (slot on listed reaches); crappie 30 / day, 10 in min
Lake Oconee (Wallace Dam impoundment)
10 / day combined black bass, 12 in min largemouth; striped + hybrid 15 / day combined; cold-water reservoir near Greensboro
Bassmaster Elite Series rotation; 10 / day combined black bass, 14 in min largemouth on the GA side; crappie 30 / day, 10 in min; reciprocal with Alabama
Lake Seminole (GA/FL/AL boundary)
Three-state reservoir at confluence of Chattahoochee + Flint; largemouth + striped + hybrid + crappie + shoal bass; verify boundary regulations before crossing into FL or AL
Striped + hybrid 15 / day combined; 10 / day combined black bass; reciprocal with South Carolina
Lake Burton (Tallulah River impoundment)
Mountain reservoir — lake trout + walleye + spotted bass; cold-water clear-lake fishery in north Georgia
Cold-water trout tailwater extending into metro Atlanta; year-round trout fishing, 8 / day; Delayed Harvest catch-and-release Nov 1 – May 14 on listed reaches
Toccoa River (below Blue Ridge Dam)
Premier 35-mile trout tailwater — stocked rainbow + brown; trophy brown trout fishery; 8 / day combined; year-round
Legendary north Georgia trout river — mostly private water with paid access; year-round trout fishing where public access permits
Noontootla Creek (Blue Ridge WMA)
Catch-and-release ONLY year-round; artificial lures + flies only; native brook trout protected; Trout Licence required
Coosa River system (Etowah, Conasauga, Oostanaula)
Native shoal + redeye bass + striped bass; 10 / day combined black bass; redeye + shoal protected on listed reaches
Georgia's longest river — largemouth + redbreast sunfish + crappie + flathead catfish; 10 / day combined black bass
Savannah River main stem (GA/SC boundary)
Boundary water with South Carolina; GA licence covers GA bank; striped bass + largemouth + catfish fishery
Lake Blue Ridge (Toccoa River impoundment)
Mountain reservoir — spotted bass + walleye + smallmouth; 10 / day combined black bass, no spotted bass length limit
Amicalola Creek (Dawson Forest WMA)
Delayed Harvest: catch-and-release only, single-hook artificial lures only, Nov 1 – May 14 (Steele Bridge Road / CR 192 downstream to GA Hwy 53 on Dawson Forest WMA); reverts to general regs (8 / day) May 15 – Oct 31. Trout Licence required.
Chattooga River (Delayed Harvest section)
Delayed Harvest: catch-and-release, single-hook artificial lures only, Nov 1 – May 14 on the Rabun County reach (GA Hwy 28 bridge upstream to the mouth of Reed Creek); general regs (8 / day) May 15 – Oct 31. Wild upper-Chattooga reach on the GA/SC line; Trout Licence required.
Chattahoochee River Delayed Harvest reach (Sope Creek to GA Hwy 41)
Metro-Atlanta Delayed Harvest reach: catch-and-release, single-hook artificial lures only, Nov 1 – May 14 (Sope Creek off Columns Drive downstream to US 41 / Cobb Parkway); reverts to general trout regs (8 / day) the rest of the year. Trout Licence required.
Toccoa River Delayed Harvest section (above Lake Blue Ridge)
Upper-Toccoa Delayed Harvest reach on USFS land near Shallowford Bridge — above Lake Blue Ridge, distinct from the tailwater below Blue Ridge Dam: catch-and-release, single-hook artificial lures only, Nov 1 – May 14; general regs (8 / day) May 15 – Oct 31. Trout Licence required.
Dukes Creek (Smithgall Woods Conservation Area)
Year-round catch-and-release on the Smithgall Woods–Dukes Creek Conservation Area (White County): artificial lures with barbless hooks only, all trout released immediately, no trout may be possessed on the area; access by advance reservation / check-in only. Trout Licence required.
Trophy size limits above the Dick's Creek junction (Chestatee WMA, Lumpkin County): no brook trout under 18 in, no rainbow or brown under 22 in; standard 8-trout creel and general gear/season otherwise. The historic single-hook / one-fish / sign-in trophy program has been discontinued. Trout Licence required.
Moccasin Creek (Lake Burton Hatchery to Lake Burton)
Restricted-angler stream from the Lake Burton Hatchery water intake downstream to Lake Burton: open only to anglers under 12, licensed seniors 65+, and Georgia honorary / disability licence holders; standard 8-trout creel where eligible. Trout Licence required for non-exempt anglers.
Coleman River (Tallulah River tributary)
Artificial lures only year-round (no natural bait) from its junction with the Tallulah River upstream to Forest Service Bridge No. 54, including tributaries; standard 8-trout creel. Trout Licence required.
Artificial lures only year-round on the USFS reach upstream from the Etowah River junction, including tributaries; standard 8-trout creel. Trout Licence required.
Stanley Creek (Rich Mountain WMA)
Artificial lures only year-round on Rich Mountain WMA, including tributaries; standard 8-trout creel. Trout Licence required.
Artificial lures only year-round on Warwoman WMA, including tributaries; standard 8-trout creel. Trout Licence required.
Walnut Fork Creek (Warwoman WMA)
Artificial lures only year-round on Warwoman WMA, including tributaries; standard 8-trout creel. Trout Licence required.
Mountaintown Creek (Cohutta WMA)
Artificial lures only year-round upstream of Mountaintown Creek Watershed Structure No. 2 (Hills Lake), including tributaries; standard 8-trout creel. Trout Licence required.
Conasauga River (upper, above the GA/TN line)
Seasonal artificial-lures-only: artificial lures only Nov 1 through the last Saturday in March on the reach above the Georgia / Tennessee state line; general regs (bait allowed, 8 / day) the rest of the year. Trout Licence required.
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need a fishing license to fish in Georgia?
- Yes. Georgia requires residents and non-residents alike to hold a valid fishing license, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. Buy directly from Georgia Department of Natural Resources — Wildlife Resources Division; resident and non-resident fees are listed in the tables above.
- How much is a fishing license in Georgia?
- Resident fees range from $5.00 (resident 1-day fishing) to $60.00 (resident annual sportsman (hunt + fish)); Non-resident fees range from $5.00 (non-resident trout licence (add-on)) to $50.00 (non-resident annual fishing). The full breakdown — annual, multi-day, senior, and lifetime options — is in the license-fee tables above, and you can compare Georgia against every other state on the license-fee comparator.
- What fish can you catch in Georgia?
- Georgia anglers most commonly target Largemouth bass, Spotted bass, Striped bass + hybrid striped bass, Trout (rainbow / brown / brook), Crappie (white + black), Channel catfish, and others. Each species sets its own season, daily bag, and size or slot limit — compare them in the species table above, or open a species page for the full 2026 rule.
- When does fishing season open in Georgia?
- It depends on the species — Georgia sets a separate season for each. Warmwater fish like bass, catfish, and panfish are open year-round in most of the state, while trout, walleye, salmon, and other cold-water or migratory species have dated seasons. The season column in the table above shows each one, and Georgia Department of Natural Resources — Wildlife Resources Division can shift dates by emergency order.
- Are there special fishing rules on specific Georgia waters?
- Yes. 32 named Georgia waters carry regulations that differ from the statewide rule, including Lake Lanier (Chattahoochee River impoundment), Lake Hartwell (GA/SC border), Lake Allatoona (Etowah River impoundment), and 29 more. See the notable water-body special regulations above for the exact rule on each.
Official source
Georgia Department of Natural Resources — Wildlife Resources Division is the authoritative source for Georgia fishing regulations. Always verify rules before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override published booklets.
Visit official Georgia fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to Georgia Department of Natural Resources's emergency-order feed — check it before any Georgia trip during the active season.