2026 regulation year
Chattooga River (Delayed Harvest section) 2026 — Georgia Fishing Regulations
Georgia statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
Chattooga River (Delayed Harvest section) carries a special-regulation overlay on top of Georgia's 2026 fishing rules. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.
Get change alerts
Watch Chattooga River (Delayed Harvest section) (GA) and we'll email you when a season, bag limit, slot, or closure changes. Free while in beta.
State-level special regulation
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.
Source: Georgia special-water list
Official source
Georgia Department of Natural Resources — Wildlife Resources Division publishes the authoritative 2026 Georgia fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.
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.
Other special-regulation waters in Georgia
- Altamaha River
- Altamaha River main stem
- Amicalola Creek (Dawson Forest WMA)
- Chattahoochee River Delayed Harvest reach (Sope Creek to GA Hwy 41)
- Chattahoochee River tailwater (below Buford Dam)
- Clarks Hill / J. Strom Thurmond (GA/SC)
- Coleman River (Tallulah River tributary)
- Conasauga River (upper, above the GA/TN line)
- Coosa River system (Etowah, Conasauga, Oostanaula)
- Dukes Creek (Smithgall Woods Conservation Area)
- Farm ponds + Public Fishing Areas
- Hoods Creek (Warwoman WMA)
Frequently asked questions
- What special fishing regulations apply at Chattooga River (Delayed Harvest section)?
- Chattooga River (Delayed Harvest section) carries one special-regulation overlay that overrides Georgia's statewide 2026 rules. It reads: "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." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish Chattooga River (Delayed Harvest section)?
- Yes. Chattooga River (Delayed Harvest section) is in Georgia, so a valid Georgia fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Georgia Department of Natural Resources — Wildlife Resources Division. The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Chattooga River; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Georgia rules.
- Do Chattooga River (Delayed Harvest section)'s special rules replace Georgia's statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. Georgia's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Chattooga River by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rule for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.