NOTE: There are no minimum length limits on game fish unless they are listed below:
Largemouth bass - 12 inches statewide except:
- Bear Creek Reservoir (Jackson County) - bass between 16 and 22 inches must be released immediately. All others may be kept.
- Blackshear - 14 inches
- Blue Ridge - no minimum (0 inches)
- Burton - no minimum (0 inches)
- Juliette - no minimum (0 inches)
- Lanier - 14 inches
- Oconee - bass between 11 and 14 inches must be released immediately. All others may be kept.
- Ocmulgee River from the Spring Street bridge crossing in Macon downstream to the confluence of the Ocmulgee River and the Oconee River - 14 inches
- Walter F. George - 14 inches
- West Point - 14 inches
- Public Fishing Area lakes operated by the Department of Natural Resources - 14 inches. This limit will not apply to lakes which have been posted as having a different length limit for largemouth bass.
Shoal bass:
- Flint River and its tributaries - 12 inches
- Lake Lanier - 14 inches
Spotted bass:
Striped bass, White bass, Hybrid striped-white bass: You may only keep two (2) fish that are 22 inches or longer, except the minimum length is 22 inches on the:
- North Newport River
- Medway River including Mount Hope Creek
- Little Ogeechee River
- Ogeechee River
- Oconee River downstream of Ga. Hwy 22 in Milledgeville
- Ocmulgee River downstream of Ga. Hwy 96 bridge between Houston & Twiggs counties
- Altamaha River, Satilla River, St. Marys River, and the tributaries to these river sections
- Saltwater
NOTE: A regulation change related to striped bass and the Savannah River took effect on October 1, 2005.
Trout:
No minimum length limit for trout other than -
- Waters Creek - brown and rainbow trout - 22 inches; brook trout - 18 inches
- Noontootla Creek and its tributaries- 16 inches for all trout
How to Measure a Freshwater Fish
- Place the fish on its side with the jaw closed.
- Squeeze the tail fin lobes together.
- Measure in a straight line from the tip of the snout to the extreme tip of the tail.
- You must release all fish shorter than the minimum length indicated for that species.
Lake Oconee's Largemouth bass Slot Limit - Make it Work by Harvesting Small Bass!
- Keeping bass less than 11 inches will improve bass growth!
- Keeping bass larger than 14 inches is your choice.
- Bass between 11 and 14 inches must be released.
For more information or comments, call 770-918-6418
