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FISHING CALENDAR · GEORGIA
Georgia Fishing Calendar
Georgia fishing covers the marsh creeks, sounds and nearshore reefs from Savannah to St. Marys, plus big reservoirs like Lanier, Clarks Hill and Eufaula and cold trout streams in the north Georgia mountains. Seasons and limits come from Georgia DNR (Coastal Resources and Wildlife Resources) and 2026 federal South Atlantic rules. Saltwater good months come from CRD's own Coastlines articles; most freshwater months come from Game & Fish magazine and are marked as not official.
Government fish & wildlife updates
- GA DNR Coastal Resources News — CRD news: red snapper, red drum rule change, shrimp season
- Coastlines Georgia (CRD) — CRD magazine with fishing tips and regulation news
- GA DNR WRD – Trout stocking — Weekly trout stocking report and Delayed Harvest updates
Month by month
| Fish | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freshwater | |||||||||||||
| Trout (rainbow, brown, brook) | All trout waters open year-round. Stocked March to mid-September. Delayed Harvest streams are catch and release, artificial single-hook lures only, Nov 1–May 14. 8/day.[11][12][10][13] | ||||||||||||
| Largemouth bass | (magazine — not official) May pick: Lake Eufaula. 10 black bass/day combined.[13][10] | ||||||||||||
| Spotted bass | (magazine — not official) March at Lake Lanier; December at West Point Lake. Counts in 10 black bass/day.[13][10] | ||||||||||||
| Shoal bass | (magazine — not official) October on the Flint River. Only 5 of the 10 black bass/day may be shoal bass and other native species.[13][10] | ||||||||||||
| Striped bass and hybrids | (magazine — not official) Stripers at Clarks Hill in January; hybrids at Hartwell in March. 15/day combined, only 2 may be 22 in. or longer (river and lake exceptions).[13][10] | ||||||||||||
| Crappie | (magazine — not official) Picks: Eufaula (Mar), West Point (Jun), Oconee (Sep), Clarks Hill (Dec). 30/day.[13][10] | ||||||||||||
| Bream (bluegill, shellcracker) | (magazine — not official) Shellcracker at Seminole in April; bluegill in May–June at public fishing areas. 50/day.[13][10] | ||||||||||||
| Catfish (channel, flathead, blue) | (magazine — not official) Flatheads on the Altamaha in July; channel cats in September; blue cats in May and August. No limit on channel or flathead.[13][10] | ||||||||||||
| Walleye | (magazine — not official) January at Carters Lake. 8/day.[13][10] | ||||||||||||
| Inshore saltwater (marsh, sounds, beaches) | |||||||||||||
| Spotted seatrout | CRD: caught year-round; best months Sept–Nov. In winter they move to deep holes upriver. Spawns mid-April–September. 14 in., 15/day.[3][2][1] | ||||||||||||
| Red drum (redfish) | CRD: winter schools on mudflats and oyster banks, great for sight-casting. October from magazine. 14–23 in., 5/day; from Jan 1, 2027: 15–24 in., 3/day. Rod and reel only.[2][13][1][15] | ||||||||||||
| Black drum | CRD: winter resident around bridges, piers and fallen trees. 14 in., 15/day.[2][1] | ||||||||||||
| Sheepshead | CRD: school up and feed heavily in winter before spawning nearshore in late winter. November from magazine. 10 in. FL, 15/day.[2][13][1][16] | ||||||||||||
| Flounder | CRD: peak season April–October; most abundant early May through fall. Fewer inshore in winter. 12 in., 15/day.[4][2][1][17] | ||||||||||||
| Tripletail | CRD: a summer favorite that heads south to Florida as water cools. 18 in., 2/day.[2][1][18] | ||||||||||||
| Tarpon | CRD: summer favorite, leaves in winter. Magazine picks St. Andrews Sound in August. 68 in. FL, 1/day; release encouraged.[2][13][1][19] | ||||||||||||
| Whiting (southern kingfish) | CRD: winter bottom fish. April off St. Simons from magazine.[2][13][20] | ||||||||||||
| Cobia | State season Mar 1–Oct 31. 36 in. FL, 1/angler, 6 per boat. No official best months found.[1][21] | ||||||||||||
| Spanish mackerel | Open all year, 12 in. FL, 15/day. No official best months found.[1][22] | ||||||||||||
| Bluefish | Season May 1–Feb 28. 12 in. FL, 15/day. No official best months found.[1][20] | ||||||||||||
| Offshore (reefs and Gulf Stream) | |||||||||||||
| Red snapper | 2026: federal season Oct 9–11 only (1/day, no size limit). Georgia EFP anglers: Oct 9–22. A December season may be decided later. Georgia's planned July season was stopped by a court. No official best months found.[5][6][1][15] | ||||||||||||
| Gag grouper | Federal recreational season 2026: May 1–Aug 1; closed Aug 2, 2026–Apr 30, 2027. State: 25 in., 2/day. No official best months found.[7][1][17] | ||||||||||||
| Greater amberjack | Federal spawning closure all of April. State: 28 in. FL, 1/day. No official best months found.[8][1] | ||||||||||||
| Black sea bass | CRD: nearshore reefs (20–40 ft) are good in the colder months. 12 in., 15/day.[2][1] | ||||||||||||
| Gray triggerfish | CRD: winter target on nearshore reefs with squid strips.[2] | ||||||||||||
| King mackerel | Open all year, 24 in. FL, 3/day. No official best months found.[1][23] | ||||||||||||
| Mahi-mahi (dolphin) | Open all year, 20 in. FL, 10/day (54 per boat). No official best months found.[1] | ||||||||||||
| Wahoo | Federal waters open, 2/day bag. No official best months found.[14][24] | ||||||||||||
| Crabs and shrimp | |||||||||||||
| Blue crab | Open year-round. 5 in. spike to spike, no egg-bearing crabs, 1 bushel/day (2 per boat). Up to 6 traps. No official best months found.[9] | ||||||||||||
| Shrimp (food shrimp) | Food-shrimp season may open May 15–end of Feb, but is generally open mid-June to mid-January. Bait shrimp: no closed season. Cast net limit 48 qt heads-on.[9] | ||||||||||||
Never keep: Never keep: Atlantic sturgeon and any sturgeon (fresh or salt water), and prohibited sharks (sand tiger, sandbar, silky, dusky, whale, basking, white, night, oceanic whitetip, longfin mako and others). Red drum of any size may not be kept from federal waters (nearshore reefs past 3 miles).[1][10][2]
Bait & rig for each fish
Trout (rainbow, brown, brook)
Bait: Salmon roe and nightcrawlers where bait is legal.
Lures: Beads that look like salmon eggs, flesh flies, sculpin and leech streamers, small spinners and spoons.
Leader: 3X–5X tippet (4–8 lb), 7½–9 ft.
Largemouth bass
Bait: Live wild shiners.
Lures: Plastic worms, swimbaits, spinnerbaits, topwater frogs and crankbaits.
Rig: Float rig, Carolina/bottom rig, jig head or simple lure setup depending on depth and species.
Leader: Often 6–15 lb mono/fluoro; heavier leader is useful around abrasive cover or toothy fish.
Striped bass and hybrids
Bait: Live shad and shiners.
Lures: Bucktail jigs, swimbaits and topwater plugs.
Leader: Usually none; add a short fluorocarbon leader with braid.
Crappie
Bait: Live minnows (shiners).
Lures: Small 1/32–1/16 oz jigs with curly or minnow tails.
Leader: None needed.
Catfish (channel, flathead, blue)
Bait: LIVE bait — bream, shad or bullheads.
Lures: —
Leader: 25–50 lb mono, 18–24 in.
Walleye
Bait: Live minnows, leeches and nightcrawlers.
Lures: Jigs tipped with a minnow, spinner rigs ('crawler harnesses'), crankbaits and blade baits.
Leader: 6–10 lb fluorocarbon.
Spotted seatrout
Bait: Live shrimp under a popping cork, live pilchards or pinfish.
Lures: Soft-plastic jerkbaits and paddle tails, suspending twitchbaits, and topwater walking baits at dawn.
Leader: 20–30 lb fluorocarbon, 2–3 ft.
Red drum (redfish)
Bait: Live or cut mullet, pinfish, blue crab pieces, and live or fresh dead shrimp.
Lures: Gold spoons, paddle-tail soft plastics on a 1/8–1/4 oz jig head, topwater walking baits, and shrimp imitations.
Leader: 20–30 lb fluorocarbon, 2–3 ft.
Black drum
Bait: Texas Parks & Wildlife documents cut fish, squid and shrimp, with peeled shrimp tails especially common.
Lures: Rarely; a slow jig tipped with shrimp.
Rig: A conventional bottom rig with a sinker and one or more single-hook drops is documented; a single drop with little or no weight is also described.
Leader: 10–30 lb fluorocarbon/mono is a common flats/inshore start; move to 40–80 lb around abrasive mouths, structure or large tarpon/snook.
Sheepshead
Bait: Fiddler crabs, live shrimp, sand fleas, oysters and barnacles.
Lures: Rarely; a small jig tipped with shrimp or fiddler.
Leader: 20–30 lb fluorocarbon, 2–3 ft.
Flounder
Bait: Live mud minnows, finger mullet and shrimp.
Lures: Soft plastics on a jig head dragged slowly on the bottom; Gulp! swimming mullet.
Leader: 20–30 lb fluorocarbon, 2–3 ft.
Tripletail
Bait: Live shrimp under a cork.
Lures: Small jigs and shrimp imitations.
Leader: 30–40 lb fluorocarbon (add light wire for mackerel and bluefish).
Tarpon
Bait: Live crabs, mullet, pinfish, threadfin herring and large shrimp.
Lures: Swimbaits, soft-plastic jerkbaits, plugs and flies; small jigs for baby tarpon.
Rig: A documented tarpon option is a live-line/live-bait rig using main line, leader, a circle hook and live bait without added weight. Component strength and size must match the fish and local rules.
Leader: A strong monofilament leader helps resist contact with the gill plate and tail.
Whiting (southern kingfish)
Bait: Shrimp, small crabs, sand fleas, mullet, sardines and cut bait are common inshore choices; match the bait to the species and bottom.
Lures: Soft plastics, bucktails, small jigs, spoons, plugs and topwaters are common; imitate the local forage and work current edges.
Rig: Free-line, popping-cork, Carolina/fish-finder and light jig rigs are common; choose the least hardware needed to reach the zone.
Leader: 10–30 lb fluorocarbon/mono is a common flats/inshore start; move to 40–80 lb around abrasive mouths, structure or large tarpon/snook.
Cobia
Bait: Live eels, pinfish, croakers, crabs and menhaden.
Lures: Big bucktail jigs (1–3 oz) with a long soft-plastic tail, and large soft eels.
Leader: 30–40 lb fluorocarbon (add light wire for mackerel and bluefish).
Spanish mackerel
Bait: Live shiners, pilchards and glass minnows.
Lures: Gotcha plugs, small silver spoons, Clarkspoons trolled and small jigs.
Leader: 30–40 lb fluorocarbon (add light wire for mackerel and bluefish).
Bluefish
Bait: Cut mullet and live finger mullet.
Lures: Metal spoons, Gotcha plugs and topwater poppers.
Leader: 30–40 lb fluorocarbon (add light wire for mackerel and bluefish).
Red snapper
Bait: Cut bait, squid and live pinfish or cigar minnows.
Lures: Vertical jigs.
Rig: A knocker, fish-finder, dropper or simple jig setup are common choices; use only enough weight to hold the strike zone.
Leader: 30–80 lb abrasion-resistant mono/fluorocarbon is a common starting range; increase around sharp reef or very large fish.
Gag grouper
Bait: Live pinfish, grunts, sardines; big cut baits.
Lures: Deep-diving plugs trolled over ledges; heavy jigs.
Leader: 50–80 lb fluorocarbon.
Greater amberjack
Bait: Live blue runners, pinfish and large baitfish.
Lures: Heavy vertical jigs and big poppers.
Rig: A knocker, fish-finder, dropper or simple jig setup are common choices; use only enough weight to hold the strike zone.
Leader: 30–80 lb abrasion-resistant mono/fluorocarbon is a common starting range; increase around sharp reef or very large fish.
Black sea bass
Bait: Squid, cut fish and shrimp.
Lures: Small vertical jigs and bucktails.
Leader: 50–80 lb fluorocarbon.
Gray triggerfish
Bait: Florida FWC documents squid or cut bait for gray triggerfish.
Lures: Small jigs, soft plastics, spoons or micro-jigs are common choices; use the smallest lure that reaches the zone.
Rig: Simple dropper, knocker or light jig rig; keep hardware small and use only enough weight to maintain contact.
Leader: 12–30 lb abrasion-resistant mono/fluorocarbon is a common start.
King mackerel
Bait: Live blue runners, goggle-eyes, menhaden and threadfin herring; frozen cigar minnows.
Lures: Spoons, diving plugs and duster-rigged baits.
Rig: Use a clean trolling or live-bait rig with minimal hardware, a strong swivel where needed and a leader long enough to protect against abrasion.
Leader: Wire or monofilament leader is documented; material choice, strength and length are not universally established.
Mahi-mahi (dolphin)
Bait: Ballyhoo, flying fish, squid and cut bait to keep a school near the boat.
Lures: Skirted trolling lures, small feathers and bucktail jigs.
Rig: Use a clean trolling or live-bait rig with minimal hardware, a strong swivel where needed and a leader long enough to protect against abrasion.
Leader: 30–60 lb mono/fluorocarbon is a common mahi start; increase for abrasion or mixed wahoo water.
Wahoo
Bait: Rigged ballyhoo and live baits on wire.
Lures: High-speed trolling lures and lipped diving plugs on wire.
Rig: Use a clean trolling or live-bait rig with minimal hardware, a strong swivel where needed and a leader long enough to protect against abrasion.
Leader: Use heavy abrasion/bite leader; many wahoo anglers add short wire or cable because of the teeth.
Blue crab
Bait: Freshly dead fish is documented as blue-crab trap bait by Texas Parks & Wildlife.
Lures: Not applicable.
Rig: Crab traps are a documented blue-crab capture method. Use only locally legal gear.
Leader: Not applicable.
Local fishing reports — what’s biting now
- Georgia Fishing Report (GA DNR Wildlife Resources) — Weekly statewide report: lakes, rivers and coast
- Georgia Outdoor News – Fishing Reports — Monthly lake-by-lake reports plus a saltwater report from local guides
- Orvis – St. Simons Island fishing report — Fly and light-tackle conditions on the Golden Isles
Sources
- GA DNR CRD – Recreational finfish season, limits and sizes
- GA DNR CRD – Ask a CRD Pro: Tips for Winter Fishing
- GA DNR CRD Coastlines – Spotted Seatrout (June 2023)
- GA DNR CRD Coastlines – Flounder fishing (April 2024)
- NOAA Fisheries – 2026 South Atlantic red snapper recreational season (Federal Register)
- WTOC – NOAA announces 2026 red snapper season and Georgia EFP
- SAFMC – Gag grouper
- SAFMC – Greater amberjack
- GA DNR regulations – Shrimp, Crab, Shellfish & Bait
- GA DNR regulations – Game Species Daily Limits
- GA DNR regulations – Trout Fishing
- GA DNR WRD – Trout
- Game & Fish – Georgia Fishing Calendar 2019 (magazine)
- SAFMC – Wahoo
- Why Fish in the Golden Isles? (Golden Isles CVB, official tourism)
- Georgia Saltwater Fishing Report February 2017 (Georgia Outdoor News)
- Georgia Saltwater Fishing Report – September 2019 (Georgia Outdoor News)
- Hunting Tripletail Off The Georgia Coast (Georgia Outdoor News)
- Georgia Saltwater Fishing Report – August 2007 (Georgia Outdoor News)
- Georgia Saltwater Fishing Report – April 2020 (Georgia Outdoor News)
- 80 Pounds Of Cobia Fury (Georgia Outdoor News)
- Smoker Kings And Spanish Mackerel On Nearby Reefs In July (Georgia Outdoor News)
- Georgia Kingfish In October (Georgia Outdoor News)
- Georgia Wahoo (Georgia Outdoor News)
Checked October 2026. BigJoe does not invent facts: every month on this calendar comes from the sources above. Empty boxes mean no official source gives those months. Rules change — check the agency page before you keep a fish.
On the bay, in the mangroves or on the ocean, the everyday struggles get left at the dock — for those few hours it’s just you, the water and peace.