Section 27-4-10. Creel and possession limits; size restrictions  


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  •    (a) It shall be unlawful to take in one day or to possess at any one time, except at a commercial storage facility or at one's place of abode, more than the creel and possession limits established by the board for that fish species; provided, however, that it shall be illegal to possess more than a total of 50 individuals of all fresh water species named in this Code section. It shall be unlawful to take from the waters of this state or to possess any fish species larger or smaller or in numbers greater than the limits established by the board in accordance with this Code section. The board shall establish creel and possession limits which shall be no greater than the following limits and shall establish sizes of fish species within the following ranges which may not be taken:
     
                    Species                    Ranges of Sizes      Maximum       
                                              Within Which Fish      Daily        
                                              May Not Be Taken       Creel        
                                                                      And         
                                                                   Possessio      
                                                                       n          
                                                                     Limit        
         (1) Largemouth bass                   0 -- 24 inches         10          
         (2) Smallmouth bass                   0 -- 18 inches         10          
         (3) Shoal bass                        0 -- 18 inches         10          
         (4) Suwannee bass                     0 -- 18 inches         10          
         (5) Spotted bass or Kentucky bass     0 -- 18 inches         10          
         (6) Redeye bass or Coosa bass         0 -- 12 inches         10          
         (7) Mountain trout                    0 -- 24 inches          8          
         (8) White bass                        0 -- 36 inches         15          
         (9) Striped bass                      0 -- 36 inches         15          
        (10) Striped white bass hybrids        0 -- 36 inches         15          
        (11) Any one or combination of the     0 -- 10 inches         50          
        species of bream or sunfish                                               
        (12) Walleye                           0 -- 24 inches         15          
        (13) Sauger                            0 -- 24 inches         15          
        (14) Chain pickerel                    0 -- 24 inches         15          
        (15) Grass pickerel                    0 -- 12 inches         15          
        (16) Redfin pickerel                   0 -- 12 inches         15          
        (17) Black crappie                     0 -- 14 inches         30          
        (18) White crappie                     0 -- 14 inches         30          
        (19) American shad                     0 -- 30 inches          8          
        (20) Hickory shad                      0 -- 24 inches          8          
        (21) Amberjack                         0 -- 50 inches          5          
        (22) Atlantic croaker                  0 -- 10 inches         25          
        (23) Atlantic sturgeon                 0 -- 86 inches          1          
        (24) Black drum                        0 -- 36 inches         15          
        (25) Black sea bass                    0 -- 15 inches         15          
        (26) Blue marlin                                               3          
        (27) Bluefish                          0 -- 20 inches         15          
        (28) Cobia                             0 -- 40 inches          5          
        (29) Dolphin                           0 -- 24 inches         15          
        (30) Flounder (Paralicthys spp.)       0 -- 15 inches         15          
        (31) Gag grouper                       0 -- 25 inches          5          
        (32) King mackerel                     0 -- 36 inches          5          
        (33) Red drum                          0 -- 36 inches          5          
        (34) Red porgy                         0 -- 20 inches         10          
        (35) Red snapper                       0 -- 25 inches          5          
        (36) Sailfish                                                  3          
        (37) Sand tiger shark                  0 -- 140 inches         1          
        (38) Sharks                            0 -- 120 inches         2          
        (39) Sheepshead                        0 -- 20 inches         15          
        (40) Small sharks composite            0 -- 54 inches          4          
        (Atlantic sharpnose, bonnethead,                                          
        and spiny dogfish)                                                        
        (41) Spanish mackerel                  0 -- 20 inches         20          
        (42) Spot                              0 -- 10 inches         25          
        (43) Spotted sea trout                 0 -- 25 inches         15          
        (44) Tarpon                            0 -- 90 inches          1          
        (45) Tripletail                        0 -- 25 inches          5          
        (46) Weakfish                          0 -- 15 inches         15          
        (47) White marlin                                              3          

    (b) In accordance with sound principles of wildlife research and management, the board shall have the authority to promulgate rules and regulations establishing size limits, open seasons, creel and possession limits, and possession and landing specifications on a state-wide, regional, or local basis in accordance with this Code section. The board is further authorized to designate certain areas as catch and release fishing areas and to promulgate rules and regulations necessary for the management of such areas for catch and release fishing.
Code 1933, § 45-713, enacted by Ga. L. 1977, p. 396, § 1; Ga. L. 1978, p. 816, § 50; Ga. L. 1986, p. 504, § 1; Ga. L. 1988, p. 552, § 1; Ga. L. 1989, p. 1552, § 4; Ga. L. 1990, p. 762, § 1; Ga. L. 1991, p. 94, § 27; Ga. L. 1992, p. 1636, § 2; Ga. L. 1995, p. 543, § 3; Ga. L. 1996, p. 980, § 4; Ga. L. 2012, p. 739, § 5/HB 869.