O.C.G.A. § 27-4-10 (2019)

(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:

Ranges of Sizes Within Which Fish May Not Be Taken Maximum Creel And Possession Limit

(1) Largemouth bass 0 - 24 inches

(2) Smallmouth bass 0 - 18 inches

(3) Shoal bass 0 - 18 inches

(4) Suwannee bass 0 - 18 inches

(5) Spotted bass or Kentucky bass 0 - 18 inches

(6) Redeye bass or Coosa bass 0 - 12 inches

(7) Mountain trout 0 - 24 inches

(8) White bass 0 - 36 inches

(9) Striped bass 0 - 36 inches

(10) Striped white bass hybrids 0 - 36 inches

(11) Any one or combination of the species of bream or sunfish 0 - 10 inches

(12) Walleye 0 - 24 inches

(13) Sauger 0 - 24 inches

(14) Chain pickerel 0 - 24 inches

(15) Grass pickerel 0 - 12 inches

(16) Redfin pickerel 0 - 12 inches

(17) Black crappie 0 - 14 inches

(18) White crappie 0 - 14 inches

(19) American shad 0 - 30 inches

(20) Hickory shad 0 - 24 inches

(21) Amberjack 0 - 50 inches

(22) Atlantic croaker 0 - 10 inches Species Ranges of Sizes Within Which Fish May Not Be Taken Maximum Creel And Possession Limit

(23) Atlantic sturgeon 0 - 86 inches

(24) Black drum 0 - 36 inches

(25) Black sea bass 0 - 15 inches Species

(26) Blue marlin

(27) Bluefish 0 - 20 inches

(28) Cobia 0 - 40 inches

(29) Dolphin 0 - 24 inches

(30) Flounder (Paralicthys spp.)

0 - 15 inches

(31) Gag grouper 0 - 25 inches

(32) King mackerel 0 - 36 inches

(33) Red drum 0 - 36 inches

(34) Red porgy 0 - 20 inches

(35) Red snapper 0 - 25 inches

(36) Sailfish

(37) Sand tiger shark 0 - 140 inches

(38) Sharks 0 - 120 inches

(39) Sheepshead 0 - 20 inches

(40) Small sharks composite (Atlantic sharpnose, bonnethead, and spiny dogfish) 0 - 54 inches

(41) Spanish mackerel 0 - 20 inches

(42) Spot 0 - 10 inches

(43) Spotted sea trout 0 - 25 inches

(44) Tarpon 0 - 90 inches

(45) Tripletail 0 - 25 inches Species

(46) Weakfish Ranges of Sizes Within Which Fish May Not Be Taken Maximum Creel And Possession Limit 0 - 15 inches

(47) White marlin

(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.