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Fishing regulations at Horse Branch, GA
Disclaimer: Always check local fishing regulations, water access rights and land ownership before fishing, regardless of any catches logged in that area by the Fishbrain community. Fishbrain has mapped millions of acres of government-owned land across the USA to help you identify potential fishing access, but you are responsible for ensuring compliance with all legal requirements.
Fishing regulations in Georgia can change throughout the year. Make sure to check this page before fishing for the most up to date rules and regulations for the current season. Local regulations govern when you can fish, the max size of the fish you can keep, how many fish you can keep, and more.
Regulations for top species
Largemouth bass
The maximum number of individual fish legally harvested per harvester per day. Bag limits are only for properly licensed anglers actively harvesting the species. People who are not actively harvesting or are not properly licensed (if a license is required) may NOT be counted for the purpose of bag limits.
No person shall harvest any individual fish less than the minimum size limit.
Total length means the straight line distance from the most forward point of the head with the mouth closed, to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail compressed or squeezed, while the fish is lying on its side.
The maximum number of individual fish across an aggregate group of species legally harvested per harvester per day.
GA Spearing
Harvest of this species by spearing is prohibited. Spearing is the use of a handheld spear or similar device and the use of a weapon, other than a firearm, which propels the spear to which a wire, rope, line, etc. is attached and secured to the weapon or the person using the weapon.
Bow Fishing
Harvest of this species by bow fishing is prohibited.
GA FW Gamefish
It is unlawful to possess more than a total of 50 individuals of all Georgia freshwater game fish, except channel and flathead catfish.Georgia freshwater gamefish include: Bass: Largemouth, Redeye (Coosa), Shadow, Shoal, Smallmouth, Spotted, Suwannee; Catfish: Channel and Flathead; Crappie: Black and White; Pickerel: Chain, Grass, Redfin; Shad: American and Hickory; Sunfish: Bluegill, Flier, Redbreast, Redear, Rock, Spotted, Warmouth; Trout: Brook, Rainbow, and Brown; Walleye.
Exceptions to state-wide size limit:
- Lake Blackshear: 14-inches total length
- Lake Blue Ridge: no minimum size
- Lake Burton: no minimum size
- Lake Juliette: no minimum size
- Lake Lanier: 14-inches total length
- Lake Oconee: 14-inches total length
- Lake Lindsay Grace: bass between 15- and 22-inches total length must be released immediately. All others may be kept. In addition, only one bass may be greater than 22 inches.
- Lake Walter F. George: 14-inches total length
- West Point Reservoir: 14-inches total length
- 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.
Brown trout
The maximum number of individual fish legally harvested per harvester per day. Bag limits are only for properly licensed anglers actively harvesting the species. People who are not actively harvesting or are not properly licensed (if a license is required) may NOT be counted for the purpose of bag limits.
The maximum number of individual fish across an aggregate group of species legally harvested per harvester per day.
GA Spearing
Harvest of this species by spearing is prohibited. Spearing is the use of a handheld spear or similar device and the use of a weapon, other than a firearm, which propels the spear to which a wire, rope, line, etc. is attached and secured to the weapon or the person using the weapon.
Bow Fishing
Harvest of this species by bow fishing is prohibited.
GA FW Gamefish
It is unlawful to possess more than a total of 50 individuals of all Georgia freshwater game fish, except channel and flathead catfish.Georgia freshwater gamefish include: Bass: Largemouth, Redeye (Coosa), Shadow, Shoal, Smallmouth, Spotted, Suwannee; Catfish: Channel and Flathead; Crappie: Black and White; Pickerel: Chain, Grass, Redfin; Shad: American and Hickory; Sunfish: Bluegill, Flier, Redbreast, Redear, Rock, Spotted, Warmouth; Trout: Brook, Rainbow, and Brown; Walleye.
Information about trout stocking and the Trout Streams of Georgia Map are available from WRD offices and at GoFishGeorgia.com.
Trout Season: All designated trout waters are now open year round (see Trout Streams Destinations by County for stream listings).
Trout Fishing Hours
- Fishing 24 hours a day is allowed on all trout streams and all impoundments on trout streams except those in the next paragraph.
- Fishing hours on Dockery Lake, Rock Creek Lake, the Chattahoochee River from Buford Dam to Peachtree Creek, the Conasauga River watershed upstream of the Georgia-Tennessee state line and Smith Creek downstream of Unicoi dam are 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset. Night fishing is not allowed.
Trout Fishing Rules
- Trout anglers are restricted to the use of one pole and line which must be hand held. No other type of gear may be used in trout streams.
- It is unlawful to use live fish for bait in trout streams. Seining bait-fish is not allowed in any trout stream.
Impoundments On Trout Streams
Anglers Can:
- Fish for fish species other than trout without a trout license on Dockery and Rock Creek lakes.
- Fish at night, except on Dockery and Rock Creek lakes. See Trout Fishing Hours for details.
Impoundment Notes:
- If you fish for or possess trout, you must possess a trout license. If you catch a trout and do not possess a trout license you must release the trout immediately.
- State park visitors are not required to have a trout license to fish in the impounded waters of the Park. However, those visitors wishing to harvest trout will need to have a trout license in their possession.
Delayed Harvest Streams: Anglers fishing delayed harvest streams must release all trout immediately and use and possess only artificial lures with one single hook per lure from Nov. 1–May 14 annually. The use of additional "dropper" lures on one line is permitted as long as each lure contains one single hook. These restrictions do not apply from May 15–Oct. 31 of each year. The following streams are delayed harvest streams:
- Amicalola Creek from County Road 192 (Steele Bridge Road) downstream to GA Hwy 53.
- Chattahoochee River from Sope Creek (off Columns Drive) downstream to US Hwy 41 (Cobb Parkway).
- Chattooga River from GA Hwy 28 bridge upstream to the mouth of Reed Creek.
- Smith Creek on Unicoi State Park from Unicoi Dam downstream to the Unicoi State Park property boundary.
- Toccoa River on U.S. Forest Service land from 0.4 miles above the Shallowford Bridge upstream to a point 450 feet upstream of the Sandy Bottom Canoe Access.
- Visit GoFishGeorgia.com to see maps of Delayed Harvest Streams and learn more about this program.
Artificial Lures Only: In streams listed here only artificial lures may be used. It is unlawful to possess any other type bait on an "artificial lures only" stream (see definition of artificial lure in Definitions).
- Chattahoochee River from GA Hwy 20 to the boat ramp at the National Park Service Medlock Bridge Park immediately upstream of GA Hwy 141.
- Coleman River and its tributaries from its junction with the Tallulah River upstream to Forest Service Bridge No. 54.
- Conasauga River and its tributaries (except Jacks River watershed) upstream of the Georgia-Tennessee state line are restricted to using only artificial lures from Nov. 1 through the last Saturday in March of each year.
- Hoods Creek and its tributaries on the Warwoman WMA.
- Jones Creek and its tributaries on US Forest Service property.
- Mountaintown Creek and its tributaries upstream of Mountaintown Creek Watershed Structure No. 2 (Hills Lake).
- Noontootla Creek and its tributaries on Blue Ridge WMA. Note: All trout less than 16-inches total length caught from this section of Noontootla Creek must be released immediately.
- Stanley Creek and its tributaries on the Rich Mountain WMA.
- Walnut Fork Creek and its tributaries on the Warwoman WMA.
Other Trout Stream Regulations:
Moccasin Creek: That portion of Moccasin Creek between Lake Burton Hatchery water intake and a sign marking the approximate normal pool level of Lake Burton is restricted to anglers under 12 years of age and holders of Honorary Licenses.
Smithgall Woods-Dukes Creek Conservation Area: Dukes Creek and its tributaries within the Dukes Creek Conservation Area are open to fishing year round by reservation only. For reservations call 706-878-3087.
- Only artificial lures with barbless hooks may be used or possessed on the portion of Dukes Creek and its tributaries in White County on the Conservation Area, including the GA Hwy 75 Alternate right-of-way. Possession of any bait, lure, or gear not legal for use on the stream is unlawful.
- All fish caught from Dukes Creek and its tributaries in White County on the Conservation Area, including the GA Hwy 75 Alternate right-of-way, must be immediately released where caught.
- No trout may be possessed while fishing on any stream on the Conservation Area or the GA Hwy 75 Alternate right-of-way.
Waters Creek: Size limits = 22-inches total length for brown and rainbow trout and 18-inches total length for brook trout.
Noontootla Creek and its tributaries on Blue Ridge WMA: Size limit = 16-inches total length for all mountain trout
Spotted bass
The maximum number of individual fish legally harvested per harvester per day. Bag limits are only for properly licensed anglers actively harvesting the species. People who are not actively harvesting or are not properly licensed (if a license is required) may NOT be counted for the purpose of bag limits.
No person shall harvest any individual fish less than the minimum size limit.
Total length means the straight line distance from the most forward point of the head with the mouth closed, to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail compressed or squeezed, while the fish is lying on its side.
The maximum number of individual fish across an aggregate group of species legally harvested per harvester per day.
GA Spearing
Harvest of this species by spearing is prohibited. Spearing is the use of a handheld spear or similar device and the use of a weapon, other than a firearm, which propels the spear to which a wire, rope, line, etc. is attached and secured to the weapon or the person using the weapon.
Bow Fishing
Harvest of this species by bow fishing is prohibited.
GA FW Gamefish
It is unlawful to possess more than a total of 50 individuals of all Georgia freshwater game fish, except channel and flathead catfish.Georgia freshwater gamefish include: Bass: Largemouth, Redeye (Coosa), Shadow, Shoal, Smallmouth, Spotted, Suwannee; Catfish: Channel and Flathead; Crappie: Black and White; Pickerel: Chain, Grass, Redfin; Shad: American and Hickory; Sunfish: Bluegill, Flier, Redbreast, Redear, Rock, Spotted, Warmouth; Trout: Brook, Rainbow, and Brown; Walleye.
Exceptions to state-wide size limit:
- Lake Lanier: 14-inches total length
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