Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia
Department 391 - RULES OF GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Chapter 391-4 - WILDLIFE RESOURCES DIVISION
Subject 391-4-3 - FISHING REGULATIONS
Rule 391-4-3-.10 - Commercial Fishing. Amended

Universal Citation: GA Rules and Regs r 391-4-3-.10

Current through Rules and Regulations filed through September 23, 2024

(1) It shall be lawful to commercially fish with gill nets on Lake Seminole as follows:

(a) From November 1 through January 31 in the Flint River Arm from Faceville Landing upstream to but not including the mouth of Big Slough, in the Spring Creek Arm from State Route 253 upstream to U.S. Route 84 and in Fish Pond Drain from State Route 253 upstream to County Road 1659 at the north end of Ray's Lake.

(b) Nets may not be set in waters exceeding eight (8') feet in depth or in stream channels.

(c) All game fish and catfish taken in gill nets must be released.

(d) All gill nets must be marked by visible buoys.

(e) Fisherman are limited to three hundred (300) linear feet of netting. Gill net mesh must be two inches (2") on the square.

(f) All nets must be clearly labeled with the name and commercial fishing license number of the person fishing them.

(g) A commercial fishing license and a Lake Seminole Gill Net commercial fishing species endorsement are required. All other commercial fishing laws and regulations shall apply.

(2) It shall be lawful to commercially fish with a basket in the Georgia portion of Clark Hill Reservoir, Richard Russell Reservoir, Hartwell Reservoir, Yonah Lake, Tugaloo (Toogaloo) Lake, Stevens Creek Lake and the impounded waters of the New Savannah Bluff Lock and Dam as follows:

(a) The basket must be constructed of one inch (1") mesh wire and must not be more than seventy-two inches (72") in length and sixty inches (60") in circumference.

(b) One throat of such basket shall be located at the extreme front of the basket and a second throat shall be located seventeen inches (17") behind the first. The second throat shall have one inch (1") square mesh webbing attached so that when such mesh is drawn taut by cords attached to each side, a horizontal opening is created which is not more than one inch (1") in height.

(c) It shall be unlawful to take any game fish except flathead catfish and channel catfish with such baskets.

(d) A commercial fishing license and a Catfish Basket commercial fishing species endorsement are required. All other commercial fishing laws and regulations apply.

(3) A commercial fishing license and a Catfish Basket commercial fishing species endorsement are required to commercially fish with a basket as authorized by O.C.G.A Section 27-4-92. All other commercial fishing laws and regulations apply.

(4) It shall be lawful to commercially fish for mussels in fresh water as follows:

(a) The following waters shall be opened from sunrise to sunset on Monday through Friday of each week from 1 April to 31 August each year, except Memorial Day and Independence Day, to the lawful harvest of mussels:
1. Fresh waters of all streams are open to the lawful harvest of mussels that will not pass through a round ring with an inside diameter of four inches; and

2. Reservoirs over 500 acres in size which are not owned or operated by the Department are open to the lawful harvest of washboard mussels (Megalonaias sp.) that will not pass through a round ring with an inside diameter of four inches and to the harvest of all other mussels whose longest dimension will not pass through said ring.

(b) It shall be unlawful to harvest mussels in fresh water by any form of dredging, brailing, pumping, any form of mechanical scooping or by dragging any material over the mussels. Any person violating this provision is subject to the civil penalty provisions of O.C.G.A. Section 27-1-36.

(c) A commercial fishing license and a Freshwater Mussel commercial fishing species endorsement are required. All other commercial fishing laws and regulations shall apply.

O.C.G.A. §§ 27-1-4, 27-1-28, 27-2-23, 27-4-70.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Georgia may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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