GA · REGULATIONS · JUNE 2026

Red Drum (Redfish) GA legal size & bag limits.

Red Drum (Redfish) (also known as Red Drum, Channel Bass, Spottail Bass) in Georgia. Minimum legal size, daily bag limit, possession limit, slot rule — verified against the Georgia DNR CRD guide, 2026.

In Georgia, the minimum legal size for Red Drum (Redfish) is 14 in and the daily bag limit is 5. A slot limit applies: 14-23 inches total length (TL) harvest slot — fish must be within this range to keep. Season note: Open seasons and these size and bag limits are reviewed at least annually and can change in-season — always confirm the current Georgia rules before keeping fish.

What is the legal size & bag limit for Red Drum (Redfish) in GA?

Minimum size
14in
Daily bag
5
Possession
5
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Is there a slot limit for Red Drum (Redfish) in GA?

14-23 inches total length (TL) harvest slot — fish must be within this range to keep

Is there a closed season for Red Drum (Redfish) in GA?

Open seasons and these size and bag limits are reviewed at least annually and can change in-season — always confirm the current Georgia rules before keeping fish.

Why these rules exist

Atlantic coast only — Georgia has no Gulf coast, so there is no Atlantic-vs-Gulf split. STATE WATERS (0-3 nmi). Managed as a gamefish — may be taken by pole-and-line (rod and reel) only. Harvest/possession of red drum is PROHIBITED in federal waters (the EEZ, 3-200 nmi) for both recreational and commercial fishers, so legal harvest is effectively inshore/nearshore only.

Source & verification

These limits are pulled from the Georgia DNR CRD recreational size and creel limits. Last verified June 2026.

Always check the official guide before keeping any fish. Regulations change. Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Coastal Resources Division updates its guide annually and occasionally mid-year. Fines for over-bag or undersized fish are significant.

Georgia requires a recreational fishing licence to fish in salt water, plus a free Saltwater Information Program (SIP) permit for anyone aged 16 or older. Georgia licences.

See related

Common questions

What is the minimum legal size for Red Drum (Redfish) in GA?
In Georgia, the minimum legal size for Red Drum (Redfish) (also known as Red Drum, Channel Bass, Spottail Bass) is 14 in. Verified against the Georgia DNR CRD recreational size and creel limits (June 2026).
What is the bag limit for Red Drum (Redfish) in GA?
In Georgia, the daily bag limit for Red Drum (Redfish) is 5. Slot rule: 14-23 inches total length (TL) harvest slot — fish must be within this range to keep. Verified against the Georgia DNR CRD recreational size and creel limits (June 2026).
Is there a closed season for Red Drum (Redfish) in GA?
Open seasons and these size and bag limits are reviewed at least annually and can change in-season — always confirm the current Georgia rules before keeping fish. Verified against the Georgia DNR CRD guide (June 2026).
Do you need a fishing licence to fish in Georgia?
Georgia requires a recreational fishing licence to fish in salt water, plus a free Saltwater Information Program (SIP) permit for anyone aged 16 or older.
Written by
Olli-Mikael Vaittinen, founder of Fishare, holding a yellowfin tuna boatside
Olli-Mikael Vaittinen

Olli-Mikael Vaittinen has fished his whole life. Fifteen years of fly fishing, guiding seasons on Norway's Lakselva — his favourite Atlantic salmon river — and a blue marlin landed in Vava'u, Tonga. Founder of Fishare — the app that puts the data behind the decisions every angler makes on the water.

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