Rule 391-4-3-.14. Catch and Release Fishing

1. (1) The following streams or portions of streams are declared to be delayed harvest streams, and all mountain trout caught from these streams must be immediately returned unharmed to the waters from which they were caught; provided, however, this restriction shall not apply to said streams or portions of streams from May 15 through October 31 of each year:

   1. (a) That portion of Amicalola Creek from County Road 192 (Steele Bridge Road) downstream to Georgia Highway 53;
   2. (b) That portion of the Chattahoochee River from Sope Creek (off Columns Drive) downstream to US Highway 41 (Cobb Parkway);
   3. (c) That portion of Chattooga River (in Rabun County) from Georgia Highway 28 upstream to the mouth of Reed Creek (Georgia);
   4. (d) That portion of Smith Creek on Unicoi State Park from Unicoi Dam downstream to the Unicoi State Park property boundary; and
   5. (e) That portion of the 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.

2. (2) The following stream is declared to be a catch and release stream, and all fish caught from this stream must be immediately returned unharmed to the waters from which they were caught:

   1. (a) That portion of Dukes Creek and its tributaries flowing through the Smithgall Woods-Dukes Creek Conservation Area, including the Georgia Highway 75 Alternate right-of-way;
3. (3) Possession of trout while fishing on a catch and release stream is prohibited; and
4. (4) Possession of trout while fishing on a delayed harvest stream is prohibited from November 1 through May 14 of each year.

Authority: O.C.G.A. Secs. 27-1-4, 27-4-10, 27-4-12, 27-4-51.

History. Original Rule entitled "Commercial Fresh Water Fishing" adopted. F. Apr. 11, 1974; eff. May 1, 1974.

Repealed: New Rule of the same title adopted. F. Apr. 15, 1975; eff. May 5, 1975.

Repealed: F. Mar. 2, 1976; eff. Mar. 22, 1976.

Amended: New Rule entitled "Catch and Release Fishing" adopted. F. Sept. 11, 1996; eff. Oct. 1, 1996.

Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. Sept. 3, 1998; eff. Sept. 23, 1998.

Amended: F. Sept. 17, 1999; eff. Oct. 7, 1999.

Amended: F. Oct. 11, 2000; eff. Oct. 31, 2000.

Amended: F. Aug. 19, 2002; eff. Sept. 8, 2002.

Amended: F. Aug. 24, 2006; eff. Sept. 13, 2006.