Georgia coast
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Fishing the Georgia Coast
Sounds, inlets, piers, ramps, artificial reefs and the CRD saltwater limits from Tybee Island to St. Marys.
- 12sounds
- 45reefs
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The coast
Georgia's coast from Tybee to St. Marys
Georgia’s six coastal counties, Chatham, Bryan, Liberty, McIntosh, Glynn and Camden, front 12 named sounds, 4 named inlets and the mouths of 6 rivers. The WRD and CRD maps place 47 public piers and docks and 66 boat ramps on salt water, and CRD charts 45 artificial reefs inshore and offshore.
A valid Georgia fishing license and free Saltwater Information Program (SIP) permit are required for fishing in Georgia's saltwater bodies.
12sounds
47piers and docks
66saltwater ramps
45artificial reefs
Sounds
Georgia sounds, north to south
- Wassaw SoundChatham County
- Green Island SoundChatham County
- Ossabaw SoundChatham County
- St. Catherines SoundLiberty County
- Sapelo SoundMcIntosh County
- Doboy SoundMcIntosh County
- Altamaha SoundMcIntosh County
- Buttermilk SoundMcIntosh County
- St. Simons SoundGlynn County
- Jekyll SoundCamden County
- St. Andrew SoundCamden County
- Cumberland SoundCamden County
USGS GNIS named features; county from GNIS.
Inlets and river mouths
Georgia inlets and tidal river mouths
- St. Marys EntranceCamden County, inlet
- Goulds InletGlynn County, inlet
- Cabretta InletMcIntosh County, inlet
- McQueen InletLiberty County, inlet
- Savannah River mouthThe mouth is on the Georgia-South Carolina line; GNIS assigns the primary point to Jasper County, SC.
- Ogeechee River mouthChatham County
- Medway River mouthBryan County
- Altamaha River mouthMcIntosh County
- Satilla River mouthCamden County
- St. Marys River mouthThe mouth is on the Georgia-Florida line; GNIS assigns the primary point to Nassau County, FL.
Limits
Georgia saltwater bag and size limits
| Species | Limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Amberjack | 1; minimum size 28" FL | All year |
| American Eel | 25; minimum size 9" TL | All year |
| Atlantic Croaker | 25; minimum size None | All year |
| Atlantic Sturgeon | No harvest | Closed (no harvest) |
| Billfish (Blue marlin, White marlin, Sailfish) | Billfish may be landed in Georgia provided the angler complies with all federal regulations (federal HMS rules) | open all year |
| Black Drum | 15; minimum size 14" TL | All year |
| Black Sea Bass | 15; minimum size 12" TL | All year |
| Bluefish | 15; minimum size 12" FL | May 1 – Feb. 28 annually |
| Cobia | 1 per angler, maximum 6 per boat; minimum size 36" FL | March 1 – Oct. 31 |
| Dolphin (mahi mahi) | 10 (not to exceed 54 per boat, except headboats, which are allowed 10 per paying customer; minimum size 20" FL | All year |
| Flounder | 15; minimum size 12" TL | All year |
| Gag Grouper | 2; minimum size 25" TL | All year |
| King mackerel | 3; minimum size 24" FL | All year |
| Spanish mackerel | 15; minimum size 12" FL | All year |
| Red Drum | 5; minimum size 14" TL (Maximum 23" TL) | All year |
| Red Porgy | 3; minimum size 14" TL | All year |
| Red Snapper | 2; minimum size 20" TL | All year |
| Sharks (other than hammerheads, small shark composite, and prohibited | 1 per angler or boat, whichever is fewer; minimum size 54" FL (83" FL for Shortfin Makos) | All year |
| Small Shark Composite (Atlantic Sharpnose, Bonnethead, Spiny Dogfish) | 1 per angler; minimum size 30" FL | All year |
| Prohibited sharks | No harvest: Sand tiger, Sandbar, Silky, Bigeye sand tiger, Whale, Basking, White, Dusky, Bignose, Galapagos, Night, Reef, Narrowtooth, Caribbean Sharpnose, Smalltail, Atlantic angel, Longfin | Closed (no harvest) |
| Sheepshead | 15; minimum size 10" FL | All year |
| Spot | 25; minimum size None | All year |
| Spotted Seatrout | 15; minimum size 14" TL | All year |
| Striped bass (Saltwater) | 2; minimum size 22" TL | All year |
| Striped bass (Savannah River) | 2; minimum size 27" TL | All year |
| Tarpon | 1; minimum size 68" FL | All year |
| Tripletail | 2; minimum size 18" TL | All year |
| Weakfish | 1; minimum size 13" TL | All year |
| Hammerhead sharks (great, scalloped, smooth) | 1 per angler or boat, whichever is less; minimum size 78 inches FL | All year |
Georgia DNR Coastal Resources Division limits page. Checked October 2026.
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Licenses and permits for the Georgia coast
- A Georgia fishing license and free Saltwater Information Permit (SIP) are required for anglers age 16 and older to fish in both state (0-3 nautical miles offshore) and federal (beyond 3 miles) marine waters of Georgia. The SIP expires one year from the date of issuance, regardless of license type. Licenses are required for hook and line fishing, castnetting, seining, crabbing, gigging, sport bait license and SIP
- Effective January 1, 2027, a Reef & Migratory Fish Endorsement will be required of any angler landing amberjack, black sea bass, cobia, dolphin, gag, king mackerel, red porgy, red snapper or Spanish mackerel in Georgia (SB420, 2026). $10 residents, $20 nonresidents.from 2027
- Jekyll, Tybee, St. Simons and Sea islands: 1,000 feet seaward, May 1 – September 30, power boats, jet skis and other motorized craft prohibited.beach zones
Piers and ramps
Coastal piers and launches with pages
Piers and docks
- Altamaha Regional ParkGlynn County
- Back River BridgeGlynn County
- Bellville Boat Ramp PierMcIntosh County
- Blue-N-HaulMcIntosh County
- Butler River BridgeMcIntosh County
- Butter Bean BeachChatham County
- Cay Creek Wetlands Interpretive Center PierLiberty County
- Clam Creek BridgeGlynn County
- Clarence Hilburn Fishing PierGlynn County
- Fort McAllister State Park Pier on Ogeechee RiverBryan County
- Fort McAllister State Park Pier on Redbird CreekBryan County
- Frank O. Downing Fishing PierChatham County
- Frank W. Spencer Park Fishing PierChatham County
- Ft. Pullaski BridgeChatham County
- GA Coast Rail Trail Bridge at White OakCamden County
- Gascoigne Bluff ParkGlynn County
- Georgia Coast Rail Trail Satillia River Fishing PierCamden County
- Gould's InletGlynn County
- Harrietts Bluff Boat RampCamden County
- Harris Neck Creek Fishing DockMcIntosh County
- Herbert Battise Observation PierChatham County
- Howard Gilman Memorial ParkCamden County
- James Allen Williamson Champney River ParkMcIntosh County
- Jekyll Creek PiersGlynn County
- Jekyll Island Fishing PierGlynn County
- Jetty near Tybee LighthouseChatham County
- King's Ferry Fishing PierChatham County
- Lazaretto Creek Fishing PierChatham County
- Little River Bridge CatwalkGlynn County
- Mackay River PiersGlynn County
- Marshes of Glynn Overlook ParkGlynn County
- McQueen's Island TrailChatham County
- Pond Fishing Piers at Jekyll Boat RampGlynn County
- Riceboro Creek Fishing PierLiberty County
- Rodney J. Hall Boat RampChatham County
- Salt Creek Park PierChatham County
- Satilla Waterfront Park PierCamden County
- Sea Island FootpathGlynn County
- Sidney Lanier ParkGlynn County
- St Simons Fishing PierGlynn County
Boat ramps
- Bahia Bleu MarinaChatham County
- Barbour River LandingMcIntosh County
- Bell's LandingChatham County
- Belle Bluff MarinaMcIntosh County
- Bellville Boat RampMcIntosh County
- Blue-N-Hall Boat RampMcIntosh County
- Blythe Island Beach Drive ParkGlynn County
- Blythe Island Regional ParkGlynn County
- Brunswick Landing MarinaGlynn County
- Bull River Marina, Whitemarsh IslandChatham County
- Champney River Boat RampMcIntosh County
- Coffee Bluff MarinaChatham County
- Crooked River State ParkCamden County
- Darien River Boat RampMcIntosh County
- Demeries Creek Boat RampBryan County
- F.W. Spencer Boat RampChatham County
- Fisherman's Lodge Boat RampMcIntosh County
- Fort McAllister / Ogeechee River Boat RampBryan County
- Fort McAllister MarinaBryan County
- Fort Pulaski Boat RampChatham County
- Halfmoon MarinaLiberty County
- Hampton River Club MarinaGlynn County
- Harriett's Bluff Boat RampCamden County
- Hogan's MarinaChatham County
- Houlihan ParkChatham County
- Isle of Hope MarinaChatham County
- Jekyll Harbor MarinaGlynn County
- Jekyll Island Boat RampGlynn County
- Kilkenny MarinaBryan County
- Kings Ferry Boat RampChatham County
- Landings Harbor MarinaChatham County
- Lazaretto Creek MarinaChatham County
- Liberty County Regional ParkLiberty County
- MacKay River Boat RampGlynn County
- Morningstar Golden Isles MarinaGlynn County
- North River, City of St. Marys Boat RampCamden County
- Ossabaw Island WMA Boat RampChatham County
- Pine Harbor MarinaMcIntosh County
- Redbird Creek, Fort McAllister Historic ParkBryan County
- Riceboro Creek Boat RampLiberty County
Reefs and captains
Reefs and coastal charters
- Georgia artificial reefs45 inshore and offshore reef sites
- Guides and charters30 listings in coastal counties
In pictures
Photos of Georgia water to go with Fishing the Georgia Coast
Photo: Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: John Phelan, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0
Answers
Georgia coast fishing questions
How many sounds does the Georgia coast have?
12 named sounds have pages here, from Wassaw Sound in Chatham County to Cumberland Sound in Camden County.
Do I need a license to fish Georgia salt water?
Saltwater anglers 16 and up carry a Georgia fishing license ($15 resident, $50 nonresident for 365 days) and the free Saltwater Information Program permit.
Where are the public fishing piers on the Georgia coast?
47 CRD and WRD piers and docks in the six coastal counties; each has a page in the list above.
What is the red drum limit on the Georgia coast?
5; minimum size 14" TL (Maximum 23" TL).
How many artificial reefs does Georgia maintain?
Georgia maintains 15 inshore and 31 offshore artificial reefs; the 19 reefs beyond 3 miles offshore are federal Special Management Zones (hand-held and spear gear only).
What is the saltwater line in Georgia?
This line is established in this state as the separation point between saltwaters and freshwaters for commercial fishing and sport fishing. The saltwater demarcation line is defined below: The point at which U.S. Highway 17 crosses the foll
What changes for reef fish anglers in 2027?
From January 1, 2027 a Reef & Migratory Fish Endorsement ($10 resident, $20 nonresident) is needed to land nine species, amberjack among them.
Where can I hire a coastal charter?
The guides page lists 30 captains and guides in coastal counties.