Chain Pickerel in Georgia
The Georgia rule book and water list for chain pickerel.
- 15limit
- 9 lb, 6 ozrecord
Pick for troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of the species, not of a Georgia water: James Mann from Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, CC BY 2.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Georgia chain pickerel: limits, records and waters
Georgia DNR counts Chain pickerel (Esox niger) as a game fish. Its first limit row covers statewide freshwater: 15, season open all year.
Georgia's best freshwater entry is 9 lb, 6 oz, dated 1961. 51 Georgia waters on this site carry it in their WRD lists.
Telling chain pickerel apart, per WRD
Description. “Olive green on the back, creamy yellow on the belly. Fins clear to amber and without spots. Distinct chain-like or interwoven markings on sides; elongated body shape. Up to 10 lb; 1 to 3 lb most typical.”
Habitat. “Clear, shallow, heavily vegetated shoal water to the deeper part of lakes. Spawns over submerged vegetation when water reaches 45-50 degrees.”
Range. “Coosa, Chattahoochee, Flint, Ochlockonee, Suwannee, Satilla, St. Marys, Ocmulgee, Oconee, Altamaha, Ogeechee and Savannah River basins.”
Food. “Fish, frogs, insects, crayfish or mice that have fallen in the water.”
Tips. “Surface lures, spinner baits, spoons or live shiners.”
Quoted from the WRD fish identification page. The WRD entry covers several related fish. Checked October 2026.
What the Georgia rules allow for chain pickerel
| Applies to | Limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Statewide freshwater | 15 | Open all year |
2026-2027 Georgia Hunting and Fishing Regulations (Georgia DNR). Checked October 2026.
The biggest chain pickerel on Georgia's lists
| List | Weight | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| freshwater | 9 lb, 6 oz | Homerville | 1961 |
WRD freshwater record list and CRD saltwater game fish records; angler names left out. Checked October 2026.
Georgia pages that name chain pickerel
Lakes that list chain pickerel
- Clarks Hill Lake71,535 acres
- Lake Seminole37,500 acres
- Lake Richard B. Russell26,650 acres
- Lake Jackson4,750 acres
- Lake Burton2,775 acres
- Lake Tobesofkee1,750 acres
- Banks Lake1,000 acres
- Lake Varner850 acres
- Lake Horton Reservoir780 acres
- High Falls Lake650 acres
- Watson Pond412 acres
- Reed Bingham Park Lake375 acres
- Lake Lindsay Grace240 acres
- Hamburg Lake225 acres
- Little Ocmulgee Lake224 acres
- Houston Lake180 acres
- Laura S Walker Lake107 acres
- Harvel Pond68 acres
- Glissons Millpond67 acres
- Magnolia Springs State Park Lake28 acres
- Miller Lake19 acres
- Possum Eddy13 acres
- Johnson Lake12 acres
- Barnes Lake11 acres
Rivers that list chain pickerel
- Ocmulgee RiverTelfair
- Chattahoochee RiverHall
- Altamaha RiverWayne
- Oconee RiverLaurens
- Satilla RiverBrantley
- Savannah RiverRichmond
- Ogeechee RiverJefferson
- Ohoopee RiverTattnall
- Saint Marys RiverCharlton
- Alapaha RiverBerrien
- Withlacoochee RiverLowndes
- Kinchafoonee CreekLee
- Suwannee RiverClinch
- Brier CreekBurke
- Canoochee RiverBryan
- Ebenezer CreekEffingham
- Ochlockonee RiverColquitt
- Spring Creek, Decatur CountyDecatur
WRD access point species flags and WRD fishing forecasts; largest waters first.
Close relatives on Georgia's list besides chain pickerel
- Largemouth Bassfreshwater
- Altamaha Bassfreshwater
- Bartram's Bassfreshwater
- Chattahoochee Bassfreshwater
- Redeye Bassfreshwater
- Shoal Bassfreshwater
- Smallmouth Bassfreshwater
- Spotted Bassfreshwater
- Suwannee Bassfreshwater
- Tallapoosa Bassfreshwater
- White Bassfreshwater
- Hybrid Striped Bassfreshwater
Pictures from Georgia water near Chain Pickerel
Photo: Jcgaylor, CC0 1.0
Photo: Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Rivers Langley; SaveRivers, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0
chain pickerel in Georgia: what anglers ask
What is the Georgia creel limit for chain pickerel?
15 for statewide freshwater; season open all year.
What is the Georgia record chain pickerel?
9 lb, 6 oz on the freshwater list, from Homerville in 1961.
Where do chain pickerel live in Georgia?
51 water pages on this site, led by Clarks Hill Lake, Lake Seminole and Lake Richard B. Russell.
Where does WRD stock chain pickerel?
WRD publishes no per-water stocking list for it.
Which category do Georgia rules put chain pickerel in?
A game fish, Esox niger; freshwater water.
Is Georgia chain pickerel season open now?
Open all year on statewide freshwater.
Do I need a trout license for chain pickerel?
Georgia asks anglers 16 and older for a fishing license: $15 for residents and $50 for nonresidents, each good for 365 days from purchase.
Can I hire a Georgia guide for chain pickerel?
The guides page sorts operators by type instead.
For the trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Make a day of chain pickerel
Pick a lake or river above to see access and limits.