Redbreast Sunfish in Georgia
Georgia redbreast sunfish: creel rules, records and waters.
- 50 in totallimit
- 1 lb, 12 ozrecord
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Georgia redbreast sunfish at a glance
State fisheries staff list Redbreast sunfish (Lepomis auritus) as a game fish. Georgia allows 50 in total on statewide freshwater, with the season listed as open all year.
In 2022 an angler set the Georgia freshwater record at 1 lb, 12 oz. It appears on 129 Georgia lake and river pages here.
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Description. “Belly is yellow to orange-red or crimson red, gill flap is long and narrow. Head has blue or blue-green stripes. Most less than 1 lb.”
Habitat. “Prefers streams and rivers, but also found in some lakes. Likes gravel or rocky bottoms, concentrates around boulders, limestone outcroppings and aquatic vegetation. Spawns when water reaches 65-75 degrees, later than most sunfish. Might use abandoned nests of other sunfish.”
Range. “Common throughout Georgia.”
Tips. “Unlike other sunfish, redbreast can be caught at night using a wide variety of lures and baits. Beetle spins and small spinners.”
Quoted from the WRD fish identification page. The WRD entry covers several related fish. Checked October 2026.
Keeping redbreast sunfish in Georgia
| Applies to | Limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Statewide freshwater | 50 in total | Open all year |
2026-2027 Georgia Hunting and Fishing Regulations (Georgia DNR). Checked October 2026.
redbreast sunfish record entries for Georgia
| List | Weight | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| freshwater | 1 lb, 12 oz | Satilla River | 2022 |
WRD freshwater record list and CRD saltwater game fish records; angler names left out. Checked October 2026.
Georgia lakes and rivers with redbreast sunfish
Reservoirs and ponds with redbreast sunfish
- Clarks Hill Lake71,535 acres
- Lake Hartwell56,000 acres
- Lake Lanier38,000 acres
- Lake Seminole37,500 acres
- Lake Richard B. Russell26,650 acres
- West Point Lake25,900 acres
- Lake Oconee19,050 acres
- Lake Sinclair14,750 acres
- Lake Allatoona11,860 acres
- Lake Chatuge7,050 acres
- Bartlett's Ferry Lake5,850 acres
- Lake Jackson4,750 acres
- Lake Nottely4,180 acres
- Lake Blue Ridge3,290 acres
- Carters Lake3,220 acres
- Lake Burton2,775 acres
- Lake Tobesofkee1,750 acres
- Lake Andrews1,540 acres
- Reregulation Reservoir1,030 acres
- Lake Varner850 acres
- Lake Rabun834 acres
- Lake Horton Reservoir780 acres
- High Falls Lake650 acres
- Randy Poynter Lake650 acres
Creeks and rivers with redbreast sunfish
- Ocmulgee RiverTelfair
- Chattahoochee RiverHall
- Altamaha RiverWayne
- Flint RiverBaker
- Oconee RiverLaurens
- Satilla RiverBrantley
- Etowah RiverCherokee
- Savannah RiverRichmond
- Toccoa RiverFannin
- Ogeechee RiverJefferson
- Ohoopee RiverTattnall
- Saint Marys RiverCharlton
- Tallapoosa RiverHaralson
- Alapaha RiverBerrien
- Withlacoochee RiverLowndes
- Kinchafoonee CreekLee
- Oostanaula RiverGordon
- Brier CreekBurke
WRD access point species flags and WRD fishing forecasts; largest waters first.
Similar Georgia fish to redbreast sunfish
- 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
Photos of fishing water by Redbreast Sunfish
Photo: Jcgaylor, CC0 1.0
Photo: Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Thomson200, CC0 1.0
Photo: Dclemens1971, CC BY 4.0
What gets asked most about redbreast sunfish here
May Georgia anglers keep redbreast sunfish?
50 in total for statewide freshwater; season open all year.
When was Georgia's redbreast sunfish record set?
1 lb, 12 oz on the freshwater list, from Satilla River in 2022.
Which Georgia water should I try for redbreast sunfish?
129 water pages on this site, led by Clarks Hill Lake, Lake Hartwell and Lake Lanier.
Do Georgia hatcheries raise redbreast sunfish?
No published stocking schedule names it.
Is redbreast sunfish a game fish in Georgia?
A game fish, Lepomis auritus; freshwater water.
When is redbreast sunfish season open in Georgia?
Open all year on statewide freshwater.
Is a saltwater permit required for redbreast sunfish?
Georgia asks anglers 16 and older for a fishing license: $15 for residents and $50 for nonresidents, each good for 365 days from purchase.
Do Georgia outfitters list redbreast sunfish?
No listed guide names it; the guides page lists every operator.
Head out after redbreast sunfish
Every water named above has its own page with ramps, gauges and limits.