Shrimp (Trawl Nets (Sport Bait Shrimping)) Regulations in Georgia (2026)

Where

All waters

Bag limit

A sport bait shrimper may not possess at any time more than two (2) quarts of shrimp, no more than ½ pint of which may be dead, and may not take more than four (4) quarts of shrimp within a 24-hour period. When two or more persons occupy the same boat, there may be no more than four (4) quarts of shrimp on board the boat at any time; no more than one pint of which may be dead, and no more than eight (8) quarts of shrimp may be taken within a 24-hour period.

Season

Unless otherwise designated, there is no closed season for the harvest of bait shrimp, regardless of the approved gear used. The season for the recreational harvest of food shrimp is the same as that established for commercial shrimping. The Commissioner of DNR may open the season from May 15 through the end of February; however, it is generally opened mid-June through mid-January.

• Gear: Power-drawn trawl nets 10 feet or smaller may be used in saltwaters to harvest shrimp for bait. Information on the specific net dimensions for bait trawls is available from DNR offices in Brunswick.
• Hours: Trawling for bait shrimp is legal only between the hours of ½ hour before official sunrise to ½ hour after official sunset.
• It is unlawful to place, deposit, distribute, or scatter any bait of any kind in, on, or over any waters so as to lure, attract, or entice shrimp toward the bait or to cause shrimp to congregate in the area where bait is placed. It is illegal to knowingly fish for shrimp in baited waters.
• A Georgia fishing license and Saltwater Information Permit (SIP) are required to recreationally fish for any seafood, whether for personal consumption or bait. It is illegal to sell any seafood or bait harvested with a recreational license!

Official source