Shad (freshwater) regulations in Georgia

· Freshwater · 2026 season

Is it a keeper? Shad (freshwater) has no size limit today, with a daily limit of 8.

Shad (freshwater) size limit, season and daily limit

Where	Season	Size limit	Daily limit
Georgia freshwater (statewide)	Open year-round	None	8 per person per day

Notes

A 2026-10-31 check against the official source found a discrepancy in this species' aliases. Read the official wording before keeping the fish: https://www.eregulations.com/georgia/fishing/game-species-daily-limits

Exact Georgia DNR Coastal Resources Division wording

Season: Open year-round
Size: None
Limit: 8
Inland waters — as printed: “Shad | American and/or Hickory | 8”

Source: Georgia DNR Coastal Resources Division, captured 2026-10-01 (2026 season).

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About the shad

Species of fish

The American shad is a species of anadromous clupeid fish naturally distributed on the North American coast of the North Atlantic, from Newfoundland to Florida, and as an introduced species on the North Pacific coast. The American shad is not closely related to the other North American shads. Rather, it seems to form a lineage that diverged from a common ancestor of the European taxa before these diversified.

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from Georgia DNR Coastal Resources Division, not Wikipedia.

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Frequently asked

What is the size limit for Shad (freshwater) in Georgia?

None in Georgia state waters.

How many Shad (freshwater) can you keep per day in Georgia?

8 per person per day.

When is Shad (freshwater) season in Georgia?

Open year-round.

Is my Shad (freshwater) a keeper today?

Shad (freshwater) has no size limit today, with a daily limit of 8.