Georgia Trout Stocking For 2019

Last year, more than one million trout were stocked in Georgia. This year, that number should increase. The 2019 trout stocking effort is already underway, thanks to trout hatchery staff with the Georgia DNR and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

“This is the second year of our initiative to stock larger trout in Georgia, thanks to the extra funds provided by anglers’ fishing license fees. Georgia trout anglers were pleased with heavy stringers in 2018 and should expect the same for 2019,” said John Lee Thomson, Georgia Trout Stocking Coordinator.

“With a mild winter and abundant rainfall, WRD and our partner, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will again achieve the new 10-inch average size for 2019,” he said.

Trout stocking is already underway on a few waters, and regular stockings for the rest of Georgia’s trout waters begins the last week of March.

Though some trout stockings have already occurred to reduce hatchery fish crowding, regular stocking schedules will begin the last week of March.

Some popular waterbodies that received early trout stockings include Lake Winfield Scott in Union County, Little Amicalola Creek at Amicalola State Park, Holly Creek in Murray County, and Johns Creek in Floyd County.

The most-stocked waters in Georgia receive new hatchery trout once each week through July 4.

The Georgia trout waters scheduled to receive weekly trout stockings this year from April through July, and then two more stockings before Labor Day and one fall stocking, are:
Fannin County: Blue Ridge Tailwaters, Rock Creek, Toccoa River (stocked weekly until July 4, twice monthly afterward).
Lanier Tailwaters in Forsyth, Gwinnett and Fulton counties.
Lumpkin County: Boggs Creek, Dicks Creek. The Etowah River and Nimblewill Creek in Lumpkin County will be stocked weekly until July 4, twice monthly afterward.
Murray County: Holly Creek
Stephens County: Middle Fork Broad River and Panther Creek (not stocked after July 4).
Towns County: Tallulah River, Hiawassee River and Soapstone Creek (twice monthly after July 4).
Union County: Cooper Creek, Nottely River (twice monthly after July 4).
White County: Chattahoochee River, Jasus Creek, Low Gap Creek, Smith Creek.

For the second year in a row, additional revenue from license-fee increases has allowed hatchery managers to produce larger trout to be stocked, a 10-inch average size.

Stockings occur on other Georgia trout waters either twice each month from April through July, once a month from March through August, or a total of four times from March through August.

You can view the 2019 master trout stocking schedule at http://georgiawildlife.com/Fishing/Trout.

The daily limit in Georgia is eight trout on general regulation trout waters. Some waters have special regulations, including artificial-only restrictions (no bait).

Anglers are reminded to respect private property rights along streams flowing through private lands, and to obtain permission before fishing on private property.

See the Trout Page for archived articles on Georgia trout fishing.