This article was updated in March 2024.
The following chart lists the state record catches for fish species that the Georgia Department of Natural Resources tracks.
If you think you might’ve caught a record fish, check out the resources linked below to give your fish the best chance of making this list. Better yet, familiarize yourself with the process ahead of time, just in case.
Georgia Freshwater Fishing Records
| Bass, Hybrid 25 lbs, 8 oz | Lake Chatuge | David Hobby May 1, 1995 |
| Bass, Largemouth 22 lbs, 4 oz | Montgomery Lake | George Perry Jun 2, 1932 |
| Bass, Redeye 3 lbs, 7 oz | Lake Hartwell | Steve Williams Apr 17, 2004 |
| Bass, Shoal (tie) 8 lbs, 5 oz | Chattahoochee River | Joseph Matthew McWhorter Dec 23, 2021 |
| Bass, Shoal (tie) 8 lbs, 5 oz | Flint River | Clark Wheeler Apr 16, 2022 |
| Bass, Smallmouth 7 lbs, 2 oz | Lake Chatuge | Jack Hall Mar 28, 1973 |
| Bass, Spotted 8 lbs, 2 oz | Lake Burton | Wayne Holland Feb 23, 2005 |
| Bass, Striped 63 lbs | Oconee River | Kelly A. Ward May 30, 1967 |
| Bass, Striped 63 lbs | Lake Richard B. Russell | Terry McConnell Apr 3, 2009 |
| Bass, Suwannee 3 lbs, 9 oz | Ochlocknee River | Laverne Norton Oct 6, 1984 |
| Bass, White 5 lbs, 1 oz | Lake Lanier | J.M. Hobbins Jun 16, 1971 |
| Bowfin 16 lbs, 3 oz | Suwannee River | Jimmy Tucker Jun 21, 2014 |
| Carp, Common 35 lbs, 12 oz | Lake Jackson | Rev. Donald Clark 1972 |
| Catfish, Blue 110 lbs, 6 oz | Chattahoochee River | Tim Trone Oct 17, 2020 |
| Catfish, Brown Bullhead 5 lbs, 8 oz | O.F. Veal Pond | James W. Andrews May 22, 1978 |
| Catfish, Channel 44 lbs, 12 oz | Altamaha River | Bobby M. Smithwick May 18, 1972 |
| Catfish, Flathead (tie) 83 lbs | Altamaha River | Carl Sawyer Jun 22, 2006 |
| Catfish, Flathead (tie) 83 lbs | Altamaha River | Jim Dieveney Jul 11, 2010 |
| Catfish, White 8 lbs, 10 oz | Savannah River | James D. Sanders Jun 10, 1996 |
| Catfish, Yellow Bullhead 4 lbs, 15 oz | Ogeechee River | Glenn Settles Oct 12, 2003 |
| Crappie, Black (tie) 4 lbs, 4 oz | Acree’s Lake | Shirley Lavender Jun 1, 1971 |
| Crappie, Black (tie) 4 lbs, 4 oz | Lake Spivey | Steve Cheek March 1975 |
| Crappie, White 5 lbs | Bibb County pond | Theresa Kemp Apr 10, 1984 |
| Gar, Longnose 31 lbs, 2 oz | Coosa River | Rachel Harrison Mar 19, 2022 |
| Muskellunge 38 lbs | Lake Blue Ridge | Rube Golden Jun 1957 |
| Perch, Yellow 2 lbs, 9 oz | Savannah River | Thomas Lewis Feb 27, 2013 |
| Perch, Yellow 2 lbs, 9 oz | Lake Burton | Emerson Mulhall Feb 18, 2024 |
| Pickerel, Chain 9 lbs, 6 oz | Homerville | Baxley McQuaig, Jr. Feb 1961 |
| Pickerel, Redfin 2 lbs, 10 oz | Lewis Pond | Gene Brantley Jul 7, 1982 |
| Pike, Northern 18 lbs, 2 oz | Lake Rabun | Keith Gragg Jun 27, 1982 |
| Sauger 4 lbs, 3 oz | Clarks Hill Lake | Stuart Bowers Apr 5, 1986 |
| Shad, American 8 lbs, 3 oz | Savannah River | Henry Baxley Apr 5, 1986 |
| Shad, Hickory 2 lbs, 10 oz | Ogeechee River | Timmy Woods Feb 20, 2022 |
| Sunfish, Bluegill 3 lbs, 5 oz | Shamrock Lake | P.F. Gumm Jul 3, 1977 |
| Sunfish, Flier 1 lb, 4 oz | Lowndes County pond | Curt Brooks Feb 26, 1996 |
| Sunfish, Green 1 lb, 7 oz | Private pond | Jeff Sumner Feb 25, 2006 |
| Sunfish, Redbreast 1 lb, 11 oz | Coweta County pond | Emory Walden Apr 16, 1998 |
| Sunfish, Redear 4 lbs, 2 oz | Richmond County pond | Pat Lawrence Jun 6, 1995 |
| Sunfish, Shadow Bass 0 lb, 10 oz | Flint River | Kristen Brown Jun 1, 2016 |
| Sunfish, Spotted 0 lb, 11 oz | Sumter County pond | Jacob Hornaday Apr 28, 2019 |
| Sunfish, Warmouth 2 lbs | Private pond | Carlton Robbins May 4, 1974 |
| Trout, Brook 5 lbs, 10 oz | Waters Creek | Russell Braden Mar 29, 1986 |
| Trout, Brown 20 lbs, 14 oz | Chattahoochee River | Chad Doughty Jul 27, 2014 |
| Trout, Rainbow 17 lbs, 8 oz | Soque River, Habersham County | Mark Cochran May 7, 2004 |
| Walleye 14 lbs, 2 oz | Lake Rabun | Wes Carlton Feb 19, 2016 |
Georgia Saltwater Fishing Records
The following records are for saltwater fish caught along Georgia’s Atlantic coastline.
Note that the Georgia DNR keeps records for both male and female anglers. However, to remain consistent with other states, we’ve selected the largest fish records regardless of angler gender. If you want to access the full records by the anglers’ genders, click the source link below the table.
Also note that for some species, there are now regulations that would prohibit anglers from keeping a record-breaking fish. Be sure to follow all current rules.
| Amberjack, Greater 92 lbs, 1 oz. | Ben W. Key Jr. 1975 |
| Barracuda, Great 54 lbs, 8 oz. | Wayne Hall 1999 |
| Bass, Black Sea (tie) 5 lbs, 11 oz. | J.C. Hadden Jr. 1994 |
| Bass, Black Sea (tie) 5 lbs, 11 oz. | Wille J. Oakman 1998 |
| Bluefish 17 lbs, 12 oz. | Gary Q. Altman 1980 |
| Cobia 88 lbs, 12 oz. | Jeffery Clark 1985 |
| Croaker, Atlantic 5 lbs, 12 oz. | David Flynt 1977 |
| Dolphin (mahi mahi) 68 lbs, 1.6 oz. | James Roberts 2022 |
| Drum, Black 92 lbs, 0 oz. | John H. Thomas Jr. 2010 |
| Drum, Red (Channel Bass, Redfish) 47 lbs, 7 oz. | Richard Price 1986 |
| Flounder (composite) 15 lbs, 10 oz. | Janice Youmans 1990 |
| Grouper, Gag 38 lbs, 0 oz. | David Sapp 2002 |
| Grouper, Goliath 124 lbs, 0 oz. | James Chumley 1976 |
| Grouper, Red 26 lbs. 6.4 oz. | Bruce C. Bartlett Jr. 2021 |
| Grouper, Scamp 27 lbs, 2 oz. | Jakob Hallstrom 2014 |
| Grouper, Warsaw 252 lbs, 0 oz. | Gene Whitehurst 1981 |
| Jack, Almaco 19 lbs, 10.53 oz. | Hayden W. Mundy 2024 |
| Jack, Crevalle 38 lbs, 8 oz. | Lex Bazemore 2001 |
| Kingfish (Whiting) 2 lbs, 12 oz. | Harold Guinn 1975 |
| Ladyfish 5 lbs, 0 oz. | Marjorie Nighbert 1978 |
| Mackerel, King 75 lbs, 12 oz. | Joe H. Bell 2004 |
| Mackerel, Spanish 8 lbs, 4 oz. | James I. Geiger 1991 |
| Marlin, Blue 491 lbs, 8 oz. | John C. Howard Jr. 1985 |
| Marlin, White 49 lbs, 12 oz. | Thomas Hester 1986 |
| Mullet, Striped 9 lbs, 3 oz. | Steve Middleton 1994 |
| Pinfish 2 lbs, 3.2 oz. | Spencer N. Schutte 2023 |
| Pompano, African 40 lbs, 0.48 oz. | Richard Bjorneby 2021 |
| Pompano, Florida 5 lbs, 4 oz. | Bill Knightbuford 2002 |
| Porgy (composite) 15 lbs, 14 oz. | Louis F. Jiran 1988 |
| Porgy, Red 5 lbs, 6 oz. | Jimmy Ginn 1980 |
| Runner, Rainbow 17 lbs, 12 oz. | Tyler Bond 1984 |
| Sailfish 65 lbs, 0 oz. | Vann Downs 1981 |
| Spotted Sea Trout (Speckled Trout) 9 lbs, 7 oz. | Tommy Hall 1976 |
| Shark, Blacktip 148 lbs, 0 oz. | Allison Gerber 2008 |
| Shark, Bonnethead 22 lbs, 11.5 oz. | Amanda Page 2012 |
| Shark, Bull 455 lbs, 0 oz. | Mark D. Noble 1978 |
| Shark, Dusky 272 lbs, 8 oz. | Bill Hunter 1978 |
| Shark, Hammerhead 770 lbs, 0 oz. | Charlie Marshall No year listed |
| Shark, Lemon 375 lbs, 0 oz. | Thomas Winslow No year listed |
| Shark, Mako 440 lbs, 0 oz. | Tyler Gary 2017 |
| Shark, Nurse 244 lbs, 0 oz. | Bill Watson 1981 |
| Shark, Sandbar (Brown) 158 lbs, 8 oz. | Chet Lee Kirby 1979 |
| Shark, Sand Tiger 290 lbs, 0 oz. | Billy Castle 1977 |
| Shark, Spinner 145 lbs, 6 oz. | Edward J. Hawie 2009 |
| Shark, Thresher 116 lbs, 0 oz. | Mark D. Noble 1976 |
| Shark, Tiger 794 lbs, 0 oz. | Chuck Hall 1975 |
| Sheepshead (tie) 14 lbs, 14 oz. | Ralph V. White 2002 |
| Sheepshead (tie) 14 lbs, 14.37 oz. | Ben Golden III 2023 |
| Snapper, Cubera 10 lbs, 0 oz. | Chris Gray 2012 |
| Snapper, Gray 12 lbs, 9 oz. | David Blackshear 2011 |
| Snapper, Mutton 18 lbs, 9.92 oz | Janet Monroe 2019 |
| Snapper, Red 37 lbs, 8 oz. | Bill Shearin Jr 1988 |
| Snapper, Yellowtail 5 lbs, 0 oz. | Eddie N. Vanmeter II 2014 |
| Snapper, Vermilion 5 lbs, 11.68 oz. | Mark Brandon Neville 2022 |
| Snook 10 lbs, 6 oz. | Marlene Patton 2008 |
| Spadefish, Atlantic 13 lbs, 2 oz. | Shahram Zare 2004 |
| Spot 1 lb, 0.32 oz. | Joel E. Duck 2023 |
| Swordfish 205 lbs, 8 oz. | Brendin A. Page 2014 |
| Tarpon 161 lbs, 0 oz. | C. Edwards 1995 |
| Triggerfish, Gray 11 lbs, 5 oz. | Elizabeth Zeagler 1987 |
| Tripletail 38 lbs, 14 oz. | Kyle Thigpen 2005 |
| Tuna, Blackfin 40 lbs, 8 oz. | Tyler Deal 2016 |
| Tuna, Yellowfin 249 lbs, 2 oz. | Ken Cooper 1980 |
| Tunny, Little (False Albacore) 22 lbs, 1 oz. | Dusty Blackburn 2017 |
| Wahoo 123 lbs, 3 oz. | Michael Stefanick 2000 |
| Weakfish (Summer Trout) 6 lbs, 8 oz. | Frank Taylor 1976 |
Claim Your Record Fish in Georgia
Be sure to follow the instructions when collecting the necessary information and filling out the forms to claim your state record fish in Georgia.
Choose the following link depending on the fishing location and fish species: