Before The HornUnofficial

Regulations

Buford Tailwater — a summary of the published Georgia rules for this reach. The publication always wins; check it before you rely on anything here.

Verified against the publication on July 24, 2026

License

Anglers age 16 or older must have a Georgia fishing license and a trout license.

Season

All designated Georgia trout waters are open year-round.

Hours

Chattahoochee River from Buford Dam to Peachtree Creek: 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset. Night fishing is not allowed.

Daily limit

8 trout per day on general-regulation trout waters. Once you have kept your daily limit you must stop fishing for trout.

Gear rules by stretch

  • Buford Dam → GA Hwy 20 bridge

    General trout-water regulations — no artificial-only restriction published for this stretch.

  • GA Hwy 20 → the boat ramp at NPS Medlock Bridge Park (immediately upstream of GA Hwy 141)

    Artificial lures only.

    This is the published boundary language. The single-hook rule belongs to delayed-harvest waters (Sope Creek → US 41, below this reach) — do not confuse the two.

Official sources

This page is a convenience summary, not legal advice and not the regulations themselves. Each line above was checked against the sources on the date shown; regulations change, and the official publication is the only authority.