Looking for the best fishing hot spots in coastal Georgia?
You’ll find them and more in the Guide to Coastal Fishing in Georgia map series, recently updated by UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant thanks to a Coastal Incentive Grant from the Coastal Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
The series includes six guides, one for each of Georgia’s coastal counties: Chatham, Liberty, Bryan, McIntosh, Glynn and Camden. Originally published in the late 1970s, the guides provide information about recreational saltwater fishing in Georgia. Each guide includes a map of the inshore coastal waters within each county and features popular fishing spots for different types of species.
“Whether you are new to saltwater fishing or a seasoned pro, the updated guides will help better connect anglers to our state’s coastal resources, while highlighting the importance of responsible harvesting practices and coastal stewardship,” says Bryan Fluech, associate director of extension at Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, and lead on the map project. “Although the guides were originally designed for recreational fishermen, anyone who is interested in learning about coastal Georgia will benefit from their content and maps.”
The updated guides feature locations of public boat ramps, marinas, tackle shops and public fishing locations, as well as how to measure fish, guidance on tying different types of knots, and tips on responsible harvesting practices for finfish, blue crab, shrimp and shellfish.
In addition to reprinting the maps, the project team worked with the UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government to design a digital version of the fishing maps that allows anglers to search for their favorite fishing locations from their computer, tablet or smartphone.
The interactive map allows users to turn on and off various layers to find out where to go when targeting specific species or locating boat ramps and marinas. Information about Georgia’s artificial reefs and recreational shellfish harvesting areas along the coast is also featured. Downloadable, high-resolution PDFs of each county-based map are part of the new online resource.
The Coastal Georgia Online Fishing Map along with details on how to obtain physical copies of the new guides can be found at: https://gacoast.uga.edu/outreach/resources-outreach/fishing-resources/.
Writer: Emily Kenworthy, ekenworthy@uga.edu, 912-598-2348, ext. 107
Contact: Bryan Fluech, fluech@uga.edu, 912-264-7269