Fisherman Reels In Record-Breaking Fish From Georgia River

GEORGIA — A fisherman recently reeled in a record-breaking fish from a river in Georgia.

According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the Ogeechee River has once again produced two state-record hickory shad. Timmy Woods of Kite, GA was out casually fishing on the river when he caught the new state record.

His catch weighed 2 pounds and 10 ounces, breaking the 1-year-old record (2 lb, 3 oz), according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division.

“The Ogeechee River is the place to be if you are targeting record hickory shad,” said Scott Robinson, Chief of Fisheries for the Wildlife Resources Division. “The great news is that there are amazing angling opportunities all over the state and plenty of fish to catch."

Picture of record-breaking hickory shad:

According to DNR, hickory shad are gray or green above with a silvery side, large prominent scales, a horizontal row of dark spots behind the gill cover and a deeply forked tail. They are most similar to American shad and blueback herring, which have a lower jaw that is equal or only slightly projecting beyond the upper jaw.

Both Hickory and American shad are anadromous species that spend most of their life in the Atlantic Ocean, and then return to their natal rivers to spawn once they reach sexual maturity. In Georgia, the shad spawning run usually begins in January in the southern rivers and fish can be found until May below the New Savannah Bluff Lock and Dam near Augusta.