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Georgia Trouting Through The Seasons
By Jeff Durniak, Northeast Region Fisheries Supervisor
GA Wildlife Resources Division (http://www.gofishgeorgia.com/)
A. Flyfishing Best Bets
Spring (March – May)
Hint- #14 Adams or Caddis dry and a Prince dropper
- Chattooga River - Rt 28 to NC line (Rabun Co)
- Smith DH (White Co)
- Chattahoochee in Atlanta
- Dukes Creek (White Co.; reservations 706-878-3087)
- Waters Creek Comeback (Lumpkin Co; need WMA stamp)
- Summer (June – September)
Hint- six foot rod and six foot leader, Royal Coachman trude, small wild rainbows!
- West Fork Chattooga – “Three Forks” tributaries
- Most national forest extreme headwaters (Hooch, Moccasin, etc)
- Noontootla (Fannin Co)
- Toccoa River tailwater below Blue Ridge Lake
- Dukes Creek in the mornings
- Fall (October – December)
Hint- use light leaders with clear water; no fishing pressure; spawning browns.
- Seasonal headwater streams (open til 10/31)
- Upper Chattooga (follow the water temperatures)
- DH streams (open Nov 1)
- Chattahoochee in Atlanta
- Winter (January- February)
Hints - long leader, split shot & eggs and buggers DEEP, 40F, fish the afternoons!
- Chattahoochee in Atlanta (DH and upstream sections)
- Dukes Creek
- Chattooga DH
- Smith DH (never muddy)
- Toccoa tailwater (Feb caddis)
B. Flyfishing Supplies
Unicoi Outfitters - Helen, Blue Ridge (great newsletter): http://www.unicoioutfitters.com/
C. Kid-Friendly Trout Waters
- Smith Creek / Chattahoochee River (Helen Area)
- Dicks & Boggs creeks (Lumpkin Co)
- Wildcat Creek/ Moccasin Creek State Park (fish hatchery, kids catfish pond, nearby streams)
- Rock Creek (near Suches; USFWS hatchery)
- Amicalola State Park (Dawson Co)
- See “Northeast GA Fishing Guide” at http://www.gofishgeorgia.com/
- D. “Catch Your Limit” Trout Waters
- Hooch – Helen and Buford Dam
- Tallulah River (Rabun Co)
- Dicks Creek (Lumpkin Co)
- Cooper Creek (Union Co)
- Blue Ridge Tailwater (Fannin Co)
E. Easy to learn:
- North Georgia Trout Online: http://www.georgia-outdoors.com/ngto/, then “message board” and “jump right in.”
- New fishing friends/mentors with Trout Unlimited (http://georgiatu.org/): Cornelia chapter (706-778-5377), Cumming chapter contact (770-560-9723). Rabun TU has excellent newsletter with hatch chart (http://www.rabuntu.com/). Try a meeting, fishing trip, or campout.
- State park and hatchery loaner fishing pole program, education programs (http://www.gastateparks.org/).
- April-June kids fishing events (http://www.gofishgeorgia.com/, click on “fishing,” then “take a kid fishing.”
F. References
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