Georgia has some great trout fishing close to Atlanta in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. There is superb trout fishing in the Chattahoochee River as it flows out of Lake Lanier and the Buford Dam through the suburbs and past the city of Atlanta. There are times there when cast after cast produces a strike from a trout a foot long or more. The river is fairly large at that point, and can be treacherous due to release of water from the dam. The Buford fish hatchery near Cumming, Georgia provides young trout to fill the Chattahoochee and many other rivers and streams. Most of the trout released into the waters are Rainbow, but there are some Brown Trout and even a few Brook (or Speckled) Trout.
Several large dams were built during the 1950’s and 60’s era in many areas of Southern Kentucky, Northern Georgia, Southwestern Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee to provide power for the TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority). Some by-products of those dams are boating, camping, great fishing in both lakes and rivers, and other outdoor recreational opportunities. The Toccoa River that flows out of the Lake Blue Ridge Dam at the city of Blue Ridge, Georgia is a fine trout stream wide enough for novice fly fishermen to show their stuff. The State of Georgia regularly stocks it with edible size trout, and there are some larger holdover fish.
A good place for someone to go who likes to fish but cannot get around well is Amicalola Falls State Park, not far from the Gold Mine Town of Dahlonega, Georgia. It is a delightful place to visit, with the highest waterfalls east of the Mississippi River. The state has constructed a nice fishing pool and a flat rock area around it in the small stream that flows from the falls through the park. It is readily accessible by motor vehicle. There is a swing and a bench for those who wish to sit and relax. The pool is stocked about every two weeks during the fishing season with 8-12 inch Rainbow Trout. Also close by is the town of Dawsonville, known for its famous NASCAR Legend Bill Elliot. A short distance further is the bustling city of Gainesville, Georgia with connections to Interstate Highways.
The Conasauga River is one of our great trout rivers that begins in the Cohutta National Forest Wilderness Area of Fannin County, Georgia. A map of the wilderness area is available from the U.S. Forest Service for a nominal fee. The river winds approximately 90 miles through northern Georgia and a small section of Tennessee. It makes its way past Dalton, Georgia where many of the most famous carpet mills in the world are located. The portion that winds through the Cohutta Wilderness Area is formed from the Jacks River and other tributaries that have excellent fishing for Rainbow, Brown and Brook Trout.
Rainbow and Brown Trout generally range from 6-14 inches, but a bruiser Brown of over 20 inches in length may suddenly attack a lure and move the fisherman’s heart from his chest to his throat. Rainbow Trout are the ones most common, and are most readily identified by a rosy red stripe along the length of the side, along with dark spots. As spawning time nears, the stripe becomes brighter and brighter. Rainbows have a forked tail, while Brown and Brook Trout tails are straight at the end. Brown Trout side color resembles the name, sometimes fading to a yellowish hue on the sides with orange and blue spots. Brook Trout (sometimes referred to as Native or Speckled Trout) seldom reach more than 8 inches in length. What the Brook Trout lacks in size is more than compensated for by its beauty and eagerness to strike a lure or live bait. It has brilliant white borders around crimson fins and distinctive worm-like markings on its greenish-gray back. Bright blue and red spots adorn its sides. All three trout species have an “adipose” or fatty fin (without spines) on the top of the back ahead of the tail. Special regulations apply to many trout streams in Georgia, including the Conasauga River Watershed and its tributaries, so it is wise to check the regulations out before fishing the area. Some streams are designated as delayed harvest or have special size limits with catch-and-release requirements.
Even some lesser-known rivers in Georgia are stocked with trout, although not in great numbers. The Coosawattee River formed by the Cartecay and Ellijay Rivers at Ellijay, Georgia (home of the Georgia Apple Festival) is stocked regularly throughout the season. The trout fishing might not be as spectacular here, but there exists the possibility of tangling with a larger fish of the trout variety or one of the numerous other species that inhabit the river.
Whether it is fishing the best or the lesser trout streams and rivers in Georgia or in neighboring states it is hard to find a more relaxing and challenging sport. It doesn’t take long to realize that there is good reason why it is called “fishing” and not “catching.”