But this is available for everybody. You just need a Georgia fishing license, a trout stamp, and a parking pass. Not too far in the future the population is going to be an issue. And we should watch the trout. Sign in. Log into your account. Privacy and Cookies Policy. Sign up. Trout fishing in this section can be excellent during the Delayed Harvest DH season November 1 through May 14 when catches of trout are reported. Approximately 50, trout are stocked from November 1 through late April. All trout must be released during the delayed harvest season, but can be harvested from May 15 through October Technique - For fly-fishing, consider a Parachute Adams in a No.
Picky fish? Try a black or olive wooly bugger. Fishing in low, clear water is best. Shoal Bass - Over the past 5 years, more than , fingerlings have been stocked downstream of Morgan Falls in an effort to restore this bass population. Numbers have drastically increased and last year was reportedly the best year yet. Expect good numbers in the 10 to inch range.
Technique - Use a medium rod and spinning reel with 8-pound line clear or green. In deep holes, try drift drop shot with minnow or cast to rocky cliffs and creeks mouths. Low, clear water is best. Persons 16 years of age and older must possess a current Georgia fishing license and trout stamp to fish in the Chattahoochee River.
If there is no answer, please leave a message with your name and a phone number where you can be contacted. Once received your call will be directed to the appropriate person to assist you.
If you should know the phone number of the person you wish to contact, please use it. Above Buford Dam, an average 53, additional trout are stocked each year. The hatcheries generally stock their trout in streams found in their vicinity; however, other hatcheries may be called upon for trout should one hatchery not have what is needed at the time of the stocking.
About 25 percent of the fish stocked between Buford Dam and Morgan Falls are catchable 9- to inch fish. Below Morgan Falls, , fingerlings evenly split between browns and rainbows ranging inches long are released each year. A high percentage of trout have been found to overwinter in the Chattahoochee.
Two months later, in November of , the same study revealed 4, trout per river mile and 1, trout per river mile the following February. These studies are not conclusive as to whether or not the trout that are overwintering are stocked trout or wild browns.
More detailed studies that would provide the ages of the fish sampled are necessary to provide more detailed data. The aging process is a tedious procedure that is currently not in place; however, there are plans to implement this process in the near future.
Because of the natural reproduction of browns in this stretch of river, the number of browns stocked in the 'Hooch next year will be reduced, said Klein.
Fishing for trout on the Chattahoochee is a popular pastime. Fishing, in general, is the most popular wildlife related activity in Georgia, enjoyed by over 1. The state's diverse freshwater fishery resources include over 4, miles of trout streams. While the majority of the fishing pressure is centered below Buford Dam, a fair amount is also experienced in Helen especially on weekends in the fall and spring.
Not until they go above Helen can anglers expect to find a private section of the Chattahoochee, and then there are fewer trout. Anglers fish for browns, brooks, and rainbows primarily in the spring and fall, except for streams with year-round access. Because of the trouts' preference for insects, many anglers try to "match the hatch" of the species of insect found in the area they are fishing.
In other words, they try to use a man-made fly that most closely resembles the type of insect hatching and seen on the water's surface the day they happen to be fishing. Fly-fishing guide Chris Scalley takes this approach with his clients. I want to see more credit given to the Chattahoochee as a trout fishery. In order for the river to achieve recognition, some basic research must be done to determine how healthy the ecosystem is.
That includes monitoring the water quality of the watershed. Insects are the focus of the foundation's study because they represent the basis of the food chain for trout. The most common insects found on the Chattahoochee River are stoneflies, mayflies, midges and caddis flies-the most abundant insect on the river. It's great news that we have stoneflies on the Chattahoochee," said Scalley. There is some cause for concern, however, that insect populations may be disappearing because of nonpoint-source pollution such as runoff from golf courses, parking areas, lawns, and rooftops.
If not stopped, this could eventually have a detrimental effect on trout populations. We're just not sure of the impact it will have," said Scalley. Klein has been very involved with Scalley's foundation project and helped Scalley narrow the foundation's mission to studying the invertebrates.
According to Klein, there has been no invertebrate research conducted on the main channel of the river. In fact, the last invertebrate study by the DNR was conducted in The only related study is organized by the U. Geological Survey in some of the river's tributary streams and is currently ongoing.
The Tennessee Valley Authority has also been doing similar studies, tracking pH, oxygen, and temperature levels and getting an overall rating of the tailwater.
Preliminary monitoring on the Chattahoochee has already begun providing qualitative results. Hester Dendy samples provide colonies of insects that can be studied by researchers seasonally in various locations along the river.
The sampling equipment looks like nothing more than a few pieces of substrate connected together. Several samples are placed in each location in case one of them is damaged or lost in the current. When the samples are pulled out of the water, insects can be found clinging to the pieces of substrate. These insects are counted and identified to various insect orders. Knowing the different types of orders of the insects will be enough to give them a good idea of the types of insect populations in the river.
A growing list of volunteers, approximately 50 currently, aid in this effort. The water quality issues facing the river may eventually take their toll on the trout fishery. Water temperature, pollution, and development along the river's corridor all have an effect on the river and the trout that call it home. The Georgia Wildlife Federation is at work on the Chattahoochee River helping to maintain its trout fishery. He says, "I think there is real value in maintaining the trout fishery in Atlanta because if we can keep the river clean enough for trout, it will be clean enough for drinking water without expensive pretreatment.
Trout fishermen are some of the most staunch advocates of water quality and recognize the value of the entire river. Two other organizations play a leading role in the protection of the river and the trout fishery: the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper and Trout Unlimited TU.
The focus of the Riverkeeper is the protection of the river and its tributaries. Established in , the Riverkeeper is involved in aggressive legal and educational initiatives to benefit the river. Most recent efforts have been centered on sedimentation and temperature control of the river.
The sediment is destroying the habitat of the trout fishery," said Sally Bethea, the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper. The effect of sediment on the trout is at least threefold. The sediment can clog the gills of the trout suffocating them, or it may cloud the water so the fish can't see and find food. In addition, it can cover the gravel beds that these fish utilize for spawning.
Siltation also affects the river itself. Sediment can ultimately change the hydrology of the river. Buildup of sediment can cause areas of the river to become shallower, which also results in an increase in water temperature, eventually leading to dramatic effects on the trout fishery.
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