Portions of Amicalola Creek, Toccoa River, Smith Creek, Chattooga River and the Chattahoo-chee River are open to fishing on a catch and release only basis.
Anglers fishing delayed harvest streams must release all trout immediately and use and possess only artificial lures with one single hook per lure from Nov. 1-May 14 annually.
The use of additional “dropper” lures on one line is permitted as long as each lure contains one single hook.
These restrictions do not apply from May 15-Oct. 31 of each year.
Anglers can enjoy the delayed harvest streams and have an opportunity to catch a lot of fish and possibly some trophy size fish.
These streams have already been stocked by the Department Of Natural Resources with a large batch of trout, many of which are considered by anglers to be trophy size.
Jeff Durniak, Fisheries Supervisor for the DNR sent me the following in an email this past Friday:
“The Georgia Wildlife Resources Division appreciates the efforts of Chattahoochee Forest National Fish Hatchery near Suches. http://www.fws.gov/chattahoocheeforest/
Our partners with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service shared some very nice brook trout with our agency, and we are incorporating those fish into this fall’s Delayed Harvest program stocking.
The Service is hoping to be able to secure several hundred “retired” rainbow trout broodstock from another federal hatchery and provide them for our Toccoa Tailwater restoration efforts and for the Toccoa River DH fishery upstream from Lake Blue Ridge.”
For those who are not familiar with the term “broodstock” they are fish that are kept at the hatchery for several years for the production of eggs and milt to raise trout from eggs to catchable size trout. Broodstock are normally kept for three or more years and usually weigh three or more pounds.
As Jeff stated, some of these large fish are hopefully going to the Toccoa delayed harvest area and some should be going downstream of the dam on the Toccoa.
If you are looking for a fish to go on the wall, you can try to find one somewhere in the fourteen miles of river below Blue Ridge Dam or fish the delayed harvest and have a replica mount made. You still have the option of fishing the Toccoa DH May 15 or later and taking a trophy then.
To learn more about the delayed harvest streams and their locations go to www.gofishgeorgia.com or come to the next Trout Unlimited meeting on Nov. 15 at the ECO River Education Center in Rome.
NEXT TROUT MEETING
The next meeting of the Coosa Valley Chapter will feature Steve Moyer who is the Vice President of Government Affairs for Trout Unlimited. Steve is based in Washington D.C., and his job is to monitor upcoming bills, proposed legislations and amendments that affect the health and welfare of the land and water of our nation.
Our nation is in a financial bind and every lawmaker whether democrat or republican is being pressured by voters to reduce the tax burden by reducing spending or eliminating programs.
Sometimes something as simple as cutting funding for a fish ladder in Idaho or allowing surface mining in a pristine mountain valley can mean the loss of an entire species. Steve stays on top of issues such as these and alerts TU members about proposals both good and bad.
Our job as TU members is to contact our lawmakers and let them know what we support or oppose.
Steve will be one of the most knowledgeable speakers on issues that can ultimately affect our enjoyment of the out of doors that has ever to come and speak at a Coosa Valley TU meeting.
Steve alerted us about the proposed loss of funding for the trout hatcheries including the Chattahoochee Forest National Fish Hatchery near Suches.
Without his help that hatchery and six others in the south might have closed and we would not have had the brook trout and broodstock that were stocked in the Toccoa.
This months meeting as are all TU meetings is open to the public so please try to attend.
The meeting will be Nov. 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the ECO River Education Center at Ridge Ferry Park.
DREAM TRIP IS BACK
It is that time of year again. The Georgia Council of Trout Unlimited is having their only fundraiser.
It’s your chance to win a six nights of food and lodging in a private cabin just outside Yellowstone, five days of fishing, two custom made fly rod outfits including flies along with traveling money.
There are a lot of back up prizes also. Tickets can be purchased at the meeting.
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