Atlanta, Georgia
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On The Fly Freshwater
December 2024
Article and photos by Jimmy Jacobs
Things have changed on Georgia’s premier trout water over the years. The Chattahoochee River has had the Peach State’s most recognized and storied cold-water fishery for decades. That reputation is bolstered by its southern location, flowing from the Georgia mountains right down and into the Atlanta City Limits.
Along the march toward the Piedmont and eventually the Gulf of Mexico, the Hooch has it all. In the headwaters, the iconic native Southern Appalachian brook trout still exists. It then provides a great put-and-take fishery for stocked rainbow, brook and brown trout down to below the faux Bavarian village of Helen. After passing through Lake Sidney Lanier the stream re-emerges as a large tailwater flow. This also is the portion of the river that has added emphasis to its status in recent decades.
The first change that took place was the establishment of a delayed-harvest section on the doorsteps of Atlanta. That stretches from the mouth of Sope Creek near the Interstate 285 bridge on the north, down to the U.S. 41 bridge. The season runs from November 1 to May 14 annually requiring catch-and-release fishing with artificial lures only.
Since the 21st century began, the Hooch also has produced two state record brown trout. The first topped 18 pounds, but was bettered by a 20-pound, 14-ounce lunker in 2014. Additionally, it was discovered that brown trout were spawning in the Chattahoochee. Stocking of those fish was discontinued and the river now hosts a sustainable reproducing population.
Both of those latter facts, however, apply to the river upstream of the small dam and reservoir at Morgan Falls near the city of Roswell. That is upstream of the DH section. In the area downstream of that location, the years have not been as kind to the river.
The Metro Atlanta area has consistently been one of fastest growing parts of the country for years. In a manner of speaking, the trout have paid a price for that growth. In the 1970s and ‘80s, brown trout were carrying over year to year in the lower portion of the tailwater. Along with the regular stockings of rainbow and browns that took place, it was a vibrant fishery.
My first brown from the river was one of those carryovers. Taken about a hundred yards north of the I-285 bridge, the fish taped at 18 1/2 inches, That was back before North Georgia had any pay-to-fish lodges where 20-plus-inch trout are common. In fact, at the time the Georgia Department of Natural Resources managed an annual Big Fish Contest. My fish placed No.5 for trout in the state for the entire year.
A few years later in the mid-1980s, it was possible to enjoy dry fly action during abundant afternoon hatches in the area now covered by DH regulations. Most of those fish, and particularly the 13-plus-inch ones, were browns.
Compare that to recent years when anglers have been wondering where the fish are in the DH, even though stocking continues. That is to say, the fishing has been more difficult, even compared to earlier years of the special regulations being in effect.
Devils Race Course Shoals.
Part of that is no doubt the result of the growth mentioned earlier. There is a lot more asphalt and concrete in the river basin now. Water falling on or running across that terrain enters the river warmer than in past years. The best fishing condition are when there is minimal water releases from Lake Lanier, but that also is a time when less cold water is coming down the river. As mentioned, Bull Sluice Lake is above the Morgan Falls Dam. That impoundment is shallow and serves to hold the water while it also warms. It is highly unlikely that any appreciable carryover of trout now occurs below Morgan Falls.
All that having been said, I’m probably comparing apples to oranges to come up with such gloom. Times have changed, growth continues and there’s no going back. But, on the other hand, look at what still remains.
Cochran Shoals.
Where else in the Deep South can you find a river in a metropolitan area that boasts a trout fishery – and especially one with DH regulations that cover four shoals that are wadable during low water releases? Those wadable sections start with Cochran Shoals at the I-285 bridge. Moving down stream the river passes through Devils Race Course, Thornton and Long Island shoals. All of these are accessible from units of the federally managed Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.
Long Island Shoals.
And, of course, we still have the upper tailwater section from Buford Dam down to Morgan Falls that is in great shape. It provides some blue-ribbon angling, but that is a story for another day. Meanwhile, the Hooch still offers trout fishing right at the back door of Atlanta.
For more details on the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area click here.
