We’re still getting rain and will continue through to Saturday on and off, so most of the water is going to be higher and potentially off color through the weekend. Don’t let this keep you inside – these conditions can produce results for the angler with the gear and willingness to get on the water where fishable.
The Toccoa Tailwater is producing well where conditions and generation allow. Little Black Stoneflies and Blue Winged Olives should be coming off, and we may see Black Caddis any day now. Bring some dries and emergers just in case; black Stimulators 12-14, Parachute Adams 14-18, Hi-Viz BWO dries 16-20, and some Sprout Baetis 16-20 will work. For nymphs, try throwing the standard Pat’s Rubber Legs, worm patterns, zebra midges, rainbow warriors/lighting bugs, thrift shop caddis, and add in some Batman nymphs, wire stones, and some other varieties of 14-18 caddis emergers. Tammen Park is almost always clear, so if all else fails this is where I would head outside of generation.
If the water remains off color and high, streamers would be my top choice this time of year – ideal conditions for a good day of streamer fishing include overcast/cloudy weather with at least 2 feet of visibility some level of stability in temperature and water level. While I can’t always get the stars to align, a mixture of a couple or one of any of these conditions is enough to get me excited. I like to throw 6-8 weights on floating and intermediate fly lines with 12-20 lb/test leaders and have a mixture of different fly actions and colors. For example, I may have a few colors of a nearly neutrally bouyant fly like Galloup’s Dungeon, a few colors of a fast-jigging fly like Strolis’ Ice Pick and Big Wooly Buggers/Sparkle Minnow, and a few colors of a fly with no weight that tracks straight laterally like Mike’s Maraciever.
The Upper Toccoa Delayed Harvest remains high and off-color. It is currently unwadeable and might remain through the weekend if we continue to receive rain, but watch the USGS gauge off Dial Road for instantaneous water levels. Right now the water level is at 908 cFS and falling. I would have a back-up plan if I were to go up to the DH.
Small Streams fish well when the water levels are a little higher and a little off color, so if you can’t find a place to go on the big rivers, I would recommend hitting some of these creeks. If you end up on a creek and find it to be high, high sticking wooly buggers, pat’s rubber legs, double bead stones and Tungstones, and worm patterns. If the water drops out enough, switch tactics to dry-dropper rigs with Chubby Cherynobyls, parachute adams/purple haze, and Caddis dries in sz 12-20 depending on the dropper size. For the droppers, pheasant tails, hare’s ears, and stonefly patterns in any variation will produce if presented properly. I tend to fish the Pheasant tails and hare’s ears on the smaller side, so 16-20’s. Don’t be afraid to fish bigger 8-10 pat’s and stoneflies on these creeks
Check the generation schedule before you plan your trip! We do not recommend that you float the Etowah if Allatoona dam is releasing water. We do not recommend wading the Toccoa if the TVA is releasing water. Check the release schedules and be safe!
Toccoa River Delayed Harvest flows
Allatoona Dam Release Schedule- (706) 334-7213
Cartersville Shop: (770) 606-1100
Blue Ridge Shop: (706) 946-3044