We’re coming into the hottest part of the year, so from now till October, some of our trout streams will become too hot for us to fish! There are still places to go right now, but be mindful of water temperature and time of day. Fish early! Sunrise and sunset and a couple hours or so around these times will be the most productive.
The Etowah River is running at 1020 cFs from Allatoona Dam. This flow is great! If you plan on targeting bass, I would bring a 7 weight with a floating line, a 9 foot 0x leader, and try boogle bugs and gurglers under shaded banks. If that doesn’t work out for you, tie on a baitfish pattern like a Clouser Minnow, Sparkle Minnow, Kreelex, or Lunch $ and fish tight to cover, but beef up that leader! For Striper, a 9 weight with a sinking line, heavy leader, and bigger baitfish patterns should produce. July is looking like a banner month for the river, so call us if you want to book an Etowah Trip! We’ve got availability in July, and will run striper trips as long as these migratory fish are in the river, but will continue to run bass trips through to October.
The Toccoa Tailwater below Blue Ridge Dam continues to fish well early and late in the day. We’ve had to switch almost entirely to small, natural patterns and light tippet to fool these fish in the gin clear water up top! Try small soft hackles (pheasant tails, hare’s ears, etc), size 16-18 WD-40’s, zebra midges, and unweighted flashback hare’s ears and pheasant tails under medium to large dry fly. I’m fishing 5x leaders to my dry, and dropping 5x or 5.5x (Trouthunter does 1/2 size tippet) Fluocarbon tippet to my subsurface fly. I specify fluorocarbon because this material has the same density as water, and will help you get small, unweighted flies in the strike zone quicker than nylon. Don’t forget your split shot!
Small Streams are a cold water refuge this time of year. Find streams that are heavily canopied and higher in elevation, and you can spend an entire day out on the water and find success. Take a light 3-4 weight rod, a spool of Trouthunter 5.5x Tippet, and a cup full of yellow dry flies! We’re fishing dry dropper rigs when the fish don’t want just the dry – try small soft hackle pheasant tails and unweighted flash back hare’s ear nymphs. Target riffles where the water flows over rocks – this is the most oxygenated water, and the trout will move into these spots. Stay back off the water and be mindful of line placement, etc!
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