# Eating fish from the Chattahoochee?



## Lonesome00 (Feb 14, 2012)

Since we moved here to Columbus it seems every one has told us not to eat any fish from the Chattahoochee south of Atlanta. That sucks considering there are not a lot of choices around here that I am aware of. Bottom line up front, are the fish from this part of the Chattahoochee safe to eat?


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## jkk6028 (Feb 14, 2012)

i personally don't eat them (knowingly, but who is to say the local supermarket doesn't get theirs from the hooch).

also, i have known people that have ate fish from the river all their lives....and are still kickin'


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## Lonesome00 (Feb 14, 2012)

I have met a small amount who say the fish are safe to eat, but how do I find out for sure?


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## Dustin Pate (Feb 14, 2012)

I have grown up fishing the river above West Point. The fish are as healthy looking as I have seen them. 10-15 years ago you would see instances of sores and stuff like that. Very very rarely do I see that kind of thing now.

I very rarely keep fish to eat but on occasion I keep crappie and white bass to eat fresh. I wouldn't make a habit of eating them every day of the week but they aren't gonna make you sick.


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## Lonesome00 (Feb 14, 2012)

I was raised to eat what I catch, so it is hard for me to go fishing some where and not do that. I also am not use to having to ask if the fish in a certain body of water is safe to eat either. I saw some cat fish today that came from that river and they looked great. I figured if the bottom feeders looked that good maybe the other might be okay.


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## TheCrappieGuy (Feb 14, 2012)

I've fished and guided below West point on Harding, Goat Rock, Oliver, and WF George since I was a kid and I am 51. I have always ate the fish. I just don't eat the big fish. Now I only eat Crappie.. they are safe and taste great. here is a link with all the info about eating fish from the Hooch..
http://www.gaepd.org/Files_PDF/gaenviron/fish_advisory/GADNR_FishConsumptionGuidelines_Y2007.pdf


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## Ronnie T (Feb 14, 2012)

I think it's alright to eat them.
Just keep an ear open for any problems up river such as Atlanta having raw sewage "accidentally" running into the river.


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## brother hilljack (Feb 15, 2012)

Nothing wrong with those fish. Look at the 2012 fishing regulations and you will see that there are only 2 restrictions for that stretch of river and they are minimal. 1 meal per week I believe and only for 2 kinds of fish. 

People who say that nonsense are extremely uneducated on the river. 

There is a whole lot of surface trash (bottles and basketballs?) but those don't affect the overall health of the water much


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## brunofishing (Feb 15, 2012)

If there's a restriction on any fish in the chattahoochee im not eating any of them. Ill just keep getting my fish out of the farm ponds to feed my family. Its not worth putting them in danger.


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## Lonesome00 (Feb 15, 2012)

Thanks for the links.

That river is the only place I know to go right now. So I am hoping you all are correct and we can eat them. What about the catfish, are they safe?


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## Jose CanSenko (Feb 15, 2012)

great topic and thanks for posting the link regarding the restrictions and species of consuming the fish out of the river.

Me personally, I EAT EVERYTHING!! hahaha... well.. fish that are worth keeping... here is a photo i created after pulling 2 crappie slabs out of the chattahoochee just north of atlanta... mMmm mMmm gooood BOY!


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## Tvveedie (Feb 15, 2012)

if the dangers aren't enough to kill the fish that I catch, then they are often not going to kill me either.  jez sayin


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## Jose CanSenko (Feb 15, 2012)

Jose CanSenko said:


> great topic and thanks for posting the link regarding the restrictions and species of consuming the fish out of the river.
> 
> Me personally, I EAT EVERYTHING!! hahaha... well.. fish that are worth keeping... here is a photo i created after pulling 2 crappie slabs out of the chattahoochee just north of atlanta... mMmm mMmm gooood BOY!




These fish were caught and eaten on Saturday, Feb 11, 2012.


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## dawg2 (Feb 15, 2012)

Lonesome00 said:


> Since we moved here to Columbus it seems every one has told us not to eat any fish from the Chattahoochee south of Atlanta. That sucks considering there are not a lot of choices around here that I am aware of. Bottom line up front, are the fish from this part of the Chattahoochee safe to eat?



I think it's "funny" people make a big deal about eating fish from our local river.  BUT, they will go stuff thier face with freshwater tilapia (NASTY)grown in sewage ponds in some obscure country in the east OR fill up on fish from China coming from some of the world's most polluted tributaries.  Ironic...don't ya think.

I eat them and haven't been killed by any "hooch" fish.  I'd eat a fish out of the hooch before eating any Tilapia or other fish caught in China.


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## Lonesome00 (Feb 15, 2012)

Oh my those pistured make me hungry.


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## Ronnie T (Feb 15, 2012)

Probably half the catfish sold in restaurants are raised in vietnam.

The water flowing down the hooch from north of Atlanta will keep the river clean and the fish along with it.


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## Lonesome00 (Feb 15, 2012)

I guess now all I need is a boat.


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## Jeff Phillips (Feb 15, 2012)

Anybody eat Apalchicola oysters?

The "nutrient rich water" from the river is what makes them so good. Any guesses where those "nutrients" come from


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## Lonesome00 (Feb 15, 2012)

Um, Atlanta sewage?


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## turkeyhunter78 (Feb 15, 2012)

*Hooch Fish*

I have ate white bass, catfish, bass and crappie all out of the hooch besides having a third eye growing there is nothing wrong with the fish in the river J/K  Just make you a batch of hush puppies, fries and a side of basketballs from the hooch and all is good


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## fishndoc (Feb 15, 2012)

OK, I don't claim to be an expert, but from what I have read:
Although the sewage is what gets most of us upset, in most cases it is not a problem when eating healthy fish that are cleaned and cooked properly, even if raised in sewage contaminated water; it's the mercury and PCBs that are the worry.
And probably for most of us (adult males), the risk of illness (usually cancer) from exposure to these substances is minuscule compared to the health risks we accept and take for granted everyday (auto accidents, obesity, alcohol, etc).

But, to err on the side of caution, children and women who may later become pregnant should take these precautions seriously.   Besides the risk of cancer, heavy metals like mercury are known to cause developmental problems in children, specifically in brain and nervous system development.   I would never feed my children or grandchildren a fish caught south of Helen.

Besides, for the amount of money I have in every fish I catch, it's a lot cheaper just to buy them at Publix.


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## Son (Feb 15, 2012)

Once at a meeting with a Ga biologist, he was saying some bottom feeding fish in certain areas were heavy with Mercury and PCBs. Then he said all other fish from those areas should be OK. That's when I said. The other fish feed on some of those bottom feeders, like shad. He agreed.
What I do to make my fish more safe. Fillet any large fish, remove the skin, don't keep the belly flab and remove the fat deposits along the lateral line and in fin areas. Wash the fillets until all fish oil is gone, and the fillets feel crisp. Discard any fish that shows any skin or meat problems.
70 years old and still eating em.
In the grocery stores, it's been noticed they are selling fish from Vietnam and China. No telling what those fish are raised in, nor how many people have handled em. Check the labels, and buy raised in the USA if you're going to eat store bought fish. And I avoid any frozen fish that can be labeled, "Mystery fish".


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## dawg2 (Feb 16, 2012)

fishndoc said:


> OK, I don't claim to be an expert, but from what I have read:
> Although the sewage is what gets most of us upset, in most cases it is not a problem when eating healthy fish that are cleaned and cooked properly, even if raised in sewage contaminated water; it's the mercury and PCBs that are the worry.
> And probably for most of us (adult males), the risk of illness (usually cancer) from exposure to these substances is minuscule compared to the health risks we accept and take for granted everyday (auto accidents, obesity, alcohol, etc).
> 
> ...



OK, so let me get this straight.  If you can't see the nasty mercury /PCB laden water your fish from Publix (most likely from a 3rd world country) comes from, you will eat it.  But if you see the water (Hooch) they come from, you won't.  

That makes no sense whatsoever.

Here is where a lot of your "I can't see the water" fish come from 

http://news.discovery.com/earth/contaminated-seafood-sneaking-past-security.html

http://www.wnd.com/2007/06/41907/

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/15/world/asia/15fish.html?pagewanted=all

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/03/business/worldbusiness/03iht-fish.1.6465836.html?pagewanted=all

http://money.cnn.com/2007/06/28/news/international/china_fish/index.htm


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## jcountry (Feb 16, 2012)

dawg2 said:


> I think it's "funny" people make a big deal about eating fish from our local river.  BUT, they will go stuff thier face with freshwater tilapia (NASTY)grown in sewage ponds in some obscure country in the east OR fill up on fish from China coming from some of the world's most polluted tributaries.  Ironic...don't ya think.
> 
> I eat them and haven't been killed by any "hooch" fish.  I'd eat a fish out of the hooch before eating any Tilapia or other fish caught in China.




Very good point.

I know A LOT of people who think that just because something comes from a supermarket, it must be safe.

You ain't kidding about those rivers.  
http://www.reuters.com/article/2007/08/27/environment-china-pollution-dc-idUSPEK30589720070827

China is a mess.  They are literally destroying the world.


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## dawg2 (Feb 16, 2012)

jcountry said:


> Very good point.
> 
> I know A LOT of people who think that just because something comes from a supermarket, it must be safe.
> 
> ...



China is a mess.  They are the leading supplier of fish and seafood to the US, somewhere like 80% based on some information.  They have some of the most polluted water in the world, yet many think nothing of eating their fish / seafood, but stick their nose up at the Hooch. 

I'm not trying to argue with anyone, but I really think people don't understand how GRAVE the situation is.  I have lived and worked overseas and if people think the hooch is polluted, they haven't seen anything.


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## Beagler282 (Feb 16, 2012)

Lonesome00 said:


> Since we moved here to Columbus it seems every one has told us not to eat any fish from the Chattahoochee south of Atlanta. That sucks considering there are not a lot of choices around here that I am aware of. Bottom line up front, are the fish from this part of the Chattahoochee safe to eat?



Been in Columbus all my life and have heard and said the same thing.I have said it because of what I have seen floating and being drained off into the river from spill pipes here in the columbus area.After you get past the rocks from the 13th st bridge on down the river to Riverbend the water is just plain nasty.Any water above the rocks is clean looking from Oliver on up north I would eat the fish.Not saying the fish are contaminated but after fishing there if you could see what I have seen you would not pull a fish from the river and eat it.


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## Lonesome00 (Feb 16, 2012)

Hey turkeyhunter, I know exactly where you avator was taken. that part of river walk is in my patrol area. Did you catch that beast from there?

This thread sure is educational, I am glad I osted it. Many of you have brought up very good points. Keep posting.


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## Sweetwater (Feb 16, 2012)

Growing up in Douglas county fishing the hooch...we called it "brown trout".....


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## joehughes1965 (Feb 17, 2012)

Jeff Phillips said:


> Anybody eat Apalchicola oysters?
> 
> The "nutrient rich water" from the river is what makes them so good. Any guesses where those "nutrients" come from



Best oysters you will find anywhere.  I eat crappie and channel cats out of the hooch.  Nothing wrong with them.  Good eating fish!


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## Lonesome00 (Apr 3, 2012)

Are there any fich inparticular we should not eat from this area?


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## hookinmouth (Apr 3, 2012)

Lonesome00 said:


> Are there any fich inparticular we should not eat from this area?



The neon colored ones that are near the radiation plant.


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## Lonesome00 (Apr 3, 2012)

I thought that added flavor.


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## LipRipper45 (Apr 4, 2012)

Me and my dog think the water from the Hooch tastes great unless ur down stream from a urinater then its a bit salty..


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## puddlehunter (Apr 4, 2012)

I think the reason the mercury advisory is in effect ie..only one meal per week etc.  Is that mercury accumulates in your body and it does not get flushed like other toxins.  So if you ate that number of fish per week over a number of years your body wont reach the toxic mercury level..etc.  

Too much of the PCB's lead to reproductive problems and estrogen increases in males.  I think thats the same toxin that they had a problem with in plastic water bottles.


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## shakey gizzard (Apr 4, 2012)

Sweetwater said:


> Growing up in Douglas county fishing the hooch...we called it "brown trout".....



Never eat the "brown trout"!


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## DSGB (Apr 4, 2012)

Here's the guide if it hasn't been posted already: http://www.eregulations.com/georgia/fishing/pageflip/ Pages 36-37 has a chart for different species and areas.

Just ate a mess of hybrids we caught a few weeks ago. I usually filet them and remove the fatty and dark meat near the lateral line and fry 'em up! Been eating fish out of the river for as long as I can remember.


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## BowShooter (Apr 4, 2012)

Ive eatin alot of trout and perch from the hooch.  Im still alive.


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## CreekChub (Apr 4, 2012)

Those 5 week old mega chikins and pink slime burgers
sure have been doing wonders for our health.


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## Lonesome00 (Apr 4, 2012)

I was just looking at a chart in the mag DNR puts out. Honestly, I am not sure where on the chart we are. I am still not as familiar with the surrounding areas as I should be. I wonder how close those number are. I am thinking they over hestimate the possible damage just to be safe.


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## DSGB (Apr 5, 2012)

Oliver Dam to Upatoi Creek covers most of Columbus.


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## brunofishing (Apr 5, 2012)

Lonesome00 said:


> I was just looking at a chart in the mag DNR puts out. Honestly, I am not sure where on the chart we are. I am still not as familiar with the surrounding areas as I should be. I wonder how close those number are. I am thinking they over hestimate the possible damage just to be safe.



They dont have these restrictions for no reason, eating these fish can and will make you sick, eventually.


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## Lonesome00 (Apr 5, 2012)

Thanks for clearing that up. now I understand the areas that chart is referring to.

That sure does make me want to go out and eat all I can...
this is new to me, growing up where I did we always ate what we caught. Now I have to keep track to make sure my family and I does not eat too much.


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