North Georgia Fly Fishing Report – April 2006

Chattahoochee Tailwater
Water temps: Upper 40s to lower 50s.
Chris Scalley of River Through Atlanta is excited about April. Why?  “Caddis flies are everywhere!” Chris said. “The hatch is thick from Cochran Shoals and makes its way upstream through Settles.” Chris said there are a lot of trout rising and that this should last through early to mid June. An elk hair caddis from size 12-18 should be on you if you’re on the river. Chris also said to remember that the caddis are hatching from the bottom of the river, so nymphing is still very effective.
The fish are mainly keyed in on the caddis, but there are still plenty of golden and salmonfly stoneflies, and they should be there through most of the spring.
Visit <www.chattahoocheefoodwebs.org> for a comprehensive hatch chart. Also, call (770) 945-1466 for current dam-generation schedules.

Dukes Creek
Water temp: 50s.
Shine Taylor and a buddy landed five fish from 17 to 22 inches within an hour on a recent trip to Dukes, most of which hit small soft hackle pheasant tails near the stream bottom.
“Pray for a little rain before you get there,” said Shine Taylor. “The fishing usually improves with a little stain on the water.” Shine also recommends sticking with the smaller, more natural nymphs dropped behind a larger streamer, San Juan Worm, or Hurless Nymph. But, he also reported seeing light-colored mayflies around a size 14 and plenty of small midges hatching, so he suggests watching for them and adjusting with the insect activity. “Dries can be productive at Dukes, but I wouldn’t expect a larger trout to come up,” Shine said. “But don’t count them out.”
Shine also said to stay light and long on the tippet and use imitations in sizes 16-22 when the water is clear, but to switch over to the big Wooly Buggers and Hurless Nymphs when the water is silty from April rain.

Smith Creek
Water temp: Low 50s.
Alex Lunsford said that Smith has been fishing a little slow because of all the weather changes. “Get everything down because that’s where they’re all sitting,” Alex said.
Smaller Wooly Buggers (size 12) in olive and black, yellow or brown stoneflies, and small pheasant tails, hare’s ears and green or red Copper Johns in sizes 16-18 should work.
Also, Smith is running very clear so tie on nothing larger than a 5x tippet. And, fluorocarbon wouldn’t be a bad choice, either.

Toccoa Tailwater
Water temp: Low 50s.
“The black caddis hatch is fading out,” says Metrela Brown, “but some tan caddis are beginning to appear.” She said to match the black caddis with a size 18 or 20 and to throw a size 16 tan caddis when they are hatching.
Metrela also reported that dry-fly fishing in general has been going really well on the Toccoa, with stoneflies, mayflies, BWOs and midges all making their way to the surface. In addition, pheasant tails, princes, lightning bugs, and micro mayflies have been working well. To check generation schedules before you go by calling (800) 238-2264, then press 4, then 23.