Delayed Harvest Trout Fishing

An angler with a beautiful trout from the DH section of Amicalola Creek.

By Tad Murdock

The doldrums of winter begin to dissipate across north Georgia as the warmer days in February and March signal the approach of spring. The frigid cold mornings become more bearable with the assurance of a warmer afternoon on the horizon.

Georgia’s delayed harvest streams (DH) have hosted thousands of trout anglers since the beginning of November. While the fishing gradually slows as water temperatures fall and angling pressure educates the newly stocked trout, these streams are still the best opportunity for trout anglers looking to get outside.

Anglers fishing delayed harvest streams must release all trout immediately and use and possess only artificial lures with one single hook per lure from Nov. 1 to May 14 annually.

The use of additional “dropper” lures on one line is permitted as long as each lure contains one single hook. These restrictions do not apply from May 15 to Oct. 31 of each year.

Whether you are a beginner to trout fishing or an experienced fly angler, the five delayed harvest sections of the Chattahoochee River, Chattooga River, Toccoa River, Smith Creek and Amicalola Creek are opportunities for all visitors.

Chattahoochee River
Delayed Harvest

Beginning around the Paces Mill area around the Hooch’s intersection with 285, the delayed harvest section of the Chattahoochee River has the easiest access to anglers in the Atlanta area.

The key to finding the best days to fish in this section is to avoid the dirty water effluent that follows late-winter and early spring rains. When the water runs clear, anglers can target trout in the shallows upstream to the confluence of Sope Creek.

Freshly stocked trout will be eager for a meal in these conditions, and bright flies will bring many trout to the net. Larger patterns, such as a mop, rubber legs or egg patterns will pull trout from farther away. In the weeks following a fresh stocking when the trout have been pressured, smaller fly patterns, such as midges and small caddis nymphs, are necessary to finesse bites from finicky trout. Swinging streamers, such as a woolly bugger, or long casts across the shoals with a small spinner can pick off scattered trout during any condition mother nature throws your way.

Lucky anglers may even stumble across a feisty shoal bass or a rogue striped bass. Always be on the lookout for agitated bait and resident trout in this section of river. A good day of trout fishing can turn into the best fishing experience of the year if a pack of striped bass make their way through the river. This scenario is far from consistent, but you never know when your lucky day may arrive.

While insect hatches are sparse at best here, keeping an eye out for the occasional midge and caddis emergence can also lead to some special days on the water. Venturing into the smaller tributaries along the delayed harvest section will allow anglers to find some trout that have sought sanctuary away from the big water and potential predators.

Chattooga River Delayed Harvest

Tucked into the northeast corner of the state along the South Carolina border, the Chattooga River DH section offers much more seclusion than many of the other DH streams of the state. This section also receives the most stocked fish of all the DH designated rivers in the state due to the participation from both Georgia and South Carolina.

For fly fishing purists, the Chattooga is home to the best insect hatches throughout the year. Late winter and spring sees hatches of midges nearly every day. On overcast days, blue wing olives can stir even the most lethargic trout, bringing them to the surface. By the beginning of March, black caddis hatches can also start a feeding frenzy for anglers lucky enough to find themselves in the middle of the bonanza. Other mayflies, such as quills and sulphurs, will begin emerging by April. These hatches are sporadic and inconsistent but a fun sight when your timing is perfect. The best flies to have for these hatches are an assortment of Adams patterns in sizes 16-22 for mayfly and midge imitations, elk hair caddis or similar in size 16-20 and a few emerger patterns, such as a shuttlecock or sparkle dun.

Much like the Chattahoochee, small streamers and spinners can find success with aggressive trout and the occasional redeye bass making its way to the net. Small jerkbaits can also entice some aggressive eats from agitated or predatory fish. Anglers looking to roll the dice and sacrifice catching some fish can opt to throw some larger streamers on the Chattooga this time of year. Patterns such as dungeons and helmet head sculpins will produce better numbers of fish, while larger streamers, such as a deceiver, will be a homerun swing.

High waters offer great conditions to stalk a rogue trophy-sized brown trout that may be taking advantage of an influx of stocked trout. The higher, off-colored water can mask anglers’ presence and bring trout seldomly seen by anglers into the shallows to hunt unsuspecting prey. The key to finding any success is covering plenty of water.

Traveling anglers not willing to make the day drive out to the Chattooga can find fair camping opportunities both upstream and downstream on the river and extend their time on the water.

Trout don’t live in ugly places, just one reason to get out in February for some catch-and-release trout. Here’s a snapshot of the Toccoa River DH section.

Toccoa River Delayed Harvest

Downstream of the Sandy Bottoms Boat launch, just east of Blue Ridge, Georgia, the Toccoa River delayed harvest section flows across deep holes and rocky shoals to the Shallowford Bridge. Wading anglers face rough conditions moving into spring caused by winter rains and rising water. This section is much better suited for anglers in small watercraft and bank-bound conventional anglers.

Spinners, small jerkbaits and other conventional lures will elicit bites from unpressured trout as well as the occasional smallmouth bass or migrating walleye. Fly anglers drifting this section of the Toccoa will see midge hatches through March when larger insects, such as black caddis and mayfly quills, begin to emerge. Fly patterns such as the Matt’s midge, Griffiths gnat and zebra midge do an excellent job imitating these bugs.

Freshly stocked trout will hang in the sluggish and deeper pools in the winter and spring months. Seasoned trout often find their way into the faster seams and tailouts, especially on warmer days. While the late winter and spring fishing here can be a wash for fly anglers looking to wade, be sure to check in on this section in November and December when it is much more wade friendly.

Smith Creek Delayed Harvest

February and March are transition months for this small tributary of the Chattahoochee River above Helen. February is often slow with sub-freezing morning temperatures being a hinderance for both anglers and the trout they target. While fresh stockers will fall victim to flashy spinners, brightly colored worms and bulky bugs, seasoned trout will be much tighter lipped to these presentations. Agitation can be a great way to target both freshly stocked fish and those that have quite been educated enough to say no. Jigged worms, along with small streamer and minnow patterns, can work well for conventional and fly anglers when danced in front of the trout to elicit a bite out of aggression or a territorial nature.

February brings crystal-clear waters to Smith Creek and leaves trout wary of approaching anglers. Though the trout may not run for cover on approach, they will very likely shut down any feeding activity that may be going on. Stealthy anglers with a careful approach can use smaller flies to best imitate the waves of midges that will hatch sporadically throughout the day. Small is an understatement when focusing on finicky trout. As the days lengthen and the afternoons warm, bigger insects see their way into the fray and trout become more active.

By mid March, the trout will begin feeding more aggressively and anglers won’t have to dig as deep into the box to find something they will eat. Midges and caddis are the most abundant of insects available in Smith Creek. A key to consistently finding success on Smith Creek is moving around. Not every trout in the stream will be active and eating on any given day. This is especially true on the weekends when bigger crowds descend on the fishery. Moving will put anglers in front of more fish that are willing to eat. In the late winter and early spring, this method is nearly a must as most fish have been reasonably educated by then.

Another tip would be to fish these sections from downstream up. Those who choose to fish downstream will often spook any skittish fish below before a fly or lure even touches the water. In the late season, the majority of the trout will fall into this skittish category.

Amicalola Creek Delayed Harvest

The section of the Amicalola above Highway 53 in Dawsonville is a series of fast and shallow runs among some steep boulder-lined plunges. Midges reign supreme here throughout winter and spring. Used in tandem with flashy flies, anglers can find consistent success.

While access to the creek is easy from the Edge of the World Trailhead and Steel Bridge, wading can be difficult following rains and high water. Moving baits, such as streamers and spinners, are helpful in finding trout, especially in deeper holes, but once fish are located, a more subtle, naturally drifted presentation will catch more trout.

Be sure to keep a look out for the local wildlife on the Amicalola Delayed Harvest section. While the local otters, eagles and herons are fun to see, they can quickly put a damper on the trout fishing.

Knowing where the trout like to eat will bring more success to visiting anglers. While there may be plenty of trout at the bottom of deeper runs and holes, hungry trout may slide to the backs of these pools in the winter months when insects are more abundant. On warmer days, actively feeding trout may pull to the front of these pools where they can be first in line when the faster water can push more food their way.

Larger rains in the winter and spring will wash out Amicalola Creek for several days. High and dirty water is less than ideal here and makes the already sketchy wading nearly impossible. Whether the water is high or low, caution is recommended when wading here.

The lower section toward Highway 53 consists of many large rock outcroppings and boulders that drop sharply into deeper waters. The upper section below the steel bridge is much more friendly for first-time waders. Anglers looking for more seclusion can take a fair hike downstream of the steel bridge and find some waters that few anglers tend to visit during the season. While numbers of trout aren’t high in these stretches, most of these trout will be willing to hit any offering that comes their way.

Hopefully these tips will help you break the cabin fever during our final days of winter. The old adage “trout don’t live in ugly places” rings true throughout north Georgia. You can be assured that a visit to any of these locations will be accompanied by great scenery and the opportunity to catch some great trout. Dress warm and bring some extra clothes just in case.

Visit GoFishGeorgia.com to see maps of Delayed Harvest Streams.