Fishing Report 6/7/2019

The Etowah River is fishing well – striped bass are beginning to show up in the river, so having a couple bigger rods like 9 weights rigged up with tropical-core sinking and floating lines is crucial. We like Scientific Angler’s Sink 30 Warm for sinking line, as summer temperatures turn cold water lines to soup. Rig 15-30lb leaders, fluorocarbon being the preference for any subsurface presentation. Have an assortment of baitfish patterns like Cruiser Shad, Major Mullet/Bunker, Flashtail Whistlers, Kinky Muddlers, and Flashfire Mushies on hand. It also doesn’t hurt to have a few boogle bugs and a 5-7 weight in the boat for the Spotted Bass. Check the generation schedule and don’t forget water or sun protection.

The Blue Ridge Area Report courtesy of our outfitting partner, Fly Fishing North Georgia.

The Toccoa Tailwater has been releasing water from the dam this week. The generation schedule varies from day to day – Tuesday, the TVA generated from 10AM- Noon; Wednesday they changed the schedule to 5PM-9PM. This week the dam release schedule has been less predictable. If they stick generally with the same afternoon generation, this weekend should be a good time to get out in the morning. We are expecting some rains for the weekend, but won’t know how that will affect the water until after the rain hits. If there is light rain, it shouldn’t affect fishing on the Tailwater, but if there is heavy rain, it is likely TVA will generate 24/7 until the lake level comes back down. If you get out there, have some dries (Sulphurs, Yellow Sallies, Light Caddis), natural nymphs (Pat’s Rubber Legs, Pheasant Tails, and Hare’s Ears), and some attractor patterns (Rainbow Warriors, Squirmy Worms, and Y2K Egg Patterns).

The Delayed Harvest season has ended. As of May 15, the special regulations are no longer enforced until next November. With the summer temperatures and the presence of more catch-and-keep fishermen around, we are likely to see a major decline in trout populations on the DH.Though trout might not be as abundant, Bass will. We will start seeing Smallmouth move up into the river from the lake around this time of year. As of Wednesday the DH was registering at 500cfs. This is an adequate time to start wading the DH. If you are trying to target what’s left of the trout population, the early mornings will be the best time to be on the water. In the early mornings the temps will stay pretty cool; however, towards mid-day it’ll heat up. With the rains expected to come in this week, we will see how it affects the level of the water!

Smaller Mountain Streams would be a good place to go this weekend, Rock Creek and Coopers Creek in particular. In these smaller streams you might see more dry fly action, so I would definitely carry your small stream box with nymphs, emergers, and some dry flies. With rains holding off the past few weeks, the water level is likely to be low and clear, which means the fish will be a little more sensitive to the patterns you throw and can be spooked easily. More natural presentations and lighter tippet sizes are important when the water is low and clear. If rain does come in, having patterns like Wooly Buggers, Squirmy Worms, and Egg Patterns will be good to have.