The Etowah River is fishing well! Currently, the river below Allatoona Dam is flowing at 1860 cFs. This is subject to change based on lake level and precipitation, but this is a great flow to fly fish. For Spotted Bass, I would fish a 7 or 8 weight fly rod with either a floating line with a very long leader, or a full sinking line. Try smallish baitfish patterns like Clouser Minnows, white Jawbreakers, and Lunch $’s, and crawfish patterns like Galloup’s Nancy Ps. For Striper, break out the 9’s and 10’s this year – I fish a full sinking or intermediate tip fly line with either a Rio 20-30lb Striper leader or I build my own leaders with Scientific Angler Shock Fluorocarbon (40, 30, 20lb). For fly patterns, EP flies, Kinky Muddlers, anything bucktail (clousers, decievers), and Flashtail Whistlers.
Our Striper and Bass guide calendar is nearly full for June, so call us as soon as possible to book a trip! (706) 946-3044
The Toccoa Tailwater is fishing well. Be mindful of generation and weather this weekend, as we do have rain in the forecast. As long as the rain remains light, all of the access points on the tailwater should remain clear. If we do get a good bit of rain, Tammen Park may be the only access point clear enough to fish. If this happens, have a back up plan in place, as this will concentrate the already large number of people fishing to one spot.
For flies, I’ve been fishing a 5 weight with a dry-dropper rig consisting of a large indicator fly like a Yellow PMX or Fat Albert followed by a dropper tied on 5x tippet, 1.5 times the water depth. For your dropper fly, golden stonefly nymphs, Pat’s Rubber Legs, pheasant tail soft hackles, rainbow warriors, and Red Alerts/El Diablos should all produce among other bugs. You might see sulphurs coming off, so have a few dries in your box.
Small Streams: Right now, it’s hard to beat a good pair of wet wading shoes, a cup full of yellow dry flies, and a short 3 weight on these mountain streams. I like rigging a single yellow stimulator or parachute x with a small pheasant tail soft hackle. If you want to chase some relatively larger stream trout, take some small chubby cherynobyls or larger beetle patterns with a small pat’s rubber legs dropped off the back. Stay back off of pools, bring a couple spools of 5x and 6x just in case the trout get finicky, and don’t wear bright colors! If you keep an eye on tail outs of bigger pools before you step in them, you may even get some sight fishing opportunities! If the rain pushes a little more water in these streams, you can bring some gear to high stick heavy nymphs in fast runs before the water falls out.
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
