SPRING TIME IS FISHING TIME
Lake Blue Ridge and the Toccoa River
“The Best of Three Worlds”
Whether your fancy is a monster smallmouth bass, walleye, or pan sized bluegill from Lake Blue Ridge or stalking a huge brown or rainbow trout from the Toccoa River, now is the time in our wonderful part of the world to experience the best that spring has to offer. Lake Blue Ridge and the upper and lower Toccoa River systems offer some of the best fishing in the entire southern United States.
Spring time means one thing on Lake Blue Ridge “Monster Smallmouth”. Smallmouths start their spawn from the middle of April and continue through the end of May. Look for spawning and pre-spawn fish to be along steep rocky banks that are very close to the back of any cove and also main lake points. Carolina rigged lizards, flukes and craw worms will do the trick. Also look for the “man made” fish attractors that was initiated in 2006 as a joint project by the Ga. Dept. of Natural resources and the TVA. They are marked by white and orange buoys throughout the lake and hold an abundance of all the species of fish that Lake Blue Ridge has to offer. To see them in action and the fish that are holding to them the DNR has a web-cam that you can view at one of the attractors; just go to the Georgia DNR website and click on Lake Blue Ridge to view. It is amazing just how many fish the attractors really hold.
Although its extreme headwaters are in the Chattahoochee National Forest, most of the first 10 miles or so of the Toccoa flows across private land. From the U.S. Forest Service’s Deep Hole Recreation Area, which is close to the village of Margaret and down stream to Blue Ridge lake, the river flows in and out of a patchwork of natural forest lands. The upper Toccoa is big water by trout stream standards. The great thing about the upper Toccoa for fly-fishers is plenty of casting room. If fly fishing is not your favorite, spinners and natural bait are awesome. Salmon eggs, crickets and worms bumped slowly along the bottom of pools produce very well. An ultra-light spinning reel, 4 lb. line and no. 10 hook is all you need to fill your stringer.
Below Lake Blue Ridge, the Toccoa is arguably the best tail-water fishery in Georgia. The river is “big water” and offers 15 miles of great trout fishing. The long deep pools are separated by rocky shoals that are perfect for floating. At high water wading can be a problem. At low water, expect to do some dragging if you are floating. The lower Toccoa is a phenomenal dry-fly fishery. During spring and summer you just can’t go wrong with a caddis in dark, tan and olive. For nymphing, a bead-head soft hackle is a good choice. The fish really seem to prefer soft hackles. Tellico Nymphs and Golden Stonefly Nymphs and big streamers can be good also. The Lower Toccoa also flows mostly over private land, but there are three public access points; Blue Ridge Dam, Curtis Switch and the Park in McCaysville are all good access points. The river has so many fish, any one of the three is just as good as the other. Since public bank access is limited, the best way to fish the lower Toccoa is by floating. A “pontoon boat” is recommended over the basic float tube. Floating the river from the dam to Curtis Switch is the most popular trip. Always think safety when fishing the Lower Toccoa due to the water release from the Lake. Anglers can check the release schedule for the next day by calling the TVA at 1-800-238-2264 after 4:00pm Listen to the message, then press 4, 23 and # to get the release schedule.
No matter which chapter you choose, the free-flowing upper river, Lake Blue Ridge, or the regulated lower river,
one constant theme is PLENTY of fish available for the catching. Basic fishing tactics are all that is needed to create some of the best memories you and your family can ever enjoy.
