Fall has arrived. Cooler morning temperatures and shorter days have allowed the trout to start moving around and begin to eat more. With the recent rains, water levels are up from the normal fall lows. This has also caused many brown trout to begin their spawning runs on many of the North Georgia tributaries. More rains should really push these trout further up as the low water can inhibit much of their progress. Be looking for these fish staging around creek confluences as they move further upstream. Dry flies continue to produce on the higher elevation streams while nymphs are a bit more productive in larger waters. Overcast days have been the days to be on the water as the bluebird/high pressure days leave the trout inactive and spooky. As fall continues we look forward to seeing more insects emerging as the terrestrials dwindle. More prolific midge hatches have been coming off the water along with some caddis, BWOs, and PMDs in some of the North Georgia streams. If you're coming to the mountains to escape the bustle of the city be sure to avoid the tourist heavy areas that are drawing large crowds on the weekends. Oktoberfest in Helen, along with apple picking in Ellijay, and other fall festivals in Blue Ridge, Blairsville, and Clayton can back up traffic heading to some of the best trout waters in North Georgia.
North Georgia's Stocked Trout Streams in October
The stocked waters have been slim pickings for the past couple weeks. Low water conditions have left stockers with little room to hide and most have been harvested. Looking for water off of the beaten path in small creeks or focusing more on some of the larger streams such as the Toccoa River, Tallulah River, and Chattooga River will yield better results with stocked trout. Georgia's Delayed Harvest Season is right around the corner, so begin preparing yourself by checking out our up to date article on Fly Fishing North Georgia's Delayed Harvest Streams. If your impatient and ready to get on the water, North Carolina's Delayed harvest season should begin soon as tens of thousands of brown, brook, and rainbow trout have been stocked into North Carolina's DH streams barring any delay from the hurricane damage.
Chattahoochee Tailwater Trout Fishing
The water below the lake is still turning over. October tends to be one of the rougher months for the pea soup water. With the extra rains we've seen in North Georgia, the small mountain streams are certainly worth the drive.
Best of luck this October, If your looking for more reading to help put more trout in the net this fall, check out out articles on Fall Fly Fishing in North Georgia, Fly Fishing the Toccoa River, and Fly Fishing Atlanta.