The Soque River is home to many of the largest trout in Georgia. The Soque is a tributary of the Chattahoochee River that runs from the small town of Clarkesville, northward toward Clayton and Helen. The Soque winds through the rhododendron and laurel lined valleys that southern Appalachia is well known for. Most of the river is bordered by private property with some short runs available for public access. Much of the Soque River is stocked heavily by the surrounding landowners. Access to these private water sections that receive much less pressure can be found for a fee or from the many guiding outfits of the area. Brown trout, Rainbow Trout, and the occasional Brook Trout can be found on the Soque. Rarer finds may be Rainbow trout Palominos and Tiger trout (Brown x Brook trout hybrids).
While the river is revered by some anglers for its oversized trout, it is held in less regard by others due to the overfeeding of pellets that give the trout there size and allow them to closer behave like pets than their wild counterparts. This is why the fish often get referred to as pellet pets or pellet pigs. Their enlarged appetites can make them more susceptible to fall for a variety of fly patterns with the flashiest of flies garnering the most attention. In the odd situation where these fish are full or lethargic, the fishing may become slightly more complicated but doable. Just force feed them. A well drifted fly that taps their nose is often good enough for them to open their mouths as a reaction.
Soque River Public Trout Fishing Access
For those looking to try their odds on the Soque's public section. The Jackson Bridge on Highway 197 North of Clarkesville is the beginning of the public waters. From here anglers can fish upstream for just under a mile. Several roadside pull offs are available for visitors. This section is stocked each week from April through July and a few additional times until October. Expect to see a handful of other anglers here on the slow days and heavy crowds during the more ideal times. Lucky anglers can find some pet fish washing into the public section following heavy rains. This method is hardly a secret these days so expect the company of locals if your seeking a new personal best.
The uppermost tributaries of the Soque River lead all the way up to the highest ridge run by the Appalachian trail. Here public water adventurers can search for trout along the blue lines of the Soque for wild rainbows and our native Brook Trout.
Soque River Trophy Trout Fishing
The private waters of the Soque River are often catch and release fly fishing only with barbless hook requirements. This helps assure a better survival rate for the trout so they can reach larger sizes. From the headwaters to the lower sections of the river, the Soque does change considerably. The lower section widens considerably and the water slows. Here the bottom substrate consists of much more sand and hard rock outcroppings. This is less ideal for trout as there is less habitat for insects and suitable spawning runs. Trout here will linger in larger holes and await the twice a day pellet hatches. It's unlikely that any of the trout on these lower sections of the Soque may even know what a bug looks like. The numerous properties that overfeed south of Mark of the Potter assure that the local trout have no need to learn of the natural food in the system. While these areas likely aren't likely to satisfy anglers looking to test their wits against a worthy trout adversary, the river here is a great opportunity to learn how to fight larger trout. The fish are well fed, powerful, and quite familiar with how to escape from anglers. This lesson is best learned on these waters as opportunities are numerous and failure should be expected. It is much easier to lose a large trout on the Soque than undergo the heartbreak of losing a significantly rarer trophy sized trout on other public waters.
This story has begun to change above the Mark of the Potter where the river tightens northward to its headwater streams. Better management in terms of less feeding, stream bed enhancements, and propagation of the stream born trout offer anglers a different experience. Stream enhancements provide trout with better insect life for food resources as well as optimal spawning substrate to reproduce on. This can be seen in the stretches where the river crosses Hwy 197 again toward the northwest and Larry's Lodge. Here runs of resident rainbows will move northward from the mill at Mark of the Potter to spawn hard some time from mid October into November. Wild trout that are fed supplementally dawn their full spawning colors from September into December, well after the spawn wraps up. Fish in this section will take advantage of midge hatches throughout the fall and winter months. Caddis take to the air sporadically in April/May and again in October/November creating a rare opportunity for anglers to land a trophy trout on a dry. Other sporadic hatches of Blue Wing Olives, Sulphurs, and Quills can appear in the spring upward to the headwaters.
Soque River Fly Fishing Guides
Guided trips on the Soque can cover a wide variety of topics. From learning how to fight giant trout, to understanding the most detailed techniques in tightline nymphing or emerger fishing, there is something for all experience levels. We at Georgia Wild Trout do provide the occasional trip on the Soque for anglers looking to get their feet wet. For anglers who think they've done it all in fly fishing or on North Georgia's private waters, The Modern Fly Fishers are a collection of competition anglers who guide and offer advanced classes on the Soque for anglers looking to elevate their skills to even higher levels.
