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[ The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
02/09/2003 ]
Piece of trout-fishing nirvana
By SCOTT BERNARDE
Clayton --- It becomes obvious very quickly why Charles Engle takes a 280-mile round trip to fish this stream.
At the end of winding roads --- including one curiously named Warwoman Road --- is a mostly shallow, exquisitely clear stretch of the famous
Chattooga River that attracts Engle and a handful of other Atlanta-area fly guys who truly do get away from it to catch trout. And the fact that most
of the trout are stockers, thanks to a cooperative effort between the Georgia and South Carolina DNRs, doesn't take away from the beauty.
"This is about my No. 2 favorite place to fish," said the Acworth resident, who lists "any of those secret brook-trout streams I like" as his top
choice. "You have the serenity and beauty like many of the places I like to fish. If I'm not brook-trout fishing, this is where I like to go."
The stream is the fourth addition to the state's highly popular delayed-harvest trout program, which splits the year equally between
catch-and-release and normal regulations. While the three other DH streams --- stretches of the Chattahoochee in metro Atlanta, Smith Creek in
Unicoi State Park near Helen and the Amicalola Creek in Dawson County --- have their own qualities that make them feel like they're in the middle
of nowhere, Chattooga is actually located there. Delayed-harvest regulations apply on the river from the Ga. 28 bridge upstream to the mouth of
Reed Creek.
"You're lucky if you see one or two people on the river," said Engle, who was accompanied by a fishing mate on a recent chilly day. "I drive
140 miles [each way] and fish in the middle of nowhere."
And for good reason. Well, most of the time. Engle and his brother caught 29 trout between them, but the previous two winter trips were not
nearly as fruitful. The key is the weather this time of year. Warmer days make the fish more active. Heavy nymphs "dragging the bottom" is the
best tactic. On the trip with his brother, one of the fish was an 18-inch holdover brown trout that "fought like a king."
Unlike other stock streams, Chattooga's trout seem to learn pretty fast to be wary of wader-wearing anglers. With the water so clear,
creek-stompers will scare away fish before they get a chance to see them.
"This is one of the most beautiful areas in the southeast, and we are grateful to the South Carolina and Georgia DNRs," said another Chattooga
frequenter, John Read of Jonesboro, who's caught his share of 16-inchers up there. "Their work is a marvelous testimony of two organizations
working together to provide a quality experience for outdoorsmen from all around the area. The quality of the fish that are being stocked is great,
and most of them are strong fighters and of beautiful color."
Despite its location, the Chattooga DH stream is no secret. Both Engle and Read have noticed more trash, especially near the bridge, and
poaching has been noticed, too. "It saddens me," Read said.
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