Toccoa River Special Regulations
Posted By Kent Klewein on August 21, 2009
Toccoa River special regulations and enforcement of them is going to be the key to keeping the Toccoa River a healthy trout fishery for the long-term. The DNR is currently gathering data and statistics so they can present to the state, recommendations for introducing special trout regulations on the Toccoa River. The first step in special regulations on the river will be to implement a slot-limit on the Toccoa River. DNR have tagged trout in the Toccoa River and are requesting anglers who catch tagged fish to call the phone number which is posted at each public access point on the Toccoa River. The statistics obtained from anglers reporting tagged fish and where they caught them, is really important in the overall effort of the DNR acquiring special regulations in the future.
South Holston Trophy Brown Trout
This above Trout Unlimited ad pretty much says it all in a nut shell. We have to take care of the trout on the Toccoa River by introducing appropriate special regulations where needed, and the fishing will begin to recover and have the opportunity to thrive down the road. However, the best conservation regulations in place won’t make a difference unless they are enforced. There has been numerous cases where the local DNR officer has been called about poaching and regulations being broken, and they did not take the time to follow up on the call. It’s discouraging but I thank everyone who’s taken the time out of their fishing to report these instances.
The South Holston in Tennessee years ago was just a fraction of the quality trout stream it has become today. The implementation of special regulations and the building of a weir for oxygen generation have completely revived the South Holston’s entomology bug life and trout fishing. A slot-limit was introduced to allow fish to mature, and the average trout size has increased dramatically. The Tennessee DNR also closes the river annually during the brown trout spawning season. As stated above earlier, even more importantly the DNR has strictly enforced all of the special regulations in place.
South Holston Weir Dam
My dream for the future is seeing the Toccoa River getting the respect it deserves for its valuable resources, and in the near future, have special regulations implemented on the river modeled after the South Holston River in Tennessee. This dream of mine is possible if we all work together. Please make sure to help the local DNR out with their studies by calling in your tagged trout. Clip off the tags so you can provide them with the serial number. You can also help the Toccoa River by becoming a member of the Trout Unlimited Blue Ridge Chapter (696). This TU chapter is also working very hard educating conservation on our trout waters in North Georgia, and volunteering their time in aiding the DNR in its efforts.
South Holston Map
The Toccoa River isn’t Dead by any means, but it’s more important than ever for us to move forward in our conservation efforts to ensure we protect the Toccoa River fishery for future generations.
Capt. Kent Klewein Reel Job Fishing, LLC
Cool, just got back from a short stint there, didn’t see that Brown but caught a nice fat Bow, one the better ones I’ve ever caught. Gotta say I didn’t enjoy fishing downstream from the weirs as much I enjoyed the upper section. Too many people, smelled funny, much and trash around the banks… but up around the damn and weirs there was more action less people and much cleaner.
Chris,
Believe me, there are tons of brownies well over twenty inches in the South Holston. It can get crowded at times, but you never know what your going to hook into. Its a great place to sight fish to risers at minimum generation. The upstream section of the river has more numbers of fish but they are smaller on average than the trout further down stream.
Kent
Kent,
I am with you 100%. I have only fished the Toccoa for a couple years, but this spring/summer has really been a bummer. Been up a half dozen times and it has STUNK every time. Fished up at the S. Holston a couple of times and always wonder why the Toccoa can’t be the same – I think the Toccoa is a prettier river.
Jim
Jim,
Glad to hear your in favor of getting special regulations on the Toccoa River. I’m currently working with some allies to get a Toccoa Riverkeeper program set up.
I’ve had some good trips on the Toccoa River lately and there are still plenty of big fish in the river. The river has gone downhill though, and I’m just worried long term about the Toccoa River fishery if we don’t get special regulations on it soon.
Thank you for your input
That sounds great about both the slot limits and the Riverkeeper program.
Please let me know what I can do to help out.
The Toccoa’s a special river and we need to protect it.
Chad,
Looks like you have conservation at heart man. I noticed you’ve done some posts on NGTO about conservation pertaining to the Chattahoochee. I will definetly contact you if I run into any barriers trying to set up the Toccoa River Keeper program. Please continue to chime in on any conservation posts we put up here. Having your opinion counts.