When it comes to fly fishing the Toccoa River in North Georgia, the first thing to realize is that fishing in the Toccoa River is almost like fishing in two completely different rivers.  The reason for this apparent duality is because of the Blue Ridge Lake.  The waters of the Toccoa River that are found above the lake are like any northern Georgia River, while the waters below the lake are more like tail waters.  This means you get a two for one deal on the same river.  So, when you are thinking of fly fishing the Toccoa River, the first thing you have to ask yourself is if you’re going to fish the upper Toccoa above Lake Blue Ridge or the lower Toccoa below Lake Blue Ridge.  The answer depends on what you are looking for in your fly fishing experience.

The Upper Toccoa River

If you are a fly fisherman, you will find the upper Toccoa River fly fishing much to your liking.  There is ample room for fly casting and there are many deep, slow moving pools located throughout the length of the river remind most fly fisherman of a large headwater trout stream.  Another great benefit of fly fishing the Upper Toccoa River is that there is a designated delayed harvest section measuring around 1.5 miles to the public.  This section is stocked heavily during the colder months with quality rainbow trout.  Not only will you find stocked rainbows but you also hook into the occasional trophy brown trout.  While the natural grown trout are few and far between, the river does sustain holdover fish throughout the year.  In addition, a couple of the tributaries of the Toccoa are among the best stocked rivers in all of Georgia.  Because the upper Toccoa River is spring fed the water temperatures can reach lethal conditions during drought conditions and also during late summer.  For this reason, most fly fisherman concentrate fly fishing the upper Toccoa River during the cooler months. 

Because of the large amount of stock fish in the tributaries, several brown and rainbow trout tend to wander into the main river.  This makes for even more exciting fishing for the fly fisher.  Another great aspect of fishing the upper Toccoa River is that you have the choice of wading in or floating when you fish, as there’s some boat access points along the public land located along the river.  Check out the canoe put-in at the end of Dial Road. 

The Lower Toccoa River (Tailwater)

Because of the construction of the dam at Blue Ridge Lake, the lower Toccoa River has become an excellent tail water trout stream.  The year round cold discharges from Lake Blue Ridge and large deep pools throughout the river provide the trout with prime habitat to thrive.  Furthermore, the runs and pools are separated by rocky shoals that often stretch across the river.  All of this translates into an ideal setting for trout fishing when you fish the lower Toccoa River.  The excellent entomology throughout the river provides quality hatches and an aquatic buffet for the trout to feed on.  If your after a trophy rainbow or brown trout the tailwater of the Toccoa River is the place to land it. 

Where the Upper Toccoa is both a fine place for tubing and wading, however, the lower Toccoa River offers much more water for the fly fisherman.  There are three major public access points on the tailwater which are Tammen Park just below the dam, Curtis Switch located 8 miles below the dam just off of Curtis Switch road, and at Horseshoe Bend Park located 16 miles below the dam and off of River Road.  All other access points are considered private and illegal to access the Toccoa River.  During high water times, finding an area to wade in the river can be quite difficult and dangerous.  Please use caution wading below the dam since there are no warning sirens for the release of water. During low water times, on the other hand, you’ll find almost all the water easy to wade besides the occasional deep water stretch.  Many novice oarsmen find themselves scraping the bottom of their boats more often than not during low water. Therefore, it is a good idea to call ahead and find out the water levels of this part of the river for the time of year you’re planning on trout fly fishing.  Although the TVA can generate during any time you’ll find generation schedules less frequent during the colder months and more frequent during the warmer months.  The white water rafters on the Ocoee River call for the more frequent generations during the summer months.

Once you do find the right time to fish the lower Toccoa River, the fish you’ll be pulling out will usually be rainbow trout.  There are however, large numbers of brown trout and a small population of brook trout.  Educated anglers on the Toccoa River all know the largest trout in the river are the Brown Trout.  I’ve personally seen fish over thirty inches and Brown Trout have been landed over 12 pounds.  Dry fly fishing is the most popular tactic used by most fly fisherman throughout the year.  However, the more advanced fly fisherman often use dry-dropper rigs and target deeper water with nymphs and streamers.  Of course, a little experimenting never hurt any fly fisherman when it comes to picking the right fly to use.  Don’t hesitate to throw a pattern you picked up out west.  You never know until you give it a shot.

In the end, both the upper and lower Toccoa River are great places for trout fishing.  In addition, it is an added bonus to have a single river offer such a diversity of fishing habitat.  If you like headwaters and natural scenery, then the upper Toccoa River is the place you should go.  If you like the challenge of fishing tail waters, on the other hand, then opting for the lower Toccoa River is a great place to be.  No matter which end you choose for your Toccoa trout fishing trip, you are sure to find a very rewarding fishing trip that will have you visiting the Toccoa River time and time again throughout your life.