DH Down South
For many outsiders, trout fishing does not seem like a natural fit to the southeastern United States. Hot summers, historic logging and excessive development all combine to make for a pretty inhospitable environment for sensitive salmonids. Still, as they say in Jurassic Park, “life finds a way”. The southeastern U.S. is littered with fascinating native, wild and artificially supported fisheries. To further clarify on that point, ‘native’ species are endemic to a region and their presence predates human intervention. ‘Wild’ implies that specific species of fish were not naturally found in an area until human action introduced them but have now become naturalized into a region or body of water and are capable of reproducing without assistance. Finally, ‘artificially supported’ fisheries rely on the stocking of farm-raised fish in order to exist. When anyone talks about trout they are referring to one of these above descriptors or a combination of them.
As for specific examples there are scores in Georgia alone! The only “trout” in Georgia, the Brook trout, isn’t really a trout at all but a charr! Charr are themselves a very close cousin to salmon and trout and do in fact stem from the same genealogical family of Salmonidae. This may all seem a bit nuanced and we will dive into it more in future posts but it is important to recognize how unique and fragile our fisheries and ecosystems are. Georgia and much of the rest of the world also has two other true species of trout but these are not indigenous to our area. The Rainbow trout, somewhat ubiquitous in cold waters of southern Appalachia, hail from the Pacific rim; from the California coasts and the American West to Alaska and even over to Russia. These fish are now extremely common in cold waters throughout the world as they are relatively hardy, easy to breed and transport. They make for excellent sport and more than palatable table fare when served properly. Finally, we have the Brown trout which were brought to the U.S. from Scotland and Germany where they have been found for thousands of years. Brown trout’s native range spreads from Greenland to Scandinavia, and historically as far south as north Africa and throughout much of the mountainous regions in Europe and far western Asia. Both Rainbow and Brown trout may not have originally lived here but now they are frequently seen as inseparably important from many of our fisheries.
The introduction of non-native species has occurred for well over 100 years in much of the U.S. This practice is not without controversy but modern practices have sought to find a balance between providing sport and food while also maintaining precious native species whenever possible. One modern initiative put on by states like Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee is the Delayed Harvest season. This program is simply a balancing act between the above stated priorities. Fish hatcheries breed Rainbow, Brown and even Brook trout and then government organizations and clubs release the fish strategically for the enjoyment of the public. The key difference between Delayed Harvest and other stocking locations though is that regulations change during the specified season in order to better manage the resource. For instance, general trout regulation permit the legal harvest of up to 8 trout in Georgia. During the DH season and in designated locations though, those regulations change to better utilize the resource. The DH season, by definition, means that the stocked fish will not be harvested for a certain amount of time. In Georgia that season lasts from November 1st through May 15th while North Carolina operates the delayed harvest season from October 1st through June 4th. This season is structured so that marginal trout streams will have trout in them while water temperatures permit it during the colder months of the year. However, as temperatures increase, the regulations change back to allow normal harvests of trout before the rising temperatures lower their chances of survival. The basic idea of the DH season is to allow accessible sport fishing for much of the year while keeping in mind the seasonal limitations of our water bodies.
The Toccoa river, the Smith, the Chattooga, Amicalola creek and the Chattahoochee river are the five DH’s in Georgia. Unfortunately, due to high water levels, the Chattahoochee DH season will be delayed for the time being. The upper Nantahala, Fires Creek, and the Tuckasegee offer great delayed harvest fishing on the North Carolina side and is still within close proximity of the North Georgia area. All of these streams are stocked beginning early October and November and continue to be stocked on at least a monthly basis while the season persists. DH stretches are specific and well marked locations, do your research before planning your next trip so as to be most successful. In the beginning of the season and any time after recent stocking, fish “junk” flies like worms, mops, eggs and other gaudy or less natural patterns below an indicator. As the season proceeds, fish more natural patterns like copper johns, hares ears, pat’s rubberlegs and other similar flies. You may see some risers so always keep a few dries with you. And if searching for aggressive fish, try swinging smaller streamers like woolly buggers and leeches. During this time of year we usually find ourselves fishing 10ft rods to aid in nymphing techniques while still being able to throw small streamers if needed. The 10ft rod especially helps with presentation in colder months when fish are lethargic and less likely to chase after your fly. To combat this we suggest fishing a 2-3 fly nymph rig with your heavier fly acting as the point fly (bottom fly). This will get your flies in the zone quicker and help you catch those trout hugging the bottom. In quicker currents, adding a couple weighted split shot can help get your flies deep without the hassle of adding multiple flies. Trout will tend to school up this time of year so prospecting for fish is probably the most important part of fishing the DH’s. Work water quickly and worry less about specific fly selection. When you find the fish you will more than likely pull a few out of the same area. Remember to be responsible and follow all the particulars of DH seasons such as single hooks and artificial lures only. Be careful handling your fish so that the next anglers can enjoy them as much as you!
Helpful links for this years Delayed Harvest:
North Carolina Interactive Trout Map
