Conserving, protecting and restoring cold-water watersheds of North Georgia.
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BRMTU's Bob Borgwat shares client pix while guiding fall fishing for wild trout on remote headwaters of the Toccoa River.
Great water conditions, despite the storms, found while fall fishing for wild trout on remote headwaters of the Toccoa River.
The wild rainbows of the remote headwaters of the Toccoa River can be stunning.
Chapter member Bob Borgwat landed this redfish in December among the mangroves in Ozello, Florida.
Chapter members Jim Reich and Bob Wetzsteon traveled in mid-July to Buras, LA, to tackle redfish, spotted seatrout and sheepshead with WB Outfitters.
Anticipation was rising at first light for chapter members Jim Reich and Bob Wetzsteon while crossing the Mississippi River near Buras, LA, in July.
BRMTU member David Cargile said it was a spectacular take by this rainbow on a June Bug dry fly. Caught and released on June 29 on Noontootla Creek.
Chapter member Harmon Smith shows off a fine South Holston River brown trout caught during the members' trip in late spring 2022.
Chapter VP Mel Richardson landed this redfish in summer 2022 in the waters off the North Carolina co
A float trip on the Green River, Utah, produced this nice brown trout for BRMTU member Andrew Bruce.
BRMTU member David Cargile with a fine brown trout that led him 500 yards downstream through three pools and two water falls.
Ken Brenneman, BRMTU member and Trout Fest sponsor, proudly shares this photo of his "first trout."
Connie Miller -- the better half of BRMTU member Sam Miller -- tries her luck for trout while fishing on Coopers Creek.
BRMTU VP Mel Richardson teamed up to take this swordfish off the surface south of Venice, LA.
Groceries! ... Red snappers and cobia for BRMTU VP Mel Richardson and his gang while fishing last month out of Venice, LA.
Float planes and jetboats led BRMTU member Larry Myers in mid-August to some of Alaska's best salmon waters out of King Salmon.
Leech and Sculpin flies led BRMTU's Larry Myers to some of the big rainbows found in mid-August on the Alaska Peninsula.
Chum salmon rounded out the catch for BRMTU's Larry Myers on his mid-August fishing trip to Alaska.
Gary and Marie Peterson shared the effort behind Rivers Alive 2023 on Fannin County waterways. Along with great partnerships such as Old Toccoa Farms, Girl Scout Troops, area neighborhoods, churches, the Chamber of Commerce and so many more we were able to remove over seven tons of trash, tires and debris.
Bob Borgwat shows a pretty rainbow trout caught while dry-fishing on a fall hike into Fannin County's remote trout waters.
Volunteers joined the staff of Chattahoochee National Forest Fish Hatchery on Nov. 1 to stock the delayed-harvest section of the Toccoa River in Fannin County.
A bucket-brigade, made up of BRMTU volunteers, moved trout on Nov. 1 from the stocking truck to the cold water of the Toccoa River at Sandy Bottoms Recreation Area.
BRMTU members Ben and Andrew Bruce transported live trout downstream on Nov. 1 from Sandy Bottom Recreation Area for release into the Toccoa River.
BRMTU was represented at the recent Chimp or Treat at Project Chimps.
Tap catch-and-release trout waters in GA-TN-NC for 'Bows, Browns, Brookies
By Bob Borgwat/ReelAnglingAdventures.com
In North Carolina and Tennessee, it's October 1 ...
In Georgia it's November 1 ...
Both dates mark the season opening day for catch-and-release fishing on selected waters across the southern Appalachian Mountains, where the local fishing regulations limit anglers to flies and artificial lures only, most of them including restrictions that call for single-hooks only.
It's a time of year when fly-fishermen make up the majority of the anglers you'll see on these special trout waters that carry these restrictions well into 2022. Before you fish, check each state's fishing regulations for specific rules and demarcation of the DH water you plan to visit.
Learn About "DH"
It's no secret anymore. The best trout fishing in wintertime across the southern Appalachian Mountains is often found in the "delayed harvest" trout waters of Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee.
The program restricts trout fishing on these sites to catch-and-release fishing only, using artificial lures/flies with single hooks. All trout caught must be released immediately unharmed.
DH Rules Found Here:
In Georgia ...
On Nov. 1, just 10 miles outside Blue Ridge, a short-but-sweet, mile-long stretch of the upper Toccoa River opens its DH season through May 15, 2022.
Stocked four times from November through March, the area locals call "Sandy Bottoms" attracts wading anglers and floating anglers alike along a rugged stretch of national forest off Old Dial Road. The short stretch is popular with anglers in small drift boats and float tubes. Wading anglers hope river flows drop to less than 300 cfs to safely navigate the riverway on foot. Click here to read the Dial river gauge.
Other "DH" waters in Georgia include Smith Creek at Unicoi State Park near Helen; Amicalola Creek east of Jasper; the Chattooga River east of Clayton; and the Chattahoochee River near I-75 in the Atlanta suburbs.
In Tennessee ...
Just 35 miles from Blue Ridge, the Hiwassee River "DH" section includes 7 miles of prime Tennessee trout habitat on the largest river in the region. Both wading and float-fishing is supported on the scenic river at Reliance, where the "DH" section stretches down the tailwater from the powerhouse release gates to the railroad trestle in Reliance.
Beware: The HIwassee is big water -- up to 200 yards wide -- with variable flow rates and big shoals of class II and III whitewater. Waders watch for minimum flows of 150 cfs, while drift-boats require minimum flows of 1,800-3,000 cfs to safely clear the rocky river bottom. Click here to check river flows daily.
In North Carolina ...
About an hour's drive east from Blue Ridge, out around US Highway 76 near Topton, NC, arguably the most ideal fly-fishing water in the region lies at roadside along Wayah Road. Here, the Nantahala River DH section winds and tumbles its way 4 miles down a steep gradient that features plunge pools, boulder gardens, long glides and stair-stepped ledges. On "the Nanty" ou can learn everything you need to know about fly-fishing just beyond the pavement's edge. Eventually, the "DH" is stocked with about 18,000 trout by the time the season ends on June 4, 2022. Play the water level here by ear ... there is no reliable water gauge available to read on the Nantahala DH.
Other DH waters nearby in North Carolina include a mile-long piece of Fires Creek near Hayesville; nearly 3 miles of Big Snowbird Creek near Robbinsville; a 2+ miles long stretch of the Tuckaseegee River near Bryson City; and 6 miles more of "the Tuck" at Webster.
