Anglers can reap benefits of year round and delayed harvest regulation streams

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. (June 15, 2007) - North Atlanta boasts a gold mine for trout anglers - the Chattahoochee River.

Stocked full of rainbow and brown trout, the Chattahoochee River offers metro Atlanta anglers a nearby opportunity to hook the wall hanger of their dreams.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) stocks approximately 150,000 catchable (nine-inch) rainbow trout annually into the river between Buford Dam and the Chattahoochee River Park off Azalea Drive, and approximately 50,000 rainbow and brown trout downstream of Morgan Falls Dam.

Year-round trout fishing is available on the Hooch from Buford Dam to Peachtree Creek where there are plenty of public areas to fish thanks to the National Park Service Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and various city and county governments. This section holds rainbow trout, brown trout and wild brown trout - which will test even the most experienced angler.

The river downstream of Morgan Falls Dam, stocked from November-April each year, is managed under delayed harvest regulations (Sope Creek to U.S. Hwy. 41), which means trout can be legally harvested from May 15 - October 31 with no lure restrictions.

“Most people may not guess there is such an abundance of trout fishing opportunities so close to Atlanta,” says WRD Assistant Chief of Fisheries Management John Biagi. “But thanks to trout stocking, these sections of the river offer excellent trout harvesting opportunities, and all within an easy driving distance of many Georgians, especially metro Atlanta.”

For more information on trout fishing or to download your free Georgia trout stream map and trout fishing tips, visit www.gofishgeorgia.com or call 770-918-6418 for additional trout fishing information. In addition, a map of the Chattahoochee River can be downloaded from the National Park Service website, http://www.nps.gov/chat/planyourvisit/maps.htm.
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