Appalachians
Chatooga River (Wild & Scenic Headwaters)
Live Conditions
Chatooga River (Wild & Scenic Headwaters) — Chattooga River at Burrells Ford, near Pine Mtn, GA
7-Day Flow
↓ Falling
24-Hr Pressure
27.91 inHg · → High/stable
Local Weather
Tough conditions — fish deep
Today
🌫️Foggy
80° / 63°
Tomorrow
☁️Overcast
68° / 57°
Wed
🌤️Mainly clear
72° / 55°
Thu
☁️Overcast
79° / 57°
Cold front incoming — go deep with nymphs, surface activity likely slow.
Weather by Open-Meteo · No API key · Updated every 30 min
What should I fish today?
One call. Specific to today's exact conditions on the Chatooga River (Wild & Scenic Headwaters).
9.4
Time of Day
What should I pack?
Rod, flies, tippet, and safety gear specific to today's Chatooga River (Wild & Scenic Headwaters) conditions.
🪰 Hatch Calendar
Chatooga River (Wild & Scenic Headwaters) · June · Early Summer
⚪ No tracked hatches in active range at 63.3°F — browse the calendar below for seasonal activity
Select month
Sulphurs (size 16-18) evenings. Caddis. Yellow Sallies on rocky pocket water. Wild rainbows surface feeding heavily in mid-river runs.
🟢 Active · 🟡 Approaching · ⚪ Seasonal only
River Map
About Chatooga River (Wild & Scenic Headwaters)
One of the Southeast's crown jewel trout fisheries — federally designated Wild & Scenic, no motorized vehicles on the river, with wild rainbows and browns in some of the most scenic water in Georgia. The Burrells Ford area provides the best public access to headwaters fishing. A Delayed Harvest section (catch-and-release, single-hook artificial only Nov 1 – May 14) runs from the GA Hwy 28 bridge upstream to the mouth of Reed Creek. Outside the DH reach, standard 8-fish regulations apply year-round.
Regulations
Georgia fishing license + trout stamp required (resident $15 + $25 = $40/year). Year-round trout season. Delayed Harvest section from GA Hwy 28 bridge upstream to mouth of Reed Creek: catch-and-release, single-hook artificial lures only, Nov 1 – May 14. Outside the DH reach: standard 8-fish daily creel, no minimum size. 2026–27 regulation cycle. Verify at georgiawildlife.com.