Tactics for Targeting Big Browns while Floating Hooch

[Toasty]

Howdy Y'all,

Looking for some advice on fishing for the big browns on the hooch while floating below Buford Dam to the A. I understand that big flies and big lures are called for; I feel good about selecting the flies but I'm new to spin fishing and still learning the lures. What would you recommend for lures when specifically targeting the big browns on the hooch? All big browns caught will be released, so I tend to replace treble hooks with single hooks if that matters to the way it swims.

Also for tackle: a light or even medium rod with something like a Daiwa BG 3000?


Thanks for any help y'all!

 

[Coenen]

That BG setup with a med action stick would be pretty solid. That's pretty close to what I use actually. You need something that'll give you some stopping power in the current.

Without being too specific, think about what they're eating, and imitate that. Those fish are born mean, so size isn't an issue. They'll attack anything they perceive to be food, and that's pretty much everything.

 

[Toasty]

That BG setup with a med action stick would be pretty solid. That's pretty close to what I use actually. You need something that'll give you some stopping power in the current.

Without being too specific, think about what they're eating, and imitate that. Those fish are born mean, so size isn't an issue. They'll attack anything they perceive to be food, and that's pretty much everything.

Thanks for the tip! Also what line do you use? I was thinking 10-20 lb braid to a few feet of fluoro (maybe something in the 10# range?).

 

[Coenen]

My general purpose spin fishing rig for hooch trout is a 6'6"ML with a BG2000, 10lb braid and 4lb fluoro.

I think you'd want to AT LEAST double that tackle if you're meaning to target the big boys exlcusively.

 

[Toasty]

My general purpose spin fishing rig for hooch trout is a 6'6"ML with a BG2000, 10lb braid and 4lb fluoro.

I think you'd want to AT LEAST double that tackle if you're meaning to target the big boys exlcusively.

Awesome, thanks for your help!

 

[Fletch_W]

My general purpose spin fishing rig for hooch trout is a 6'6"ML with a BG2000, 10lb braid and 4lb fluoro.

I think you'd want to AT LEAST double that tackle if you're meaning to target the big boys exlcusively.

I have had bad experiences using braid with inline spinners, but i guess that's where the fluoro with a swivel comes into place? I'm a lazy fisherman so I don't do all that, I would just recommend mono. You'll still get some line twist after hours and hours of fishing but every few casts, I just let it unwind a little bit.

PM sent to Toasty with some other info.

 

[Coenen]

I have had bad experiences using braid with inline spinners, but i guess that's where the fluoro with a swivel comes into place? I'm a lazy fisherman so I don't do all that, I would just recommend mono. You'll still get some line twist after hours and hours of fishing but every few casts, I just let it unwind a little bit.

PM sent to Toasty with some other info.

I don't throw spinners; I use an Albright/Alberto to go directly leader to line.

 

[RamblinWreck]

I got tired of expensive wind knots using straight flouro on light spinning rods on the river. In the lower lb. test strengths it becomes an issue, or at least it does for me. I just use 4 lb Trilene XL on my trout rod. Cheap and good.

I like the way flourocarbon sinks, and is hard for spooky trout to see, but the manageability (and price) leaves something to be desired.

I do use braid with flouro leader (FG knot) on my bass casting rods. I never could get braid to work for me on spinning reels for finesse and panfish (2-8 lb test range). My bass spinning rods (i.e. fairy wands) all have straight 6-8 lb flouro on them - and that is what I catch 80% of my bass with. My opinions only, YMMV.

 

[1eyefishing]

Suss- scribing!

 

[Killinstuff]

Fish at night

 

[Browniez]

Fish at night

I wish we could. It’s forbidden though. 30 minutes pre dawn and 30 post sunset.

I’ve stretched that a few times but it’s generally so foggy at night it would be foolish to try.

 

[Killinstuff]

Is that because of the generation flow?

 

[Philhutch80]

Is that because of the generation flow?

No it is because of the generation flows plus the timber in the river as well as the fog banks that roll in thicker than cotton candy. The Hooch is not exactly boaters paradise. There are two wooden jon's and two fiberglass hulls sunk in the river.

 

[ryanh487]

Is that because of the generation flow?

It's hard enough to see the rocks and debris at sunrise with all the fog on the river. Heck last time I went we put in late, at nearly 9:00 am, and couldn't see 50 feet through the fog for nearly an hour.

 

[1eyefishing]

COLD water+no wind+humid air=fog.

 

[JakkBauer]

I wish we could. It’s forbidden though. 30 minutes pre dawn and 30 post sunset.

I’ve stretched that a few times but it’s generally so foggy at night it would be foolish to try.

dont wish for that! its cheating! xD

 

[615groundpounder]

Plus its against the law.

Trout Fishing Hours

• Fishing 24 hours a day is allowed on all trout streams and all impoundments on trout streams except those in the next paragraph.
• Fishing hours on Dockery Lake, Rock Creek Lake, the Chattahoochee River from Buford Dam to Peachtree Creek, the Conasauga River watershed upstream of the Georgia-Tennessee state line and Smith Creek downstream of Unicoi dam are 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset. Night fishing is not allowed.

 

[JakkBauer]

Howdy Y'all,

Looking for some advice on fishing for the big browns on the hooch while floating below Buford Dam to the A. I understand that big flies and big lures are called for; I feel good about selecting the flies but I'm new to spin fishing and still learning the lures. What would you recommend for lures when specifically targeting the big browns on the hooch? All big browns caught will be released, so I tend to replace treble hooks with single hooks if that matters to the way it swims.

Also for tackle: a light or even medium rod with something like a Daiwa BG 3000?


Thanks for any help y'all!

it will change the way it swims, if thats good or bad you will have to let the fish tell you

i can tell you if you are only switching out those hooks for catch and release the treble hooks will not harm them so i wouldnt go to the extra trouble

 

[FormerGA Boy]

Some color choices for the Browns. Orange and gold, yellow perch(especially down near Morgan Falls) rainbow trout, silver and black, gold and black. I have had good luck with firetiger as well but more so with smaller fish. I once threw a chartreuse wooly bugger on morning at Bowman Island and slammed Browns. I have often wondered if I should buy a Arapaho’s in silver and chartreuse.

 

[Toasty]

it will change the way it swims, if thats good or bad you will have to let the fish tell you

i can tell you if you are only switching out those hooks for catch and release the treble hooks will not harm them so i wouldnt go to the extra trouble

I also find that I don’t like handling those hooks, they are often harder to get out of a fish but they definitely find their way into my fingers/clothes/anything more often than others. I agree that they are more effective at holding on to the fish and letting certain lures swim properly, but I also find them to be a pain. Still use them for certain catfish applications when keeping is intended and nothing else works as well to hold certain baits.