N GA Folks - advice in your neck of the woods?

[TampaDiesel]

Hey there fellow anglers, my name is Derek and I live in Tampa. I've been to North GA a few times (mainly Blairsville area), but it was with my Dad typically, and his health was never good in his later years to go fishing with him in that area. He's now since passed, but I plan to get away from the hustle and bustle of my busy life here for a few days up there in August near Ellijay (about 7 miles NW of there). It's a vacation rental on a small lake and I need peace and quiet. It reminds me of him and our past time of fishing.

About some my experience: I'd say I'm "intermediate" at best. I grew up doing a lot of bass fishing as a kid in Central FL (Alachua County, outside of Gainesville if curious). Most of my experience with bass fishing was typically using shiners with a bobber from a dock, and we had a some decent luck with that. Sometimes we would troll with lures around the lake in a bass boat (whether shads, worms, whatever...it was the 80's). I fished in a reservoir in Colorado a few years ago with no trout experience really, and pulled out a few beautiful Rainbows with some simple ** $3 Rooster Tails from Walmart (no bobber...just cast and retrieve...and some luck).

I do have some years of saltwater experience (being in Tampa), but that seemed unrelated and too long to add here.

- All I know it's a little lake fed by two streams of the Conasauga Creek, and is called a "Mountaintown Watershed Lake". No idea how deep it is, but looks decent to just mess around for a few days. Rainbow Lake looks to be a few miles west. Anyone with experience in this area or these lakes?

- Should I mess with live bait? What do you all even use in the mountains up there? I'm used to giant shrimp and greenbacks! I think I'll have access to a Dollar Store and Walmart, but it's hard for me to find a bait shop not knowing the area, I've Googled a bit but haven't had a lot of luck (unless I'm an idiot and missed something obvious).

- I have access to a John boat, and have my Dad's old electric trolling motor, so I'll be able to putt around on the small lake a bit. I have quite a few different freshwater lures to play with. Is it worth trying both live bait (if I can find it) and trolling with lures? Or stick to one or the other (if I have a choice, that is)?

- I take it just before sunrise and before sunset are still some of the best times for freshwater fish (bass, crappie, trout, etc)?

- How do you all rig your lines? Bobber or no? Do you all use swivels or snaps/clips directly to a lure on the terminal end?

- Any comments about the bite on any species this time of year? Whether it's patterns, bait, location in water column, etc.

Man, I hope I catch some fish or that's a long drive to strike out for a few days, haha. Any advice you all can give in any of the above would be great!

Thanks in advance and sorry for the long post!

 

[Anvil Head]

If that's the same watershed I think it is, simple light weight fish-finder rig and a fresh night crawler will get you catching fish just fine. Go as light as you can. Heavy line heavy sinkers and big hooks won't get it done.
Also small bass, trout, shad imitation crank baits will work early and late around structure.
Good luck.

 

[lampern]

Can't go wrong with bringing a few roostetails with you as well

 

[Lake Loon]

Tampa,
Sorry to hear about your dad. My best memories are fishing with my dad too. No better way to spend time together.

I agree with AH that simple is better. I personally fish mostly ultralights and usually catch fish. I typically use 4Lb. test line. I enjoy the fight of the fish.

I would suggest light line with some some ultralight crankbaits like a rapala ultalight shad. I usually direct tie and and do not use any snaps or clips due to them changing the way the small lures swims. Like AH said, a fresh nightcrawler under a bobber with a #6 hook would also catch some bream in the lake. Due to the warm weather morning and evening should be best.

If you get bored sitting at the lake you could also go over to Owltown Creek right there east of Ellijay on Owltown Road. It is a trout stream that the state stocks with trout. The creek is easy to get to. The easiest way I fish for trout is the smallest bobber you can find with a small split shot and a No. 8 mosquito hook. Put a cricket on there and work your way upstream fishing deep holes in the creek. The trout will be in the deepest or darkest holes. Most of the time with a good pair of polarized sunglasses you may be able to see them holding in the stream. Everybody has their preferred bait but I like crickets. Some sware by corn, powerbait trout worms, rooster tails etc. Georgia has a great website that shows you trout stream locations and which ones are stocked. Simply google Georgia Trout Fishing and the DNRs' website will come up.

I think the gas station on the corner Highway 76 and Old Highway 5 has bait but it has been a few years.

Do not forget to get your trout stamp along with your fishing license. Even the small pond you will be fishing may have trout so there is a good chance you'll catch one.

Good luck and enjoy yourself.

 

[Cmp1]

Grab a inexpensive blue black chatterbait with a gold blade from Wally World,,,,you'll get a bass,,,,grab a KVD chartreuse buzzbait while your at it,,,,

 

[TampaDiesel]

Tampa,
Sorry to hear about your dad. My best memories are fishing with my dad too. No better way to spend time together.

I agree with AH that simple is better. I personally fish mostly ultralights and usually catch fish. I typically use 4Lb. test line. I enjoy the fight of the fish.

I would suggest light line with some some ultralight crankbaits like a rapala ultalight shad. I usually direct tie and and do not use any snaps or clips due to them changing the way the small lures swims. Like AH said, a fresh nightcrawler under a bobber with a #6 hook would also catch some bream in the lake. Due to the warm weather morning and evening should be best.

If you get bored sitting at the lake you could also go over to Owltown Creek right there east of Ellijay on Owltown Road. It is a trout stream that the state stocks with trout. The creek is easy to get to. The easiest way I fish for trout is the smallest bobber you can find with a small split shot and a No. 8 mosquito hook. Put a cricket on there and work your way upstream fishing deep holes in the creek. The trout will be in the deepest or darkest holes. Most of the time with a good pair of polarized sunglasses you may be able to see them holding in the stream. Everybody has their preferred bait but I like crickets. Some sware by corn, powerbait trout worms, rooster tails etc. Georgia has a great website that shows you trout stream locations and which ones are stocked. Simply google Georgia Trout Fishing and the DNRs' website will come up.

I think the gas station on the corner Highway 76 and Old Highway 5 has bait but it has been a few years.

Do not forget to get your trout stamp along with your fishing license. Even the small pond you will be fishing may have trout so there is a good chance you'll catch one.

Good luck and enjoy yourself.

Thank you! It's been about 4 years now, but I take solace that everytime I'm out there fishing he's with me (and probably laughing at my misfortunes haha).

Thank you so much for the detailed info as well. I currently have my "light rod" outfitted with 15lb braid though, nowhere near 4. Yikes, I should be ok though, right? Thanks for the Owltown Creek idea also, I might change it up if I get bored.

Also huge thanks for the trout stamp reminder. I knew to get a license while there, but didn't think about this. Definitely want to be legal and respect the laws and land.

 

[TampaDiesel]

Thank you all so far who commented. I really appreciate the local tips.

 

[bfriendly]

Sorry for your loss Tampa. I grew up in Bradenton just south of the bridge and fished Tampa bay many a times. I grew up hitting and getting run out of local golf course lakes any other lake I could get to.....a Texas rig red shad culprit was always on the ready. It so different up here in fresh water, but another go light tackle recommendation here. 15# braid should be thin enough I’d think. But you can tie on a fluorocarbon leader if you wish. BTW-ANYTHING in the water will eat a night crawler under a bobber or I like to rig them on a small 1/16 oz jig......hook one time thru, don’t try to hook it more than once. If anything, break a big fat one in half.
I’d definitely spend a day and try the streams for trout with a small inline spinner. FYI- stores are not getting much of anything right now so maybe start looking at your local Wally World or order off eBay etc....get some baits before you get here!
While your here, pay attention to the woods. There is a good chance you may see deer, a bear, some hogs etc... Don’t forget your sidearm just to have it. Enjoy the whole thing cause you are gonna be in some BEAUTIFUL north GA woods!
Good luck brother and we look forward to hearing from you while you are up here.

 

[deerpoacher1970]

Don't try to fish rainbow lake it it private lake.

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

Hi Derek! I spent a little time in the Tampa area myself, Bradenton to be exact, I lived there from 2002 to 2008. Great place to fish and live!

Pick up some Panther Martin Spinners, #2s and #4s, I like the yellow body with black dots and silver blade, skirted.

You may want to look into a little smaller rod and reel than you currently have, 8' spinning rod, like others have said, 4lb line is best.

Early mornings and late evenings are going to be the best times to fish this time of year.

 

[TampaDiesel]

Sorry for your loss Tampa. I grew up in Bradenton just south of the bridge and fished Tampa bay many a times. I grew up hitting and getting run out of local golf course lakes any other lake I could get to.....a Texas rig red shad culprit was always on the ready. It so different up here in fresh water, but another go light tackle recommendation here. 15# braid should be thin enough I’d think. But you can tie on a fluorocarbon leader if you wish. BTW-ANYTHING in the water will eat a night crawler under a bobber or I like to rig them on a small 1/16 oz jig......hook one time thru, don’t try to hook it more than once. If anything, break a big fat one in half.
I’d definitely spend a day and try the streams for trout with a small inline spinner. FYI- stores are not getting much of anything right now so maybe start looking at your local Wally World or order off eBay etc....get some baits before you get here!
While your here, pay attention to the woods. There is a good chance you may see deer, a bear, some hogs etc... Don’t forget your sidearm just to have it. Enjoy the whole thing cause you are gonna be in some BEAUTIFUL north GA woods!
Good luck brother and we look forward to hearing from you while you are up here.

I know "Bradentucky" well

Thanks for the rec for nightcrawlers. I really need to pickup some to have on hand while there if I'm a bust on lures. Do they sell nightcrawlers at Wallyworld up there? There is no live bait sold in Tampa at any retail stores. I live right next to a baitshop, and it seems to be a national thing too right now; the shrimp yields have been very poor here during the Summer months. The boaters buy them all out in the early hours since the yields are small. One of the bait guys told me they've gone from 20k shrimp a day down to 4k or so. For example it's noon and they've been sold out for hours.

I do have plenty of freshwater lures from rooster tails, crank baits, soft baits, and shads. I'll be giving those a try and see what's successful as well. I just really hope there's fish in this lake, haha.

I need to look up the gun laws. I'm staying at a vacation rental, so I *think* that's private land? I'm only up there for 3 nights, so not sure how much hiking I'll do, but I do have a .45 1911 and would consider carrying it in the woods if it's not illegal there. Thanks for the input.

 

[TampaDiesel]

Don't try to fish rainbow lake it it private lake.

I'm glad you told me, thank you!!!

 

[TampaDiesel]

Hi Derek! I spent a little time in the Tampa area myself, Bradenton to be exact, I lived there from 2002 to 2008. Great place to fish and live!

Pick up some Panther Martin Spinners, #2s and #4s, I like the yellow body with black dots and silver blade, skirted.

You may want to look into a little smaller rod and reel than you currently have, 8' spinning rod, like others have said, 4lb line is best.

Early mornings and late evenings are going to be the best times to fish this time of year.

Hello there, nice! As I told bfriendly, then you're well familiar with the local term "Bradentucky" haha. It's actually a nice area I've been there a few times, but not to fish. I usually only head that way for conventions or if I'm headed to the Skyway to pier fish.

I don't have the exact Martin spinners brand, but I do have a lot of roostertails and some with spoons. At least from my experience, trout love them!

Well, I got a beefy pole for salt, but I'll only bring that in case of disaster on all my other poles.

I picked up a Shimano Sienna 2500 a few weeks ago (it's a little over 6'). I have 15lb braid on that. I also just bought a Penn 3500, with 20lb braid (about 7') but that will be my primary salt now. I have a backup Shakespeare Cirrus (it's over 10 years old and seen better days) but that one has 10lb braid on it. Both the 10lb and 15lb are very thin though (even the 20lb).

I'm hoping the Cirrus (10lb) and Sienna (15lb) will do the job well, I think they should, even if the braid is a little heavier than what you all normally fish in the 8lb mono/braid arena. *I hope so at least*.....worst case I might bring a spool of 8lb up there, but since I just had 2 spooled for me, I'm really trying to avoid respooling down (as you can tell from my resistance haha).

 

[Cmp1]

I also lived in Tampa for about 3 yrs,,,,loved it and the Cuban sandwiches,,,,good ol Gandy Blvd,,,,what was the hurricane that hovered off Tampa Bay for days? Fished off the bridge many times,,,,

 

[TampaDiesel]

I also lived in Tampa for about 3 yrs,,,,loved it and the Cuban sandwiches,,,,good ol Gandy Blvd,,,,what was the hurricane that hovered off Tampa Bay for days? Fished off the bridge many times,,,,

Hey Cmp! I just had a Cuban sandwich today! It's on the top of the list of things people miss when they leave here

Well, how far back are we talking? Elena in the 80's kept coming back around and sat out in the bay, but luckily due to our location, there haven't been many hurricanes "up the gut" recently. There was the year Charlie and 4 others criss-crossed Florida in different spots, and two years ago one went over Tampa but luckily was only a Cat 1 when it came through. After living here almost 40 years, all the names and years start to blend together, sorry!

The "Old Gandy Bridge" segment has been closed off for years now, it was deemed unsafe and falling apart (which everyone thought was bull and was mad at the decision). The actual "current" Gandy bridge is so busy and small, no one can fish from it without risk of dying, and breaking the law, lol.

 

[Cmp1]

Hey Cmp! I just had a Cuban sandwich today! It's on the top of the list of things people miss when they leave here

Well, how far back are we talking? Elena in the 80's kept coming back around and sat out in the bay, but luckily due to our location, there haven't been many hurricanes "up the gut" recently. There was the year Charlie and 4 others criss-crossed Florida in different spots, and two years ago one went over Tampa but luckily was only a Cat 1 when it came through. After living here almost 40 years, all the names and years start to blend together, sorry!

The "Old Gandy Bridge" segment has been closed off for years now, it was deemed unsafe and falling apart (which everyone thought was bull and was mad at the decision). The actual "current" Gandy bridge is so busy and small, no one can fish from it without risk of dying, and breaking the law, lol.

It was in the late 80s,,,,used to fish off the bridge,,,,caught several sail cats, one ugly fish,,,,I really liked Tampa,,,,I was at Macdill,,,,
There was a little dive restaurant at Gandy and West Shore Blvd, had the best steak and cheese hoagies,,,,and definitely a great seafood restaurant on West Shore Blvd, can't remember the name though,

I was stationed at Macdill,,,,

 

[TampaDiesel]

It was in the late 80s,,,,used to fish off the bridge,,,,caught several sail cats, one ugly fish,,,,I really liked Tampa,,,,I was at Macdill,,,,
There was a little dive restaurant at Gandy and West Shore Blvd, had the best steak and cheese hoagies,,,,and definitely a great seafood restaurant on West Shore Blvd, can't remember the name though,

I was stationed at Macdill,,,,

I was born on MacDill AFB The restaurant I believe you are referring to that was off Westshore and a little south of Gandy was Jimmy Mac's. That's been closed for about a decade now. From what I understand the old man who owned it/opened it passed away, and they packed up shop and reopened in NC I believe?

 

[Cmp1]

I was born on MacDill AFB The restaurant I believe you are referring to that was off Westshore and a little south of Gandy was Jimmy Mac's. That's been closed for about a decade now. From what I understand the old man who owned it/opened it passed away, and they packed up shop and reopened in NC I believe?

Thanks,,,,

 

[Buck70]

Bryson City is where Jimmy Mac's is now.