Toccoa River Hellbender

[RyanGriswell]

I caught this hellbender on the lower Toccoa River at my best friend’s cabin about a mile downstream from the Curtis Switch Bridge in Mineral Bluff, GA on November 22, 2011. I caught it out of the same exact hole I caught the 23 inch rainbow trout out of. This is the 2nd hellbender I have caught out of the river. I caught one about two years before but I didn’t take a picture of it. This one I caught was about 15 inches long. My friend’s grandfather had that property up there since he was a teenager and was telling us how long ago there was catfish in the river, and I knew I wasn’t going to catch one but I thought I would try any way. So I wanted to get some bait I knew the trout, hornyheads, and perch wouldn’t touch. Me and my friend had originally been up there deer hunting and I shot a deer the day before and we had an abundance of deer meat. So I took a big chunk of deer meat and baited it up and threw it out hoping to catch a catfish. I let the line sit out there about an hour when I noticed something was slowly running with the line. So I set the hook and if felt something on the line but it just felt like deadweight and I thought I had hooked a limb or something. But when I got it to the shore I knew what it was. I didn’t even hook it, it just managed to wrap is self-up in the line. I then untangled it and put it in the cooler to take a picture of and watch it for a minute then I let it go. The reason I’m posting this stuff about the hellbender and trout is not to brag, but to show proof that the river is not completely destroyed after the TVA screwed it up. The Toccoa is my favorite river to fish in, I’m just as mad as everyone else about what happened to it, so maybe these pictures will offer some hope to the people who love this river as much as I do.

 

[xs5875]

very cool...was he docile? or eager to wriggle away?

 

[TNWalker]

Nice! I had one a little smaller nearly swallow a trout on my stringer a couple of years ago on Coopers Creek...Weird looking creature for sure!

 

[RyanGriswell]

It squirmed and tried to bite me when i grabed out of the water but if you hold them gentle and not squeeze them they will be calm. when i put it in the cooler it walked around some.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Don't see as many of those as you used to-every creek around here used to be slap full of them. They're not a bit friendly, and can give you a pretty good nip. I've seen a couple over the years that were at least two feet long.

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

I've seen a couple over the years that were at least two feet long.

I ran into one of those on the Saluda in SC when I was a kid, scared the fool out of me. I had no idea what it was.

 

[Alan in GA]

seen 'em....

We used to camp at Mr. Long's campgrounds, about 12 miles from Blue Ridge up the Toccoa River. When we cleaned trout at the river's edge it would spook the heck out of us [me : O] when these hellbenders would crawl up to where we were stooped over gutting the trout. Something eery about these creatures! I think they are protected if I remember right.
...and yes, I put on a wet suit and snorkeled the river there at the campgrounds just to see what I could find.

 

[mtr3333]

Cool!

 

[Flaustin1]

Word of advise. Dont see your first ever Hellbender after a boxfull of Bud Lights.

 

[Alan in GA]

and....I've seen a trout about 10" long sticking halfway out of one's mouth! I think they must eat a LOT of trout! I know the owner of the campground did NOT like these creatures....but would not say what he did if HE found them! : )

 

[NCHillbilly]

and....I've seen a trout about 10" long sticking halfway out of one's mouth! I think they must eat a LOT of trout! I know the owner of the campground did NOT like these creatures....but would not say what he did if HE found them! : )

My cousin caught one once and put it in a washtub full of water. It hacked up about an 8" rainbow and a horneyhead.

 

[BT Charlie]

The dude on River Monsters caught one; I just got a glimpse of it the other day. He called it a skenk I think. Said it was a salamander. They hey footage of it feeding. Very cool -- lightning speed, inhales prey.

What is a hornehead?

 

[AlanShort]

Alan I camp at that same campground a couple times every year. Last year on opening weekend I was cleaning my trout at the last campsite and one came up and tried to snatch a trout out of my hand. It was the biggest one i had ever seen. My reaction was to stab it but then I netted it. A guy that camps there with us every year told me it was endangered so I put it back real quick. They move really slow but are lightning fast when they strike. Put it back went back to my stringer and another one about 10-12 inches had my stringer carrying them away. I had to go in after it and then it came back. Dont seem afraid of anything. The first one was over 20 inches long. Lance a -hornyhead is just a small sucker fish. Wish I still had the pick but it was on a phone that got busted

 

[Alan in GA]

That last camp site by the little creek and river where they meet is a choice site!
Yes, that's exactly where we were. Our Sunday School teachers all used to go on May 1st and we would occupy just about that whole far section over the small bridge.
Those Hellbenders give me the creeps! That's also where I doned a wet suit and mask/snorkel to have a look around,,,but in BROAD DAYLIGHT so the monsters would still be mostly hiding under rocks. Ugly creatures for sure.
Also, I remember first nights at those sites....finally getting into the tent and sleeping bags, and thinking, "Ok, somebody turn the river off" the water was great noise, but it was hard to get used to it the first night anyway.
PS-someone said the restaurant downriver [Toccoa River Rest.] burned???!

 

[AlanShort]

yes it was burned down back in march. Cant remember what caused it though

 

[AlanShort]

By the way Herman long passed away last year. His daughter and her husband run the place now. He was a distant relative to me. It's funny mentioning trying to catch catfish out of the river. Herman used to tell us stories of catching catfish from there along time ago.

 

[TroutManJoe]

Those ara cool critt

 

[TNWalker]

Now that you guys mention it, the one that had my trout wasn't the least bit afraid of me either. For some reason I knew that they were endangered and ended up giving him the trout that he had nearly swallowed...didn't feel like eating that one myself after that anyway

 

[Lukikus2]

Now there's something you don't see everyday. Thanks for sharing.

Don't see as many of those as you used to-every creek around here used to be slap full of them. They're not a bit friendly, and can give you a pretty good nip. I've seen a couple over the years that were at least two feet long.

I've seen a couple 2 footers that came out of the Coosa River. Strange for sure.

 

[germag]

Now that you guys mention it, the one that had my trout wasn't the least bit afraid of me either. For some reason I knew that they were endangered and ended up giving him the trout that he had nearly swallowed...didn't feel like eating that one myself after that anyway

They are not Endangered in Georgia. In fact they are pretty common in some parts of their range.They are protected, but that's different. Every non-venomous reptile or amphibian is protected in Georgia except some frogs and turtles.