Fannin County
4.9 stars on Google, 165 reviews · from $400 · Toccoa launches 15 to 30 minutes from Blue Ridge
In Blue Ridge you're already at the front door. The Toccoa tailwater runs past town, Noontootla Creek is up Forest Service Road 58, and Bowman's private water is within an easy drive.
The Toccoa
The Toccoa below Blue Ridge Dam is cold all year because the water comes from deep in the lake, and it fishes in every season. Bowman's floats put one or two anglers in a drift boat or raft while the guide rows and holds the boat on the best water.
Launches are 15 to 30 minutes from town depending on the section. A half day is $425 per boat and a full day with lunch is $575.
The river changes when TVA runs the dam's single generating unit and the flow rises fast. Guides plan the float around the release schedule, so you don't have to. More on the Toccoa River page.
Three waters
| Water | From town | The trip |
|---|---|---|
| Toccoa tailwater | 15 to 30 minutes | Drift boat floats, from $425 per boat |
| Noontootla Creek | About 30 minutes up FS 58 | Wild browns, artificial lures only, 16-inch minimum; from $450 |
| Etowah private water | About 45 minutes | Wade trips on private water, from $400 |
Locals and visitors
Two kinds of people, mostly. Locals who fish book technical days, often on Noontootla, to learn water they haven't cracked. Visitors renting a cabin for the weekend book the float, because it's the easiest way to see a lot of river in one morning.
Questions
15 to 30 minutes from town, depending on which section the guide picks for the day.
Yes. The tailwater stays cold below Blue Ridge Dam, so Bowman runs floats in every season.
A small wild-trout creek on the Blue Ridge WMA, about 30 minutes from town up Forest Service Road 58. Georgia allows artificial lures only there, and trout under 16 inches go back.