Guide to fishing the Coosa River

GI'r N2oo.62.
~ Guide To
C.1o
Fishing The
oAtlanta
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GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
WILDLIFE RESOURCES DIVISION FISHERIES MANAGEMENT SECTION 2070 U.S. HIGHWAY 278, S.E. SOCIAL CIRCLE, GA ]0279
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General Information

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No reclPr0c81 Igreement Is if! effect between Georgia and Alabama regarlfll'lll fishing and licensing f&gula\kln$
on the CooN RIver. Anglers must foIow 1M regulatlonl and possess a valid license for whatever state they are

\.,

currenlfy wiINn.

Fll.h COrllJUmption advisories are ., eft'ect $or Ihe Coosa. Oo5lanaula. iJt'd Etowah riveB. Refer to the
GeorgIa Span. F1sI'ing RegiJalions patnPt*t for mote
""""'lion.

Anglef's shoI.*I haYfl ~ ~ navigating the ITllItn Coosa RiYet at low flows. However Mayo',; Bar l.odt and Dam Is llenetaly considered impassible. Take ~r~ the backwlolers,; they are shalbw and lui of stumps. Etowah and OostaNlula rivefs are be'St approached wi a shI!loW-<lrafi boal. especially during Ihe Sl.IlTVTIef low

__Key to_Boat-Ramps
~ Montgomery Landing - Floyd County

~ River Road - GADNR

~LOCk and Dam Park - Floyd County

~HeritagePark - Floyd County

~Hjghway 140 -GADNR

~Highway 156 - GADNR
!l'fj Highway 136 CON. - GADNR
~ Highway 225 - GADNR

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CalTlpg.-o.und Guide

~ lodIlItld o.m Pllltl Carnwoood
.. (706-2345001) Tent. RV, open year-fOlMld.

~ Rocky Moo.wrUoIn Recreation and Public FislW1l AlU

i

.. (706-802-5081) Tet'f. R\I. open year-<T.lU'ld.

~ James H."Sloppy" Floyd State Pari< .. (106-i7-<l826) Tert. RV. open yea<-fllmd.

i i

j

~ Hidden Cfeek Campground USFS

(706-636-1085) no utilities. open seasonal~.

~ The Peekal Campground' USFS ... (706~38108~)no util~ies. open seasQnally.

Legend

~ Launching Ramp

~

Camping Area

U.S.lGA Highway

Paved County Road
............. Unpaved Road

"
Adairsville
River

_.. _or _ """ .. "'" '" '" .." ~ tIding trips ~

J.agemouth bass, spct!9d bass, cn:1 ~ bass ow Ilijif sought alB'" species J1 the Coosa sysen. For

~

;,s, ""'" """"', _ , ard _

.....

<YOlIld faIen bees <n::I brush pies. Spol:B:j bass prejar ~ waE!r and can be b.n::l near mall channel rocky bri:s, shoals, <nl aeek. lT1Ol.JUls. .iJs and aali<bals <W good ~ U spols. Fa lie redeye bass, ~ shabN shoal wa\9f and 1Jb.rtary

aeeks with small plugs, especially topwalers.

The Coosa FWer is U cI catfish. eg btJe ~ dI<nleIs mt:s. and IaIheads are fao.OOes 'Nfl ar.;jlers, aIhough

smaIer-5zed b!Aleads an:! willi! callish are also wrmon. Catfish v.ei;tCg more than 40 bs. are not mxmnon To ayet ~

eats, fish Mol or 0Jt bai on botklm ., deep holes. 8U!s and lIaheads prei!r M! bat, an:! channel eats wi til prey b eiI'er.

0uIsDe becxis are good pIaa!s il~. AIhoojl callish can be cau11l aI year, the best ftshrg oo::us dt.rrg tie warmer monIhs.

Use heavy tadde with alleast 20 b.1ine due 10 yourquany'S large size and the numerous snags in the river.

~ f9dear Sldtsh (st1ebader1. ald tabeast Slnftil are also fao.OOes wiIh bcaI <WlQ1ers. Peak fisI'WlQ aD..IS il lhe bE! spriYJ and SlflYI'lE!f. For btJegI ;;n:I S\el)aJo;a, target podcetS ci sII waEr ard backwaEr sloughs WI1 cmas om

woons ished IJrler a txiiler. Good bets b" riDaIs <We &naI beeIe spi\s, tIXlSIer tais, arxl poppi'Ig bt.gs (on a It rOO). Re:b'east can be c:al.9't usi1g tie sane ~ tuI prei!r deep roes Wih shon:!h! crNef il t1e man riIoer d1arnlt The

Closli:Ilal.Ia <n::I EMoah rives ale f1e best dri:es b" Ri'ICtrnast, YAE blJegI ard shel:racket are more o:mnoo n the sb.qls

nearthe state line.

crcwe The bM!t Coosa FWer is exa3Iefi ~ fGtW1g. Bell lJIad( ;n;1 ~

as P'esert. blt the Mo spedes <We

nea ~ ;nj are calSi::leied as ale t1)' most argIetS. ~ ishi'"g is t9Vf seasonal. wt'l the best itW'g
tR'lg place n he o:x:t!r malhs. FID'Tl Nc:M:!nte' kl Febuary, tI'get d1<meI a:tJes n he tlad<waB" sbJ;tts near Ile staE ft

by 6shrg a We rninJN or ~ down deep, or by sk::Mt)' lrDIi1g a speed d ~ crappie jJs. Crawie can be caujt on e>oe'l Ile

ootjest clays, bLt the ishing is best O'l suny aIEmoollS a cn.pe d days 00 a w.mW1g nn::I. ()m the waEf begns b W3fTTI,

sma. crappie ha\Ie ~ on flef" riId In:l begi1 b moYe ilb shabN trtler. Th6 is be easiest 1iTle cI yea il cat1l a mess d
fish for the liyilg pan. Targel shallow brush with We bait 0( jgs in the sloughs or the mail channel.
W1en the MIle bass are l'l.I'I1i1g is many <WlQEf's faIaE i'ne d yea on the Coosa FWer. These saappy mem::.ers

"""* d the Bnp!l'* bass firit ale great f91Bs em can easiy be cau;tIl i'I r'lJT'tlels YA1ie hey are rnaIoi"g dlei" tpsIrean

spawrWlg mgam i'I ea spmg. W1en Ile waEr ~ cirrtls <txm 50 cIet;pees, SWl bd<i1g i:lr

bass il aeek

ma.ihs, bebN shoals. <n:I on :s<n:t; bi:ncs wih o::rver aI l.P <n:I doMI lie Coosa sysaTl. A 1M oz. 1J Yit'I a pIasIi: glb is an

"""* exreIenl. dO:E. I/Ibk lie jg fJoNtf bad!: aD1g tle IxllIom an::l b:! ready i:lr a hard sbice. ~ on tle curent. a ~ jg

may be recpeel. The

bass rtr'l my lasts a Ew weeks bJt ca'l be fanlasIic f5m;j. The bg fer'naes are <A!n b.m a ~

deeper than the smaler males, so keep thai in mind as you make your presentation.
~ bass are an l.P and ~ fishefy on tle Coosa fWer. This rrm-.e species has been wi:Ietj stxXed il fi'esh

waS as a management kloI kl <::or*OI ~ prey aoo provije a ~ fishefy. In very Ew places across the a::urtJy
a does a Ii'esI'?Nai!r sysi!m meet the spawnrg leQlftments sIrped bass; b1.na~, the Coosa FWer is one d rose places aoo ~ are reprtdJci'g and on the i'lcrease. Sb1Jers are ~Iy hard fghm and eastt goN kl O'oe'" 20 bs. I.Na bail,
b9 pt.Jgs, and hea'.y buddai ;gs are al d:!dive on sblJed bass. Silce!hey are aWays on the rT'\O'.e boki'lg b" brage. fr1cfrg

the fish is usuatj hatder than ca~ Itlem. ~ the spri'Ig, expect the fish kl b:! heDlg t..'er on lhei" spav.Tl0fl rngrmn and
a stagng bebN lhe shoals. Ater the spawn, the fish dispelse unti the heat Sl.J"I1ITlef btes !his 0XlI-waIer species kl search b"

the most ambtabIe waler !hey can fnd. 5ean::h i:lr deep holes, spri'Ig heais, and sprrg.fecI 1rtlutary creeks tk:MY'g i'lto the

(

BE AN Ell-iICAL ANGLER

Ethical anglers fish responsibly and consider the rights of others. They portray a positive image and help protect and

conserve our natural resources. Be an ethical angler, the future of fishing depends on it.

Ethical anglers:

know and obey the fishing regulations. report violations and ponulion.
keep only the fish they can use and carefully release others so they will survive. pass on I!le IJadmon by ~king achid 1ish..~J.
'-

appreciate the environment by notlillering, dispose of fishing line property, and leave a plare cleaner than they found it
show courtesy to others, lend a heping hand whenever possbIe, and aways ask pennission to fish on private property.
don' transfer fish or plant species between bOOies of water,. norHlative species can adversely affect exislilg populations.

The Coosa Riverbegils its bng journey to the Gulf of Mexi:::o i'l doYmtotm Rome, Georgia, at the cxrloerKE d the Etowah
an::! Ooslanaula rf..oers. On the k:Mer eoo, A1abana P<mefs
LaI<e \f1Je5s mpounds lhe river, and i'l the ~ readles d lhe waErshed. lhe Cotps d Engi'leers' fl.laklona and Car'ers reser.uis orer line fishi1g opportuniles. Frcm is 1'eadwaBr"
trout sIrea'ns kl the line bass and aappE fishilg bJnd i'l lhe backwai!r sloughs ci the bwer river. Ile Coosa Bash is ore of
the most ecOOgi::aIj di.erse wamheds il George. The
Coosa Basil has a rictl asserrtlIage d aqualC species, i'ld.J:Ii'lg marti i:sted as Ihrea'ened or erdardefed and bJnd
no where else i'l f1e 'M:lltI. ArY;j1efs ca'l fnd an aDJrdance a

-bass, ....,". "bas"s", "_ '" _ """"''"""". ', ._ ...... -b.as,s., .".".-".".""
crappe, while bass, sIrped bass, dlameI catfish, t*Je c3ish,
v.iiIe caIish ard ftaIhead caflsh. The Coosa RM:lr i'l Georgia
is Lril't.e bec.ause i is one ci tle rtw places i'l the a:JlOy

serous .... _

'""'" bass '""""""" _ . Tho

Coosa Basi'l has faced

chaIenges kl its heaIh ftom

jXll.rIDn i'l past years, bti as ~ gai"I a beIer u idelslai l(i lQ cI

Ie rM!I's ~ kl cu dati M!s. 00i dIol6 are

beghillQ n ~ SeYetaI Ialrdl rarfllS drer boa&1g

aa:ess. AI. Sl.ITVTlE!f toNs. the Et:M<rI ard Closl<nal..tl are
best navgaBf i'l a CMOe or snail Pin boat dLe kl tle

numerous rocXy shoals.

lJ trlip Ch~iSt

Boats and booze <b nd rOO:! It is ~ n ~ a boat
under the i'lftuence of drugs or alcohol.

Be.v<w'e d hyp::lhmlia. Even on batny days. M ~ drenching can lead to bss of consciousness and death. GaTy a rrst ai:::I kI, i'lSed repeIent, SU'ISCJ'eel'I, exira dolhilg, plenty offood, and drinking walef'.
Each person on board must have a readily accessible U. S.

Cool """" (USCG) _

""""'" """"" deW:e (We

rvjad<el). Ead1 -.esse! must b:! eq.JWed wih at East ore Type
(fm:1NabIe) deWE. /vroj cnit:l under age 10 who is on boa'd

must wear an appropriately sized USCG appro-.e::l Be jadr.et at

all times while the boat is moving.

Boals pcmered by o::rnbustibIe fuels must be equpPed YIitl a USCG approved fire extinguisher.

Make sure yr boat registraOOn and Iishilg Ii:Ense ale current (carry your license and registration card with you).

Ched< your boat traier i;hts, navtgaOOn i;hts. and fuel befc(e
leaving home.

Be aware of and abide by all fishing regUlations. Have a lIoal plan (at.vays ten someone where you are goirg and when you expect to be back)

For more Information, contact: Wildlife Resources Division 312 N. River St" N.W. Calhoun, GA 30701 (706)-6291259

~.Is/ " ....lD f''''

Printed 2000

T. I. P. (Tum In Poachers) To report gameffish law violations or 10 report
fish kills or hwntous spills:
1-800241-4113 Can tol free