5/6 Toccoa Report

[Buck Henry]

I fished Curtis Switch this morning with pretty good success. I got there bright and early at sunrise and started catching fish almost immediately at the bridge area. I was using a new copper wire / bead head soft hackle fly that I tied last night and it was killing them. My Flash Nymph was also catching fish as usual. Every fish I caught today was with sub-surface hardware.

They must have stocked recently, cause there were quite a few keeper size fish hanging out in the pools. I caught 20 around the bridge area, then moved down to the boat launch area for awhile. I had OK success down there, but I moved back up near the bridge to catch a few more before I left at noon.

All in all, I landed 35 fish, with the majority being in the 10 to 12 inch range. Every now and then you still catch one of those fingerlings, but they are becoming less prevalent than in weeks past.

Y'all be cool!

[Dusty]

Could you please furnish directions to the Curtis Switch area. I've never fished the Taccoa and would like take the wife up there. Is the wading pretty easy?
Thanks
Dusty :)

[gacoach]

found this searching earlier threads:

Curtis Switch Directions – ***Take 515 [blue ridge to blairsville] to the 60 intersection and go toward Mineral Bluff. Pass through Mineral Bluff toward Copper Hill. A few miles past Mineral Bluff you will come to the Hothouse Creek Bridge. Turn left before you cross the bridge and stay on that road until you come to the river. Before crossing the bridge turn right and there's public access and parking.

[Buck Henry]

Could you please furnish directions to the Curtis Switch area. I've never fished the Taccoa and would like take the wife up there. Is the wading pretty easy?
Thanks
Dusty :)


Dusty, the wading is easy at Curtis Switch. You can put in right at the bridge and fish a good chunk of water. If you go down the gravel road that parallels the river, there is a boat launch area with public parking where you can also wade.

Concerning directions, I will be hard pressed to provide detailed instructions as I do not know any of the street names for the route that I take. Steepcreek and I figured out this way to Curtis Switch using a GPS and mapping software, and I regret that I never have taken the time to write down the street names or distances travelled!

I do not go the way that Coach posted, but rather I stay on the main drag (Highway 5 / 76) through the town of Blue Ridge. Just before I get to where the highway crosses the river at Tinamen Park, there is a traffic light that I go left at (there is a Murray's gas station on the right side of the road at this light). I follow that road until it crossses the RR tracks. At the stop sign just past the train tracks, I take a right and follow this road for quit a few miles until I come to another stop sign. I take right at this intersection and the Curtis Switch bridge is less than a mile down at the bottom of the hill. Take a left right after you cross over the bridge and that is where the public parking is and also the gravel road that leads down to the boat launch area.

I hope this helps. Fishing the Toccoa at Curtis can be a lot of fun, but the area does see a decent amount of fishing pressure. Your success is someone dependent on when the fine folks at the DNR have stopped by with the stocking truck. If you really want to experience the magic of the Toccoa, then a float trip is the way to go!

[Bassman]

Buck Henry, you a good man for giving out great fishing info with directions. Sharing info like this is what this site should be for. Maybe some day we can hook up and fish. BTW do you have a pontoon float? I'm looking to do a trip. :)

[Buck Henry]

Bassman,

Thanks for the kind words. I beleive in the "abundance mentality" (hat tip to Steven Covey!) and thus am always willing to share info! Now, Dusty will still have to figure out on his own where the holes are at Curtis Switch that the trout like to hang out in! :)

I have a float tube (still never been used!) and a canoe. The only problem with floating the Toccoa is that it is pretty much an all day affair to float from either the dam to Curtis Switch or Curtis to Mcaysville! Hard to find the time to do it, but one day I will!

Ciao,

[Fishin' Mortician]

Lurch and I floated the Toccoa on Saturday from the Dam down to Curtis Switch. Although I fish this river alot, it was the first time either of us had floated it. What a beautiful river!! We used a variety of flies, dry, nymph and streamer, and caught fish but the most fun was had on #16 EHC when a hatch started and the fish were coming out of the water. All in all, I caught 10 fish between 12"-15" and he caught 15 or so as well. For those who have not floated the Toccoa, a word of advice...a canoe or kayak will make your life easier and plan on spending an entire day. We put in at 8AM and pulled out at 3:30 and passed on alot of fishing trying make a time deadline.

[Lurch]

trust me rowing a toon through the slow water with the wind blowing upstream will kill ya!!!! I know the river was lower than normal is it easier in a toon when the water is a little higher? say maybe 3 or 4 inches?