what is the best way to monitor the hootch water levels?

[fish_ahoy]

i know a lot of the members here are big hootch fisherman.i was just wondering how a newbie to the area would know what "safe" levels are on the hootch for wading? i want to fly fish but i also like to use spinning tackle also.

i regard to water levels should i be looking for a target number that would be considered the maximum safe level? what sites should i be using for monitoring. are there different sites i need to go to for all the different access areas or is there one site where i would see the different water levels of multiple access areas?

i guess what i would want to also know if possible is which of the access areas(by name) lends itself to safer wading more than some of the others and are there any wading area access points where a beginner would be best off and where he doesn't have to monitor the water levels or are there any areas not affected by water releases at all.i'd appreciate the names of the access areas if you have a suggestion.

sorry for the ignorance. i just wanted to start fishing the hootch but would really love to have an easy access area or two where i wouldn't have to be constantly monitoring water levels and dangerous wading for a beginner.and i definitely don't want to bite off more than i can chew. at least in the beginning until i become more familiar with the river.

any help from those anglers experienced and familiar with the hootch would be greatly appreciated. thanks in advance for taking the time out to help in any way. i just don't know where to start fishing on the river.

[Blueridgeflies]

I don't know really all the flow numbers and that type stuff. But here is one phone number to save in your phone and to always have with you.
770-945-1466 It is the number to call in order to check releases from buford dam. Definitely a number that you want to have with you.

[fish_ahoy]

Originally Posted by Blueridgeflies

I don't know really all the flow numbers and that type stuff. But here is one phone number to save in your phone and to always have with you.
770-945-1466 It is the number to call in order to check releases from buford dam. Definitely a number that you want to have with you.

blueridge,

thanks for the number. do you know which areas are affected by the buford dam releases?

[Blueridgeflies]

If I remember right the dam affects at least down to the Medlock Bridge, and Jones Bridge area. This is just what I remember though, someone definitely correct me if I am wrong about this.
The guys that will be able to tell you best are the river rats, or some of the guys in the NGTO navy

[fish_ahoy]

Originally Posted by Blueridgeflies

If I remember right the dam affects at least down to the Medlock Bridge, and Jones Bridge area. This is just what I remember though, someone definitely correct me if I am wrong about this.
The guys that will be able to tell you best are the river rats, or some of the guys in the NGTO navy

thanks i hope others will share their thoughts

[Swamp Angel]

The Buford Dam releases affect the 'Hooch in a BIG WAY all the way down to Bull Sluice Lake where Morgan Falls Dam slows everything down just a bit.

I know the following link gets posted frequently, but here it is again. It beats having to search a thousand million threads for it. It's a chart of the time it takes for the water released from Buford Dam to crest and recede from several points along the river between Buford Dam and Morgan Falls. Keep in mind, though, that the water starts increasing in flow significantly and for quite a while BEFORE the crest arrives. If there is any release at all I generally try to avoid fishing anytime within two hours of the crest once I get below the HWY 20 Bridge. Even in a boat I don't like being on the river in even a "small" release.

'Hooch Flow Rates During Releases

Another link to have that'll give you a good idea of what the Corps of Engineers has planned is:
http://water.sam.usace.army.mil/

Scroll down to the bottom of the page and look at the next to last item in the right-hand column under the heading "Generation Schedules." The schedules are posted in Central Time so add one hour to figure the planned scheduled release for Eastern Time. But don't rely on this as an absolute, because the Army is an arm of Uncle Sam, and thus things frequently change and go off on a tangent for no apparent reason, so be sure to CALL the number provided before you actually get out on the water. Unscheduled releases WILL TAKE PLACE on frequent occasion and only a phone call will let you know what is going on FOR SURE at any given time.

By the way, the flow rates given on the COE link are in mW/h of electricity generated. The minimum flow rate is 7, and anything higher than that constitutes a dangerous condition on the river.

Hope this helps a little.

[fish_ahoy]

Originally Posted by Swamp Angel

The Buford Dam releases affect the 'Hooch in a BIG WAY all the way down to Bull Sluice Lake where Morgan Falls Dam slows everything down just a bit.

I know the following link gets posted frequently, but here it is again. It beats having to search a thousand million threads for it. It's a chart of the time it takes for the water released from Buford Dam to crest and recede from several points along the river between Buford Dam and Morgan Falls. Keep in mind, though, that the water starts increasing in flow significantly and for quite a while BEFORE the crest arrives. If there is any release at all I generally try to avoid fishing anytime within two hours of the crest once I get below the HWY 20 Bridge. Even in a boat I don't like being on the river in even a "small" release.

'Hooch Flow Rates During Releases

Another link to have that'll give you a good idea of what the Corps of Engineers has planned is:
http://water.sam.usace.army.mil/

Scroll down to the bottom of the page and look at the next to last item in the right-hand column under the heading "Generation Schedules." The schedules are posted in Central Time so add one hour to figure the planned scheduled release for Eastern Time. But don't rely on this as an absolute, because the Army is an arm of Uncle Sam, and thus things frequently change and go off on a tangent for no apparent reason, so be sure to CALL the number provided before you actually get out on the water. Unscheduled releases WILL TAKE PLACE on frequent occasion and only a phone call will let you know what is going on FOR SURE at any given time.

By the way, the flow rates given on the COE link are in mW/h of electricity generated. The minimum flow rate is 7, and anything higher than that constitutes a dangerous condition on the river.

Hope this helps a little.

thanks for those links they are very helpful. do you know what the figures would be in the whitewater area?

[Counslrman]

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ga/nwis/rt

Find a dot near Atl and read which station it represents...click and go to table with graph...


TA-DA!!

Jimmy

[djblankenship]

the paces mill area (dh section) is usually good for wading. Not sure how it's fishing now that its getting hot, i haven't been in about 6 weeks. Even w/ high water u can still work the bank and have plenty of room to work up to the bridge and even further.

alot of ppl don't like to fish when the water is high/murky but in my personal experience the fishing is still good (you just can't wade out that far). im to the point where i dont even chk the water level/turbidity half the time; i mean if i have the day to fish i know i'm going either way so i'll just chk it when i get there

it takes time to learn areas of the hooch, but its a great fishery and the most convenient for most of us.

[djblankenship]

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ga/nwis/uv...**************

this is the link for paces. you can look at other places by going to the hooch forum and clicking the sticky. it will also have the turbidity there.

impirically the levels tend to be lowest on sundays and monday, not sure why