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Buford Dam to Morgan Falls. 40+ miles of year-round trout water through metro Atlanta. The river tops out around 12 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
The drawn water covers 1,108 acres wrapped in 71.9 miles of bank. With a shoreline index of 15.4, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. The whole water is littoral — nothing here runs deeper than ~15 ft, so it's all weed-and-bait territory. Call it 21.9 mi long by 7 mi wide at the broadest reach. Fulton County claims this one. If the bite dies, Lake Allatoona is 24 mi to the west.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: brown trout in 1 to 12 ft. The depth story barely changes: 4 to 12 ft through summer, 2 to 12 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Current seam (mile 6.2), a current seam in the 7 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for after dark and early morning. Summer baits: a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Northridge Lake Dam tailrace (10 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | night & dawn | Current seam (mile 6.2) (7 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 2 to 12 ft | dusk & dawn | Northridge Lake Dam tailrace (10 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 2 to 12 ft | dawn | Northridge Lake Dam tailrace (10 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
When the water first warms, rainbow trout slide up into 3 to 12 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 3 to 12 ft, winter 2 to 12 ft. Start at Current seam (mile 6.2). It's a current seam holding about 7 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 6.2) (7 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 6.2) (7 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 6.2) (7 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 2 to 12 ft | dawn | Current seam (mile 6.2) (7 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
The chart marks 35 structure features on Chattahoochee River; the deepest is Buford Dam tailrace at about 10 ft.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Georgia waters are set by the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources — and special regulations can apply to Chattahoochee River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Georgia fishing regulations →
Chattahoochee River is about 12 ft (4 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target brown trout, rainbow trout on Chattahoochee River.
Current seam (mile 6.2) is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For brown trout, the summer bite is best in after dark and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Chattahoochee River is regulated by the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources. Check the official Georgia regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Lake Allatoona 24 mi · Lake Lanier 24 mi · Carters Lake 45 mi · Jackson Lake 52 mi · Blue Ridge Lake 53 mi · Lake Nottely 59 mi · Lake Conasauga 60 mi · High Falls Lake 61 mi · Lake Rabun 65 mi · Lake Burton 66 mi · Lake Chatuge 68 mi, GA/NC · Lake Oconee 68 mi
See how Chattahoochee River stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Georgia
Browse all Georgia fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.