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The Wild & Scenic Chattooga on the Georgia-South Carolina line. Rainbow, brown and native brook trout in a remote whitewater corridor. The river tops out around 8 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. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Chattooga River maps at 1,750 acres behind 91 miles of shoreline. With a shoreline index of 15.5, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. Nothing on this chart breaks 15 ft, which makes the whole surface littoral: weeds, bait and ambush cover everywhere. Call it 27.4 mi long by 5.5 mi wide at the broadest reach. It sits in Rabun County. If the bite dies, Lake Rabun is 16 mi to the southwest.
Early season rainbow trout use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Even in summer they hold at 2 to 8 ft; winter keeps them in 2 to 8 ft. Put Current seam (mile 16.7) first on the milk run — a current seam near 4 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 16.7) (4 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 16.7) (4 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 16.7) (4 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | dawn | Current seam (mile 16.7) (4 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Spring puts brown trout in skinny water — 1 to 8 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 2 to 8 ft, and winter fish hold in 1 to 8 ft. Current seam (mile 16.7) is the standout, a current seam at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for summer brown trout. Plan around after dark and early morning in the warm months. A spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | South Carolina Noname 37026 D-1631 Dam tailrace (7 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | night & dawn | Current seam (mile 16.7) (4 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 1 to 8 ft | dusk & dawn | South Carolina Noname 37026 D-1631 Dam tailrace (7 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 1 to 8 ft | dawn | South Carolina Noname 37026 D-1631 Dam tailrace (7 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Spring brook trout on Chattooga River hold shallow, usually 1 to 8 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 2 to 8 ft in summer, 1 to 8 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Current seam (mile 16.7) — current seam, 4 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 16.7) (4 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 16.7) (4 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Current seam (mile 16.7) (4 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 1 to 8 ft | dawn | Current seam (mile 16.7) (4 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Structure-wise the chart holds 18 features, led in depth by South Carolina Noname 37026 D-1631 Dam tailrace at roughly 7 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 Chattooga River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Georgia fishing regulations →
Chattooga River is about 8 ft (2 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 rainbow trout, brown trout, brook trout on Chattooga River.
Current seam (mile 16.7) is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For rainbow trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Chattooga 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 Rabun 16 mi, GA · Lake Jocassee 18 mi, SC/NC · Lake Keowee 18 mi, SC · Lake Burton 19 mi, GA · Lake Hartwell 28 mi · Lake Chatuge 31 mi, GA/NC · Nantahala Lake 31 mi, NC · Nantahala River 34 mi, NC · Davidson River 37 mi, NC · Fontana Lake 43 mi, NC · Lake Nottely 47 mi, GA · Santeetlah Lake 47 mi, NC
See how Chattooga 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.