BY THE NUMBERS
1.1 Feet that Lake Allatoona is above normal pool level
1.5 Feet that Lake Lanier is above normal pool level
33.06 Inches of rainfall in Atlanta through June 10
Memories of past drought years are fading fast in metro Atlanta. The rainfall total for the year going into this week was 11.33 inches above the 30-year average.
Flash-flood warnings issued for the week only promised to add to the region’s abundance of water.
How does all this wet weather impact fishing? There are obvious effects and some that are subtler.
The most easily seen short-term effect is most anglers simply stay home when it rains. Fishing trips are washed out, and you don’t catch fish when you’re not on the water.
The abundance of water has more long-term effects on the fish. Many anglers fear that high rushing waters on the Chattahoochee River will sweep the stocked trout downstream.
Trout do move during high water. But, these fish are strong swimmers and just as likely to instinctively head upstream. Bigger trout often are found in the upper reaches of smaller mountain creeks after high water periods.
Fish in streams and rivers are not particularly affected by high water, unless record-level floods occur.
Bass, bream, catfish and crappie in lakes Allatoona and Lanier take advantage of higher water levels. Water flooding surrounding brush, weeds and woodlands adds to the habitat for these fish.
Catfish of all sizes forage in the flooded areas. Bream and other smaller fish also move into the inundated areas to feed. The flooded vegetation offers cover to protect them from predators as well.
Those predators, such as bass and crappie, follow the smaller prey fish into the flooded region.
The bottom line is high water can be a bonanza for fish in lakes and reservoirs. More and better-fed fish are available to anglers once the waters recede.
The next time heavy rains spoil your planned fishing venture, think of it as preparation for better times ahead, rather than just a ruined day on the water.
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