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For the trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 $79.99
Chattahoochee River 268 mi
Photo: John Phelan, CC BY 4.0 
Lake Hartwell 28 mi
Photo: Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0 
Tallulah Falls Lake 12 mi
Photo: Fredlyfish4, CC BY-SA 4.0 
Tallulah River 13 mi
Photo: Thomsonmg2000, CC0 1.0
Georgia counties
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Fishing in Habersham County, Georgia
Seat: Clarkesville. Population 46,031 (2020).
- 4lake pages
- 4launch sites
- 29trout streams
Pick for troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Chattahoochee River: Mccunicano, CC BY-SA 4.0
Habersham County, Georgia
First things to know about Habersham County
County offices for Habersham County sit in Clarkesville; for shop listings the site places it in Northeast Georgia. Its land area is 277 square miles and its water area 2.2; the 2020 count was 46,031 people.
Lake pages exist for 4 waters in the county, 1,031 acres in all, led by Lake Tugalo. WRD maps 4 public launch sites in the county, 2 lanes counted where the layer gives lanes. Most are run by U.S. Forest Service. About 248.4 miles of designated trout water run through 29 county streams. WRD lists delayed harvest water on Chattahoochee River. The DNR lists 2 piers and bank sites here for fishing from shore.
4lake pages
4launch sites
29trout streams
1shop or marina
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Lakes and launches across Habersham County, plotted
Georgia DNR WRD Water Access Points, CRD coastal layers and WRD waterbodies, checked October 2026.
Lakes
Habersham County lakes
| Lake | Acres | Type | Ramps | Fish listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Tugalo | 600 | reservoir | 1 | largemouth bass, spotted bass |
| Lake Yonah | 330 | reservoir | 2 | largemouth bass, spotted bass |
| Lake Russell, Habersham County | 95 | lake | 1 | largemouth bass, channel catfish |
| Nancytown Lake | 6 | lake | 1 | largemouth bass, channel catfish |
WRD waterbodies and reservoirs layers, NHD areas, WRD access point species flags and WRD fishing forecasts.
Streams
Creeks and rivers through Habersham County
- Chattahoochee Riverriver, 83.7 trout miles, 24 ramps
- Tallulah Riverriver, 13.5 trout miles
- Middle Fork Broad Riverriver, 12.5 trout miles
- North Fork Broad Riverriver, 3.9 trout miles
- Soquee Riverriver, 20 trout miles
- Tugaloo Riverriver, 0 trout miles
- Toccoa Creekstream, 5.2 trout miles
- Panther Creek, Habersham Countystream, 15.8 trout miles
- Nancy Town Creekstream, 3.7 trout miles
- Right Fork Soquee Riverriver, 8.6 trout miles
- Little Panther Creekstream, 8.3 trout miles
- Raper Creekstream, 7.5 trout miles
- Sautee Creekstream, 7.3 trout miles
- Cedar Creek, Stephens Countystream, 5.9 trout miles
- Davidson Creekstream, 6.2 trout miles
- Shoal Creek, Habersham Countystream, 6.5 trout miles
- Liberty Creekstream, 5.7 trout miles
- Left Fork Soquee Riverriver, 5.2 trout miles
- Mauldin Mill Creekstream, 4.3 trout miles
- Rogers Creekstream, 3.6 trout miles
- Oakey Creekstream, 3.4 trout miles
- Goshen Creekstream, 3.3 trout miles
- Middle Prong Left Fork Soquee Riverriver, 1.9 trout miles
- North Prong Left Fork Soquee Riverriver, 1.1 trout miles
Cold trout creeks running through Habersham County
Trout miles in the county: 248.4, on 29 streams, 5 of which get heavy stocking on some segment.
- Alley Creek2.7 trout mi, near Tallulah Falls
- Horse Creek2.6 trout mi, near Tallulah Falls
- Amos Creek2.1 trout mi, near Clarkesville
- South Prong Goshen Creek2 trout mi, near Helen
- Amys Creek1.9 trout mi, near Clarkesville
Gauged streams in Habersham County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Chattahoochee River Near Cornelia, Ga | 264 cfs, 0.35 ft gage height | Nov 9 11:45 pm |
| Chattahoochee River Near Leaf, Ga | 136 cfs, 1.53 ft gage height | Nov 9 11:45 pm |
| Soque River At Ga 197, Near Clarkesville, Ga | 91 cfs, 3.69 ft gage height | Nov 10 12:00 am |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 10, 2026 12:33 am ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
WRD Trout Fishing layer (designated trout streams), checked October 2026.
Trout waters
Habersham County in the trout destinations table
In the guide trout table the county has 10 entries, and the trout license applies to every one.
- Amy’s Cr. watershed upstream from GA Hwy 17
- Chattahoochee R. watershed upstream from GA Hwy 255 crossing of the Chattahoochee R
- Liberty Cr. watershed
- Middle Fork Broad R. watershed
- Nancytown Cr. watershed upstream from Nancytown Lake
- North Fork Broad R. watershed
- Panther Cr. watershed
- Roberts Branch watershed
- Soque R. watershed upstream from the mouth of Deep Cr
- Toccoa Cr. watershed
2026-2027 Georgia Hunting and Fishing Regulations, trout streams and destinations by county.
Ramps
Ramps and put-ins found in Habersham County
- Hwy 115 Boat RampChattahoochee River, carry-in launch, fee
- Lake Russell Boat RampLake Russell, 1 lane, dock, fee
- Nancytown Lake Boat RampNancytown Lake, carry-in launch, fee
- Yonah CampgroundLake Yonah, 1 lane, dock, restroom
Fishing piers the DNR maps in Habersham County (2)
- Panther Creek (North)bank fishing area, Panther Creek
- Soque Riverbank fishing area, Soque River
Georgia DNR WRD Water Access Points.
Stocking and records
What WRD stocks and the records from Habersham County
In 2026 the WRD trout lists carry 4 rows for the county.
Habersham County on the WRD stocking schedule
| Water | Schedule or date |
|---|---|
| Nancytown Lake* | Stocked four times from March-August. |
| Panther Creek | Stocked twice each month from April-Labor Day. |
| Raper Creek | Stocked twice each month from April-Labor Day. |
| Soque River | Stocked weekly from April-July 31st, then twice before Labor Day, and once in |
WRD 2026 Trout Stocking Frequencies and Weekly Stocking Report; WRD freshwater and CRD saltwater record lists.
Regulations
Listed waters of Habersham County
| Species | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Black bass (all species combined) | 10 in total, only 5 of which may be Altamaha, Bartrams, Chattahoochee, Coosa, Shoal, Smallmouth, Suwannee, Tallapoosa | Open all year |
| Largemouth bass | Counts toward 10 black bass total; minimum length 12 inches statewide (exceptions on listed lakes and PFAs) | Open all year |
| Spotted bass | Counts toward 10 black bass total; no statewide minimum length (14 inches on Lake Lanier) | Open all year |
| Shoal bass | Counts toward 10 black bass total (only 5 may be shoal and other listed bass); minimum length 15 inches statewide (Flint River below Warwick Dam slot) | Open all year |
| Smallmouth bass | Counts toward 10 black bass total; only 5 of the 10 may be smallmouth and other listed bass; no minimum length | Open all year |
| Striped, white and hybrid bass | 15 in total, only two of which can be 22 inches or longer | Open all year |
| Crappie | 30 | Open all year |
| Bream (sunfish) | 50 in total | Open all year |
| Catfish | No limit | Open all year |
No zones split Georgia freshwater, so Habersham County uses the statewide rows unless a water is listed.
Listed waters touching Habersham County (7)
| Water | Rule |
|---|---|
| Chattahoochee River (Buford Dam to Peachtree Creek) | Trout fishing hours 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset; night fishing not allowed. |
| Chattahoochee River (Columbia Lock and Dam to GA Hwy 91 bridge) and tributaries | CLOSED to striped bass fishing and spear fishing from May 1 – October 31 each year. |
| Chattahoochee River (GA Hwy 20 to Medlock Bridge) | Artificial lures only (from GA Hwy 20 to the boat ramp at the National Park Service Medlock Bridge Park immediately upstream of GA Hwy 141); it is unlawful to possess any other type of bait. |
| Chattahoochee River (Sope Creek to US Hwy 41) | Section: from Sope Creek (off Columns Drive) downstream to US Hwy 41 (Cobb Parkway). Delayed harvest: from Nov. 1 – May 14 annually all trout must be released immediately and only artificial lures with one single hook per lure may be used and possessed (droppers allowed if each lure has one single h |
| Lake Richard B. Russell | Striped bass or hybrid bass or combination: 2 per day, only 1 may be over 34 inches (includes all tributaries; Russell Dam to Hartwell Dam and Lake Secession Dam). Georgia-South Carolina agreement water. |
| Tugaloo Lake | Georgia-South Carolina agreement water: see the Georgia-South Carolina border waters chart (white bass 10, trout 5, bass 10 with 12-inch largemouth minimum, walleye/sauger 8, aggregate game fish 40). |
| Yonah Lake | Georgia-South Carolina agreement water: see the Georgia-South Carolina border waters chart (white bass 10, trout 5, bass 10 with 12-inch largemouth minimum, walleye/sauger 8, aggregate game fish 40). |
2026-2027 Georgia Hunting and Fishing Regulations (effective July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027), statewide limits and listed exceptions.
Local help
Local tackle in Habersham County
Habersham County tackle and bait
- Blackhawk Trophy Flyfishingbait and tackle shop, Clarkesville
Habersham County guide services
- Blackhawk Fly Fishingfly fishing guide, Soque, Clarkesville, (706) 947-3474
Nearby
Within reach of Habersham County
Habersham County communities
- Corneliapop. 4,503
- Baldwinpop. 3,629
- Raoulpop. 2,803
- Demorestpop. 2,022
- Clarkesvillepop. 1,911
- Mount Airypop. 1,391
- Tallulah Fallspop. 199
Counties beside Habersham County
- White County12 miles west
- Stephens County15 miles southeast
- Rabun County19 miles north
- Banks County20 miles south
- Towns County22 miles northwest
Piscifun
Piscifun reels to rig up for Habersham County
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In pictures
Scenes from the water around Habersham County
Photo: John Phelan, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Fredlyfish4, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Thomsonmg2000, CC0 1.0
Answers
What visiting anglers wonder about Habersham County
Which ramps serve Habersham County boaters?
4 public launch sites in all, 2 lanes recorded.
Which lake covers the most acres in Habersham County?
Lake Tugalo, at 600 acres.
Does Habersham County have designated trout streams?
248.4 miles on 29 streams, all needing a trout license.
How many black bass can I keep in Habersham County?
Georgia allows 10 black bass a day, largemouth 12 inches or longer, barring listed exceptions.
Which stores in Habersham County carry fishing gear?
Blackhawk Trophy Flyfishing is one of 1 on the list.
Which guide services call Habersham County home?
1 guide or charter give the county as their base.
Can I fish a state PFA in Habersham County?
No Public Fishing Area is in the county.
Which city hosts the government of Habersham County?
Clarkesville hosts the courthouse.
What does a fishing license cost for Habersham County?
Georgia asks anglers 16 and older for a fishing license: $15 for residents and $50 for nonresidents, each good for 365 days from purchase. Designated trout water needs the $10 resident trout license (nonresidents $25) on top of the Georgia fishing license ($15 resident, $50 nonresident).
Tow the boat to Habersham County
Open a ramp for lanes, operator and directions.