Conasauga River Fishing
Murray County and 3 other counties, designated trout water.
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Quick look at the Conasauga River
NHD mapping traces the Conasauga River, a river, through Murray County and 3 other counties. Its Georgia mileage on the NHD comes to roughly 81 miles. Eton is the nearest Census town, about 8 miles from the mapped midpoint. It carries Conasauga Canoe Trail along part of its length.
Trout designation covers close to 21.7 miles. Live readings arrive from 3 live gauges.
For the trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 The state forecast for the Conasauga River
WRD biologists publish a forecast covering the Conasauga River; it is quoted below.
“From its origin deep within the Cohutta Wilderness Area of Fannin County downstream to its confluence with the Coosawattee River, the Conasauga extends about 95 miles through rural north Georgia and southern Tennessee. Along the way, the Conasauga changes from a small clear trout stream at its headwaters to a big lazy river.”
On the Conasauga River, WRD favors Trout, Black Bass, Bream, and Catfish.
| Species | WRD prospect (quoted) |
|---|---|
| Black Bass | Black bass fishing is considered fair, with Alabama, largemouth, and redeye bass all available to anglers fishing this river. |
| Catfish | Blue and channel cats account for the bulk of the catfish population, but fair numbers of moderately-sized flatheads are present. Blue cats average 20 inches and 2 1/2 pounds, while channel cats typically measure around 14 inches and 1 pound in size. |
| Bream | Redear sunfish (shellcrackers), bluegill, and redbreast sunfish are available to anglers. Lesser-known species like spotted, longear, and green sunfish are also relatively abundant in the river. |
| Trout | The upper river reach of the Conasauga in the Cohutta Wilderness Area is home to both rainbow and brown trout, though rainbows are far more abundant. Rainbows and browns generally range from 5-10 inches, with the occasional brown trout approaching 20 inches. |
| Other Species | Freshwater drum, smallmouth buffalo, carp and a variety of suckers are common in the river. Drum are likely the largest and most abundant of this group and average 12-inches in length. Some thicker-bodied drum topping the 20-inch, 5-plus pound mark are also available. |
Georgia WRD fishing forecast (Fishing Forecast – Conasauga River), updated February 9, 2026. Full forecast.
Trout water on the Conasauga River
Georgia keeps designated trout water open all year, with a daily limit of 8 trout (brook, rainbow, brown and hybrids) statewide.
Trout rules WRD prints for the Conasauga River
- Only artificial lures may be used from November 1st to the last Saturday in March each year.
Designated trout water needs the $10 resident trout license (nonresidents $25) on top of the Georgia fishing license ($15 resident, $50 nonresident).
WRD Trout Fishing layer (designated trout streams) and the 2026-2027 Georgia Hunting and Fishing Regulations trout section. Georgia trout streams.
What anglers catch in the Conasauga River
Georgia sources link these species to the Conasauga River.
WRD Water Access Points species flags, WRD trout layer and forecasts.
What the Conasauga River gauges read right now
Current discharge and height for the Conasauga River, from USGS.
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Conasauga River At Ga 286, Near Eton, Ga | 78 cfs, 2.63 ft gage height | Nov 12 2:00 pm |
| Conasauga River At Tilton, Ga | 196 cfs, 2.63 ft gage height | Nov 12 2:00 pm |
| Conasauga River At Sloan Bridge, Below Dalton, Ga | -0.09 ft gage height | Nov 12 2:00 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 12, 2026 2:33 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
Ramps and put-ins on the Conasauga River
WRD maps no ramp on the Conasauga River; anglers wade in from public land and road crossings where allowed.
- Conasauga River (Headwaters)bank fishing area
- Conasauga River WMAbank fishing area
Canoe and kayak trails on the Conasauga River
- Conasauga Canoe Traildeveloping, 8.3 mi
WRD Water Access Points, Georgia water trails layer, USGS gauges.
Daily creel and length rules for the Conasauga River
Exceptions for the Conasauga River printed in the 2026-2027 Georgia Hunting and Fishing Regulations come first.
| Water as printed | Rule |
|---|---|
| Conasauga River | Artificial lures only (and its tributaries (except Jacks River watershed) upstream of the Georgia-Tennessee state line); it is unlawful to possess any other type of bait. Artificial lures only from Nov. 1 through the last Saturday in March of each year. Fishing hours 30 minutes before sunrise until |
| Species | Daily limit and size | 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 |
| Walleye | 8 | Open all year |
| Pickerel | 15 | Open all year |
| American and hickory shad | 8 | Open all year |
Limits from the 2026-2027 Georgia Hunting and Fishing Regulations guide; every Georgia limit on one page.
Spots by the Conasauga River
Lakes that pair well with the Conasauga River
- Murrays Lake9 miles
- Conasauga Lake11 miles
- Fort Mountain Lake14 miles
- Peeples Lake16 miles
Gear and bait a short hop from the Conasauga River
- Discount Sporting Goods & Tackbait and tackle shop, Dalton, 12 miles
- Academy Sports + Outdoors, 865 Shugart Rdsporting goods store, Dalton, 14 miles
- Boats & Motors Of Dalton Incbait and tackle shop, Tunnel Hill, 14 miles
- Water 2 Woods Outdoorsbait and tackle shop, Ringgold, 17 miles
- Brown's Ferry Marinamarina, Rossville, 24 miles
Nearby towns for a the Conasauga River trip
- Eton8 miles
- Varnell8 miles
- Cohutta8 miles
- Chatsworth11 miles
Neighboring creeks and rivers of the Conasauga River
- Wildcat Creek, Whitfield County4 miles
- Spring Creek, Whitfield County6 miles
- Mills Creek6 miles
- Coahulla Creek7 miles
the Conasauga River, county by county
- Murray County
- Whitfield County
- Gordon County
- Fannin County
A Piscifun reel lineup for the Conasauga River
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Know what you hooked at Conasauga River
Photo: USFWSmidwest, Public domain
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Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
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Photo: Bclegg77, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Stevo2011, CC BY-SA 4.0
Before a float or wade on the Conasauga River
What part of Georgia holds the Conasauga River?
It flows across Murray County, Whitfield County, Gordon County and Fannin County.
Do I need a trout license on the Conasauga River?
It holds about 21.7 designated miles.
Does USGS run a live gauge on the Conasauga River?
USGS runs 3 USGS gauges; values are above.
Where do anglers launch on the Conasauga River?
None mapped by WRD.
Are striped bass rules different on the Conasauga River?
Conasauga River: Artificial lures only (and its tributaries (except Jacks River watershed) upstream of the Georgia-Tennessee state line); it is unlawful to possess any other type of bait. Artificial lures only from Nov. 1 through the last Saturday in March of each year. Fishing h
Can a nonresident fish the Conasauga River?
Designated trout water needs the $10 resident trout license (nonresidents $25) on top of the Georgia fishing license ($15 resident, $50 nonresident).
Where are crickets sold near the Conasauga River?
Drive 12 miles to Discount Sporting Goods & Tack.
What might a Georgia angler hook in the Conasauga River?
Listed: largemouth bass, channel catfish, bluegill, rainbow trout, spotted bass and redeye bass.
Which Georgia town makes a handy base for the Conasauga River?
Use Eton, roughly 8 miles off.
A float on the Conasauga River starts here
Read the posted rules and check the river level.