That's the way I go in too. It's roughly a little over an hour for me from Athens but there's not another place I know anywhere close where you can catch 100+ yellow perch, giant spotted bass, and trout in the same place. It's worth the drive to me. I can be on Chickamauga lake in a 30 minute drive from my house and would rather fish the Ocoee river system lakes 10 to 1.
I go in that way, too. But, once off Hwy 68 it is a winding back road and easy to make a wrong turn if you are not familiar with the route.
Tumbling Creek runs into Ocoee Lake #3. I used to call that Ocoee Lake #3 "The Perch Hole" because of all the yellow perch in there. Many years ago that lake was very difficult to access. I usually had the place all to myself. Then, it was "discovered" I went in there one day last year and there were so many cars and trucks parked along that one-lane dirt road that there was nowhere for me to park. Two guys coming in off the lake yelled at me saying: "Hey we caught over 200 perch. Do you want some fish?"
Well, if you didn't want them why in the @##! didn't you throw some back? I was so pissed and disgusted that I haven't been back there since then.
Two years ago a man disappeared there. His kayak, life jacket, and fishing gear were found. The lake was dragged for his body. But no sign of him was ever found. A police officer told me that they think he may have gone down in some quicksand.
The search crews improved the one-lane road to get in there, although it is still just one-lane. Now the access is a little easier for all the yahoos.
Anyway, the Hiwassee River is probably the best trout stream in Tennessee south of the Great Smokey Mountains. From the railroad bridge at Reliance upstream to the powerhouse is probably the best area to fish for rainbows and some browns. The water level is controlled, however, by the powerhouse. I like to fish low water when the powerhouse is not generating electricity. Usually early morning or late in the evening. You can wade then and reach some pretty good holes. But, you have to be careful because when the powerhouse opens the gates the water rises very quickly.
A few years ago I was standing on a rock near mid-stream and having a good time catching rainbows, when I suddenly noticed I was ankle deep in fast moving water, and that water was rising fast. Always wear a lifejacket even while wading on that river. That time I had to swim out!
At high water the Hiwassee is a roaring white-water river. Fishermen in drift boats, and white-water canoes and kayaks do well there in the high water times. I have both a white-water canoe and a kayak, but I prefer the canoe because it is easier for my creaky old bones to get into and out of.
For smaller waters, Spring Creek comes into the Hiwassee from the north, not too far upstream from the Gee Creek Campground. Spring Creek is stocked with rainbows from time to time during the winter and early spring, but I don't know the schedule.
