Background:

History of Trout in North Georgia: Mountain streams in North Georgia are at the
southernmost range of three different species of trout in Eastern North America:
Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), brown trout (Salmo trutta), and brook trout
(Salvelinus fontinalis). While brooks are the only native species in the East, rainbows
and browns were introduced centuries ago from the Western US and Europe,
respectively. These two invasive species breed faster and are generally more
aggressive than the brook trout and thus have displaced their niche in the streams
ecosystem (Minnesota DNR). These beautiful, strong fish have become very popular
in the eyes of sport fishermen as large industry of fishing gear and guide rentals has
infiltrated the relatively isolated southern Appalachian Mountains.

Fly Fishing: As the sport of trout fishing has caught on, the art of fly fishing has
become the generally preferred method of catching the fish. Fly fishing itself is the
practice of using a fly rod and reel to cast a fly (an artificial lure that is tied from hair
and cloth to mimic an insect or other prey item) into the water in an attempt to trick
the fish into biting. What separates this style of fishing from standard rod-and-reel
technique is the fact that the weight of the relatively small fly typically does not have
ample enough mass to carry itself and the line through the air far enough. (Losee,
2012) To compensate for this, fly rods utilize a very thick synthetic line and a
completely different set of casting techniques to put the lure in its desired location.

Trout Behavior: When fishing for trout, it is important to note that they are
ambush predators. They wait at the bottom of the stream, concealed under rocks
and other structures. They lie at the bottom of the stream where the water is
moving most. Therefore, in order for a fish that is ready to hunt to see a prey item
(artificial fly), the fly must be drifting naturally down the ripples of the creek. Very
seldom do fish hunt in still water. There are many known factors to contribute to the
activity and willingness to bite of trout, particularly those in wild mountain
streams. Temperature is generally a very large factor in trout activity. While the fish
thrive in colder water than bass, they are still ectothermic organisms and slow down
substantially during the winter (Georgia DNR). Weather patterns are also a large
factor, as well as barometric pressure. Usually a drastic change in weather (such as a
front moving through) will turn fish off for a few days. Water clarity is very likely to
affect the fishs behavior. The increased visibility that coincides with clear water
makes the animals much more wary and unwilling to expose themselves in order to
get prey. The fish can also be picky about what they eat. Generally, wild trout follow
natural hatching patterns of insects and will eat accordingly. If a fly looks to be out
of season they will likely not take it. Trout fishermen must be knowledgeable about
all these factors in order to be successful.

Flies: Fly fishing itself is highly dependant on the fly (lure) in which the fisherman
uses. There are different types of flies that each achieve a certain purpose. Dry flies
are representative of adult winged insects that float on top of the water. These are
usually more successful in the late spring and summer, when their live counterparts
are leaving their larval stages are breeding. Nymphs are generally less intricate flies
that sink and either drift through the current or drag across the bottom of the
stream. These are generally used in the winter and early spring, when most aquatic
insects are still in their submerged larval form. (Lucee, 2012) Since this testing took
place in early April, a standard Prince nymph was used (Craven). This commonly
successful lure was the only fly used throughout every test in order to eliminate
prey variability.

Casting Techniques: There are multiple casting techniques involved in fly fishing.
For the purpose of this experiment, false casting and roll casting will be utilized.
False casting is the act of flicking the desired amount of fly line back and forth with
the rod until the line is fully extended above the desired area to cast to. Once the line
is extended through the air upstream, allow the line to drop. This places the fly in
the desired location. Roll casting is more simple and will be utilized more frequently
in a small mountain stream. Cast forward by a single, rolling motion with the rod,
flinging the line several feet upstream (Losee, 2012). As the lure drifts back down,
recast with another roll of the line. This is much more useful in environments with
heavy foliage or a small water area to cast into.

Noontootla Creek: Noontootla Creek is a small mountain stream in eastern Fannin
County, Georgia, close to the Gilmer line. The creek is a tributary to the Toccoa
River, a part of the Tennessee River system. Noontootla flows through a federal
wildlife management area that has not been stocked with trout since the 1960s.
Every fish in the water is wild and behaves accordingly. Due to the relatively low pH
level of the stream (approximately 6.4), the water does not sustain large hatches of
insects (Georgia DNR). This makes fishing there much less dependent on your fly
and more on environmental factors (such as time of day).

Research Question: How will the time of day affect the activity level (willingness to
accept prey) of wild North Georgia trout?

Hypothesis: If the time of day is later in the evening, then trout will be more prone
to hunt and be active.


Materials:

Access to a wild trout stream. (Noontootla Creek, Blue Ridge Wildlife
Management Area)
3 weight fly rod and reel.
Fly line (weight forward, 3 weight, floating), leader (7-1/2 tapered), and
tippet (6x). All these items can be pre-tied together prior to fishing trip.
At least 10 Prince nymphs (size 12)
Waders
Waterproof notebook and pen
Small pliers
Fingernail clippers

Procedure:

1. From the Hardees in East Ellijay, GA, turn left across the bridge.
2. Turn right onto GA 52 East and continue for roughly 6 miles.
3. Turn left onto Big Creek Road by the Dollar General.
4. Stay on Big Creek Road until it makes a sharp turn to the left. Continue
straight onto Doublehead Gap Road.
5. After about 18 miles, the road will turn to gravel. Continue straight.
6. Turn right onto FS 58.
7. Continue up the road into the Blue Ridge Wildlife Management Area.
8. Arrive at Noontootla Creek on the right.
9. Park at the desired pull off. (fishing location should remain constant
throughout the entire experiment)
10. Take out fly rod parts (2-4 pieces) and attach the ends together.
11. Screw reel on to the cork handle at the bottom of the rod.
12. String the line (with leader and tippet attached) through the guides
(rungs) of the rod.
13. Pull sufficient line out the end of the rod to make it easier to tie on the
fly.
14. String the end of the tippet through the rung at the head of the Prince
nymph. Pull back and twist the thread around itself, making a loop.
15. After the loop has been made and secured by multiple rotations, slip
the end of the tippet through the loop itself. This creates another loop.
16. Go back through the loop that was just created. Wet the tippet (with
saliva or water) and pull the knot to make it tight.
17. Use fingernail clippers to cut off excess tippet.
18. Put on waders.
19. Walk to the desired portion of the creek and get in, making as little
disturbance in the water as possible.
20. Using the roll casting technique (and occasionally a false cast if tree
space allows) fish up the stream.
21. Cast upstream, aiming into ripples in the water. Allow the fly to drift
down in as natural of a fashion as possible.
22. Watch closely for fish.
23. If a fish rises toward the fly, bites at the fly without fully taking it, or
follows the fly through the water, take notice.
24. Document any action observed toward the fly in waterproof
notebook.
25. If the line either stops or moves against the current, set the hook by
lifting the end of the rod up into the air in a short flicking motion.
26. If a fish is on the hook, pull in excess line with your fingers and reel in
the specimen.
27. Remove the fish from the hook with the set of pliers and record the
data in the waterproof notebook.
28. Fish for several hours. Once it is about midday, get out and wait until
the day progresses.
29. In the late afternoon/early evening, go back into the creek and repeat
steps 10-19.
30. Go back to Noontootla Creek at least three more times and repeat
both testing periods.

Data:


Trout Activity Sightings by Time of Day in April
(Caught Fish, Bites, Hits, Rises, and Jumps)

April 5, 2014 April 6, 2014 April 13, 2014 April 25, 2014
Morning 0 4 11 12
Evening 0 7 15 10



Average Number of Trout Activity Sightings by Time Period Per Day
(Morning/Evening)

Average
Morning 6.75
Evening 8.00













0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Evening
Morning
Total Activity Percentage
Morning (46%)
Evening (54%)
Trout Activity Sightings By Time of Day in April
Days
Number of Sightings
(Caught fish, bites, hits, rises, and jumps)


Chi Squared Analysis
O: Observed Data
E: Expected Data
Degree of Freedom: 1
Level of Significance: 0.05

Day 1 (April 5, 2014)
O E (O-E) (O-E)^2 (O-E)^2/E
Morning 0 0 0 0 0
Evening 0 0 0 0 0

X^2: 0

Day 2 (April 6, 2014)
O E (O-E) (O-E)^2 (O-E)^2/E
Morning 4 5.5 -1.5 2.25 0.409
Evening 7 5.5 1.5 2.25 0.409

X^2: 0.818


O E (O-E) (O-E)^2 (O-E)^2/E
Morning 11 13 -2 4 0.308
Evening 15 13 2 4 0.308

X^2: 0.616


O E (O-E) (O-E)^2 (O-E)^2/E
Morning 12 11 1 1 0.091
Evening 10 11 -1 1 0.091

X^2: 0.182

Total: 1.616, which is less than 3.84 (the critical value for 1 degree of freedom at
0.05 significance).

Null Hypothesis: There will be no significant difference between the two time
periods tested each day.

Analysis:

On Day 1, there were no fish caught or seen in either time period. Day 2
proved to have higher activity levels, with four fish observed in the morning and
seven in the evening. Day 3 of testing had the most activity, with eleven fish
observed in the morning and a total of fifteen in the afternoon. Day 4 had the
opposite result of Days 3 and 2, with twelve observations in the morning and ten in
the evening.
In order to check the significance of the data, a Chi Squared analysis was
taken. With a degree of freedom of 1 and a critical value at 0.05 significance of 3.84,
the null hypothesis was accepted. There was no significant variance in the two time
periods throughout the days tested.

Conclusion:

According to the data from the 4 test days at Noontootla Creek, the
hypothesis can be rejected. From a strict day-to-day observation, trout activity was
higher in the evening 2 out of 4 times. If one eliminates day 1 (when no fish were
caught) due to an outside variable, it appears that trout activity generally increases
during the evening. The overall average of fish observed is also slightly higher
during the evening. Ultimately, however, the Chi Squared analysis gives the most
mathematically sound method for finding any significant variance in the average
amount of trout activity between the two time periods. The slight variation between
the time periods could be caused by an array of natural variables such as amount of
fish in each section of the creek, overall quality of moving ripples for the fish to hunt
in, or any small weather changes that could have occurred during each period.
Overall, it appears that the activity levels of trout in wild North Georgia streams is
more dependent on day-to-day variables in environment than time of day.
There were several sources of error worth noting in this lab. As with any field
experiment, there are many variables that cannot be compensated for in the
experimental design. The first (and likely the most significant) of these is weather.
While consistent weather during testing days was sought after, there were still
differences in temperature, clarity, and barometric pressure. Changes in water
clarity and water levels both play significant roles in fish activity, but could not be
eliminated for the sake of the experiment. Although Noontootla Creek seldom has
significant single-species insect hatches due to its acidity, there is still the possibility
that the trouts preference in flies changed during the course of the experiment. In
order to overcome these possible variables (as with any ecological study), there
should have been a very large number of repeated tests and data samples. Due to a
lack of resources and a short time span, however, this was not possible to the extent
in which it should have been. Since the hypothesis considered North Georgia trout
streams as a whole, data should have been collected from a multitude of different
creeks and rivers. Once again, however, this was impossible due to lack of resources
and time.
There are many areas to expand on during further studies. One could
consider the variations in activity levels (while considering population percentages)
of Oncorhynchus Mykiss and Salmo Trutta. Further study could be taken on time of
day as well. One could test more time intervals, including nocturnal time periods.






































References


Losee, C. (2012, August 17). What is Fly Fishing - The Fly Fishing Basics.
The Fly Fishing Basics. Retrieved May 15, 2014, from
http://theflyfishingbasics.com/what-is-fly-fishing/

Trout Fishing in Georgia | Georgia DNR - Wildlife Resources Division. (n.d.). Trout
Fishing in Georgia | Georgia DNR - Wildlife Resources Division. Retrieved May
15, 2014, from http://www.georgiawildlife.com/Fishing/Trout

Basic Trout Fishing Tactics. (n.d.). : Minnesota DNR. Retrieved May 15, 2014, from
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/areas/fisheries/crystalsprings_hatchery/basic_
tactics.html

Craven, C. (n.d.). Print Bead Head Prince Nymph. Print Bead Head Prince Nymph.
Retrieved May 15, 2014, from
http://www.charliesflyboxinc.com/flybox/print.cfm?parentID=68