Fishing Season Underway at HCWA Reservoirs
With the temperatures during the first week in March reaching 80 degrees, anglers are surely digging out their rods and reels to enjoy fishing on Georgia waters. The Henry County Water Authority (HCWA) has pristine reservoirs primed to accommodate local anglers looking for an ideal setting to catch a variety of fish.
The 2022 Fishing Season at select HCWA reservoirs will began on Wednesday March 2, and it extends through the end of November. During this season, the Authority’s Tussahaw and Upper Towaliga Reservoirs will be available once again to Henry County residents, property owners, and HCWA customers, on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (Daylight Saving Time).
Fishing also will be open on Memorial Day (Monday May 30), Independence Day (Monday July 4), and Labor Day (Monday Sept. 5). The Authority does reserve the right to close either reservoir during a public fishing day in the event of an emergency, inclement weather, or for maintenance.
To fish the HCWA Tussahaw and Upper Towaliga Reservoirs, anglers must obtain a Reservoir Use Permit for $45 at the Authority’s Headquarters, located at 1695 Highway 20 West in McDonough, during operating hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Citizens with disabilities, senior citizens, and military active duty or veterans can purchase a Reservoir Use Permit for just $25.
HCWA Reservoir Use Permits are good for an entire calendar year from the date of purchase, and those holding a Permit can bring one guest with them for free. Anglers with HCWA Permits can fish the Tussahaw and Upper Towaliga Reservoirs from the bank or by boat, but only from those with electric-powered or trolling motors, since no gas-powered engines are allowed on drinking water reservoirs such as those owned and operated by the Authority.
In addition to accommodating local anglers for public fishing, the HCWA Reservoirs are ideal for canoeing and kayaking. Reservoir customers and guests must sign a waiver/release form and adhere to all rules and regulations established by the HCWA and Georgia Department of Natural Resources for fishing on Georgia waters, and they must possess an active Georgia Fishing License.
The public can access the Tussahaw Reservoir, which has a boat ramp and accommodations for citizens with disabilities, through the public use area on the Tussahaw Island, which has an outdoor pavilion for picnics and a walking trail as well. Tussahaw Island is located at the end of Collins Way off of Peeksville Road.
The Upper Towaliga Reservoir is accessible for bank fishing or via the boat ramp located at 160 Hunter Road in Locust Grove, which is off of Weems Road, from Hampton-Locust Grove Road.
The HCWA Tussahaw and Upper Towaliga Reservoirs are the two largest of five drinking water reservoirs owned and operated by the Authority. The 1,466-acre Tussahaw Reservoir opened in 2007, and it has a storage capacity of 9.78 billion gallons at full pool. The 1,100-acre Upper Towaliga Reservoir, also referred to as the Ed Cole Reservoir, holds 6 billion gallons of raw water storage at full pool. Both reservoirs serve as ideal habitat for a variety of fish, including bass, catfish and bream.
More information on the 2022 Public Fishing Season at HCWA Reservoirs is available on the "Fishing and Reservoir Use" page on this website (www.hcwa.com).
Captions for Photos:
(Top Pic) Bennett Brown (pictured) enjoys fishing on HCWA Reservoirs. The 2022 Public Fishing Season on the Tussahaw and Upper Towaliga Reservoirs kicked off the first week in March and extends through the end of November.
(Bottom Pic) Carter Brown (right/foreground) reels in a catch while fishing on HCWA Reservoirs, as younger brother Bennett cheers him on!
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Media contact: Chris Wood, Ph.D.
P: 770-757-1681
E: chris@jwapr.com or john.wood@gcsu.edu