Trout in Lake Harding?!?

Trout originally were native to the Upper Chattahoochee and are now common there because of heavy stocking by DNR to support angler demand. However, they are not found in the Middle and Lower Watersheds due to a variety of reasons, water temperature being the primary one. Trout are a cold water fish and just a little south of Atlanta the Chattahoochee heats up too much for them to survive. Typically, trout do best in waters staying between 45 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. 
Lake Harding is a man-made reservoir on the main stem of the Chattahoochee, formed by Bartlett’s Ferry Dam. The lake is south of Lagrange but north of Columbus and is not very deep so water temperatures stay fairly warm throughout the year. Due to the size of the reservoir, geographic location, and temperature of the waters, this is one of the last places you would expect an angler to catch a trout…but about two weeks ago, one did. 
Unsure, but with a few ideas, I followed up with DNR Fisheries Biologist (and frequent Podcast guest) Amy Cottrell and we settled on a few likely options of how a trout could end up hooked by an angler on Lake Harding. 

1. Carried by Flood Waters: With the heavy rains it is possible the trout was carried downstream from Atlanta or North Georgia by flood waters. It is also common in this area for anglers with ponds or creeks on their property to stock trout over the winter and attempt to catch them all before the water temps rise high enough in spring to kill them. I believe the trout washed out of a nearby stream that is a tributary of the Chattahoochee that was stocked over the winter. 
2. Bait for Striped Bass: Trout are commonly used as bait for trophy striped and hybrid bass, which Lake Harding is full of. It is also highly likely an angler was using trout for bait and this one either escaped the hook (only to hook himself later) or was dropped overboard either on purpose or by mistake. Due to the time of year, the fish could have taken refuge in deeper water and remained within the necessary temperature ranges. 

Regardless of how the trout ended up in Lake Harding, it is fascinating the fish was able to survive long enough to be hooked and landed by an angler. Congratulations to Steve Scott for a truly unique catch for this area of the river!