Saturday, March 30 set for the Helen Chamber of Commerce signature fishing event
More details follow Calendar Listing:
6 a.m.-2 p.m.
35th Annual Helen Trout Tournament
Helen Festhalle
1074 Edelweiss Strasse, Helen, Georgia 30545
706-878-1908
https://helenchamber.com/helen-trout-tournament/
Have fun and compete for $4,000 in available prizes while fishing the Chattahoochee River for trout. Open to all ages. $25 entry fee includes one raffle ticket for all entries and a souvenir tournament tee shirt while supplies last. A Georgia fishing license and trout stamp is required by the State of Georgia; all tournament participants are to follow the Georgia DNR rules of fishing in the Chattahoochee River in Helen.
ALPINE HELEN-WHITE COUNTY, GEORGIA—FEBRUARY, 2024–To celebrate trout fishing and the excellent catches in the streams and rivers of this North Georgia town, The Helen Chamber of Commerce presents the 35th Annual Helen Trout Tournament, 6 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday March 30, 2024 at the Helen Chamber of Commerce Festhalle, 1074 Edelweiss Strasse, Helen, Georgia 30545. Anglers of all ages will have plenty of fun and compete for $4,000 in available prizes.
The Helen Chamber of Commerce will stock the Chattahoochee River with more than 400 pounds of tagged trout for this event. This beautiful stretch of the Chattahoochee that flows leisurely through the City of Helen, only 20 miles from the headwaters, is teeming with trout and has been known to produce trophy catches. In addition, The Georgia Department of Natural Resources will also be stocking the river prior to the tournament. The crystal-clear shimmering waters of the Chattahoochee flows from springs, tiny streams and tributaries in the National Forests and the Appalachian Watershed surrounding Helen. When you are not fishing, there are a multitude of shops, restaurants and hotels for the entire family to enjoy in town. www.HelenChamber.com.
Anglers of all ages will line the tournament boundaries, trying to hook tagged* trout, from the river access area on Escowee Street (just upstream from Hofbrauhaus Restaurant) downstream through Helen to the first Brucken Strasse bridge at Cool River Tubing. A Georgia fishing license and trout stamp is required by the State of Georgia; all tournament participants are to follow the Georgia DNR rules of fishing in the Chattahoochee River in Helen.
To win prizes, anglers must catch a tagged trout and present it at the Festhalle for weigh-in before 2 p.m. Be sure to be in the Festhalle by 2 p.m. when the Prize Awards Ceremony and Bucket Raffle Drawing begin. This year the top three prizes are by individual weight for tagged trout and include:
- 1st place $1,000 fish sponsored by Cool River Tubing
- 2nd place $500 “Milton Davis” fish sponsored by the Helen Chamber
- 3rd place $300 fish sponsored by Heidelberg German Restaurant
- $50 for each of the next 25 tagged trout by weight
- $25 for the remainder of the tagged trout by weight
*Only 2024 officially tagged trout qualify for prizes.
A $25 entry fee includes one raffle ticket for all entries and an official souvenir tournament tee shirt while supplies last. Pre-registered reserved shirts will be held for pick up at the Festhalle until 2 p.m. on the day of the tournament. T-shirts are sponsored by Appalachian Baits, Betty’s Country Store, Cool River Tubing, Cowboys & Angels Restaurant, Georgia Mountain Coaster, Heidelberg German Restaurant, Helendorf River Inn, Hofbrauhaus German Restaurant, LaCabana Mexican Restaurant, Outpost Gold & Gem Panning, Paul’s Steakhouse, Savannah River Chapter Trout Unlimited and Wildwood Shop.
Event Registration:
Online registration can be found at https://helenchamber.com/helen-trout-tournament
Online registrations will be accepted through March 27, 2024.
To enter by mail, print a registration form at https://helenchamber.com. Mail-in registration forms must be postmarked by March 21, 2024. Mail your registration form along with a check or money order for $25.00 to: Helen Chamber of Commerce, P. O. Box 192, Helen, GA 30545.
In person registration is Friday, March 29 is from 4-7 p.m. and Saturday, March 30 from 6-9 a.m. at the Helen Festhalle, 1074 Edelweiss Strasse, Helen, Georgia. For Tournament information and registration forms, visit https://helenchamber.com/helen-trout-tournament, or call 706-878-1908.
For lodging, dining and visitor information go to www.HelenChamber.com or www.HelenGA.org or call 1-800-858-8027. Follow the updates and Like the Helen Trout Tournament page on Facebook.