Jacks River - Cohutta: Scouting Trip

I hiked in to the Jacks River with my son primarily to enjoy a good hike, but also, to scout out a location for a future camping/fishing trip.  It has been about 3 years since I last hiked the Jacks.  This time, instead of hiking up to the Falls, I took a trail that put me at the river a short distance above the falls.  I think the hike was about 3 miles one-way, and relatively flat.  It was extremely crowded due to 4th of July weekend.  I saw quite a few trout; though none of any size.  The river was crystal clear, and beautiful.  I didn't have time to fish, but I can't wait to come back in the Fall for an overnight trip.  Years ago, the Jacks River held some very large trout, including brown trout over 5 lbs.  Apparently, the last decade has hurt the river substantially, but from my observations, there are still plenty of wild trout, and very little pressure from anglers.