Unicoi Outfitters is north Georgia's premier guide service and fly fishing outfitter, located on the Chattahoochee River near alpine Helen. Look for fishing reports, gear and book reviews, and general musings here from our staff and guides.

Friday, February 28, 2025

Unicoi Outfitters Fishing Report - 2/28/25



Welcome to March!  This month kicks off our spring fishing season. We’ll have some great days when it’s warm and some slow ones when icy fronts blow through our region. But there will be more good days than slow ones, especially as we move through the month.


Right now, however, we have a nice warm spell that has boosted trout stream temperatures up to and over the magic fifty-degree mark. 





https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?site_no=02330450&legacy=1


Take advantage of this warm spell while it lasts! Streams are low and clear and warm in the afternoons. 

Try some dredged nymphs early and some dry/dropper combos after lunch. DH streams are a real good choice, especially if you’re breaking in a new trout angler.  Get out there soon and give it a go.


Lakes are much slower to respond to warm air temps, so their fish aren’t as eager as our stream residents. They’re still a bit in winter mode, but will follow bait fish as they move a bit shallower with each passing, warm day.


Catch Wes’ weekly update to his hot fly list and our latest fishing reports here:

http://blog.angler.management/

(Link in bio)


Stop in either UO shop (Helen, Clarkesville) for your March intel and flies. Good luck!


Unicoi Outfitters: Friendly. Local. Experts.

www.unicoioutfitters.com


Wes’ Hot Fly List:  

Dries: Micro chubby Chernobyl,  quill gordon , parachute Adams, Drymerger blue wing olive, rage cage black caddis, little black stone. 


Nymphs & Wets: 

DH streams: slush egg, Pink tag jig, Frenchie, Zebra midge, hares ear nymph and soft hackle, micro girdle bugs, chewy caddis, 


Mountain streams: Pheasant tails, micro girdle bugs, prince nymphs,  ruby midge.


Streamers:

Sparkle minnows, mohair leeches, UV polar jigs, mini shimmer buggers. 


(Bass & stripers) Somethin’ else, Clouser minnow, micro changer, jerk changer, crittermite.


Headwaters: 

They’re clear and warming. Flows are decent, but dropping due to lack of rain, so stealth is required.  The Dukes headwaters ran a warm 52F on Wednesday afternoon.

UO manager Jake took his client to Dukes Creek at Smithgall Woods this week. They landed a nice handful of wild bows up to 11-12 inches, but couldn’t find any lunkers. Best bugs were small dark nymphs and Eurojigs, fished behind one to three size B shot, as dictated  by pool depth and velocity.



Delayed Harvest Streams:

Our local DH streams were restocked during the first week of the month. Those fish have smartened up and now require better drifts with smaller, natural colored bugs. Be on the lookout for the March restockings, so have your bright squirmies, eggs, and buggers ready.


NC DH streams will be restocked  for their spring fishing season, starting next week. 

https://www.ncwildlife.org/fishing/trout-fishing-north-carolina


Note: Interstate 40 reopens tomorrow!

https://www.facebook.com/share/15rgD7sYAf/?mibextid=wwXIfr


Make plans soon for your March road trips north.


Dredger hit Smith DH on Monday afternoon. The parking lot was full, but he found a spot and pulled in. 

He hit a few pools and runs in his downstream hike and struck out for the first hour. The fish didn’t want the swing, the strip, or even the real black winter stoneflies fluttering about in the sunshine. The air was 60F and the water, 46. 

(Note: Smith DH was 48F yesterday afternoon)


The high sun had fish stuck to the bottom, where Dredger visited them via three split shot.  Best bugs were a tiny black bugger, peach egg, and hares ear soft hackle. 

His handful of spunky bows came from two prime pools via the dead dredge (drift).  They sure were fun on his 7.5-ft, 3-wt blueline rod. 





If you’re heading to Smith, go early or late to miss the midday crowds, and bring some small, dark dries with you. They were working for some Smith anglers yesterday afternoon. How many wagging tails can you spot?



Private Waters:

We had very few guided  trips last week. Bookings and catches will start picking up as we enter March and enjoy the warmer water ahead of us. Right now use small, natural-colored nymphs to entice experienced residents in low, clear water. Have your bigger and brighter bugs ready for the end of next week, if the predicted storms hit and stain streamflows.


UO buddy CDB:

“I volunteered to guide with Project Healing Waters this week on private waters. With the water temps approaching 50 degrees, the fish are pretty active.  Bronze micro jig zonkers or leeches were money when fished along the bottom. Where there were fish holding higher in the water column, the old standby Hares Ear size 16 or 18 consistently did the trick. The water is still pretty clear so you may need to drop down a size on your tippet, and it’s really important to get as clean (drag free) a drift as possible.”



Tailwaters:

Online reports say that the black caddis hatch is “on” for Toccoa Tailwater floaters. Details: try the locals at Cohutta Fishing Co.


NC:

UO buddy Myles:  “A friend and I braved through some 10-25° Lows with snow on the ground and camped in North Carolina this past weekend. Luckily the fish were still biting! We caught about 20 fish and some beautiful rainbows. I've never seen a yellow-tipped top fin so I was pleasantly surprised! 




In addition, I want to say a reminder to always be aware of your surroundings. Duke Energy had no scheduled water release at the start of the lower Nantahala where it joins the upper Nantahala. We noticed the water start to change color and get murky, so we ran out as quickly as we could.  In about 4 minutes the water rose up about 3-4 feet!  As it warms up this spring, make sure to check scheduled water releases and to think about unscheduled ones, also, to be safe throughout the recreational season. Though there was nothing on the schedule, our awareness of the situation might literally have saved our lives!”


Warm Rivers:

March is here and the early spawners should start marching up the rivers from their winter hangouts in reservoirs. Be on the lookout for walleye, whites, hybrids, and some stray stripers in the days ahead. Walleyes have started their spring spawning runs.


UO buddy RSquared set aside his trout rig last week and said: “In Northwest Georgia, White Bass are moving up the Coosa River. On our weekday trip, most fish were averaging a pound or better.  White streamers were working for me in the muddy river flow.


The best river status report is always the weekly WRD update, with the intel from its electrofishing crews. Those blogs are refreshed every Friday afternoon.

https://georgiawildlife.blog/category/fishing/


Lakes:

Our two striper hunters were off the water last week, so the best intel we’ve got will come from the WRD weekly fishing blog (see above link).


Striper fishing starts to heat up in mid-March. Rain-stained rivers will dump into Lanier, where that stained water will heat up from the sunshine and draw shad and stripers. To book a shallow water striper trip with UO guide Joseph, call our Helen shop at (706)-878-3083.


News and Events:

Ongoing: Dream Trip ticket sales. Win a week of fishing in Yellowstone for just ten bucks, or one of a dozen great runnerup prizes.  Drawing on March 22.  Details here:

https://georgiatu.org/


March 22 : Hoot on the Hooch. Georgia Foothills TU’s annual fundraiser on the banks of the Chattahoochee River at the Helendorf Inn in Helen. All Dream Trip raffle winners announced.


A draft GA state wildlife action plan (SWAP) is available for your review and comments. Comment deadline to GAWRD is March 21. Details:


https://georgiawildlife.com/WildGeorgiaSWAP


The weekend and the start of next week look great, before some storms arrive at midweek. Have both your dry/dropper and dredging games ready for trout, and cruise some warming shallows for reservoir shad schools and early season stripers on the prowl. Try a walleye trip, too, up the rivers during the next two weeks of their peak spawn.  Stop in either UO shop for the best March bugs and intel. Good luck!


Unicoi Outfitters: Friendly. Local. Experts.

www.unicoioutfitters.com




Friday, February 21, 2025

Unicoi Outfitters Fishing Report - 2/21/25



Let’s call this week’s prospects “dry and warming up.” The arctic blast is passing and daytime temperatures are recovering. They’re even heading toward the 60’s next week! That should warm the waters nicely and possibly turn on a few early season bugs, too. Carry some hope and dry flies with you.


Stripers remain scattered, but size is compensating for numbers. UO guide Joseph said birdwatching is worth your while. If the weather keeps warming, those sunny afternoons should start pulling some shad and stripers up into the rain-stained shallows. 


Catch Wes’ weekly update to his hot fly list and our latest fishing reports here:

http://blog.angler.management/


Stop in either UO shop (Helen, Clarkesville) for your early spring intel and supplies.


Unicoi Outfitters: Friendly. Local. Experts.

www.unicoioutfitters.com


Wes’ Hot Fly List:  

Dries: Micro chubby Chernobyl,  quill gordon , parachute Adams, blue wing olive, little black caddis, little black stone. 


Nymphs & Wets: 

DH streams: slush egg, Pink tag jig, Frenchie, Zebra midge, hares ear nymph and soft hackle, micro girdle bugs.


Mountain streams: Pheasant tails, micro girdle bugs, prince nymphs,  ruby midge.


Streamers:

Sparkle minnows, mohair leeches, UV polar jigs, mini shimmer buggers. 


(Bass & stripers) Somethin’ else, Clouser minnow, micro changer, jerk changer.


Headwaters: 

They’re clear and flowing at seasonal norms. They’ve been real cold, but are finally starting to warm up a bit. Yesterday afternoon Spoilcane ran a chilly 42F, 


but these headwaters will warm into the upper 40’s during the sunny afternoons ahead of us.  Try dry/dropper rigs and hope for a few on the dry after lunch.

https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?site_no=02176930&legacy=1



Delayed Harvest Streams:

They’ve had their February stockings and have been fishing fairly well, even through the cold snap. They should really turn on after a few warm afternoons, followed by nighttime air temps well above freezing.  Stockers have higher IQ’s now due some experience with anglers, so start downsizing your bugs and try natural-colored patterns instead of the gaudy stuff you threw at them right after stocking. Don’t forget to swing a soft hackle behind a bugger on your trek back downstream to your vehicle.


Yesterday afternoon Smith DH ran 46F and fish were taking nymphs and even some dries. 



The stream was still slightly stained, but that had the fish more comfortable. 



Thin tippet and Euro nymphs were the ticket for an avid Athens angler, new to the flyfishing game.


The SCDNR trout web page had a nice Chattooga DH “strike indicator” displayed this week, so those border waters will be a best bet.

https://www.dnr.sc.gov/fish/stocking/results.html



https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?site_no=02176930&legacy=1


Private Waters:

They’re slowly improving with each warmer day that passes. 

UO-Helen manager Wes:  “Como and I hosted a group of 5 ladies for an intro to fly fishing class on Monday afternoon. They were a fun and enthusiastic group to teach. The water was still up from the weekend rains and moving fast so our wading was limited. However the places we could safely wade and effectively fish were very productive and all the ladies were able to catch some fish. Jiggy Pat's rubberlegs, weighted egg patterns, and squirmy worms were the ticket in the higher flows.”


Tailwaters:

No recent reports. Be on the lookout for black caddis swarms any day now on our bigger waters.. 


NC:

(Replay from last week) News flash!  Here’s NC’s newly updated 2025 Delayed Harvest stocking schedule:

https://www.ncwildlife.org/fishing/trout-fishing-north-carolina

Make plans for your March road trips.


Warm Rivers:

Tis the season to follow the GAWRD weekly fishing reports. Those folks use the most effective bait I’ve ever seen: electricity!  Tune in each Friday for their latest on bass, stripers, and walleye. Today’s report says the first batches of river running walleye have been encountered.

https://georgiawildlife.blog/category/fishing/




Lakes:

UO guide Joseph: “Striper fishing  has been okay on Lanier. Inconsistent weather has the fish spread out across the lake, feeding in mostly open water. One thing that was a constant was the bird life. Wherever you find bait and birds, stripers are sure to be nearby. The fish eating on the surface are moving very quickly and eating small threadfin. For these fish an intermediate line and a small somethin else or polar fiber minnow is what I’ve had success on. For fish you find on the graph, a sinking line accompanied with a small somethin else with heavy lead eyes is the ticket. Spring weather is just around the corner, so if you’re looking to get in on some amazing fishing for some pre spawn stripers, no time is better than now to book a trip.  Call our Helen shop at (706)-878-3083.”



UO owner Jimmy: “UO’s favorite Falcon, Nate Landman with a nice 19 lb. (On the Boga) striper last Saturday. Weather swings are keeping the fishing unpredictable but some nice stripers are being caught on the fly.”



News and Events:


Ongoing: Dream Trip ticket sales. Win a week of fishing in Yellowstone for just ten bucks, or one of a dozen great runnerup prizes.  Drawing on March 22.  Details here:

https://georgiatu.org/


Feb 26: Hank the Yank’s freshwater striper webinar.



https://www.mastersofthefly.com/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1bo3hiwRYf6ORbpfOKFH_NHKE1hFbC6jFO3PFaaTAvx4-4f7KHWb58n_M_aem_Ax0FWCabVgqBhy47HIONXA

March 22 : Hoot on the Hooch. Georgia Foothills TU’s annual fundraiser on the banks of the Chattahoochee River at the Helendorf Inn in Helen. All Dream Trip raffle winners announced.

A draft GA state wildlife action plan (SWAP) is available for your review and comments. Comment deadline to GAWRD is March 21. Details:

https://georgiawildlife.com/WildGeorgiaSWAP




Take advantage of this upswing in air and water temps. The fishing should be good for your weekend and get even better with each passing, warm day.  Get a jump on spring and wet a line this week. You’ll forget all about your frozen fingers and toes of last week. Stop in either UO shop (Helen, Clarkesville) for breaking intel and the best bugs. We live, work, and fish here, by golly, and we’re glad to tune you in, too!


Unicoi Outfitters: Friendly. Local. Experts.

www.unicoioutfitters.com