Not Just About Trout

Flyrodding is not just about trout. That’s especially true during summer, as our steamy days restrict trouting fans. They’re forced either way uphill to cold headwater bluelines, or way downhill to the icy winter waters discharged from Buford and Blue Ridge dams.

So now is a great time to pursue other species. Let’s label today’s UO installment as “Bream 101.”   Enjoy some biology and angling intel from our local experts, Habersham extension agent Steven and UO manager Jake.

https://nowhabersham.com/fishing-fever-get-ready-for-bluegill/

Then recall our recent tips on poppers and droppers here:

Atlanta Fishing E-Magazine | The Angler Magazine Atlanta Edition

Also enjoy my pic and video, shot this morning, of redbreasts on their beds at a local lake.

Finally, grab your bream buster flies and supplies from either one of our UO stores, and paddle your new fly angler or yourself around a pond perimeter soon.

Watch for the pizza-pan patches of polished sand & gravel in the shallows and you’ll be in business on the bream beds.

And if some folks are still a bit young for the fly rod, hedge your bet with a spincast rod and a tube of crickets.

“Not just trout” will give you many summer smiles. From gar to bass to bream, they’re all fun, especially on a flimsy fly rod.  Good luck!

Flyfishing for Dinosaurs

Need a Monday uplift?  Many UO fans really enjoyed last Friday’s photo of Wes’ trophy gar. Here are a few more photos of his recent catches for your viewing pleasure.

By the way, last night’s recon revealed that there are still a lot of gar “dating” at Nacoochee Bend.  Toss a gar fly or two in your box if you’re booked soon for trout or stripers at the Bend.  For more info/booking, call UO’s Helen shop at 706-878-3083.

Enjoy the pics!

UO Fishing Report - 6/11/21

Unicoi Outfitters Fishing Report - 6/11/21

www.unicoioutfitters.com

706-878-3083

Welcome to “foam bug summer.” It’s that season again to toss some high floating, rubber-legged terrestrials at your targets. It’s true for everything: headwater specks on small chubby Chernobyl’s, pond bream on boogle bugs, river bass on stealth bombers, and lake carp on cicadas.

In addition to “foam and rubber legs,” carry a raincoat and a stream thermometer. Pop-up storms have been heavy and abundant. They’re great because they are recharging our north GA rain forest. Storm surges also cool off trout streams, wash in groceries, and give you good shots at stained-water trophies. Watch USGS river gauges and call your favorite fly shop for “current” stream conditions, which will guide your travel plans.

Your best bets are headwater wild trout, high elevation stockers for kids and hungry forest campers, lake bass and bream at low light, and river bass when rivers clear enough for them to see your bugs. Oddball opportunities include river stripers and gar and cicada-inhalers if you can find the bugs.

Don’t miss today’s GAWRD report, since it’s chock-full of intel on big Burton bass, a new abundance of brookies, a scarcity of snakeheads, and headwater speckulation tips.

https://georgiawildlife.blog/2021/06/11/georgia-fishing-report-june-11-2021/

Detailed reports and Wes’ hot fly list follow on our FB page and blog.

http://blog.angler.management

Call the shop if we can help you further. Good luck!

Wes’ Hot Fly List:

Dries: 409 Yeager, Micro chubby Chernobyl, tan elk hair caddis, Yellow stimulator,, and parachutes in these patterns: adams, sulfur, black ant, and royal coachman.

Wets and nymphs: Yellow soft hackle, pheasant tail soft hackle, silver Lightning bug, Frenchie, Girdle bug (pats rubberlegs), red squirmy, black fur ant, brown and black WD40’s, and green weenie or mop.

Streamers and warmwater:

Kreelex, Mini dungeon, Krystal bugger, #4 black woolly bugger,  brown hairy fodder, white stealth bomber, cicadas, Boogle bug, Finesse changer, and Cowen’s coyote.

Headwaters:

Little streams are low, clear, and cold. They get big and slightly brown after each heavy shower, but drop and clear within just a few hours. Try the usual fluffy or foamy dries for skinny water, and toss shot-laden  squirmies or stonefly nymphs when the water is high and stained and the bigger fish come out to eat.

Delayed Harvest:

UO staffer Lee and an accomplice ran up to Nantahala DH on harvest-eve. Bugs were sparse last Friday night, but fish were still looking up. And abundance of freshly stocked brookies fought over their stimulators when drifted through pool tails. Finally, around 8PM, a smattering of yellow sallies showed up and turned on the fish, both stockers and the resident, wild bows. That last thirty minutes of targeting and picking off the risers with their size 16 sallies was worth the drive.  Enough fish may still be left up there, despite harvest, for y’all to give it an evening shot soon.

Private Waters:

Our larger trout streams  are fishing decently in the mornings. The action is over by 11 or noon, as water temps nose toward 70 degrees. Low, clear rivers are tough on rookies, but great fun for experienced folks who want to perfect their dragless drifts before venturing West this summer.

Wes had a Nacoochee Bend guide trip this morning and called in this report. The action was good til about 11. The morning started with a slight stain from yesterday’s rain, and Bend bows ate squirmies and stonefly nymphs. As the river cleared and dropped, Wes switched them to the ever-reliable #16 soft hackle pheasant tail, which fish ate on the swing. We’d said to aim for some current and turbulence.  Feeders were there looking for groceries, while only sulkers hung in the slow water and had no appetite.

UO guides Palmer and Hunter have had some good mornings with their clients on the Soque.   It’s been a similar theme of squirmies/rubberlegs at first light or high water, then small stuff (pheasant tails, lightning bugs) as the sun rose and water cleared.  Enjoy the pic of nice brown trout caught by Palmer’s talented angler.

Hunter shared a story on his recent Soque trip. It sounds like he earned his guide pay on that day! 

“Charles hooked a nice trout at the base of a large root ball and kept it in front for a bit before the fish decided to head south. It took off running downstream towards a large log jam on the far bank.  We tried to turn it but it was no use and just dove headfirst into the log jam. I thought it would surely break off! But I could tell it was still on, so I ran across stream, jumped into the log jam, and started w

untangling the fish from the trees while keeping my net below him in case he came off. The fish had managed to go over, then around, then back under, then over, then back under again several different logs,  and managed to hook the loose dropper fly on a log at the very bottom. I was just waiting for the fish to come off and swim away while I was untangling it, but somehow it stayed on!  Even with light tippet and barbless hooks, he stayed connected. I was able to untangle him and get him in the net for a well-deserved grip and grin. After all that, I think Scientific Anglers fluoro tippet has won me over!”

Rivers:

When I crossed it this morning, the Hooch at Highway 115 was off-color, with maybe 3 feet of visibility due to the afternoon storms. Rivers will fish well when and where the bass and stripers can see your bugs. For bass, aim for the shady, shallow (3-4 ft deep) banks when it’s dingy, or toss big, bright streamers with lots of flash or a spinner blade (ex:Coyote) in slightly deeper water. For stripers, toss BIG (4-9 inch) streamers in muddier water than what is acceptable to bass.  You can fish deeper water as the storms subside and rivers clear next week. Striper success is indirectly related to visibility.  They need bad eyesight to be fooled with a fly.

Wes and new UO staffer Joseph had some fun trips for stripers and gar. Enjoy the pics. Wes said the water’s gotta be stained to convince the wily stripers!

Small Impoundments:

I hope you enjoyed my video of cruising largemouths, looking for a meal in a local lake when storm clouds blocked the sun.  Try something in foam and very leggy, tossed under the overhanging tree limbs at low light.

https://vimeo.com/561324475

Athens Jay shared this report: “Paddleboard this afternoon. Popper (boogie bug) and dropper (black/purple Pat's Rubberlegs) produced multiple doubles. Two beefy bluegill on a 5-wt will sure take you for a ride.”

Lakes

HenryC’s intel:

“Carp fishing is still going strong as the waters continue to warm up here in metro Atlanta. However we are nearing the end of the 17 yr cicada brood X event. We might have another week left at most. Then it will be back to the more traditional approach to carp. 

Lanier bass fishing is still pretty good BUT the warm temps are sure to send fish over deeper brush and structure. For now you can still manage some good fish early in the day on top water flies as well as tossing intermediate lines and game changers, wiggle minnows and coyotes over bumps with brush on it and sea walls.”

https://www.henrycowenflyfishing.com

That’s the latest from our warming mountains. It’s still very cool in the shade of the national forest, so come up, wet-wade, and cool off soon. Stop in or call either store if we can be of service.

Fishing Father Gifts

How about a few more Father’s Day gift ideas from our Helen store?  First, introduce Dad to flyfishing with a nice starter kit (rod, reel, line, leader).  Just add a few flies and some water, and he can wade right into the sport!

Second, how about a box of hot flies, based on his preferred quarry and fishing season? Call the shop and we’ll create a nice box for you.

Third, how about a really nice pair of Costa sunglasses? Expert anglers and fishing guides use these “tools” to spot fish well before the fish can spot them. We have an ample supply to choose from. 

Last on our short list is the ever-popular and super-easy gift certificate. Pick any amount from $25 up and give Dad the “kid in a candy store” experience of picking his own goodies. Certificates also take the pressure off non-fishing family members to select the right gifts for the experienced angling dad.  He’ll be able to upgrade his tackle with a slick Orvis Hydros reel or Recon fly rod and his eyes will really light up!

Our two stores have many more items and experiences (from flyfishing lessons to guided trips) to choose from. Feel free to call our expert staffers, describe Dad’s favorite fishing experiences, and find that perfect gift to fit your budget and spawn a smile on Father’s Day. Call Helen (706-878-3083) or Clarkesville (706-754-0203) today and we’ll guide you to success on June 20!

Imposter?

Can you find the imposter? Take your last shots as Brood X cicada mania draws to a close in north Georgia.  We received a small resupply of these great imitations yesterday in Helen, so grab a few and hunt the region soon for this hatch - and the carp, cats, and bass cruising the shallows.  Your best strike indicator: your ears.  Cruise the lakes and rivers and listen for the swarms.

I’m excited to try my leftover bugs for shallow river bass and big pond bream in August, too.

Leave your 6x tippet at home with these plump bugs and their plump predators.  Good luck!

Fathers Day Memory-making?

Would you like a great gift idea for Father’s Day? Give Dad a lifetime memory! Purchase a gift certificate for a Unicoi Outfitters fishing trip and include it with your perfect card.  Feel free to call our shop (706-878-3083) to discuss your certificate options, or view and purchase them online here:

Gift Certificates - Unicoi Outfitters

Whether it’s a summer striper wade,  a Hooch bass float, or a trout fishing date next fall, we have an option to fit your budget and Dad’s schedule. With certificate in hand, he can just call our shop and reserve a date.  Certificates can also be redeemed for merchandise, in case Dad has his eyes on a really nice rod or reel.

In the meantime, have fun finding the stripers hiding among the trophy trout at Nacoochee Bend. Each will put a bend in Dad’s rod and will make a memory that will last him a lifetime.  Good luck “fishing” for your perfect gift for Dad.

UO Fishing Report - 6/4/21

It’s trouting “breakfast time” in northeast Georgia, as our streams are low, clear, and warming.  For trout in larger streams, fish the mornings, while headwater trout in small, shaded streams will still play throughout the day.

Low and clear streams give us advantages and disadvantages.  On the positive side, fish are now packed into their summer niches of deeper pools, dark ledges, and shade under submerged logs and overhanging limbs. On the negative side, the fish are nervous about predators and you’d better bring your stealth A-game.

“Low and clear” is a good combo for river bass and stripers, so try another float or wade trip and aim for the shade. With clear rivers, bass and stripers will be good targets, especially in the low light of dawn and dusk and way back along shaded riverbanks. Bass are starting to look up, so take some poppers along with your streamers and crawdad patterns.

Pond temps are still good, and bass and bream will be hungry. So are lake predators if they’re lucky enough to find some bugs dropping from lakeside tree limbs.

Best bets are headwater trout, shady river bass, dawn river stripers, and dusk pond bream.

Enjoy our extended report , with Wes’ weekly hot fly list and our guide & UO buddy fishing reports, on our Facebook page and at 

http://blog.angler.management

Wes’ Hot Fly List:

Dries: tan elk hair caddis, Deckers yellow sally, Yellow stimulator, Micro chubby Chernobyl, and parachutes in these patterns: adams, light cahill, black ant, and royal coachman.

Wets and nymphs: Yellow soft hackle, Yellow sally stone, Lightning bug, Frenchie, Girdle bug, black fur ant, small pheasant tail soft hackles and hares ear nymphs, brown and black WD40’s, green weenie or mop, and red squirmies and small olive buggers for leftover holiday stockers.

Streamers and warmwater:

Kreelex, Mini dungeon, Krystal bugger, #4 black woolly bugger,  hairy fodder, BoogleBug, Finesse changer, gray/white Clouser, Bugger changer.

Headwaters:

Headwaters are low, but cool, and a great bet for sneaky anglers. Rabunites always say, “dress like a rhododendron bush and fish like a blue heron.” Follow their lead to higher catch rates. For wild fish, toss your favorite, high-floating dry (see our list) into those summer flood refuges.

For kids, try stockers!  Grab a short fly rod and leader and have them swing the smallest of woolly buggers through the pools and boulder fields of heavily stocked waters like Cooper, Rock, Dicks, and Tallulah. There should be leftovers from last week’s heavy holiday stockings by our GAWRD friends.   A downstream roll cast is fairly easy for kids to learn. Just have a zebco and Powerbait in the car trunk to save the day if the flyfishing is slow.

Bugger tips here:

http://blog.angler.management/2021/03/untangling-trout.html

UO’s newest sales associate, Joseph, got out to do some creek fishing this week.  He had lots of luck on a green mop for the stockers, while a chubby Chernobyl and soft hackle PT combo picked up the holdover and wild trout. 

Delayed Harvest (NC):

The release season ends today and harvest begins tomorrow in our neighbor state. There should still be a good number of survivors over the next week or two for anglers covering some ground to pick off dusk risers.

UO buddy Lumis and a friend  hit the Nan DH last weekend and had great luck, despite the holiday crowds. He dredged Euro nymphs (esp a Perdigons) and friend fished a dry. Both methods scored well.

Dredger wandered up there on Tuesday, after the weekender exodus and slipped into the creek at 6PM.  He had a “great last date” on the DH section via a double dry rig. 

http://blog.angler.management/2021/06/yeller.html

The first niche, a deep & fast run, produced a 9” wild rainbow that crushed the stimmy and leaped two feet straight up before coming to the net.  Niche #2, a deep,slow boulder pocket, gave up a chunky brookie. Target #3, a slow flat in the bankside shade, hid a fat stocker brown that sipped his Adams dropper. 

 His hat trick was scored in only a dozen casts toward the first three “goals.” Good action continued til the yellow sallies went to bed at 8:45.

The aerial show was as entertaining as the aquatics. Midges and tiny mayfly spinners buzzed the surface as he slipped into the 63-degree water.  Soon sporadic chinook copters (aka # 10 brown stones)  motored slowly, at head-level, across the water. Thirty minutes later, big #12 brown drakes did their 4-foot vertical yo-yo’s as they danced and dropped eggs on the surface. The show was topped off with #16 yellow sallies fluttering and dipping eggs - and attracting risers.

Before the Sally show, rises were sporadic because the bugs were, too, at least on the water surface. But most fish were looking up for a meal in the skinny water,  and a well-placed dry usually got a look and often an eat.  The evening date was a great parting gift from NC’s DH program to this GA tourist.

Private Waters:

Bigger, private waters are fishing decently for early risers, but rising water temps that hit the mid-60’s, combined with bright sunshine, are making resident rainbows moody by noon.  Go early, use light tippets, soft Indi’s (a bushy dry or yarn) and stealth, and you’ll still have a morning of fun in the gin-clear waters as you “hunt” these fish.

Wes:  “With the combination of rising temps and falling water, there are two important factors for success on private water.   The first is to get out in the morning. We have noticed a substantial drop off in the fishes’ activity after about 11:30am. The second is to get a clean drift. With the clean water a drag free drift has been key.

Lightning bugs, squirmy worms, hares ears, and golden stonefly nymphs were the recent standouts.”

Afar:

High elevation Smokies streams will continue to fish well. Beware the heavy weekend tourist traffic. If you can slip up on a weekday, it’s fairly smooth sailing. We’ll be heading that way soon as Georgia trouting slows with warming water, and when we want a different “flavor” from our local river bass and stripers, which are now heating up.

Rivers:

UO staffer Lee made a brief stop along an east-side river to prospect  for Bartrams bass. They weren’t interested in his menu until he found the secret weapon, then it was game on.

Instructions for tying the Triangle Bug — Panfish On The Fly

Athens Jay: “Piedmont rivers low and clear. The official State Native Riverine Sport Fish is looking up. “

Landon: “Yellow was the Chestatee color of choice this week.  Boulder fields with current got shoal bass, while wood in slower current gave up spots.”

Flat Water:

Wes: “ I got the opportunity to get on the Brood X cicada action over the last few weeks. I did a lot of research, made some calls, and scouted some water. Once you find the bugs they are very densely populated in the areas they emerge. Definitely an awesome experience for folks willing to put in the time on the web and the water.”

GAWRD provided another great report for us today. Note that it’s National Fishing and Boating Week. Check out the segments on trout stream temperature monitoring and shoal bass research.

https://georgiawildlife.blog/2021/06/04/georgia-fishing-report-june-4-2021/

Good luck this weekend. The water is down and so are the holiday crowds! Take advantage of both factors to wet-wade or float your favorite waters and “launch” your fishing summer. Contact either our Helen or Clarkesville store if we can help you prepare for your Huck Finn moments.  

PS: don’t forget your dry fly dessicant!

Cicada Carpocalypse

The 17 year brood X periodic cicada madness is currently going off in select areas across the south. Truly an awesome event to have witnessed. Sight fishing to cruising fish with topwater flies never gets old!

“Yeller”

If your schedule is flexible, sneak up to Nantahala DH ASAP for an evening of double dry action. Note: harvest starts Saturday on NC’s DH streams.

Carry lots of yellow and ample dessicant, like the “High and Dry” shaker bottle that we stock.  After their trout-induced dunkings, drop both dries in, close the top, and shake them back to dry life.

Try a yellow stimulator and small parachute Adams dropper early (5 or 6), and then change the dropper to a size 16 yellow sally when those beautiful little stones dance at 7:30.

That was my Tuesday recipe for grippin’ and grinnin’. Hope it helps a few of you, too!

Goldfish in our Trout Streams?

Let’s take a timeout for some neat creek ecology. It’s  nearing the season for spotting  “goldfish and pebble mounds” during our  streamside hikes.   Every year stream anglers and other outdoor fans wonder where these large schools of bright orange minnows have come from.

In north Georgia, the goldfish are resident minnow species showing off their spawning attire. A common species in NE GA is the yellowfin shiner. 

The pebble mounds are chub nests.  The chubs actually pile up small rocks to make some great spawning habitat, not only for themselves but for several other species.  The clean mound of stones is a great way of overcoming stream sediments, which smother fish eggs.

Check out these websites for a neat video of chubs in action and more info on the featured fish. By the way, our friend, author Brandon is now on staff at Clemson U.

https://www.nps.gov/media/video/view.htm?id=C97B9DBB-1DD8-B71C-0771A18F9759D67A

https://thefisheriesblog.com/2012/09/10/bluehead-chubs-construct-nests-and-welcome-guests/

On your next trouting trek, take a break to enjoy some stream ecology and appreciate Mother Nature. All critters have their niches - even our spring chub construction crews and their “goldfish” tenants!

UO Fishing Report - 5/28/21

First, we honor and thank all of our military heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice. Because of these men and women, we are able to enjoy and deeply appreciate this beautiful country, our way of life, and all of our freedoms. 

That includes the freedom to fish! We have a real nice holiday weekend ahead with dry skies, cooling air temperatures, and crystal clear waters.  

https://waterdata.usgs.gov/ga/nwis/uv?site_no=02330450

And crowds. So we suggest a weekend theme of “off the beaten path.”  “Out-wake or out-walk” the holiday crowds at popular sites by getting up early or staying late to hit your favorite waters at first or last light, hiking farther away from parking areas at bigger streams, or prospecting lesser-known and less-accessible headwater creeks to have more water to yourself.

Best bets are headwater trout, shady river bass, dusk pond bream, and reservoir blueback-chasers and cicada-inhalers.

Enjoy our extended report , with Wes’ weekly hot fly list and our guide & UO buddy fishing reports, on our Facebook page and at 

http://blog.angler.management

Wes’ Hot Fly List:

Dries: Parachute adams, tan Caddis, Deckers yellow sally, Yellow stimulator, parachute ant, and Micro chubby.

Wets and nymphs: Yellow soft hackle, Yellow sally stone, Lightning bug, Frenchie, Girdle bug, black fur ant, Squirminator, pheasant tail soft hackle, small hares ear nymphs, WD40.

Streamers and warmwater:

Kreelex, Mini dungeon, Krystal bugger, #4 black woolly bugger,  hairy fodder, Bluegill mini slider, BoogleBug, Finesse changer, gray/white Clouser, Bugger changer, Pole Dancer.

Headwaters:

UO staffer Lee slipped away to the mountaintop and filed this report: 

“Several days of 90ish temps in May got me thinking about standing in a small stream casting for wild fish.  

So Wednesday after work I headed to [REDACTED].  Average water depth was about ankle to calf deep, so I initially cast to a couple knee deep holes with zero results....and those spots looked really fishy.

Third spot was maybe calf deep, barely above average, but it looked like it might hold fish just below a small sweeper.  First cast and BAM, a 5 inch wild rainbow...about par for this stream.  After shaking him off the barbless hook, I tossed back to the same spot and caught a carbon copy of the first.  I figured two fish from one hole on this creek was pretty good, so I threw back to the same spot and got bit again....but a much bigger fish, this one was a solid 9 inches measured on my rod handle....the largest trout I've ever landed here!  Another cast into the same spot yielded the fourth trout from an area about the size of a paper plate!

After a few more casts I moved on, hitting likely spots, usually with one or none, but there were a couple holes with multiple fish...including one more that gave up four rainbows. Mostly fish in the four to six inch range, all were caught on a number 16 tan elk hair Caddis.  Rod of choice was a 5'6" 3 weight...perfect for dries on this stream, where a long cast was 20 feet, but most were 10 feet.  Total fish to hand was about 12 to 15, with about half that again that released themselves.  And I ended up with three big fish between 8 and 9 inches.  All in all, a great hour and a half respite from the heat.”

Delayed Harvest:

Between legal harvest and warming water, pickings will now be slim in Georgia DH streams.  Most will still receive regular trout stockings (as part of the GAWRD catchable trout program) as long as they stay below 70 degrees, so try bait, a squirmy worm, or small woolly bugger for the new  and short-lived residents.

The cooler North Carolina DH streams, however, will still fish well and are worth the drive for anglers willing to travel. That state’s DH season ends in early June. Again, try your early-May flies and techniques up there.

Private Waters:

Private waters have still fished well for morning anglers. PM action has slowed with rising afternoon air and water temps and lower streamflows.

Wes checked in: “I did a couple Bend trips in the last week. With the warm weather the best activity has been from about 8am-11:30am. 

Soft hackles, chubby Chernobyl’s, girdle bugs, and frenchies have been the producers.”

Afar:

RonW survived his mountain expedition and filed this report: “Moe and I fished a high elevation Creek in the Smokies last Saturday. We climbed up "Steep Creek" and gained several hundred feet in elevation, tossing dries all day to angry brookies.  Moe even landed a nice little bow at about 3800'. It was a fantastic day on the water with great weather and even better company! 

Definitely need a few Motrin after this creek!  It is a super gnarly creek with many obstacles, one being an absolutely massive hemlock that you have to climb over.  You get in the creek and you're committed to it for about a 1/2 mile. It just keeps going up and up and up! I don't think my body can take it fishing it more than once a year. But the specks made the gain worth the pain.”

A jealous UO buddy CameronF shared this:

“Another one of Rodney Tumlin’s NPHS protégés and decorated TU member Tucker Taylor went out fishing today and wanted to turn in a couple pics for your fishing report. He went fishing without me when I had a last minute job I had to take care of that day. He used junk flies to catch all of them, dredging with the euro rig “somewhere in NC.”

Rivers

We’ve had no recent north GA reports, but our low, clear rivers will fish well for anglers floating not wading them early, late, and along shaded banks. Be ready to share the water with midday tubers, yakkers, and canoeists. Don’t forget your 8-weight and some big gar flies and striper streamers.

Landon  checked in after his trek south of ATL: “Liked “If yall can swing it, the middle GA rivers are on right now! A stealth bomber with a beefy size 6 bugger or pats rubber legs worked well this AM. Spider lillies out if you know where to find ‘em.”

Flat Water:

HenryC sez, “Catch the Lanier blueback spawn before it ends next week.  Look for fluttering baitfish and surface swirls from spots and stripers.  Look for spawning herring around structure: mid lake humps, points, and seawalls.

Try a topwater fly like a Pole Dancer right at first or last light if you want some surface action.  Then go a bit deeper.  Retrieve your 4-inch game changer or Clouser with three short strips and then a three-second pause. Repeat as needed til you hook up.  If you don’t see predators on the bait, pull back a bit and let your intermediate line sink down 5-10 feet. Predators might be hanging just off the bank.

Lastly, the “cicada apocalypse” has started in north GA. Tune into cicadamania.com and fish those waters where expired bugs have started falling and predators, from carp to cats to bass,  are cashing in on easy calories. You have about a month to give this 17-year event a try.”

GAWRD provided another great report for us today, complete with stocking news and cicada intel:

https://georgiawildlife.blog/2021/05/28/georgia-fishing-report-may-28-2021/

Really Far Afar!

UO buddy Darren had a great spring trip “far south of the GA border” and hit the bone/tarpon/permit trifecta. He shared some pics and his desire to return there soon.

There’s your holiday fishing report to help your long-weekend plan. Take time out on Monday for a silent moment of thanks, and then celebrate the day by creating a new, lifetime fishing memory. Good luck and Happy Memorial Day from our  gang at Unicoi Outfitters (706-878-3083).