Excellent fall fishing continues on area trout streams. Spooky wild fish are still inhaling dries in skinny headwaters, while fresh Delayed Harvest stockers will thrill GA anglers this weekend and NC travelers over the next two weeks. Lake bass are great but shallow stripers are a bit slow due to warm water and sunshine, while Piedmont river bass are enjoying their extended summer. Don’t miss this mild fall while it’s still around! Check out our timely intel and Wes’ hot fly list in our full fishing report, as always in our blog here. It’s worth your extra click:
http://blog.angler.management/
Good luck everyone!
Unicoi Outfitters: Friendly. Local. Experts.
www.unicoioutfitters.com
Wes’ Hot Fly List:
Dries: chubby Chernobyl, orange stimulator, parachute Adams, parachute black ant, tan elk hair caddis.
Nymphs & Wets:
DH: Eggs, squirmy worms, buggers, lightning bugs, red tag jig, soft hackles.
Mountain streams: Pheasant tails, micro girdle bugs, prince nymphs, drowned ants.
Streamers:
Sparkle minnow, buggers & leeches, micro dungeon.
(Bass) Clouser minnow, party crasher, finesse changer, jiggy craw, crittermite.
(Panfish) amnesia bug, small chubby Chernobyl, bluegill spider, dry and wet ants
Headwaters:
We still haven’t had any measurable rain, so bluelines remain low, clear, and cool. Wild fish are still eating dry/dropper rigs on cool mornings and then slamming fluffy dries as the day warms up. Stealth and a good drift of a micro chubby, stimmy, or para Adams will put points on your scoreboard.
Stocked Waters:
Today’s news is Delayed Harvest! GA streams were stocked today and Wes told you about NC’s good news in yesterday’s UO post. GA Foothills TUer Bruce Johnson stopped by the shop at lunch today, shared pics and vids, and said the Smith DH stocking effort went well. His chapter partnered with Burton Hatchery and Unicoi Lodge staffs to spread fish out.
Similar partnership efforts happened on other GA DH streams today. Read more about GA DH stockings here:
https://georgiawildlife.blog/2024/11/01/georgia-fishing-report-november-1-2024/
Fresh DH stockers are suckers for bright and/or moving bugs for a week or two, so put a small woolly bugger on your kid’s outfit and introduce them to fly fishing for trout. Remember our midweek DH tips, too, on our Instagram and Facebook pages.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1B7wRRCz2F/?mibextid=WC7FNe
Tailwaters:
No recent reports. It’s a fine time of year to headhunt for Hooch trophy browns with big, articulated streamers in the stained water.
Private Waters:
Book with us soon!
https://www.unicoioutfitters.com/guided-fishing/
UO-Helen manager summed it up well:
“The the fishing this past week was great and our anglers and guides were treated to peak fall colors. My best bets were duracell and hares ear nymphs under yarn indicators, soft hackles on the swing, and streamers in slower moving water.”
UO guide Israel: “Couple good days this week on the Soque. When it was cloudy they seemed to like size 14 pheasant tails. On the sunny day downsizing to a #18 micro mayfly and rainbow warrior was the ticket. Lots of fish feeding mid water column.”
UO manager Jake guided his client duo to an awesome morning on the Soque today. Jake said his best rig was a chubby with a Duracell dropped below it. Both the dry and wet bugs worked. UO guide Como had similar experience with his clients at Nacoochee Bend this morning. Both the dry (chubby) and the dropper nymphs got eaten.
Warm Rivers:
UO buddy Athens Jay: “Piedmont rivers remain very low and clear, but the moderate temperatures are great for float trips and wet wading. I caught a few sassy natives on black articulated streamers this week.”
Lakes:
UO manager Jake had a memorable guide trip to a GA Power lake with longtime client and friend, Gayland. They found bass busting bluebacks and Gayland tossed a blueback-imitating swimbait. He was thrilled with a five-pound largemouth. But a short time later, he landed this brute that topped the scales at 9.82 pounds!
Jake took some quick measurements for a replica mount and Gayland then released the big gal to fight another day. Call the Helen shop if you’d like to book at bass trip with Jake.
UO guide Joseph: “Had a very nice outing on Lanier last week. We finally found a very nice school that stayed eating on the surface and did so in intervals for about two hours. We hooked a total of 8 fish and unfortunately only put our hands on one. The fish were feeding on juvenile threadfin shad so for fly flingers Henry’s somethin else’s or polar fiber minnows on intermediate lines will fish the best. For conventional tackle serpentine swim baits or top water walking baits will do. Things are finally starting to heat up so if you’re interested in coming and fishing with me give the shop a call!”
UO buddy AJ: “Topwater on Lanier is still a little more inconsistent than it's been in previous years. But striper groups are staying up a little longer when they do come up. Fished Sunday PM and had a group come up a few times that probably could've been caught on a fly. Fished Wed AM and did not see a single group up, even in perfect overcast conditions. Out again this AM and found another group that stayed up long enough to get flies into. They just didn't want any of the 3 flies I tried. Picked up 1 on an Ima Little Stik and missed a few on a sebile. Water temps are 68'ish. I think we are right on the verge of seeing some really good groups up. Just need some more rainy and overcast days to get them really going.”
UO owner Jimmy fished Lanier this afternoon and said: “Broke off a big striper this afternoon. Nate was fishing near me and he broke one off at the same time. Good school, stayed up for a little while. I also had another hit but either my hooks were fouled or the fish fouled them when he hit it. It’s beginning!”
GAWRD has some very timely trout and bass intel in this week’s blog. Check out the news about Lake Burton trout stocking, among other topics, here:
https://georgiawildlife.blog/2024/11/01/georgia-fishing-report-november-1-2024/
Afar:
Dredger went trick-or-treating to the Smokies yesterday. Upon arrival he was treated to some in-river company, as the elk got a midmorning dip and drink.
He was then tricked for several hours on his dry/dropper rig, which brought just one rise from a trout but countless takes by floating leaves.
Frustrated, he broke for lunch and a reassessment, and soon had an uninvited guest at the truck…
He then switched tactics, going farther upstream, with less wind and leaves, to finally score via Euro. A bunch of small bows and a sole brown seemed to like his sunken ant dropper slightly better than his stealth Frenchie (tie with a brown bead) anchor fly. A BBQ sammich at Haywood Smokehouse, on his way home, topped off a fine NC road trip.
UO buddy RonW: “My wife and I spent last weekend in the Smokies exploring GSMNP for our 22nd anniversary.
Fishing wasn't the top priority so I only had 2.5-3 hours total on the water. Water levels were extremely low in my favorite little creek. I did manage to fish some new water along one of our hikes. All total, I landed 4 small wild rainbows and 1 slightly larger bow, all on nymphs. The elk were out in the fields and so were the crowds. “
Dredger’s best buddy, Michigan Ski, flipped a few pics of his successful trip to his cabin on the Pere Marquette. Enjoy his vid of spawning kings! We do believe a road trip north is in our future…
That’s the latest on this late report, thanks to a busy day at the Helen shop today. Get out there soon and cash in on bass and trout while the mild fall weather hangs around. You’ll be glad you did! Restock your fly boxes at our Helen shop, where we just got resupplied for your fall and winter adventures. Good luck, guys and gals!
Unicoi Outfitters: Friendly. Local. Experts.
www.unicoioutfitters.com
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