Unicoi Outfitters Fishing Report - 1/31/25

Sorry for the late report; I just got back from a big time at the Atlanta Fly Fishing Show. If y’all have a chance, get down there and enjoy the free seminars on casting, fishing, and fly tying. My two favorites today were the casting tips and demos from Jeff Currier and Kevin Howell at the casting pond next to our UO Booth #436.

For this week’s fishing report, look forward to your “taste of spring.”Warm and mostly dry weather should awaken a lot of fish from their frozen slumber. Delayed Harvest trout aren’t as abundant as they were a month ago, but enough are still around to make your trip worthwhile. And I wouldn’t be surprised if GAWRD redosed them next week.

Wild trout have been frozen, but should thaw and eat this week. You just have to get to them.  Some national forest roads are still closed.   Each district office will have the best info on its respective road status. Find the districts here:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/conf/about-forest/offices

For next week, carry some “hope” and few seasonal dries (winter stones, BWO’s, midges) in case these warm days spur a small hatch or two. In a few more weeks, the tailwaters should host the black caddis hatch, so put some of those bugs in your vest or sling, too.

Stripers are deep and slow and so should your streamers be. See Joseph’s most recent Lanier report. And catch Henry Cowen at our UO booth all day tomorrow for some Lanier intel.   Buy his book so you don’t have to remember what he told you.

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

http://blog.angler.management/

Stop in either UO shop (Helen, Clarkesville) for your February supplies. Better yet, swing by the Atlanta Fly Fishing Show this weekend and visit with our UO staff  (Jake, Wes, Israel, and our young guns) at Booth #436.  Enjoy this week’s warmth, indoors and out!

Unicoi Outfitters: Friendly. Local. Experts.

www.unicoioutfitters.com

Wes’ Hot Fly List:  

Dries: Micro chubby Chernobyl,  orange stimulator, parachute Adams, blue wing olive, little black stone, gray elk hair caddis.

Nymphs & Wets: 

DH streams: small Frenchie, tungsten baetis, small pheasant tails and hares ears (both soft hackles and nymphs) slush egg, RS2, root beer and zebra midges.

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

Streamers:

Olive and black buggers, sparkle minnows, CDC squirrel leech, bank robber sculpin.

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

Headwaters: 

Low, cold, and clear, but they’ll be warming up quickly. Try dry/dropper rigs.  For forest road closure updates, try the Chatt Forest Ranger District offices: Example: Tallulah Falls RD:  706-754-6221. 

UO guide Sydney slipped out to a headwater stream on a warmer afternoon this week and was treated to several little wild rainbows that inhaled her caddis dry fly.

UO buddy RSquared: “A couple of my former students & I fished one of Georgia's best known wild trout streams last Sunday. The fishing & camaraderie were great but the catching was nonexistent. The water temp was in the mid-30's and ice still clung to the shoreline & exposed rocks. We tried multiple tactics but nothing we cast at them could coax a trout out of their lairs. With warming water & air temperatures this week, catching should be much better.”

Delayed Harvest Streams:

They’re super-clear and cold and flowing at normal winter levels. Smith is fishing well and the Chattooga isn’t. The Toccoa should fish better with the coming warm spell. Same with Ami. Just bottom-bump the deep pools with real long, light tippets to find the hibernating rainbows. Save the riffle fishing for April.

New flyfisher Tanner shared this note: “I caught a really nice rainbow on a hares ear nymph at Smith Creek this week. I would not have been able to get him without all the flies, advice and tips from your Helen staff. Thank you UO!”

UO staffer Dredger hit the Chattooga DH last Monday afternoon. Water temp was a chilly 41F and never rose. The river was low and clear, with sand covering half the stream bottom due to the lack of flushing rains. He had zero hits and zero fish to hand for several hours. He finally broke the ice with some recently stocked browns, found in a few tight pods on the upper end via an egg/bugger combo.  The river will fish better with warming water temps and another dose of Walhalla stockers. Until then, he suggests heading somewhere else.

Private Waters:

Client trips were few and far between this week. UO buddy JS: “I have fished for 7 straight weeks. Last week was really cold but I decided to go to my son’s property on the Hooch so I could get back out of the water quickly.  I couldn’t get a hit on any nymph I tried. I switched to a green bugger with a copper tail, let it swing through the hole deeply with two split shot,  and it was on! They wouldn’t touch the fly if I stripped it, but would kill it on a swing. My feet were so cold that I quit after just an hour.’

Tailwaters:

UO buddy Myles: “ Last Saturday in Helen, Myles managed to catch 8 and Ryan caught 3. This evening we fished the Hooch tailwaters. Myles caught 5 browns and Ryan caught 4 browns. Pheasant tails, Hares ears, and stonefly patterns have been the ticket this week.”

Lakes:

UO guide Joseph: “ I got out on the pond for a short afternoon session earlier this week. Water temp in the river channel was 43 degrees and in the back of creeks it was 45-46 degrees. Saw lots of bird activity but they were mostly scattered, feeding on bait just under the surface. Wasn’t able to find the big groups like the previous week but I was able to find a few stripers. Most fish I marked were about 15-30 feet down. Evening I was able to run into a fish on a sinking like down deep. The fish ate a somethin else on a dead fall. It seems over the past few weeks, as the water temps have plummeted, moving the fly very slowly is the key to success. With some warmer days on the way hopefully we should see a little more activity near the surface. If you’d like to book a trip call the shop at (706)-878-3083!”

Learn more about Joseph here:

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/19pR2Xyk72/?

Afar:

UO buddy Steve shared his Ireland angling tale with us. Enjoy:

http://flylifemagazine.com/part-i-trout-fishing-ireland-style-with-steve-hudson/

Events:

THE FLY SHOW - NOW!

Jan 31 to Feb 2 : Atlanta Fly Fishing Show at Gas South Convention Center in Duluth. Stop by our UO booth and swap fish stories.  We are back at booth #436, next to Pond A, once again.

https://flyfishingshow.com/atlanta/

Feb 20: Soque River Watershed “fly fishing trip auction” and prime rib dinner in Clarkesville. Details:

https://soque.org/

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.

Enjoy the coming thaw and take advantage of rising stream temps and renewed trout appetites. It won’t be as good as April, but the catching will be a heckuva lot better that it’s been the last two frozen weeks. Got a thermometer? Fish the midday sun! See y’all at the Fly Show this weekend!

BOOTH 436!

Unicoi Outfitters: Friendly. Local. Experts.

www.unicoioutfitters.com

Unicoi Outfitters Fishing Report - 1/24/25

Let’s call this week’s report, “Rebound.”  Region streams are clear and icy-cold, but are on the verge of a slow warmup over the next week. Fishing has been slow, but a bit better than the slow rates during these last two freezes.  

Your two best friends are your stream thermometer and your watch. Aim for the warmest part of the day (11 to 3PM) and for water temps above the magic 40-degree mark.  Rising water temps, even when cold, will get some fish eating. It’s all about the trend in temperatures, and we want an upward trend right now that can inch up past that 40-degree mark.

Headwaters are icy, clear, and slow fishing, if you can even get to them.  Some forest roads are still closed. DH streams are slowly waking up and worth a try. Tailwaters are good, as they usually are in the winter. Tailwater temps are often warmer near the dam and can cool down farther downstream when air temps are cold and tributary streams are icy.

Small bugs are the name of the winter game. Got some small eggs, pheasant tails, and midges?  First drift ‘em and then twitch ‘em if necessary. If you get bored, slowly strip a streamer fished deep, preferably with a small, soft hackle dropper if they want to nibble and not eat. Split shot are your friends!

Lake stripers staged a small comeback this week and gave us a bit of hope for next week . Don’t leave home without a sinking line to accompany your other rig with an intermediate line.

Main county and state roads are in good shape. Just be watchful of black ice on shaded curves. Some national forest roads are still closed.   Each district office will have the best info on its respective road status. Find the districts here:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/conf/about-forest/offices

Catch Wes’ weekly update to his hot fly list and the latest fishing reports from our UO staff and our rabid angling friends, who braved the elements, here:

http://blog.angler.management/

Enjoy this week’s warmup. Get out there and exercise all of the new equipment and supplies you got over the holidays. Just carry a butane lighter in your fly vest and a dry change of clothes in your vehicle, in case of a misstep.  Wade slowly and stay dry and as warm as you can. Fishing is more enjoyable when your teeth are not chattering.  Enjoy the clean air and abundant elbow room of winter fishing. Stop in either UO shop (Helen, Clarkesville) for Wes’ hot winter bugs.

Unicoi Outfitters: Friendly. Local. Experts.

www.unicoioutfitters.com

Wes’ Winter Fly List:  

Wes said it’s been the same cold weather, so last week’s best bets are still good for another week. 

Dries: Micro chubby Chernobyl,  orange stimulator, parachute Adams, blue wing olive, little black stone.  They’re mainly strike indicators for your nymph droppers.

Nymphs & Wets: 

DH streams: small Frenchie, tungsten baetis, small pheasant tails and hares ears (both soft hackles and nymphs) slush egg, RS2, micro mayfly, root beer and zebra midges.

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

Streamers:

Olive and black buggers, sparkle minnows, CDC squirrel leech, bank robber sculpin.

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

Headwaters: 

They’re real clear and real cold. Spoilcane  was only 37F at 10AM today. 

Action will likely be very slow until we get a decent warmup. Plus, numerous USFS roads are still closed due to snow and ice. Sydney said the Dicks Creek road was still closed earlier this week. I drove above Spoilcane  this morning and found the upper gate to the Hooch River Road still closed.  

Headwaters to the north of us are still frozen, too. Check out these Smokies reports:

https://randrflyfishing.com/2025/01/13/real-winter-in-the-smokies/

https://littleriveroutfitters.com/pages/fishing/report.htm

Bottom line: stay downhill and hunt for warmer water and safer, open roads. For forest road updates, try the Chatt Forest Ranger District offices: Example: Tallulah Falls RD:  706-754-6221. 

UO guide Sydney had cabin fever and hit a local headwater just before the last Arctic blast.  She landed one small, icy, wild bow on a mighty may Sloan baetis nymph. She said one sure beats zero, and it was nice  just getting outside.

Delayed Harvest Streams:

They’re super-clear and cold and flowing at normal winter levels.

Smith DH was gin-clear and 40 degrees at my 10AM check today. Plenty of fish were finning in the pool. Zoom in and count them!  

Only one vehicle was in the parking lot.

That water temp gives us hope!  I’m sure the other DH streams to our north are running a bit cooler, but should hopefully break that magic 40-degree mark on the warmer afternoons ahead of us. Tune into the gauges!

https://waterdata.usgs.gov/ga/nwis/uv?site_no=02176930

Rabunite Bluejay checked in: “Good day at Smith DH yesterday (23rd).  The good thing about fishing when it’s cold is that there were only three cars in the parking lot. The bad thing about fishing when it’s cold:  It’s COLD!

  

I landed a 9-fish mix of browns and rainbows on an elk hair caddis for the indicator and a nymph or a zebra midge dropper. Caught one on top and the rest on the dropper. Also caught a couple on a small egg pattern, but had no luck with a. soft hackle.”

UGA 5Rivers Club VP Cooper checked in:

“I had a busy but fun weekend in the mountains.  First I helped TU’s Jeff Wright with a speck passage project in Rabun County. Learned a lot yesterday and had a great time. 

Then I fished Smith DH with some buddies. The fish were pretty smart. I caught 3  rainbows on a tiny pheasant tail (no beadhead) fished deep.”

UO buddy Myles: “ I braved the cold temps on Tuesday and fished the Toccoa DH for about 30 minutes, managing to catch one trout before my leader and flies froze up on me. 

There was lots of ice on the river which was very cool, considering I've never seen rivers partially iced over.  In this screenshot from the video I took, amongst the floating ice chunks, you can see a pod of trout stacked in this one pool.  There was just one small patch of ice on Aska Road but my route there was not a problem.”

Private Waters:

The winter weather held us back from most trips, but Como was able to slip out to the Soque and put his clients on some nice fish. He said a slowly bottom-bumped, black micro girdle bug was the favor of choice this week .

Are you planning your private waters action for 2025? Give us a call at 706-878-3083 to book your own trips this year with our UO guides. Call soon, as those prime spring weekends book quickly.

Tailwaters:

UO buddy Mo:  “Kurt and I fished the tailwater below Lanier last Sat. We needed a fix before the arctic winter moved in. Fish were reasonably active with quite a few rises on top.  We both caught a good handful in about 4hrs on the river. We had a nice mix of bows and browns to hand. A double, small nymph euro rig drifted low and slow was most productive method on this typical winter day on the tailwater.”

Lakes:

UO guide Joseph: “ I was finally able to get out on the lake late last week. We fished from mid-morning to mid-afternoon. Most of the fish we saw were in big groups suspended over a 45-60 foot bottom in creek arms. For these fish somethin else’s on sinking lines seemed to be the ticket. Even when the fish push the bait near the surface I have found that using the countdown method is still best at this time of year. When a few more boats found those fish, we rode around looking for more happy fish accompanied by birds and fewer boats. We ended up fishing a decent school of fish in the very back of a creek but they only gave us a few chances. Overall fishing this time of year can be a ton of fun and yield some great numbers days. To book a trip call the Helen shop at (706)-878-3083!”

Learn more about Joseph here:

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/19pR2Xyk72/?

UO buddy AJ: “I got out on the pond Saturday and Tuesday last week. I had really high hopes for Saturday, but it was pretty much a letdown. I covered a lot of water and put in a lot of time. I managed just 2 spots and was finally able to put 1 striper in the boat around 4:30pm. I knew of several other fly fishing boats out and heard similar reports, basically everyone was happy to kick into one fish. I did have one buddy who hit the jackpot and found a small group shallow in a pocket under a loon. He was able to get 3 stripers on the fly... Right place, right time! Tuesday I had a little more action and was able to feed 3 stripers before the snow started falling and everything shut down. 

Fish are deep but good electronics, a sinking line, and a Cowen Somethin' Else can still get it done! 

Not the most exciting way to fish, but it is definitely effective.  Water temps were hovering around 43-44 Tues afternoon. Hoping for some warmer weather and some shallower fish this coming week.  I'm booking for February now, which can be great out there. Give me a shout if you want to get out there!

Alex Jaume

Lanier on the Fly

www.Lanieronthefly.com

IG - @lanier_on_the_fly

Afar:

UO buddy RSquared wasn’t intimidated by the weather. He just returned to post this report:

“SoHo Bass:

This past weekend, I ventured north of the state line to Bristol Tennessee. I had heard about the wintertime smallmouth fishing, and I wanted to check it out for myself. The weather was frigid and at this latitude, there was still plenty of snow and ice left from the storm earlier that week. A warmwater discharge from an industrial complex drew the fish to this area and held them in a two mile stretch of river. We used a white "Wiggle Minnow" that was tied to our leaders with a loop knot to give it more action.  A short strip or two would make it do a shallow dive with life-like action and then I would let it float to the top like a wounded shad. We finished the day with several Smallies brought to net and a couple of bonus Largemouths.

SoHo Trout:

Among fly anglers, the South Holston is known for trout, small flies, and consistent hatches. The cold temperatures did not seem to be a problem. In the hour before sunset, the fish would rise to feed on surface bugs. I was throwing a size 20 parachute Bluewing Olive that I could barely see in the waning light. However, it drew very little attention from the rising trout. they were feeding on something much smaller: Midges in the size 26 range. The following day, we fished a much lower section of the river from a drift boat. We knew we would not have great numbers, but the trout we would catch would be large ones. My fishing partner, Jim, proved this point when after a long battle, he landed his personal best which measured 26.5" on the tape. After a quick measure and a couple of pictures, he released the long and slender rainbow hen back into her watery home. Good times in NE Tennessee!”

Upcoming Events:

THE FLY SHOW!

Jan 31 to Feb 2 : Atlanta Fly Fishing Show at Gas South Convention Center in Duluth. Stop by our UO booth and swap fish stories.  We are back at booth #436, next to Pond A, once again.

https://flyfishingshow.com/atlanta/

Feb 20: Soque River Watershed “fly fishing trip auction” and prime rib dinner in Clarkesville. Details:

https://soque.org/

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 in mid-March. Details here:

https://georgiatu.org/

Enjoy the thaw and take advantage of rising stream temps and renewed trot appetites. It won’t be as good as April, but the catching will be a heckuva lot better that it’s been the last two weeks. Got a thermometer? Fish the midday sun!

Good luck. Stop in one of our shops for some hot winter bugs, wool gloves, and hand warmers! See y’all at the Fly Show next weekend!

Where?

BOOTH 436!

Unicoi Outfitters: Friendly. Local. Experts.

www.unicoioutfitters.com