Summary:
Headwaters are skinny, clear, and cool - most of the day. Warmer afternoons this week may slow the afternoon bite, so go early or up higher for longer dry fly action. Stockers are scarce as we get farther away from their Labor Day stockings. Tailwaters are stained, but still good for stocker bows and wild browns. River bassin is great, while reservoir spots are still providing action. Anglers are reminded to call now to reserve prime fall and winter fishing dates on our private trout waters.
Details are in our blog. It’s new every Friday and will help you boost your own catch rates.
http://blog.angler.management/
(Link in bio)
Stop in either UO shop if we can help you out.
Helen: 706-878-3083. Open 8-5 daily.
Clarkesville: 706-754-0203. Open 8-5 from Monday thru Saturday.
Unicoi Outfitters: Friendly. Local. Experts.
Wes’ Hot Fly List:
Dries: purple haze, tan elk hair caddis, parachute ant, yellow stimmy, foam ant, micro chubby Chernobyl, royal humpy, Drymerger.
Nymphs & Wets:
Stockers: red squirmy worm, peach egg, micro girdle bug, black woolly bugger, tan and olive mops, pink tag jig.
Mountain streams: hares ear, drowned ant, pheasant tail nymph and soft hackle, UV green weenie, prince nymph.
Streamers:
small black and olive buggers, bank robber sculpin, micro dungeon.
(Bass) Boogle bug, wiggle minnow, sparkle minnow, crawfish jambalaya,
(Panfish) Gill Scorpion, amnesia bug, girdle bug, chartreuse mop.
(Carp) carp nasty, gorgon craw.
Headwaters:
They are still low, transparent, and cool,
https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?site_no=02330450&legacy=1
but are warming slightly with the return of afternoon air temps in the 80’s. Today at 3PM upper Smith was 64F
and Spoilcane was 67.
Fish before lunch on lower elevation streams and any time of the day on real high headwaters and north slope streams. We had mixed reports at the shop this week. Some speck and bow prospectors did well on dries (stimmies, caddis, ants), while others had most luck on their ant or pheasant tail dropper nymphs under their dries. Above all, be stealthy when stalking those pools, where drought survivors are packed in and nervous.
Stockers:
I’ll repeat last week’s assessment: The GAWRD trout stocking season is pretty much over, except for a few stray fall stockings. That means you’re fishing for Labor Day leftovers. Fish fast and cover a longer stretch of stream to locate those holiday survivors. Try swimming a real small olive or black bugger thru the pockets as you wade downstream and cover some distance.
https://georgiawildlife.com/Fishing/Trout
Rabunite Nanette said that she and hubby Rick hit the Tallulah this morning: “Not a great day but we caught both stockers and wilds. Water temp 58 at 8 AM. Thought the bite would be better. None on dries, all on nymphs. The leftover stockers from this summer seem to be few and far between at this point.”
Private Waters:
October is just around the corner, and that cooler weather will trigger the reopening of our private waters on the Hooch and Soque. Call the Helen shop now (706-878-3083) to reserve your slots before all of our prime fall dates are filled.
Tailwaters:
Both of Georgia’s trout tailwaters are stained from heavy reservoir stratification. Be careful wading in dingy water, but celebrate the fact that you can use some bigger and brighter nymphs and streamers.
UO buddy Mo: “Here’s some Hooch Tailwater buttah for ye. Saw an opening between releases Sunday from about 2-6pm and took it. Brought 8 fish to hand with this being the biggest. Had 2 more brown sprats and the rest were rainbows. Also tiddlers except for this beat up ole rainbow snit. About dozen other anglers on the water but didn’t see anyone catching. The wind was brutal tho, had to rig up new twice due to tangles, just wicked. Halfway in I set the hook on a fish and my micro leader snaps in half. Spool is at home so I fish with half a leader for 2 more hrs. Got tired of the wind before 6 and split. Haven’t been to this access site in years, it was nice to go back. Forgot about all the people in the park and in the water this time of year. “
Warm Rivers:
They are a best bet for the weekend. This dry spell has them low and clear and a bit cooler. The Hooch looked perfect when I crossed the Highway 115 bridge after lunch today. As Wes said in his post this week, September might be the best month for topwater river bassin.’ Don’t miss it!
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DOdpJkbAMld/?igsh=M3Rzb2x5MmJ5bTJ0
UO Helen manager Wes: “The late summer redeye bass fishing is on fire right now. I caught around 10 Bartram’s bass including 3 that were over 10” in just an hour and a half of fishing one afternoon this week. All on an olive/black stealth bomber.”
Ponds: No recent reports from our flat water fans. The pond bite should be good as surface waters start to cool. Hit the perimeters any time the sun isn’t beating down on them.
Lakes:
UO guide Joseph: “Bass fishing on Lanier has been good over the past week. With cooler temps I’ve seen multiple schools and wolf packs of spots schooling over and around structure. Fishing flukes, walking baits, and serpentine swimbaits has been most productive for the fish on top. For flies clousers, kinky muddlers and Game changers have been the ticket.
Fall season is almost here and our stripers will be up high and happy soon. I still have availability for October and November but prime dates are going very fast. To inquire about or book a trip, give the Helen shop a call at (706)878-3083 or visit my website at www.josephclarkflyfishing.com”
Afar:
Great, breaking news from the Smokies: 441 has reopened today!
https://www.instagram.com/p/DOgzxgziVdO/?igsh=cm0yNzNmNXgxY2J1
UO buddy Athens Jay: “I headed north of our border in search of cooler water and wild fish last weekend.
I was delighted to find rising trout in two different streams. Low, clear water meant that a stealthy presentation was critical. I used 6X tippet, and had lots of hits with a size 14 yellow foam Caddis, but few takes. I switched to something like an October Caddis tied on a TMC 101 size 16 hook and had much better results. Day one it was spunky wild rainbows,
day two I went further up (above 5,000 ft. elevation) and found colder water and some pretty specks!”
Reminder:
Don’t forget Sammy’s freebie. The September issue will be released in a couple days. Sign up for Strung online mag soon!
September’s cooler nights and scarce storms now have most of our waters cool and clear. Have fun on dries and poppers while stream conditions are prime for surface action. Stop in either UO shop if you’re passing through Helen or Clarkesville, and we’ll aim you toward success, from trout to bass.
Unicoi Outfitters: Friendly. Local. Experts.
