Outdoor Adventure Day 9/24

10th Annual Outdoor Adventure Day at Unicoi State Park!

By Ken Riddleberger, Northeast Georgia Game Management Supervisor

            Looking for a fun-filled day of outdoor activities for the whole family?   We have just the ticket!   The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is hosting Outdoor Adventure Day on September 24th at Unicoi State Park near Helen.  

            The event will be from 10:00am to 4:00pm, weather permitting, in the large field along Smith Creek downstream from Unicoi Lake Dam.   Activities geared for kids and adults of all ages include canoeing, camping, hiking, trout fishing, fly tying and casting, airgun shooting, archery and skeet shooting.  There will be live wildlife shows with birds of prey, snakes, and other Georgia wildlife.  Smith Creek will be stocked with trout during the day and will be open to fishing.   September 24th is a free-fishing day, so Georgia residents can fish without a license.   Bring your fishing poles and some bait or lures.   Crickets and worms are good choices for live bait.   If you don’t have a pole, but want to try trout fishing, don’t worry.   Loaner poles, tackle, bait, and even some streamside helpers will be available.  Just drop by the fishing tent to get set up.

            Did you ever wish you could try fly-fishing, but never had the time?   Now’s your chance!   Experts in fly-fishing from Trout Unlimited and Unicoi Outfitters will be on hand to provide instructions on fly-casting using their equipment.   You can also try your hand at fly tying and, with help from North Georgia Trout Online members, go home with a “woolly bugger” you created.

            Tired of fishing? Let’s try some shooting sports.  You can start on the archery range.   Volunteers with the Traditional Bowhunters of Georgia will coach you shooting bows at a variety of 3-D targets.   Adjacent to the archery range, DNR staff and volunteers will teach basic shooting skills using airguns.   You’ll be hitting bull’s-eyes before you leave.

           

            Next, graduate up to skeet shooting.   A skeet range will be in action all day.   DNR and US Forest Service instructors will be with you to guarantee you break some skeet.   Shotguns, ammo and everything else you need are provided.

            Need a break?  Check out the live animals.   Live animal shows will be ongoing throughout the day.   See a variety of live reptiles and live hawks used in the sport of falconry.  Talk with experts from Smithgall Woods Conservation Center.  Interested in camping and hiking?  Members of the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club will be on hand to give you tips on making your outdoor adventure enjoyable.

            If you prefer a relaxing time on the lake, sign up to paddle a canoe on beautiful Unicoi Lake.  Instructors will teach you the basics and you can take a canoe trip around the lake on your own.  Experts from Unicoi State Park will be there as instructors.

            Although the activities are outdoors, you don’t have to “rough it”.  Restroom facilities will be available and a vendor will have lunch items on-site for you to purchase.  Should you want to take a break from walking, hop on the hay wagon which will be running all day in a continuous loop to get you from one location to the next.   If that’s not enough, there will be a free raffle for some neat hunting and fishing prizes. 

            This event celebrates National Hunting and Fishing Day and National Public Lands Day.  The Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the nonprofit group “Friends of Unicoi State Park” will co-sponsor the Outdoor Adventure Day.  A Georgia ParkPass ($5/day) is required for each vehicle and can be purchased upon arrival.

            Directions to the event are easy.   Take GA Hwy 75 North through Helen, then turn right on GA Hwy 356 in Robertstown.   Go over the Unicoi Lake Dam and past the entrance to Unicoi Lodge for two-tenths of a mile.   Turn right at the brown sign for the trout stream and tennis courts and you are there!  Make plans now to come celebrate National Hunting and Fishing Day with Georgia’s Conservation Community.  For information about other National Hunting and Fishing Day events, visit the Wildlife Resources Division website at www.georgiawildlife.com or call 770-535-5498.

How to Become an Expert

Our good friend Craig Riendeau is one of the best river bass fly anglers we know.  He also happens to be one of the most innovative bass fly designers in the country; a talent he has parlayed into some notoriety via Rainy's Flies.  He's written for Fly Tyer Magazine and is a member of the FlyWranglersTV.com team.  When I received this email from Craig yesterday, my immediate thought was  to get this information on our blog.  So, if you've ever wondered how the experts actually become an expert, take note; it's the power of observation!

Craig's 4 lb. 13 oz. Shoal Bass

"Jimmy, I found a new way to catch shoal bass, dry fly fish for them.  OK, it's not your usual dry fly fishing but the principles are the same.  I fished one of my favorite rivers yesterday and the water was extremely low and clear.  You could actually see the bass if you looked hard enough (and they weren't under a ledge).  It was tough going till I accidentally drop a popper in the river.  As I watched it float away, a good bass came up and ate it.  The power of observation!  OK, so I put on another popper and cast it out there and just let it drift, bang, fish on.  I ended the day with a dozen bass, half over two pounds plus a bonus 4 lb. 13 oz. pig , all caught this way.  So you're going to have to start stocking #4 chartreuse rubber legged poppers with the dry flies.  Funny thing is that two years ago I caught a 4 lb. 12 oz. shoalie by accident dead drifting a popper but just took it as a fluke.  I was standing on a rock surveying the river ahead with the popper trailing behind me when he hit.  New technique?  I'm going to look into it for sure."

Blue Ridge Fly Tyers Night

Hey Ya'll we are holding a fly tyers night this Thursday from 6:30pm till 8:30pm at the Blue Ridge Unicoi Outfitters Fly Shop. Tyers of all experience levels are welcome, and the best part is that it is free! Coffee and donuts are provided. This is scheduled to go on every 3rd Thursday of the month. Bring your equipment if you've got it. If not we'll have all the stuff for you to use no charge. It's a great opportunity to have some fun and to also maybe learn a new technique or two. Midges will be the main focus, but we'll tie San Juans if you want too. Give us a call at the shop at 706-632-1880 and let us know if you are coming so we'll have enough grub!

2011 Gold Cup Fly Fishing Team Challenge

THE 2011 GOLD CUP FLY FISHING TEAM CHALLENGE

Announcing

Team Dead Drift, Frog Hollow and Unicoi Outfitters are pleased to announce the 3rd annual “Gold Cup Fly Fishing Team Challenge”. You are invited to attend or to participate in this two-day fly-fishing event to be held at Frog Hollow on the beautiful and picturesque waters of the Chestatee River in Dahlonega Georgia and Unicoi Outfitters the famous and beautiful Chattahoochee River south of Helen, Georgia. 

First Round

Saturday November 12^th 2011 8:00a.m. - 5:30p.m.

Final Round

Sunday November 13^th 2011 8:00a.m. - 5:30p.m.

Participants

Entry Fee Per Team $175.00

 Registration deadline November 1^st, 2011

To view this event is free and open to the public.

The Gold Cup Team Challenge is an annual two-day event, which will permit a two-person team to match their skills against other teams, to earn a $1,000 grand prize, plus, one full day fishing and one night lodging at Frog Hollow. Team awards will be given for 2^nd, and 3^rd place. Best Angler award will be given for the most total points by one angler.

Registration to compete is open to the general public, on a first come basis.

A maximum of 20 teams will be permitted; a minimum of 10, two-angler teams must be registered for the event to take place.

A non-refundable registration and entry fee for each team is required. 

In the event an insufficient number of participants register for this event, all funds for individuals will be returned.

A 6:00 p.m. kick-off dinner will be hosted at Frog Hollow on the Friday evening before the Challenge.

This is a two-day two-person team event and will be conducted according to Trout Legend competition standards, FIPS MOUCHE rules, and Tournament Committee member rules and regulations.  Further details on the event, as well as a detailed listing of the rules are posted on the following websites:

http://www.teamdeaddrift.com

http://www.froghollowflyfishing.com

http://www.unicoioutfitters.com

A portion of the proceeds from this event will go to Gold Rush Chapter Trout Unlimited, a 501 (C)(3), non-profit organization.

Volunteers, sponsorship, exhibitors, donations and prizes welcome.

The goal of the Gold Cup Challenge Committee was to coordinate an event with a prestigious fly fishing award with the benefits and intent to promote, educate and inform the public about the joy of fly-fishing.

Team Dead Drift:

The Georgia Fly Fishing Team is a group of anglers who compete in local and national fly fishing tournaments.  The team is excited as it makes strides to collectively participate and encourage in the sport of competitive fly-fishing. Those interested to follow the progress of the team as we make steps toward our goals, please feel free to follow and support us!

Team Dead Drift Mission Statement:

Team Dead Drift is dedicated to developing a competitive fly-fishing team to participate in regional, national, and international events.  The Team will strive to assist in educational efforts aimed at teaching the art of fly fishing.  It will also endeavor to participate in conservation efforts (in coordination with other organizations) to protect and preserve the diverse cold water and warm water fisheries throughout the state of Georgia and the southeast.

This press release revised September 2nd 2010

Kenny Simmons

Gold Rush Cup Challenge Director

(706)244-4372

kenny@froghollowflyfishing.com

Ben VanDevender

Team Dead Drift Captain

(770)312-1513

Thegeorgiafly@hotmail.com

Tie 1 On

Thought I would let all the "fly tyers" and "want to be fly tyers" know that we will meet this Tues.( Sept 6th) at 6:00 PM at Nacoochee Methodist Church on Highway 17 in Sautee. This month we will be using dubbing loops to tie some basic flies that catch fish--if there are any left after this hot summer. Everyone is invited and tools and material will be provided. Hope to see you in church.

Thanks,

Ron

Flies for Delayed Harvest Streams

We received this from Steve Hudson




Hi folks!

Just a quick note to let you know that I'll be speaking on "Tying Flies for Delayed Harvest and Stocked Trout" at the monthly meeting of the Tailwater Trout Unlimited Chapter on Thursday, Sept. 1. The group meets at Tanner's at the corner of Peachtree Industrial Blvd. and Suwanee Dam Road in Suwanee.

I'll be talking about selecting, tying and using different flies that are effective for delayed harvest streams -- not just at the beginning of the season but also as the fish adjust from recent stockers to veteran holdovers. The opening of the delayed harvest seasons in Georgia and North Carolina are fast approaching, and this should be a great way to get you started on getting your fly box ready for some truly great trout fishing!

The meeting starts at 6:30 but we may meet a bit earlier to           do a bit of tying.  Hope to see you there!

Best,

Steve

Down In The Arkansas

Our good friend Al Money just returned from a trip to Colorado and sends us this fishing report:

Ronnie Gibson and I got a chance to do some fishing on the Arkansas River in Colorado last week.  We were about 3 hours southwest of Denver near the towns of Salida and Buena Vista.  We hired a guide (Abe) through Arkanglers Fly Shop for a half day just to show us the tricks of the local water. 

It didn't take Ronnie long to hook up with a nice Rainbow but I guess I am just a slow learner because we were several hours into the day before I got my first Brown to the net.  

We both had two pretty fantastic days once we learned the trick of fishing tiny flies over shallow but fast riffles with no lead and absolutely drag free drift.  Most of the fish we caught were holding in about 6 inches of fast moving water over a rocky bottom.  They blended in so well with the bottom that you really couldn't spot them until one took the fly.  The Rainbows are stocked but all of the Browns in this river are wild fish.  Here are a few pictures, hope you enjoy.

This Is A Cool Fly Fishing Video

Without all the hyperbole, head-banging music and dramatic editing, our friends at Drake Magazine give you a really cool video on trout and mayflies.

Hatch // Drake Fly Fishing Magazine

John Gierach is a Master at Spinning Tales, Reels

We think this is a very good article on one of flyfishing's most noted icons.  Written for the mainstream readers of the Denver Post, Scott Willoughby gives a different perspective of Gierach than we normally get from flyfishing periodicals.

LYONS — Ask John Gierach a question, and he's likely to tell you a story. Odds are it will be about fly-fishing.

After all, that's what Gierach does. Over the course of some 35 years now, the 64-year-old Lyons local has spun enough yarn to fill 16 books on the topic, ranging from guides to fishing small streams and high-country lakes to the iconic fish stories of "Trout Bum," "Sex, Death and Fly-Fishing" and his most recent title, "No Shortage of Good Days."

"I love them all and I'm proud of them all," Gierach said. "But I tend to think my last book is my best book, if for no other reason than you're supposed to get better with age."

It has been 25 years since "Trout Bum," and the white-bearded poet-turned-outdoors writer from middle America is still pursuing his literary artistry with the same dedication required of his favorite pastime.

"The two are inseparable at this point," he said.

On a recent day when high water made for tricky fishing on his local St. Vrain Creek stomping grounds, Gierach took time between casts to tell a few more tales.

Q: Is it really possible to be as one-dimensional as you portray yourself in print?

A: Nobody really thinks of themselves as one-dimensional, right? So probably not. I mean, I have an actual life. I do think about things besides fly-fishing. But, you know, I've been doing this writing about fly-fishing professionally for like 35 years, so it definitely colors who you are after a while, really sets the tone and direction of your life. But, I do have other interests and on book tours, people — well, women — ask, "Do you do anything else?"

Read more:John Gierach is a master at spinning tales, reels - The Denver Post

Tie 1 On

What a beautiful brown trout that took a sulfur on the South Holston river this past week--1 of a few that I actually had the skill to catch--I need to fish more dries. Sulfurs & pheasant tails are the flies we will be tying during this month's tying session which will take place Tues Aug. 2. at 6:00 PM.


We will change locations this month to Nacoochee Methodist Church on Hwy. 17 about a mile or so past the Indian Mound on the left. Enter on Rabun Rd. and park behind the church.


Beginners & experienced fly tyers are both invited to join us. Hope to see you there.


Thanks,


Ron

Shark Fishing with a Dropper Rig

 One of our fearless leaders proves why he's fearless...not necessarily for the squeamish...

Shark Fishing with a Dropper Rig – Don’t Do It!!!

by 

David Dockery

During a recent trip to St. Simons Island, I took the opportunity to get in a little inshore fishing.  Since it had been a number of years since I had fished the Georgia Coast and not knowing the tidal creeks and rivers around Brunswick very well, I decided that shark fishing would provide my best chance for success.  Twenty years ago when I was in graduate school at UGA, Jim Music, who used to work at the Coastal Resources Division of DNR in Brunswick, took me and a few friends fishing for sharks in Jekyll Creek, behind Jekyll Island.  We were very successful that day, so, here all these years later, I felt like I could pull off the same kind of success on sharks.

I rigged dead bonito with 2 hooks, because I didn’t want to risk losing half a baitfish to a short striker.  Time being of the essence, my 2-hook rigs were hardly in accordance with IGFA standards and I wasn’t too concerned about the possibility of landing a new world record.

After we anchored, it was only about 10 minutes until we had our first fish on.  As my fishing partner, Chris, brought what appeared to be a 30 pound sandbar shark to the boat, I grabbed the wire leader and began working on removing the “stinger” hook from the shark’s mouth with a pair of pliers.  Things seemed to be going well until the pliers slipped off the hook and the fish yanked the other dangling hook (which I had been largely ignoring) through my left hand.  The fun for me ended at this point.

Thank goodness he was only 30 pounds!  I quickly pulled the fish back to the boat and started using the wire cutters to cut loose everything in sight.  My only thoughts were, “It’s going to be a long grueling trip back to the launch ramp.”  Chris let me drive the boat to keep me occupied, while he navigated with the GPS and monitored my state of consciousness.  It took about an hour to get to the launch ramp, and load the boat on the trailer.  It took another half hour to find and get to the closest hospital.

In the Emergency Room, I tried to be as nonchalant as possible, while walking around with a 12/0 hook sticking out of my hand.  Not wanting to freak out the other patients in the ER, the receptionist quickly scuttled me back to the triage area.

The triage nurse didn’t immediately notice my problem, as she started working on getting my vital signs.  When she asked me what my problem was, I gestured towards my hand.  I think her comforting words to me were “Oh God” or something to that effect when she saw my issue.  She told me they take hooks out of people about once a week, but she had never seen a hook that big in anyone.  She then ask me if she could take this picture:

The Physician’s Assistant who treated me was from Kenya and spoke English with a heavy accent.  He did provide me with an opportunity to ask “Unasema Kiswahili?” which is not something I’ve used very much since learning the language skills necessary to be an African professional big game hunter at White County High School in 1982.  He told me that he expected it would take quite a while to SAW!!! through the hook sticking out of my hand.

After his initial assessment, a nurse brought in a syringe the size of a turkey baster full of Novocain and laid it gently on the stainless steel tray in front of me.  (Oh Boy!)

The PA came back in a few minutes and began using the syringe with reckless abandon.  The impalement by the hook was nothing compared to being worked over by that syringe.  My hand literally blew up like a balloon with all the Novocain under my skin.  As my Kenyan friend left the room, I sat there with cold sweat beaded up on my balding forehead, waiting for his return.

When he came back a few minutes later, he carried in his hands something akin to a battery powered Dremel tool with a diamond saw blade attachment.  He worked about 5 minutes carefully cutting through the hook above the barb.  He then rounded the rough edges and backed the hook out of my hand.  Finally, I was free!

The nurse then produced another huge syringe full of Betadine (thankfully without a needle this time).  My PA squirted the equivalent of several shot glasses full of the reddish brown liquid through the back of my hand until it ran out my palm.  He blotted everything off, gave me a most lovely Tetanus shot, and prescriptions of antibiotics and pain killers.  He told me not to bandage the hand, unless I risked getting it dirty, because he wanted it to “weep”. 

Despite my description of the events in the ER, the staff at the Brunswick Campus of the Southeast Georgia Health System all did an excellent job.  My poor attempts at making light of the situation were all anxiety and shock induced.  Thanks to their efforts, I was able to pick up where I left off without missing a thing.  I spent the next 3 days masking my hand and walking around with a pocket full of surgical gauze.

Despite a swollen hand, I felt good enough the evening of the next day to try it again.  We didn’t catch any fish, but I did learn that SeaTow charges $300/hr. to come and get you when your boat breaks down.  That’s another story for another day. 

In the meantime, if you would like for me to take you shark fishing on the Georgia coast, please give me a call! 

Living the Island Life! Eleuthera Style!

Recently, David and I took a trip to Eleuthera, Bahamas. We had been invited to visit John and Shirley Pool at their new home on the island. David and I could not wait to go vacation on Eleuthera with its endless miles of beaches and bonefish flats. Within a half hour of getting off the plane, John had us casting to bonefish. And, from then on we were fishing to bones on a picturesque flat daily.
For a couple of days, we fished with a guide, Bonefish Gersh. You would not believe how well he could see these fish. Its crazy! Gersh helped us up our game and learn how catch these elusive fish. And, boy can John can spot these gray ghosts too!I could not tell you how many bonefish we had seen during our trip.
John and Shirley are renting their "Bonefish Cottage" now to folks throughout the year. You can visit www.vrbo.com #351775 if you are interested in taking an adventure of a lifetime like we did. On one side of the cottage is the Atlantic Ocean and the other is the Caribbean.
Eleuthera has so much character and a laid back lifestyle. So, if you get tired of putting a serious bend in your 8wt rod, you can enjoy the beach and do some snorkeling. You can snorkel and swim at Rainbow Beach which is less than 5 minutes from the cottage. The food is also incredible. Jerk chicken, conch burgers, conch salad and fresh fish are available daily from the local people. Fresh pineapple and mangoes that melt in your mouth. And, don't get me started on the rum drinks! We had our first exposure to Rum Bubbas at the fish fry on Friday at Governor's Harbor. A must do if you go there! If your interested in hearing more about our trip and Eleuthera, give us a call and we would be glad to speak with you. I might also share with you Shirley's secret Bahamian Mac and Cheese recipe. No, somethings are better kept a secret!
Livin the Island Life!
Becky Hulsey

From the Flint Riverkeeper

ETA:  Here is a link to a form letter for writing your representatives created by Trout Unlimited addressing this same topic - time is of the essence!

Act Now to Stop the Most Serious Threat to Clean Water in Decades!     DIRTY WATER BILL THREATENS ALL GEORGIA RIVERS, CREEKS AND WETLANDS Seldom will we send you a more important call to action. The US Clean Water Act established and has protected your rights to abundant, clean, drinkable, swimmable, fishable water since the early 1970s. Riverkeepers were at the forefront of the effort to establish this important protection, and, nationwide, have used this tool to restore and protect clean water for decades.  In Georgia, the Chattahoochee in Metro Atlanta, the mighty Altamaha from its headwaters in Metro to the coast, the elegant Ogeechee, the hardworking Savannah, the delicate Satilla, and, recently, your precious, stunning Flint, have benefitted from Clean Water Act enforcement actions, lawsuits, and/or federal oversight of state permitting. Now, a truly radical group in the US House of Representatives, hiding behind a “pro business” and “jobs” agenda that will in fact lead to less productive businesses and fewer jobs, are moving forcefully to neuter federal power to enforce the Act, instead leaving it to Georgia officials to protect our water. Please call your call U.S. representative today and urge him to OPPOSE H.R. 2018.Tell him that this bill will harm the Flint River and all Georgia waterways because if passed, it would:  • prevent the U.S. EPA from stepping in if Georgia fails to adequately protect our waters from pollution; • abolish EPA's authority to block permits that may negatively affect drinking water, fisheries, wildlife, recreation, and downstream communities; and • undermine the Clean Water Act's central goal to restore the Chattahoochee and other Georgia waterways to "fishable, swimmable" standards. To find your representative, go to www.congress.org and enter your zip code.Then, under the “president and congress” column, click on your representative's name.  Tell him that you are opposed to HR 2018, and in favor of abundant, clean water. HR 2018 - "Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act of 2011" - was passed out of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee two weeks ago without any public hearing or environmental subcommittee review. This is undoubtedly the boldest attempt to date to dismantle the federal-state cooperation that lies at the heart of the Clean Water Act and has safeguarded our water ways for nearly four decades. When passed in 1972, the Clean Water Act gave EPA the authority to control pollution and improve water quality across the country, helping to protect our waterways for drinking, swimming, and fishing. HR 2018 takes EPA out of the picture, shifting regulatory power back to the states, back to the days when Georgia and other states could dump untreated sewage and toxic chemicals unceremoniously into our rivers and lakes. YOU MUST CALL, TODAY, AND MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD. You will most likely talk to a staffer, or even a recording. Some of you may have a personal relationship with your congressman. Either way, simply say you are from your Congressman’s district (referencing his name, and yours, and the town or city you live in or near), and state that you are firmly opposed to HR 2018, and in favor of continued, strong federal oversight of the Clean Water Act. ACT NOW. ACT STRONGLY. IT IS YOUR WATER, YOUR RIVER. IT IS COMPLETELY UP TO YOU TO MAKE DEMOCRACY WORK. Thank you. For the Flint, and clean, abundant water all over Georgia, Gordon The Flint Riverkeeper's (FRk's) sole purpose is to serve as a steward for this valued waterway and to ensure the future life and health of the river and its tributaries remains certain during these uncertain times. FRK is a non-profit 501(c)3 corporation with the goal of protecting the Flint River in its most natural state for future generations to enjoy. Flint Riverkeeper ® is a fully licensed member of the Waterkeeper ® Alliance. Visit us at www.flintriverkeeper.org.

Copyright© 2009 Flint Riverkeeper. All rights reserved Flint Riverkeeper | P.O. Box 468, Albany Ga. 31702 | (229) 435-2241

How Your Next Reel Will Be Made!

This video is beyond cool!



Bill Oyster is throwing up right now.

And Now for Something a Little Different

It's always good to hear from friends who send us reports from exotic (or not-so-exotic) places. This video report from Jay Shelton of UGA:

Last week I made my annual pilgrimage to the land of my birth (Louisiana) to do some kayak fly fishing (and overeating). I was delighted to find plenty of red drum exactly where I left them one year ago. Sight casting in water less than a foot deep can be challenging. Many things can go wrong during the process of stalking, spotting, positioning, casting, hook set, fighting, and hopefully landing a fish. It isn’t easy to describe the overall experience in words. So this year I tried a tiny waterproof, wearable, wide-angle video camera for the first time and was pretty happy with the results:

Snapshots grabbed from the video aren’t bad either:

One fish was kind enough to take me on a “Louisiana Sleigh Ride”, dragging me near enough to my brother for him to snap a photo before release.

Overall it was a great trip and for anyone who has struggled to “capture the moment” while fishing alone, you might consider a wearable video camera with a chest mount harness.