TIE 1 ON

Our fly tying group will meet this Tues Feb 2 at Unicoi Outfitters at 6:30 PM. I hope to see a large group at this session. Thanks to all of you who attend on a regular basis--ask a friend who might want to learn to tie to come with you this Tues. I hope that a couple of folks I've asked will be there. Maybe they can show us how to tie their favorite fly.

We'll tie Rob's realistic caddis this session--the one in the picture. Blue Wing Olives and March Browns will be on the menu also, plus any secret fly that anyone attending the session might want to show us how to tie.

I think this thing is going to grow--lets start this week.

Thanks,

Ron

LIVE FROM PATAGONIA!

Well, we're all here in San Martin, Argentina with three days of fishing under out belts and we've just finished off the evening meal of world famous Argentine beef and Malbec wine topped off by a lemon pie (sort of an ice cream really) encrusted in white chocolate and drizzled in a rasberry compote topped with a fresh freca julienned.

How's that for starting out a fishing report?
The four of us, Paul Vogt, Robert Cain, John McGarity and myself are just stunned by the hospitality of our Andes Drifters hosts and staff as well as the quality of the fishing.

And, the fishing has been awesome. The weather is the best we could have asked for (mid 80's during the day and low 50's at night. We sleep with the windows wide open. They have no screens but there are no bugs here to worry about. Our day begins at 7:30 AM with breakfast and by 8:30 we are on the road to whichever river we're fishing that day. Our first two days of fishing were an overnite trip on the Chemihuin (Chemmi When) and Collon Cura (Koshon Cura) Rivers. We did about 14 miles each day. Man, am I glad I'm not a fishing guide here where you have to row a raft that many miles each day.

Today (Tuesday) we waded the Malleo (Ma Sha O) with the intention of casting dry flies to rising fish but the wind and water levels were both too high to strictly fish on top. We caught some big fish on dries but it was pretty technical so when the guide asked if I would like to try a nymph, I, of course, jumped on the opportunity. In the next 20 minutes, I landed 5 or 6 huge rainbows. OK, I'm rollin' now; it's just like home, only better. The Dredger would have been proud.

Tomorrow we head out for another overnight float trip before ending the week,hopefully, fishing for big browns that are following minnows up the river from the lake. The overnight trips are a lot of fun (& this comes from a total non-camper). I'll try to give you another update before we begin the trek home on Saturday.

Lanier Striper Report 1/21/10

This just in from our ol' buddy Henry Cowen:
   

Okay so the big chill is hopefully gone. The past 12 days has been a tough go as I have continued to find the fish BUT the cold weather has got them lounging as tree potatoes. Yep…….most of the fish are just being lazy fat and not so happy (kind of lethargic) just hanging in the tree tops. I had a few decent days of a couple of fish caught but for the most part the past 12 days has been a stinker! Finally on Tuesday the fish decided to play fair again. The key is to find the warmer water……..Normal January temps for Lanier’s surface is 45-46 degrees. Most of the creeks we found the fish in were 41-43 degrees and that just won’t cut the mustard. Found some 45 degree temps yesterday further south and got some of our striped friends to eat feathers. Today I sent Unicoi Outfitters trout guide and casting guru Rex Gudgel to some of my holes with warmer water and he nailed 7 stripers from 10-16 lbs on small grey and white Clousers. It sooooo nice when a plan comes together. He found the warm water and the fish were waiting for his offerings. Nice going Rex! Now keep where I sent you a secret……. I am off the water now until Tuesday Jan 26th as I will be up in Somerset, NJ doing a bunch of salt & fresh water presentations in the motherland. Somerset is the BEST fly show in the USA. Will report back by end of next week. See you on the pond!  
--HC

Now Is The Time

Here we are in the middle of an artic blast that has the water on the Chattahoochee down to 32-33 degrees, so you can't really expect to catch any trout right now, right?

Well on Sunday Jan 10th, I took Bill and Mary Davis from Decatur and their friend Anders Christensen from far away Copenhagen, Denmark out on a Gilligan Special. They had originally planned to fish with our Blue Ridge store but due to the ice and snow couldn't make it up so they came to the Helen store, where the Hooch had warmed up to a blistering 33 degrees when we got on at 11am.

The day before, I told them that I promised nothing but cold feet and the opportunity to stand in the river and cast a flyrod. Well to my surprise the monsters of Nacoochee Bend were on the feed! My first cast of the day to demonstrate the ways of fishing with an indicator resulted in a 20" bow taking the fly and Mary putting him in the net. I am always happy to see the first one in the net, it relieves some pressure. Wasting no time, both Anders (see photo) and Bill put 24-inchers in the net, both solid 8-9 pound fish. In just 3 short hours of fishing, in only a couple of pools, we hooked up 15 or more fish. Almost all the fish ate large Prince nymphs with a few falling to pink San Juans or Rainbow Warriors.

It might be cold and miserable to be outside but don't tell that to the fish, they are already cold but still hungry. Thanks to a wet summer and good management by Unicoi Outfitters, Nacoochee Bend has the most fish and the largest fish it has had in probably 4 years. Now is the time to come give it a try!

We're Headed To Argentina!

In just 11 days, the Unicoi Outfitters crew will be headed to Argentina for a week of fishing with Andes Drifters in the famous San Martin area of the Andes. While much of our excitement centers around experiencing world class trout fishing and the Argentine culture, we may be just as pumped about the fact that it is now SUMMER south of the equator. Our group will be departing Atlanta the evening of January 22nd and returning the morning of January 31st with seven days of dry fly fishing in between. We'll be arriving during the peak of the inchworm hatch which makes the big browns of the Alumine River stupid. Just what we're looking for, big, stupid brown trout! We will also be throwing hoppers at rainbows and browns on the Chimehuin and Malleo Rivers and, if the timing is right, we'll be fishing for big lake run trout taking floating minnow patterns on the Caleufu River. All in all, we're looking forward to good fishing, good company, good food and good wines all under the backdrop of the Andes Moutains.

We're still able to schedule more trips during February and March of this year. If you have any interest in going, please check our destination page on our website. We would love to help you experience this trip of a lifetime.

Lanier Report - First Week of January

All I can say is Brrrrrr……..I got to fish New Years Day with a buddy and it was chilly and WINDY. Managed to get a couple of stripers in the 10-11 lb range on small Clousers. Fish are moving really fast and never saw a fish on top or in the back of a cove. Sinking lines are still the ticket and I would advise a 15 lb test tippet as the water chills and cools down. These fish get sluggish and going a bit lighter in tippet can make a difference. Since that day it has been impossible to fish. It is just too cold! I cancelled 4 trips since Jan 1st. Today was one of those RARE pre-frontal snowy thingamajigger days. Jim Harvey and Dennis Desmond called to see if I would take them out to play with our finned friends. Well they hit it right. At 2 pm the skies got dark, the winds increased, the temp felt like it dropped some, the birds started flying and the fish came alive. We had 8 or 9 eats today. We landed 3 spotted bass and 4 stripers. The smallest fish was probably 10-11 lbs. The largest was 15 lbs. Fish ate both Clousers and the somethin’ else…….Starting to find BIG schools of fish on the electronics. Man I love this time of year! See you on the pond! HC

Desperate Times

We just got a report in from Jay Shelton, who was out fishing a few days back with Scott Wagner of Savannah Fly Fishing Charters in Savannah, Georgia.



I ended 2009 in an extreme fishing deficit and with a serious case of saltwater withdrawals.  Since I was planning to visit friends in the Savannah area for New Years, I just had to give myself a late Christmas present.  I contacted Captain Scott Wagner, who was enthusiastic about mid-day low tides, so we made a plan.  The bad news is that Mother Nature didn’t think much of our plan; the good news is that Scott had a back-up plan.  The weather forecast for Day 1 was cold with winds 6-8 knots out of the east – we got north winds up to 25 knots and heavy cloud cover.  That’s a “double-whammy” if you’re hoping to stalk red fish in skinny water, but Scott was undaunted.  He found some protected nooks around Hilton Head Island that were void of human life yet full of frisky reds.  The wind and clouds made spotting fish tough for me, but the view must have been far better from the polling platform because Scott gave me enough advanced warning to allow for adequate presentation without spooking fish.  Scott even allowed me to use my own hand-tied flies as long as I promised not to stick one in his head on my back cast.   
 
Day 2 conditions were less than ideal, but compared to the previous day they were sweet relief (only 3 layers of clothing instead of 5).  We were promised better weather, but when I met Scott at the boat ramp he was frowning.  The prediction of light south winds was again wrong, but Captain Wagner was able to make the best of moderate east winds and deliver as promised.  We found big schools of reds feeding on finger mullet, and small groups of reds tailing and waking. We even found a beast of a seatrout that gave quite a battle. 

All these fish were in extremely skinny water (sometimes less than 6 inches), but they were happy.  Most importantly, they ate my fly with great enthusiasm, putting an impressive bend in my 8-weight rod.  Any who have tried appreciate that the Georgia coast isn’t the easiest place to sight cast for fish on the fly.  Scott taught me a lot about the keys to success, and even showed me some places to try with my kayak.  I grew up fishing in south Louisiana, so this ain’t my first rodeo.  If you have any interest in saltwater fly fishing I encourage you to give Scott a call:



Captain Scott Wagner
http://www.savannahfly.com/
savannahfly@msn.com
912-308-3700

So What?

This in from Rick Danger's January 3rd trip to Nacoochee Bend:

So what if it’s only 17 degrees, so what if the wind chill was 3, so what if everything on your rod freezes including the reel, so what if you can’t feel your fingers and toes:  when you hook and land your first fish on the third cast the rest is…well… irrelevant. This picture of me was on the 3^rd cast 2^nd weight/depth adjustment. The fish were hot and keying in on Soft Hackles, Prince Nymphs, and red and tan San Juan’s in the sunshine and pink in the darker pools.

I don’t know how many I hooked up and landed, I usually lose track after the first one, but I helped my two buddies catch and land around 10-12 each. The population of fish in those holes are outstanding and I was surprised how healthy they are, Great job managing that section.  Thanks again you guys we had a fantastic day on the Bend.

Tie 1 On

I want to wish everyone a great new year and I believe 2010 is definitely the year to "tie 1 on". So we're meeting Tues Jan 5th at the Unicoi shop in Helen to start the year out right. We will start at 6:30 PM and tie only patterns that catch fish--big ones. I hope to see all the regulars and anyone else who likes to tie and fish with their own flies. If you already tie, but want to tie better flies--this is a good place to improve your skills. Everyone is invited, from beginners to experts--it's a great place to learn, and we're always hunting teachers. Bring your vise and tools if you have them and any material for a special fly that you may want to tie. If you're just beginning, we can supply all the equipment for you.

We have a great time at our session--hope to see you there.

Thanks

Best Georgia Trout Fishing Now!

There isn't a trout angler in Georgia who isn't at least a little frustrated over the high water conditions found on most of our year round streams this past fall and even now as we approach 2010. Since we made a covenant pact to never complain about the rain ever again after the past several years of drought, we'll just tell you where the best fishing still can be found and, looking at the weather forecast, may remain so for the next week or so.

First, we want to unabashedly tell you that our private waters at Nacoochee Bend and Mountaintown Creek are as hot as a firecracker at the moment. We're not only catching fish, we're catching some big fish at these venues. Now, don't ask us how they survived the past two summers, but Nacoochee Bend has given up some huge rainbows in the 2 foot range recently. Another interesting twist at Nacoochee Bend can be found in the mill pond just upstream of the Nora Mill dam. In this slack water, which is too deep to wade, there are some big, dumb fish. It's perfect for pulling big streamers through but only if you can make long roll casts from the bank with big flies. The reward is big fish. If you're comfortable with this kind of fishing, you should give it a try. And, since we've had such positive repsonse to our $90.00 half day, $140.00 full day Nacoochee Bend offerings, we've decided to continue it for a little longer. Remember, you don't have to purchase a trip and take it right away. If you purchase one of these gift certificates, you may make the trip any time you like.

Now, on to the public waters which are fishing well. Let's see, the Chattooga is too high, the Toccoa DH is too high, the Toccoa tailwater is pumping like crazy and the Chattahoochee below Buford Dam is unfishable most of the time lately. So where are the best streams? Smith Creek DH and Dukes Creek at Smithgall Woods. For Smith Creek, yes, it's been getting a good bit of pressure over the holidays but no one is complaining about the quality of the fishing and the size of the fish. Smith Creek is more fun to fish right now than it has been since it was first designated a Delayed Harvest stream. There are plenty of fish, both rainbows and browns, in the 12" to 16" range. Put plenty of split shot on and dredge the pools and runs for a day of fun. Don't forget to check with us to see which flies are working up there. This past weekend it was flame red San Juan worms, Rainbow Prince, Purple Streak Flies and orange soft hackles.

Dukes Creek has also been fishing well this past week. The favorite rigs have been something big like a #8 Whitlock's Helgrammite with a soft hackle or a black Zebra Midge dropper. Remember, the water may be up on Dukes but it's also very clear so you'll have to be looking for fish as you approach the pools. Again, as at Smith and Nacoochee Bend, get your fly down in front of the fish. In this cold weather, the trout won't be likely to move very far to look at your fly. Hit them on the nose for the best shot at success.

A couple of other suggestions for a half or full day of fishing. The public section of the Soque River. This time of year, you won't find many bait fishermen there but you will find some real hogs in there. Some of our guides have recently landed browns in the 20" plus range up there. Easy access, no check-in, big fish. And finally we want to recommend the upper Tallulah River near Tate City. There are miles of water here and not many anglers this time of year. Some of the most fun winter fishing we've had has been on this small river in the winter. We're not sure if it's the fishing or just the environment that attracts us to the Tallulah. This isn't the same stream that is wall to wall campers and worm fishermen during the summer. It's plunge pool after plunge pool of crystal clear water where you can spot a nine inch trout finning at the bottom of a twelve foot deep hole. Bring your long leaders, your split shot and your polarized glasses and give it a try.

"Back the Brookie" Recognized in Trout Magazine

Georgia’s Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture (EBTJV)/GA TU Back-the-Brookie was recognized in Trout Unlimited's Winter 2010 TROUT Magazine Actionline!

More Money,

More Restoration

G e o r g i a

For brook trout in Georgia waters, more habitat improvements are on the way, thanks to $25,000 in recent funding through the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture. Georgia TU, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Forest Service are planning restoration work on 10 stream miles, including stretches on Big Net Creek, Upper Chattahoochee River, North and South Fork Moccasin Creek, Flat Branch, Tate Branch and Walnut Fork Creek. In past work, volunteers and partners conducted genetic sampling, removed non-native trout, tested water quality, mapped, “drought-proofed” streams by creating deeper pools, and constructed barriers to keep native brook trout populations sequestered from invasive fish. The new efforts will expand on previous work—which has been funded by Embrace-A-Stream and Georgia Power Foundation grants—to restore brook trout populations in the southernmost part of their native range.

Hartwell Stripes Dec 27.2009

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. Today I went out with Rex Gudgel. We stayed out all day fighting the very windy conditions, determined to find hungry fish. Needless to say, it was tough: high winds, bluebird skies - standard post-front conditions. The water temp has dropped to 50 and the fish have gone north, most of which had lock-jaw today. We did make 4 fish eat: boated 2, broke one off and missed one. If you are looking for a great way to end the year, this would be a good choice. Most fish we are catching run from 9-15 lbs. Intermediate and sinking lines are the choice right now. As you can see in the pics it was freezing, my face looks like I went snow skiing for a week from wind burn.

Christmas Time's A-Coming!

Bill Monroe said it best!

Don't forget that Unicoi Outfitters sells gift certificates online for that last-minute stocking stuffer!  We offer certificates for guided fishing and merchandise.  Just go to our website and click on the Gift Certificates page.  We normally send these out via the US Postal Service, so allow for a couple days travel time in the mail.  If you're up against a time crunch (say, after the 21st, when you order, send us an email at flyfish@unicoioutfitters.com and we'll email you a certificate you can print out...but don't wait too late - we've got to do some Christmas shopping too!  ;-)

Hartwell Stripers - December 12

Today we faught the cold temps and ventured out in seek of stripes on the coldest day of the year. Gary Sundin was on board this morning as we went out bundled up with all the clothes we could wear. Fishing on top was slow due to the drastic change in weather over the last 24 hrs. We were able to catch a few fish on top before we went to the sinking lines to probe the cold abyss. It took a while to find fish we could reach, but when we did boy were they hot. Hooked up right off the bat. We set our drift and on every pass we would get one one. Kudos to Gary with the big fish of the day- a 12lb striper. The largest hybrid of the day went close to 8lbs. It was a great morning, and really enjoyed the company, but man am glad to be sitting in front of the fire thawing out.

Amicalola and Smith Creeks Delayed Harvest Reports and Tips

We just received a fishing report from Dredger's recent trip to Smith Creek that resulted in a "good handful" of both browns and rainbows. The recent rains and subsequent flows mean plenty of habitat and underexploited fish in riffles and runs.

Got Pheasant Tails? The November stockers are getting smarter and are moving less as the water temp drops. The December stockers (Amicalola last week and Smith this week) are naive and will eat Y2K bugs. In the spring, pull out your Adams and caddis dries, on the hook bend tie a four foot dropper down to a #6 shot and a Prince nymph, and fish those same spots for more active fish who will "look up" too, in warmer water when bugs hatch.

Tip: At the Amicalola DH at Highway 53, fish it like it's five Smith Creeks running parallel. Fish each one and then move across the ledge until you're in the adjacent Smith Creek. By fishing across the Ami before fishing upstream, you might catch a few more with your short-line techniques in each current seam and pocket of slow water among all the fast chutes.

And on those big pools and deep runs above you at the fishing piers, be ready for 10-15 feet of leader and lots more weight if you're serious about digging fish outta those holes.... Tough casting and tough fishing, but good catching.

Always remember to change your weight and depth of indicator as needed with each new pool, run, or riffle. I change those before I change flies. That's why I use removable shot and easy-sliding indicators.

There is no one "right way" of fishing, but this has worked for me and I hope it helps ya'll.

Biologist Nick went to the Amicalola DH at Highway 53 and fished the ledges for a few hours Saturday. He said he watched four other anglers "fish over" the fish and then leave. But, after an adjustment, he had a good day.

He started with some split shot in front of a leech with an egg dropper and had no luck. Seems that the egg was too far away from weight and was floating too high in the water column. As soon as he put a small shot between the flies, too, he started catching rainbows. The theme is that the cold water now has fish hunkered right down on the bottom. Anglers have to get down to them and also have to detect more subtle strikes. Hopefully Nick's tips will help a few more anglers to enjoy some winter trouting success.

Both Amicalola and Smith Creek DH's offer some good opportunities to metro anglers willing to drive a bit farther north than their normal Hooch tailwater destinations.