TIE 1 ON

I had a great time at the fishing show in Atlanta last weekend. Anytime you can attend fishing classes presented by folks like Kelly Galloup, Jimmy Harris and David Hulsey it is well worth your time. After hearing their presentations, I walked away asking myself "why haven't I thought of doing that?" I will from now on.

I really enjoyed watching all the fly tyers that were present. It was worth the trip just to see how easy that tyers like Kyle Burrell and some of the others could look magical at the vise--they tied some great looking flies. Maybe, next year some of the tyers from our "Tie 1 On" session will be sitting at the show's fly tying table--that would be great.

I really enjoyed talking to everyone at the show who shares the same passion for fishing as I do.

Also, on Sat. & Sun we had some fly tyers from Foothills TU and the other Ga. TU's at Bass Pro showing customers how to "tie 1 on". Thanks to Cole, Robert, and Sid for giving of their time to take part in this--it is appreciated.

Our March "Tie 1 ON" session will meet Tues. March 1st at the Unicoi shop in Helen at 6:00 PM. This will be a special session because we'll be decorating a "Tie 1 On" hat with a lot of the flies we have tied. This hat will be for the silent auction at our TU's "Hoot on the Hooch" banquet March 12th in Helen. If you've ever attended any of the sessions in the past, I hope you come to this one and bring some flies to help us out. Also, beginners are invited--this is a great time and place to start tying your own flies--we tie basic flies that catch fish and we have plenty of equipment and supplies to get your started. Come join us--learn how to tie or show us how to tie some of your special patterns.

Thanks,

Ron

Unicoi Outfitters on Twitter

Hey Y'all!

We're going to start publishing brief fishing reports on Twitter - we're going to shoot for something regular, several times a week.

We just posted the first one today!

To follow us, look for @UnicoiLiarsClub at Twitter.

Or, if you'd rather get the Tweets via text message, just text "follow UnicoiLiarsClub" to 40404 in the US.

And The Winner Is...

Kelly Randall of Gainesville.  Kelly's name was drawn from the infamous Unicoi minnow bucket at the end of the Great Southern Fishing Show.  His prize is a full day of fishing at Nacoochee Bend.  This is actually the second trip to Nacoochee Bend that Kelly has won.  Some folks have all the luck!  Kelly, the fishing here has been awesome all winter long and will only get better as things warm up in the spring.









We appreciate everyone's support and enjoyed seeing you at the show.  The seminars were excellent and we really enjoyed not only getting to know Kelly Galloup but to learn more about the techniques that have made him one of the foremost trout anglers in the world.  If you didn't get a chance to hear Kelly speak or pick up one of his books or DVD's, we are now carrying them in our shops.  All of Kelly's books have been autographed by him and are certainly a worthy addition to your fly fishing library.

Our goal is to provide you with the best, most user-friendly fly shop in the country.  We want to share with you the latest fishing information, fly selections and tactics so please don't hesitate to stop in and see us or drop us a line via email.  We'll do our best to help you.

Lanier CCA Banquet - March 3rd

WHEN: Thursday, March 3rd

WHERE: Coo Coo's Nest Restaurant, Cumming, GA

TIME: 6:30 PM

Please put this event on your calendars. We are having a banquet/fundraiser for the Coastal Conservation Association. $60.00 gets you a one year membership in CCA as well as a great dinner at the Coo Coo's Nest just north of Cumming. The price of admission also makes you eligible to win a FREE GUIDED FISHING TRIP for striped bass on Lake Lanier.

• There will be many other fabulous fishing and non-fishing related auction and raffle items on hand to win. Incredible homemade cheese cakes and pecan brownie cakes
• 4 Lake Lanier maps marked for the best spots to fish:
• Spotted bass on Lures from Tim Hawkins of Hammonds Fishing Center
• Stripers using umbrella rigs from Capt. Mack Farr
• Stripers on bait from Jason Hammond-Shane Watson Guide Service
• Stripers and bass on top water from Henry Cowen
• Plenty of rods and reels, including a TFO rod of your choice if you win

TV host Cefus McRae and other local fishing experts will be on hand to talk tactics and share experiences with you. We really need you to attend. Tickets may be purchased online at CCA Lanier 2011 Banquet.

For more reasons why you should attend, you may visit the Nuts & Bolts of Fishing & Boating message board.

BEST FLY EVER?

I've long contended that the best all around fly for trout fishing is the traditional wet fly. It almost can't be fished incorrectly. You don't have to worry about a drag free drift because drag is one of the attractive components of a wet fly. If you cast it upstream where it may briefly float on the surface like a dry fly, that's okay as it looks very much like a crippled insect caught in the film. As it drifts downstream, it may begin to sink, much like a nymph. That's okay also. As it reaches the end of your drift and the current begins to tighten your line, the fly rises to the surface imitating an emerging insect. At any point your fly can be attractive to a fish and drag won't necessarily be a negative. I just found this video trailer on YouTube that does an excellent job of explaining how to fish wet flies. I'll give you fair warning that this is not your typical head banger, loud music, screaming angler fly fishing video so popular nowadays. It's British, that's all I've got to say. But if you'll watch it, you'll discover an extremely effective way to fish. If you're new to flyfishing, wet flies are the best way to get into it because you can't mess them up. Enjoy!

Spring Is Almost Here!

Yep, it's right around the corner.  This may be the first year I can actually give credit to Punxsatawney Phil for being right.  At least, I hope I can.  This past Saturday afternoon, Kathy and I decided to fish Nacoochee Bend.  It's really been fishing well the past few weeks in spite of cold and dreary winter weather.  The weather this day was perfect early spring type; a cool breeze but nice sunshine warming your face.  Of course, we all know those miserable days are the best fishing days but we couldn't resist.  The fishing was fun but I'll have to admit it was slower than I had hoped for.  I'm blaming it on a high pressure system that was moving into the southeast and you can take that for what it's worth.  We did catch some fish and Kathy got to work on her presentation skills as well as her fish fighting.  She's getting to be quite deadly with an Olive Krystal Bugger.

As evidenced by these photos, the water was beautiful (& very cold).  My camera skills simply don't do justice to the magnificent scenery surrounding us on the river.  The Olive Krystal Bugger was working for me also as was a shell pink San Juan Worm highsticked through the frothy riffles as they drop off into a deep pool.  It almost seemed as if the fish were hiding in those riffles because of the clarity of the water.  At least the ones I hooked were.

We didn't check the water temperature that afternoon but I'm guessing it was in the low 40's.  If you stood in waist deep water, it just sucked all the body heat right through your waders along with your energy.  Kathy decided to take a break and enjoy the sunshine while I went prospecting for fish.  What can I say; she's learning from a master.  I'm teaching her everything I know about how to enjoy a day on the water.

TIE 1 ON

What a beautiful weekend for fishing. The fish were literally jumping out of the water, especially when Chris Storey hooked this trophy on a #18 rainbow warrior at Frog Hollow. Chris landed several this size--and you should have seen the one that broke him off. Thanks Chris for a great day--look forward to the next time.

Our fly tying session will meet this Tues, Feb 1, at Unicoi Outfitters in Helen at 6:oo. We will be tying a mini leech and czech nymph and whatever Cole surprises us with. Look forward to seeing the "Tie 1 On" bunch at the session and anyone else with an interest in tying flies. Beginners are more than welcome and we will provide all the stuff to get you started.

The flies are pretty good, the coffee is free and pretty good, the advice is free and it is well--free, but the fellowship, it is real good--we always have a good time. I think this week there may also be some home made cinnamon rolls on the bench--they will be great.

Learn to tie your own flies & learn to tie better flies--the ones you know will catch fish.

Thanks,

Ron

What Do Fly Fishing Guides Do On Their Day Off?

Jake Darling headed over to Dukes Creek yesterday and dropped us a quickie report, proving what we've always said about how well Georgia streams can fish in the winter:

Fished at dukes on Sunday and boy was it good! The fish were biting really well in the morning but it died off around lunch. I managed to catch a dozen fish. Of these fish, seven of them were over 20 inches and the smallest of the day was a 15-incher. Five of my biggest fish came in seven casts out of one hole. The fish were taking both small and large Kaufman Stones, early brown stoneflies, and small diamond midges.


Sounds like a good time to head over to Dukes if you can get a slot on the stream.

Perfect Trip at Nacoochee Bend

Ben VanDevender had another chance to fish with us this past weekend and sent along this report, along with some nice photos by Josh England.

Saturday was a trip I had been looking forward to for quite some time.  It was my birthday and what better way to spend it than in the company of good friends, my wife, and the river.  The fine folks at Unicoi helped make this a possibility and my gratitude is endless.  The day was not unlike any other, the plan was to get everyone on fish.  I have to admit my wife is not the best fly angler, but she follows directions well, and two newbies who are great friends of mine who had never been trout fishing came along as well.  Quick casting lessons the night before and I felt they were adequate to present flies to fish.  The day was not necessarlily about me catching fish as it was exposing my friends and my wife to the experience I so often yearn for, to let them feel and experience what I feel. 

Well, within three casts my wife had hooked up on three fish and the thermometer had not broken 26 degrees.  Start to a great day!  She finally landed a nice fish and was ecstatic.  Switched positions so my friend Neil Robinson could present a cast, and he missed three fish consectutively but finally connected after much frustration.  A long fight and a fish to his feet, then she came unbuttoned…that’s fishing.  He was just excited now that he felt one of these beasts on the fly rod and that he actually made the hookup happen.  The day presented itself like this for much of the time, I untangled windknots, tied in tippet, selected flies etc…hmmm…was this a day off from Callaway?  The next highlight of the day came when my wife picked the water to fish, presented the fly, set the hook, and landed a trout for the first time where she did EVERYTHING herself.  That made my trip right there!  Then right behind her, Neil Robinson connected and did the same.  My other friend left with a skunk on his back, so we took him to Smith creek where he quickly learned and hooked into his first trout on the fly rod!  A perfect end to a perfect trip!

Bonefish in the Bahamas!

Bonefishing at Crooked Island

As many of you know, our ol' pal Henry Cowen runs a couple salt-water flyfishing trips each year.  These trips usually fill up quickly, and for his next trip to Crooked Island in the Bahamas, that is the case....but he's had two folks who had to cancel, which has opened up two spots on a first-come basis for his trip from April 22 through 30 this spring.  That's six days of fishing, but Henry can also accommodate a shorter stay of three or four days fishing as well.

Click here for more info on Crooked Island Lodge, where the trip is based, or call / email Henry directly at 678-513-1934 / henryc@pastourelledesign.com.  It should be a great trip!

TIE 1 ON

These mild winter days are a great time to take a kid (or anyone) fishing. As you can see from the picture from this past week that the results can be very rewarding. I had a great time fishing with Matt Martin and his 2 boys, Noah and Mason--my great nephews. We fished on the Soque at River North where Mason caught this huge rainbow on his new fly rod. He fell in during the trip but I think he would say it was worth it. The day before our trip Mason killed a huge deer which was his first--what a great week for him. Both boys caught fish and had a great time. This is as good as it gets.

The day before this trip I had the pleasure of fishing with Parks Davis and his grandsons, Matthew and Andrew, at Nacoochee Bend. This trip was very good also with both boys landing several fish. The fish were very active taking small midges.

Thanks to Matt and Parks and the young men for allowing me to fish with them and share their memories--look forward to doing it again.

Our monthly tying session will be this Tues (Jan 4) at 6:00 at Unicoi Outfitters in Helen.

I'm really looking forward to this meeting because Chad Peters will be tying some of his patterns for us--Chad ties great looking flies-- so come to the session if you can.

Everyone is invited--come learn to tie your first flies or to tie better quality flies--equipment and supplies will be available.

Hope to see you there.

Thanks,

Ron

Orvis Fly Fishing Tip

Difficulty tying your fly to the tippet? Try this!

As you get older and the light gets dimmer, it becomes increasingly difficult when fishing to thread the fly, let alone knot it onto the tippet. An obvious answer to this problem is to carry some sort of magnifying optics with you to facilitate the process. Often in low light conditions even that is not enough. If you pull out a flashlight, you can sometimes see well enough to tie on the fly, but then you've just lost your night vision at the time when you needed it the most. And, of course, the trout become very active right around dusk. Why is this happening?

The ability for the human eye to discern small details and pick them out of a background typically decreases with age. Part of the problem is the change in the physical shape of the eye as we get older which usually causes us to lose the ability to focus on items up close. Another part of the equation has to do with chromatic aberration in the human eye. Different colors have different wavelengths and the human eye focuses differently for each of them. When you get too many different colors all in the same area, it becomes difficult to pick the detail out of any of it. Without getting too far into specifics, suffice it to say that it is easier to pick out detail against a solid mono-colored background than a mottled or multi-colored one.

So, next time you're on the water with the light failing, the fish rising, and having trouble tying on the fly, try holding the fly up against a single-colored background - preferably a light, single-colored background. A good candidate for this is the sky overhead. It is one of the last things to go dark if it is not a terribly cloudy day. Even if it is cloudy, you can usually find a cloud big enough to use as a solid color. Sometimes the solid glare from the low light on the water does the trick. Look around. It might be that the large elephant-eared leaf of a wild rhubarb does the trick. Using any of these backgrounds makes it much easier than trying to see and tie on a fly against the multi-colored, multi-edged background of streamside vegetation. This is not a cure-all, but it helps and it sure beats not fly fishing!

-Dan Gracia

Orvis

HoHoHo!

The Fly Fishing Santa from Third Coast Fly on Vimeo.



From Third Coast Fly.

Fish of the New Millenium

Our friend and fellow Foothills TU member Bob Lux hails from up around Buffalo, NY and gets to go back fishing and hunting there fairly regularly.  Today he sent us this report:

So I headed out to the Tulpehocken Creek today outside of Reading, PA while on a visit to the inlaws for Christmas. The air temp was 28 degrees and the water was 34. Perfect for fools and trout. Little did I know that the trout would be taking the day off and the freshwater reds were on the move. I hooked this guy in a deep hole and fought him for close to ten minutes before I could see what I had on the line. It took almost twenty minutes using 5x to get this guy to the net. I guess they like leech patterns too. I got into 3 more of his brothers and 0 trout. At least the battle with this golden beauty warmed me up.

Congratulations Alan Folger

Great news over at 52 Trout, our friend Alan Folger's blog.  Alan just announced that he has accepted a new position with Trout Unlimited.  Alan will be the Veterans Service Partnership Coordinator beginning January 3rd.  Read more in this post on Alan's blog.

Congratulations Alan!

And if you haven't visited Alan's blog, take this opportunity to do so - you won't find any nicer fishing art anywhere - not to mention some great writing.