Speck Equation

 

Brook Trout Fishing: 75% Bushwacking, 20% Tangles, 5% Fish...100% Devotion.

Punching Above His Weight

AIN'T SKEERED! Are you trying for your Georgia Bass Slam? An easy one to get on the upper Chattahoochee is a Red Eye. As you can see, they're voracious and will attack just about anything they can get their mouth around.

Cutts

Colored up Cutties somewhere out West.

PC: Guide and employee @jackson_dockery

Ready for Hoppertime?

A lot of us are thinking about hoppers on the Madison River this time of year. If you've got a trip planned to the Yellowstone area, stop by Unicoi Outfitters and shop our full lineup of hopper patterns before you go.

Evening Wade

Nice evening on the Chattahoochee last night. Almost all on topwater and several quality shoal bass.

Summer Scene

 

The beauty of wild trout fishing is more than just the fish. 

Changing Flavors

It's hot out there folks!! Many people ask what we do when the water heats up and the trout fishing stops. Our answer is simple, poppers and shoal bass. 

Orvis Pro Tips - What Does "Anodized" Mean for a Fly Reel?

Pro Tips: What Does “Anodized” Mean for a Fly Reel?

Written by: Phil Monahan

Anodizing has a big effect on a reel’s durability and color.
Photos via orvis.com

Whenever you see advertising copy for a fly reel, it usually mentions that the metal is anodized. (For instance, the description might say that the reel is made from “anodized 6061 T6 aluminum.”) The copy might even note that there’s a special type of anodizing involved. If you’re not really sure what these terms mean, here’s a brief primer.

Anodizing is a chemical process that creates a coating on the surface of a metal (usually aluminum), which makes the metal more durable and resistant to scratches and dings. Anodizing also increases corrosion resistance and makes the metal easier to dye. Reel manufacturers use aluminum because it is so light, but it’s also quite soft. Without anodizing, an aluminum reel would not be very durable.The most common method of anodizing involves dipping the aluminum in sulfuric acid and then running electrical current through the acid. This causes aluminum oxide to form on the surface. Unlike iron oxide—which we call “rust”—the aluminum oxide does not flake off and is, in fact considerably harder than bare aluminum. Because this film of aluminum oxide is somewhat porous, it can be dyed or painted various colors.

Read the rest of the story at Orvis News

The 2016 Fly-FIsherman's Christmas List- Unicoi Outfitters

 With Christmas just around the bend, We here at Unicoi Outfitters decided to piece together a list of some of our favorite pieces of gear for the seasons ahead.  We tried to exclude the obvious- like fly rods and reels, and waders and boots, and instead focus on some of those pieces of gear you may not have thought of, heard of, or seen before. Enjoy and Happy Holidays!                                 

     To See the Pages better, just click on "em!

Honesty In Reporting - Coopers Creek

by Jimmy Harris

Wild Brook Trout

There is currently a big media push concerning the Chattahoochee National Forest's management plan for what is being referred to as the Coopers Creek Project.  There have been editorials and newspaper articles across the state and yesterday I received an unsolicited email from "Protect Georgia".  I'm not familiar with them but they are mounting a campaign to encourage people to oppose the Forest Service plan for Coopers Creek.  They list among their supporters most of the Riverkeeper organizations in Georgia.

Golden-Winged Warbler

I just wanted to let you know that Protect Georgia, Georgia ForestWatch and the Sierra Club are using a lot of misinformation and outright lies in their efforts to block this project.  Photos of huge clear cuts, threats to brook trout streams and songbirds are all being thrown in the reader's face as the horror story the Forest Service is about to wreak on Coopers Creek.  None of this is true.  It's all an effort to create an element of fear in the mind of the general public. I am not recommending a stance on this project, although I will acknowledge that I support the Forest Service on this, but I do want to encourage our followers to become familiar with what is being proposed and not assume these groups are giving the true story.  Here is a link to the Forest Service's Fast Facts on the project.  There is also a 200 page Environmental Analysis available for more detailed information.  You may also be interested to know that the Georgia Department of Natural Resources supports the plan.

Unfortunately, in today's world, it's easy for narrowly focused groups to flood the airwaves with their agenda irregardless of the facts.  We need more conservationists and we need watchdogs but we also need to be honest.  Please take a moment to learn what this project is truly proposing.  And then I suggest you make your feelings known to the Forest Service.

Dukes Creek after the Big Winter Storm

by Landon Williams (the guy who gets to fish more than the law allows)

Did you survive Snowpocalypse 2016?! Hopefully so and were able to get out and enjoy the decent weather we had Sunday. I took advantage of some poor but probably warm soul’s no-show slot at Dukes creek yesterday afternoon and had a great day. Water was running at a normal winter flow but was very balmy with the recent winter weather. Still, fish have to eat and if you were persistent and patient, good fishing was one’s reward. I practiced what I always preach and found the Sun and the fishing was much improved for my angling trio compared to the poor reports I heard from the ice filled morning. Mop Flies took their fair share of fish from the others in my group but I did best with an 18 hares ear soft hackle trailed behind a small egg. Fish were hugging bottom and getting it in their face was key. My weight ranged anywhere from 3 BB split shot to two 3/0 water gremlins 

dep
ending on the depth and current speed of my fishing locale. Long fluorocarbon leaders were key to punching through current and delivering tasty morsels to the resident fish.

It was a fairly normal angling day for the winter time but believe it or not, I caught more fish on the soft hackle than I did anything else.  A slow deliberate raising/lowering of the rod at the end of the drift was deadly and even fooled a couple of nice sized “PHD” trout too! If you didn’t get outside yesterday and instead opted to watch Carolina’s clinic against the Cardinals or Peyton VS Brady, at least know that your opportunity was there!

See you on the creek!

Landon

Merry Christmas from Unicoi Outfitters

Click on the image below to go to our Holiday newsletter - full of great gift ideas for fly fishermen!

You don't want to miss this!

Click for a larger version!

The Best Fly Fishing Deal Around

Join Unicoi Outfitters for our FREE Orvis Fly Fishing 101 class and received a free one year membership to Trout Unlimited.  Every Saturday throughout May and June we offer this introductory 2-hour seminar from 10 AM until 12 noon at our shop.   to reserve a spot in the class.  This is the perfect way to find out if fly fishing is the sport for you or someone you know.  

We also offer the advanced Fly Fishing 201 class on Sunday mornings, 9 AM until 12 noon, through the end of June.  Anyone who has participated in the Fly Fishing 101 class is eligible for the 201 class.  Our Fly Fishing 201 classes are two full hours on the fabled waters of Nacoochee Bend learning the specifics of fishing with a fly rod.  Cost for the 201 class is only $50.  Once again, participants must register ahead of time.

This is a tremendous value.  If you take both classes, consider what you'll be receiving:

• 2 hours of instruction from one of our guides (a $50 value)
• An Orvis 101 cap (a $16 value)
• 1 year membership in Trout Unlimited (a $35 value)
• 2 hours of guide instruction (FF 201) on our private trophy trout stream (a $115 value)

We're located at 7280 S. Main St. in Helen, GA.  Participants need to call ahead and register.  (706-878-3083)

The Dry Fly Switch is ON!!!

Received this report from Dredger last night.  If you can get away for an evening of fishing, now is the time to do it!

RE:  Nantahala DH

Two sizes of cahills and three favors of stonefly (lemon, lime, and some large grapefruits) filled the Andrews skies last night.  Sporadic large helicopters (aka Green Drakes) launched during daylight hours.  Whitewashed versions of the copters hovered over the riffles at dark30 (see Coffin Fly pic).

Switch was on from when I got there til 8:55pm.  Dries were best in last hour. Sure beat Monday's dark30 trip to Chattooga DH, which ran 69 degrees due to recent hot spell. Chattooga had fished great over the weekend (maxed at 65f).

My Go-to rig on the Nantahala was 14 Cahill on 5x with a 16 soft hackle hares ear three feet off the back, on 6x.  Add one size 6 dinsmore shot about 8 inches above the wet, and high stick that rig thru riffles and boulder fields.  Stay out of deep pools if you're into numbers.

All three stocked species and a bunch of wild rainbows were brought to hand.  Think I caught some small wild browns, too. Got tired of catching them, so I cut off the wet and stayed on top to gimme a break.

Almost had lifetime supply of bucktails, too. Unfortunately, they were all attached to bucks' butts.  Thank God for near misses on Wayah Road's trip home.

Go get em, folks. And watch around the curves on your drives home!