Points North Magazine

Getting Your Feet Wet

Reeling in the Joy of Fly-Fishing in North Georgia

by James Buice

I was lucky. My childhood home lay at the doorstep to the Blue Ridge Mountains and my father, an infinitely patient man, was kind enough to take me along on his forays to cool mountain streams and teach me the art of fishing with a fly. At the time, I did not realize my ship was sailing under a lucky star. It was only after I left the mountains for the flatlands of college that the scope of my early piscatorial blessings became evident. Weekends were spent traveling back to the mountains, oftentimes with a few friends in tow, many of whom had no idea which end of the rod to hold, but were eager to learn. Some of my college chums took to fishing like a duck to water while others hacked away with the rod like a lumberjack. It shocked me that some folks had never been fishing in their lives, much less fly-fishing; my inner voice was screaming, “What kind of world is this!”

Over the years, I’ve seen the sport of fly-fishing evolve from ‘just fishing’ to a big business sport, complete with corporate sponsorship and angling fashion trends rivaling the runways of Paris. While the face of fly-fishing has changed, the basics have always remained constant. The bottom line is after you sift through the advertising hype dotting the magazines and airwaves, you’re left with the pure, unadorned sport of casting a fly in hope that a fish will take. Keeping score and counting fish is an abomination. Fly-fishing should not be about how many fish you catch, but to compare it to a Zen-like state as some do can be equally gauche. Fly-fishing is an individual pursuit, something personal and unique to whoever holds a bent rod. Pontification aside, the sport of fly-fishing is one of the best excuses to be out of doors. It can be enjoyed by men, women and children alike; all that’s needed is a little guidance.

Getting Started
As with any sport that utilizes specialized equipment, properly outfitting oneself can be a rather daunting task. Fly-fishing is no different. The bottom line is you will first and foremost need to choose a rod, reel and line. Of these three key items, the rod is perhaps the most important, as it plays the crucial role of casting the line, managing the line once it is on the water, then fighting the fish once hooked. Choosing the wrong flyrod is like putting with a driver or using a ping-pong paddle in a tennis match. Each and every rod made (and there are a lot of them) will cast differently to nearly every person who picks it up. The trick is to find the right rod for you. To do this, you must get ‘fitted’ so-to-speak to the correct rod. This is best accomplished by visiting a specialized retailer who can aid you in picking out the correct rod. When shopping for a rod, know the answer to these three questions: What type of fish do you hope to catch? Will you be fishing in lakes, rivers or smaller mountain streams? What is your budget? Quality flyrods come in a variety of lengths, weights and prices, ranging from $100 to $600 plus. Find the rod that answers those questions and you have a winner.

Next comes picking out a reel and line. A fly reel does two things: it holds the line and acts as a device for stopping a running fish (or course, fish don’t run, but quickly swimming away just takes too long to say). If you are targeting smaller fish such as bass, bluegill or trout, a quality (read expensive) drag is not necessary.

For larger species such as tarpon, bonefish, salmon, or stripers, a solid drag is invaluable. With reels you get what you pay for. Less expensive reels are typically made of plastic or cast aluminum and will last a few years. More expensive reels machined from bar stock aluminum have a tendency to last a lifetime, but can cost as much as 10 times the price of an entry-level model.

What sets fly-fishing apart from other forms of angling is that you are not casting the weight of the lure, but the weight of the line. Therefore, the line weight must match the weight of the rod. For instance, a six-weight rod should be lined with a corresponding six-weight line. Let’s say you are purchasing a 9-foot, six-weight rod, which happens to be an excellent all around rod length and weight for most of Georgia’s freshwater fishing. As a beginning caster, you would want to choose a floating, weight forward line. The ‘weight forward’ denotation means the majority of the line’s mass is located on the forward portion of the line, making it easier to cast. In fly-rodder lingo, it would be known as a WF6F, which stands for Weight Forward-Six-Floating. Get the best line you can afford; like the rod, the line plays an integral part in casting and using a cheap line on a quality flyrod would be like putting retreads on a Porsche.

Rod, reel and line aside, it’s time for the accessories. You can go anywhere between the minimalist route and hiring a Sherpa to follow you around with a sack full of gear; however, there are a few things that will make your life easier afield. The first of these is a pair of polarized sunglasses that cut through the glare of the water’s surface, actually allowing you to see into the world aquatic. They also make nifty safety glasses when the errant cast brings a sharp hook a bit too close to the peepers for comfort. Next are waders. These are a must when wading in the cold waters that trout love. Chest-high waders made of some breathable synthetic such as Gore-Tex will keep you dry and warm. Along with waders, a pair of wading shoes with felt bottoms will keep you from slipping and sliding on algae-covered rocks that line most rivers and streams.

There are a number of nifty how-to books and DVDs for the novice fly fisherman. While these teaching aids are a valuable source of information, nothing beats a little professional help.

Learning the basics of casting a fly rod is a lot like figuring out how to swing a golf club or tennis racket. If you try to figure it out on your own, chances are you’ll develop some bad habits that are hard to break. Start out with a solid foundation and your learning curve will arch much faster. A good casting instructor, like a golf pro, will help you work the kinks out of your stroke and help with the basics. If you want a broader scope, attend a specialized school dedicated to teaching newcomers the ins and outs of the sport. A fly-fishing school will teach you everything from casting to how to fight the fish once everything else comes together.

With more than 2,000 miles of trout water and innumerable lakes and ponds dotting the north Georgia map, there is no problem in finding somewhere to wet a line.

Getting Wet
OK. You’re all dressed up in your waders and fancy fishing pole (which you can actually cast now). The time has come to put this newfound knowledge and gear to work. I’m often asked, “When is the best time to go fishing?” The best answer to this question is whenever you can get out. There’s an old saying, “The worst day fishing is better than the best day at work.” The truth is there is no such thing as a bad day fishing, but sometimes the catching part may be lacking. If pressed, I’d say the best seasons to fish are spring and early fall. The weather is mild and the fish are more active during these months, but don’t think this is the only time to hit the water. Some of the best days I’ve had on the water have happened during the dead of winter. If you have a warm front move in following several days or weeks of bitter cold, get on the water. This spike in temperature will oftentimes flip a primordial switch in Mr. Fish’s brain sending them into a feeding frenzy. The only time I put my rod away is during the heat of the summer, but this is more for the fish’s sake than the lack of action. When water temps rise, the fish become more susceptible to fatigue when hooked and played with rod and reel. Missing a few weeks over the course of the year isn’t really that bad when you consider many of the state’s fisheries are open to angling 365 days a year.

With more than 2,000 miles of trout water and innumerable lakes and ponds dotting the north Georgia map, there is no problem in finding somewhere to wet a line. If you have children, check out the youth fishing area on Moccasin Creek near Lake Burton outside of Clarksville. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources stocks this stretch of river heavily with trout, making it a great place for youngsters to gain confidence and really get hooked (pun intended) on the sport.

For those a little later in years, the choices are endless. Trout are perhaps the perfect fly rod fish and the angling can be as local or as exotic as you wish. Ranging from the Chattahoochee River right here in Atlanta to distant lands such as New Zealand or Chile, the seemingly ubiquitous trout fills the dreams of fly anglers around the globe. Keeping things somewhat local, the aforementioned Chattahoochee River below Buford Dam boasts over 40 miles of productive trout habitat, most of which is open to the public via the Chattahoochee National Park river corridor.

If you’d prefer a more remote locale, look no farther than the mountains just north of the city. The upper Chattahoochee above the town of Helen is one “don’t miss” spot, but overlooking the smaller tributaries surrounding this Bavarian-themed mountain town is a big mistake. Duke’s Creek, Smith’s Creek, and the numerous smaller tributaries that come together to form the Chattahoochee River headwaters are all prime trout fishing destinations in their own right.

There are far too many rivers and streams to list here, but a quick call to the state’s Department of Natural Resources fisheries division will land you a free map listing all state supported trout streams. Fishing each and every one could take a lifetime, but it would be a life well lived.

For More Information

North Georgia Trout Online
www.georgia-outdoors.com/ngto

River Through Atlanta Guide Service
www.riverthroughatlanta.com