Blue Ridge Trout Fest!

We're heading to north Georgia the end of this week for the 3rd annual Blue Ridge Trout Fest! We'll be posting pictures, giving away stickers and signing autographs, so make sure you say Hi!! We look forward to seeing everyone there!!

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Steve Hudson: Georgia's DH Trout, The Fly Fishing Show Atlanta 2018

Starting Day 2 of the Atlanta Fly Fishing Show by watching a presentation on Georgia's Delayed Harvest trout by my old friend Steve Hudson! Still a few seats left, get here fast!!!

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The Atlanta Fly Fishing Show

Made it to Georgia, camp is all set up, I've already made a new friend and the Atlanta Fly Fishing Show starts tomorrow morning!! See you there!

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Alpharetta Outfitters Delayed Harvest secrets!!

I hear my buddy Steve Hudson is going to be at Alpharetta Outfitters tomorrow night giving away his Delayed Harvest secrets!! Make sure you're there if you want to up your trout catching game! This is a DH trout from this time last year. Steve's tips helped me catch it and several others!

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Throwing back to last fall catching rainbows in Smith Creek!

Throwing back to last fall catching rainbows in Smith Creek!

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Indian Seats, Sawnee Mountain Preserve

Hiked up to the Indian Seats in the Sawnee Mountain Preserve. Beautiful spot.

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Where'd I say this was?

After the blueline clinic tonight I realized that some folks had never fished one or really knew what one was, so here's one of my favorites!! Where'd I say it was? I don't believe I said.

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Fishing for White Bass

Finally got the photos off my old iphone from fishing for white bass last week. I really wish they had turned out better! This is my friend, and local flyfishing legend, Steve Hudson with the first white bass of the evening. Its tough to see in the photo, but he commandeered my Souplefly Fly Patch hat!! I really need to get another, very handy piece of kit!!

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Seems like I haven't posted a fish picture in ages!!

Seems like I haven't posted a fish picture in ages!! Hopefully, after this weekend, I'll have some good, salty ones to share!!

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I'm ready to get out and try some of the nymphing techniques I learned at The Fly Fishing Show this weekend. And, I know just the place to go! #nymphing #euronymphing #flyfishing #TheFlyFishingShow #WinstonSalem #NorthCarolina #northGeorgia #ChattahoocheeNationalForest #creek #stream #smallstream

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First Cast #002 TFO Finesse Half Weight

GA DNR Press Release: Seasonal Trout Streams No Longer Seasonal

Seasonal Trout Streams No Longer Seasonal - But Now Year-Round

GAINESVILLE, Ga. (4/30/2015)

Trout season opened this past March, but unlike previous years, they will no longer have a closing date.  Beginning April 21, 2015, state trout streams will remain open year-round, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division. 

“The Board of Natural Resources recently approved the lifting of seasonal restrictions on approximately 1,600 miles of trout waters,” said John Biagi, Fisheries Section Chief of the Wildlife Resources Division.  “This decision, which initiated as something that anglers had been requesting for many years, comes after many months of research and analysis and extensive public outreach and we anticipate that trout anglers will eagerly welcome this additional time on the water.” 

This change in trout fishing regulations only eliminates the dates of “trout season.”  So, come this October, the season will not close as it has in past years.  

“We are grateful for all the feedback received during the public outreach process. We sought input from anglers through public meetings and surveys and worked closely with trout conservation groups to ensure that we had support of this decision,” said Biagi.  “We feel confident that this change will not negatively impact trout populations, but given the fact that our agency is charged with conserving and managing the wild trout resources of Georgia, we will continue to monitor wild trout stream populations as we have for decades and will respond accordingly to any changes.” 

The daily limit is eight trout on general regulation trout waters. Anglers are reminded to respect private property rights along streams flowing through private lands and to obtain permission before fishing on private property.  

Anglers must possess a current Georgia fishing license and a trout license to fish in designated trout waters and to fish for or possess trout.  Anglers must also possess a wildlife management area license or Georgia Outdoor Recreation Pass (GORP) in order to fish on certain WMAs.  Find a list of designated areas atwww.georgiawildlife.com/Georgia-Outdoor-Recreational-Pass .  

Fly Fishing Film Tour Atlanta 2015

Evenin' Folks,

  First off, I'd like to apologize for the unplanned hiatus.  I've had a helluva couple months here lately,  after my trip to North Carolina, but I'm back now and I've got lots of posts in the works!                                                                     The guys at F3T sent me a media pack and tickets to attend their film showing down at the Buckhead Theatre.  After watching the preview DVD (and enjoying all the beer they sent!) I was really excited to attend the show.  The show has a long list of sponsors and the presenters do some pretty awesome giveaways during the intermission.  They even truck in beer from Oskar Blues Brewery, so, naturally, I got myself a Dale's Pale Ale to enjoy during the show.

  I've got to say, I was really quite shocked to be one of the first people in attendance.  I like to get to shows like this early, to ensure I get a good seat, but it seemed like the theater didn't really fill up until after the show started.  There were several empty seats around me until well after the films started.  Perhaps because it was a Wednesday night in Buckhead and the after work traffic was awful as usual.  The other thing that surprised me was the lack of energy in the audience.  I mean, come on Atlanta, we can do better!  The response from the audience just seemed lackluster at best and I felt that the F3T guys deserved better than that.  I hope the Cartersville audience in April is a lot more lively!!!

  Now, as for the films, they were really amazing!  Each film gave a look into some facet of fly fishing around the world.  All of the short films shown this year were exciting or thought provoking to watch and absolutely worth checking out.  The three that I seemed to enjoy the most were 90 Miles, a film that discussed the relationship between the US and Cuba and moving forward in cooperation for fishing and conservation; Yow: Icelandic for Yes, was a stunning film that introduces a pioneer of surfing in Iceland spending time both surfing and fly fishing in some incredibly scenic places.  Iceland was on my travel wish list before, but I think it moved up a couple notches after seeing the film!  And Mongolia, this film was an introduction for me for fly fishing in Mongolia for the world's largest trout species, the Taiman, and the innovators and guides who are trying to save the Taiman by attracting fishing tourism dollars to their corner of the world.  

  If you've got a Fly Fishing Film Tour coming to your neck of the woods, I definitely recommend you check it out.  It makes for a great evening out with awesome giveaways and good beer!  If you can't make it to one of the shows, check out the F3T website.  They've got trailers for all of the year's films on the site.

  I hope you're all doing well, and now that winter is over in most of the country, you're getting out and catching some fish.

   Tight lines!

        -Nick

  

Orvis Alpharetta Grand Opening

Evenin' Folks,

  This past Friday night (November 14) the Little Girl and I went over to the new Avalon shopping center off Old Milton Parkway in Alpharetta to attend the Orvis Alpharetta store's grand opening party.  They had quite the turnout, that little shop was absolutely packed with folks celebrating the new store.  With the barbecue sandwiches, beer from Sweetwater Brewery and classic country music from Whiskey Belt, a good time was practically guaranteed.  If you're in the vicinity of Alpharetta and you're into Orvis' clothing, then this is definitely the store for you!  Lots of apparel and accessories to suit the sporting lifestyle.  The back of the store (or front, depending on which entrance you use) is dedicated to fly fishing gear.  It's probably not the largest fly fishing selection in an Orvis store, but they certainly stock the essentials.  As far as the hunting gear goes, you're probably going to be directed to a catalog as it didn't seem like there was enough room in the store to stock any of it.  

  I wish them success in their latest location.  In my opinion, you can never have too many fly shops!  If you're in the neighborhood, drop by and check them out.  

    Tight lines and happy shopping,

        -Nick

  Orvis Alpharetta

Smith's Creek Delayed Harvest: A Sure Thing

Good Morning Folks!

Unicoi Outfitters

  Despite having a severe allergies attack this weekend, I managed to get out and do a bit of fishing!  Sunday morning I went up to Unicoi State Park, just above Helen, GA, to fish the Delayed Harvest stretch of Smith's Creek.  This was my first experience fishing the delayed harvest and I was sure excited by the prospect of catching multiple fish larger than most I've caught so far.  On the way up to the state park I stopped into Unicoi Outfitters for a stream report and see what flies they might suggest.  After talking to the guys behind the counter for a bit, my confidence level was elevated even more.
  I got up to the park and had to look for the Visitor's Center to check in and get the park permit to fish.  That was my first mistake.  After driving around the park, trying to follow the signs, for what seemed like half an hour, I found the Visitor's Center, tucked deep inside the camping area, locked up tight.  By this time it was after 9:00 and the Center was supposed to open at 8:00.  I got back in the car and followed the signs to the Lodge, thinking that someone would be working there on a Sunday morning.  I've spent a little bit of time at Unicoi, so I thought I knew where I was going.  I didn't.  I made it to the Lodge and parked in the first spot I could find and walked in.  I was on the restaurant level.  Third floor.  Back of the building.  I wandered around looking for an employee and finally found a guest that knew where the registration desk was.  Ground floor.  Front of the building.
  I got all checked in, got down to the correct parking area, geared up and headed toward the water.  As soon as I got to the creek, I saw three guys rigging up and fishing (the parking lot was still in view!?!).  One of the pieces of advice I got from the guys at the fly shop was to walk and since I enjoy hiking as much as fishing, that's what I did.  I followed a bike trail for at least half an hour, maybe closer to 45 minutes, before I thought I had gone far enough and my rod started begging to be cast. I was in the water around 10:00 am.  I fished until about 4:30, when the sun was starting to drop behind the mountains.  I didn't want to be caught in the dark in an unfamiliar place, and I didn't know how long it would take to walk back to the car.  I fished the whole day.  Threw one of every fly pattern I had in my box and I never caught a fish.  I got one soft bite and saw the flash as the fish threw the hook.
  I could go on and on finding reasons why I didn't catch anything when a banner day was supposed to be a sure thing.  I probably wasn't holding my tongue right, the weather change put the fish down, the water was too clear and the sky too blue, but the fact of the matter is, I had a wonderful day.  I get frustrated when I don't catch anything, but I still got to spend the day knee deep in a near perfect stream in the woods on a gorgeous fall day in North Georgia and that, to me, makes it worth it every time.  I'll be back to try again, just as soon as I can restock my fly box.
  If you want to fish the Delayed Harvest at Smith's Creek or any of the other DH streams in Georgia, I put a link to the GA DH Fishing Regs in the sidebar.  Make sure you stop into Unicoi Outfitters when you go, too, it never hurts to have a couple of recommended flies from the guys who know and a little local knowledge goes a long way!  Oh, and remember, check in at the Lodge at Unicoi, NOT the Visitor's Center!
  Hope you all are doing well,
     Tight Lines and Happy Trails,
          -Nick

Unicoi Outfitters
Unicoi State Park

Year Round Georgia Trout Season | GA DNR Press Release

Mornin' Folks,

  I'm just trying to help spread the word!  There are going to be two public meetings coming up from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to inform, answer questions, and get public feedback on the possibility of instituting a year round trout season on Georgia's streams.  One meeting is to take place on Thursday, November 13 in Gainesville and the the other will be on Tuesday, November 18 in Acworth.  I'll be attending the Gainesville meeting and I hope to see lots of folks there!
  Have a great day!
     -Nick

Here's the original press release from DNR and a link to their page:
http://www.gofishgeorgia.com/node/3750

Changes in Trout Regulations Subject of November Public Scoping Meetings

GAINESVILLE, Ga. (11/3/2014)

Currently, trout streams are designated either seasonal or year-round.  But, what if that designation were to change?  Agency staff recently evaluated the effects of removing the “trout season” entirely and opening all trout waters to year-round fishing.  The Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division would like to have your input on this topic at two upcoming public scoping meetings. 

Public input is important when considering any changes to fishing regulations, so these scoping meetings will provide an opportunity for interested citizens to hear more about the reasoning and research behind these possible changes from WRD staff, and have a chance to ask questions and provide feedback. 

Two public scoping meetings are scheduled.  People who plan to attend are also encouraged to tell others who may be interested in participating.  Both meetings will begin at 7 p.m. 

DATE	LOCATION
Thursday, Nov. 13	Fair Street Neighborhood Center 715 Fair Street Gainesville, GA 30501 www.gainesville.org/fair-street-neighborhood-center
Tuesday, Nov. 18	Red Top Mountain State Park Conference Center/Park Office 50 Lodge Road, SE Acworth, GA 30102 www.gastateparks.org/RedTopMountain

My First Brown Trout: Upper Chattahoochee WMA

Mornin' Folks,

  I wanted to share a few pictures I took while fishing the Upper Chattahoochee WMA last weekend. Its a really beautiful area up there, and it seems to be quite popular. My time was limited, so I didn't want to venture too far from the road and the car, so it was actually a bit difficult to find a spot that wasn't already occupied. There had been some pretty good storms in the area the night before and it had been raining most of the morning while I was there. I try not to let weather keep me from fishing, if I get an opportunity to go I try to take it. I thought the rain might improve the conditions as there had been some pretty low water up there. 

  I went armed with the TFO Finesse Half Weight and the Galvan Brookie fly reel to get some more testing in for their upcoming reviews. I was very happy with the performance of each and look forward to the next trip with them. I fished a few different flies, but I seemed to get the most interest from a size 14 Elk Hair Caddis. When it comes to trout, I'm still very much a beginner. I'm pretty certain I missed a lot of strikes. Trout tend not to be as aggressive on the take as the bluegill I usually fish for! At least not in my experience thus far. 

  After a few hours with as many splashy refusals, I was fishing around a large pool catching nothing but raindrops. I started working some large rocks and finally got a good take!  I landed a beautiful little rainbow!  He was a feisty little guy! And, fishing a half weight, it was a ball to hook up on this little trout!  With the acrobatics he performed, I don't think he had any idea that he was only 6" long!  

  I returned him to his pool and hiked back up to the car to seek out another spot. It was already after noon, and carrying the one-trout-per-trip curse, I was starting to consider heading home. I absolutely love spending time in the woods, especially in the north Georgia mountains, so I was reluctant to leave. I found another spot that just had a "fishy" look to me ( Thanks to Tom Rosenbauer, I have a better idea of what that looks like now!). There was a parking area with a staircase down to the water, I tend to shy away from those places because I figure they're pretty heavily pressured, so I crossed the road and headed upstream a ways. I don't have any waders yet, so I tend to bushwhack along the bank until I find a spot to fish. I got in the water and started fishing, working the rocks and riffles as I made my way back down toward the car. 

  The car was back in view and I'd been fishing way longer than I intended (the Little Girl was on her way home from being away for the weekend and I like to be there when she gets in). After about 20 "one-last-casts", I got my caddis caught in some submerged branches. When I tried to break my tippet in frustration I felt the line move. A lot more than it should've being hung on a stick! When I got my first glimpse I couldn't believe my eyes! Not only was it not a stick, it was a trout! And a brown one at that!  I had to work to get him around all the rocks and branches to bring him to hand, but I sure was happy when I did. This was my largest trout to date, it was my first brown trout ( a stunningly beautiful fish) and I caught it on a five foot long, half weight rod! I wish I could've gotten some better photos, but I like to return fish to the water as quickly as possible. 

  I had a great day fishing the Upper Chattahoochee WMA and definitely plan on returning. Next time I want to do some more exploring of the smaller streams. The TFO Finesse Half Weight and Galvan Brookie both did a great job and a shorter rod made fighting through the brush so much easier!  

  I hope you're all doing well,

    Tight lines and dry feet!

      -Nick

I wonder if there are any trout holding pools upstream?

Fantastic combo! TFO Finesse Half Weight and Galvan Brookie. 

Stunning colors on these little rainbows!

Steady rain. 

My first brown! What a beauty!

Gorgeous scenery in the Upper Chattahoochee WMA. Fall color is just beginning. 

Down The Hatch Fly Fishing Film Festival

Good Morning Folks!

Orvis Atlanta

  I just wanted to write up a quick post to tell you guys about the fantastic time I had yesterday!  I was able to secure the day off from work, so as soon as I got home from my morning class (Calc II, bleh) the Little Girl and I hopped in the car and headed to the Buckhead area of Atlanta.  At 12:30, the voice of Orvis fly fishing (and fly fishing in general) himself, Tom Rosenbauer, was giving his Small Stream presentation at the Orvis Atlanta store.  I got there a bit early to double check the start time and see how big the crowd was going to be.  To my surprise, I was immediately introduced to Tom and had the opportunity to talk to him about suburban bluegill fishing and small stream trout fishing in the North Georgia mountains.  It was such an honor for me to get to speak with him one-on-one, he is such an incredibly nice man, very generous with his knowledge, just as you would expect from listening to the Orvis Fly Fishing Guide Podcast.  I really regret that I never thought to have my picture taken with him, but I do hope to get to meet with him again someday soon!  His presentation was excellent, just like listening to the podcast, but with pictures, and he was able to answer questions as they came up, instead of waiting for the next podcast to be released!  I don't want to give away all his secrets here, but if you ever get the opportunity to attend one of his lectures, you won't regret it!  

  After the presentation, we had to kill a few hours in Atlanta, which seems to be becoming increasingly harder for us to do!  We had to head over to Terminal West at the King Plow Arts Center for the Down the Hatch Film Tour presented by Orvis Atlanta and Sweetwater Brewery.  The doors opened at 6;30 for a Social Hour with free beer from Sweetwater and some passed appetizers and finger foods.  There was a guitar trio playing some great classic country music to set the mood and some shirts and jackets being handed out to the ladies in the crowd.  The proceeds of the event went to support the Chattahoochee River Keepers, they had a booth set up and were giving out some goodies in exchange for signing up for their newsletter.  

The entrance of the Terminal West facility at the King Plow Arts Center.

There were 300 tickets sold, which meant a packed house!

  The films that we got to watch were just awesome!  The videography was incredible and the scenery and fish were amazing.  I was hoping to find a list of the films, but was unable to by the time I wrote this post.  If I can find it, I'll try to get it posted.  One of the films showed clips from vintage fly fishing movies.  If you know me, you know that I tend to love anything old, and the old footage was right up my alley!  I'm pretty sure I recognized Joan Wulff and Lefty Krey in some of the vintage scenes.  I'm going to have to start digging around and see if I can find those old videos to post here on The Suburban Angler.  The last film shown was a hilarious dramatization of what we all feel when we're out fishing with a buddy who catches every fish in the stream, while we're left empty handed for the day and almost ready to snap a rod in frustration!

  While the films were my favorite part (partly because I didn't win anything), I think the raffles are what really brought the crowds out.  The price of the admission ticket also included one raffle ticket for each guest.  During the intermission of the films they drew numbers to give away several guided fishing trips that covered just about every fresh and saltwater fish species in the Southeast and a great looking wooden Sweetwater Brewery sign.  But, the grand prize for the raffle was a brand new Sweetwater Brewery logo'd Orvis Helios H2 fly rod.  You had to be present to win the raffles, and it took 3 or 4 tries before they gave away the rod.  I think every one in the room was on the edge of their seat, clutching their ticket!  If the gentleman that won the rod happens to read this and decides that it's not for him, I'd be happy to take it off his hands!!!!!

  In case you can't tell from the post, we really had a great time.  Orvis Atlanta and Sweetwater Brewery put on an excellent event and I can't wait for the next one!  They announced during the intro that the Down the Hatch event raised over $5000 for the Chattahoochee River Keepers!  I'm so glad that I got to be a part of it!  If one of these film tours comes to your neck of the woods, you should really try to go.  I promise, you won't regret it!

  I hope you're all doing well,

    Tight lines, cold beers and great films!

        -Nick

Our swag! Who doesn't love free stuff?

Fly Fishing Duke's Creek

Good Mornin' Folks!

  I just wanted to share some pictures with you of a recent fishing excursion.  I had read online that most people fish Duke's Creek inside the Smithgall Woods boundaries, which means private, trophy managed waters and very smart/picky trout, but there are very nice, native fish to be found between the boundary and the Duke's Creek waterfalls.  

  When it comes to trout fishing, I'm still very much a beginner.  There is something very special about being alone in a tiny mountain creek stalking these beautiful fish.  With my trusty TFO 2 weight in hand, I set out.  I was in the water just after sunrise and fished steady until just after noon.  I managed lots of strikes, and hooked up a few times, but I was only able to land one, a gorgeous native rainbow trout about 8"-9" long.  That one fish made the whole trip worthwhile, and it's my largest trout to date.  

  I had an absolute ball fishing Duke's Creek, but I wouldn't recommend it.  The terrain and hiking in and out of the canyon makes it very dangerous.  There are far easier places to fish in North Georgia and you will probably be more successful.  I'm glad I fished it.  I feel a bit redeemed, after being skunked twice in Smithgall Woods I finally pulled a trout out of Duke's, but I won't be fishing this stretch again.  Go for the beauty of the falls, but find another spot to fish!

  I hope you're all doing well.

   Tight lines and easy trails!

        -Nick

The sign marking the Falls' parking area.

That's Mount Yonah (or Yonah Mountain) in the distance, just as the sun was starting to come up.

One of the waterfalls on Duke's Creek as seen from the lower viewing platform.

The upper viewing platform with the other waterfall beyond it.

Taking some photos of my Tacky Fly Box for an upcoming product review.  Gotta love moss covered logs, right?

One of the gorgeous little pools on Duke's Creek.  I got several strikes here, but just couldn't get them to hand.

It's definitely a scenic area.  There's lots of tumbling water and little pools. The sun coming through the trees is quite striking as well.

There he his in all his natural, native color! I caught him on a rusty brown colored bead head wooly bugger.  I need to find a better way of taking fish pictures when I'm alone, any advice?

I actually saw several of these cairns on the creek.  Apparently I wasn't the first person to fish here!

This is where I decided to leave.  The creek drops about 8' below that log and it's almost shear canyon wall on both sides.  I had to backtrack a ways to get up out of the water.

Ran up to Cartersville the day before to check out the Cohutta Fishing Co. and pick up a new fly line and some flies.  They've got an awesome store with a ton of gear.  Check them out if you're in the area!

Fly Fishing Suwanee Creek Test Video

Afternoon folks!
  I went out and fished Suwanee Creek yesterday evening to test out some camera equipment.  I got skunked again! I think the fish know when I have a camera out!  I sped up the video just because I think fly fishing in high speed is pretty funny!  Please like, subscribe, share, comment and anything else.  I hope to have more videos soon!
  Have a great day!
    Tight Lines,
         -Nick