Blue Ridge Trout and Outdoor Festival 2024 -- 27 April 2024

 Good  evening folks!

  I once again hauled the camper up to Blue Ridge, Georgia to attend one of my favorite shows of the year, the Blue Ridge Trout and Outdoor Adventures Festival!  Driving  up  from the World's Most Famous Beach is pretty much an all day drive, so having the camper, and a nice place to put it always makes it easier. My camping preference usually leans more toward state parks, and north Georgia has some that are absolutely fantastic.  But if Blue Ridge is  your destination, it's really hard to beat the Blue Ridge/Toccoa River KOA. Located immediately on the banks of the Toccoa River, the Blue Ridge/Toccoa River KOA is the perfect base for visiting Trout Fest. Very well maintained, lots of  pull through and back in sites, a great little camp store, really good wifi access, and possibly the most attractive thing, trout fishing just steps from any campsite!  

  The Festival itself takes place in the area of downtown Blue Ridge between East and West Main Street in the Downtown Park area near the station and platform for the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway.  They have tents set up to host lectures and demonstrations, a children's fishing pond, live music, a food midway (with ongoing BBQ contest!), and loads of vendors to visit!  For me, it's a chance to catch up with friends, and learn what they've been up to, so I tend to gravitate to the fly shop and fishing guides' booths.  But, there are also cooking demonstrations from local chefs, arts and crafts that tend to focus on cabin decor and outdoor gear, rodbuilders, canoe and paddle makers, and a very popular beer tent and cigar vendor!  

  I love attending this festival and look forward to attending for years to come.  It gives me a chance to visit one of my favorite areas of the country, an opportunity to fish for some of the species I cut my fly-fishing teeth on, a chance to see dear friends and enjoy the relaxed ambiance that Blue Ridge provides so well.  I encourage you to go, if you get the opportunity, I'd love to meet you there! But, if you can't make it, enjoy the photos below and check out my social media channels for the live posts next year!

  I hope you're all doing well!
   Tight lines and safe travels!
       -Nick   

Today is the day! I've made it back to Blue Ridge for one of my favorite events, the Blue Ridge Trout & Outdoor Adventures Festival! I'll be here all day and bringing you along with me! Any questions, suggestions or requests, just drop them in the comments and I'll do my best to address them. Let's have a great day in Blue Ridge!

In preparation for the day's festivities, I fueled up at das Kaffee Haus on Main St. with a delicious cortado and an almond croissant. On to the show!

Watch out for that gator! The Let's Go Fishing kid's fishing pond is drawing a great crowd right after the Festival opened! I've been told there's some pretty rare trout in the pond, so definitely worth the visit!

Upriver Boatworks are up from Dawsonville and have a couple of 2023 models with clearance prices here at the Festival! Or, you can set up an order for one of their fully custom, small-batch, framed inflatable boats!

The Bowman Outdoors and Bowman Flyfishing are serving up merch, guided fishing trips, and French pastries! Bowman Outdoors in Dahlonega is one of the area's newest fly shops, opened recently by one of the region's most experienced guides. Wish I had time to check out the shop, but be sure to stop by if you're in the area!

If you're in the market for some XtraTuf footwear, Ballard's of Blue Ridge has you covered!

Beautiful Stealthcraft drift boat! Gotta love the graphics!

Troncalli Subaru has several cars on display, but this roof top tent trailer setup is catching a lot of eyes!

It's hard to miss the captivating tent of the Blue Ridge Fly Fishing School! They stayed busy throughout the festival talking classes, guide trips, tips and tricks for fishing the entire Blue Ridge area. If you're just taking up the flyrod or looking to polish your skills, give the Blue Ridge Fly Fishing School a look!

Stopped by the Legacy Fly Fishing booth to check out these stunning, solid hardwood fly rod tubes! Fully sealed and protected, these rod tubes are intended to be used to protect your flyrods, not to be used simply as display pieces! I wouldn't blame you for letting them pull double duty, though, they are gorgeous!

Blue Ridge Tree Trunk Trout!

The Benton MacKaye Trail Association has a saw buck setup giving folks a chance to try their hand with a two-man crosscut saw! They're staying busy, and its so cool to see so many folks, kids and adults, excited to try it out and release their inner sawyer!

Blue Ridge Flies has a pretty cool concept going where they are selling fully loaded boxes of custom tied flies curated for specific situations. From stocked trout to the most remote blue line natives, they've got a box to suit!

Another beautiful boat on display! This one is a hand made, plywood drift boat based on a Montana style design.

The Smokey Bear Cigars tent always proves popular at this Festival! They've got a great selection of some fantastic cigars and a pretty decent array of accessories. If they don't have what you need in the tent, I'm sure their shop up the street can accomodate! Think I'll be grabbing a stick or two to enjoy campfireside tonight!

When no one was looking, I snuck around behind the Bowman Outdoors booth to get a better shot of this sweet old survivor of a Bronco!

I snagged a sample from the Georgia Grown booth of Bramlett Trout Farm grilled trout prepared by the chef from Community Brew & Tap in Cornelia. Absolutely fantastic!!

The folks from Toccoa Riverside Restaurant were here with coolers full of their house smoked trout samples! So, so good! Next trip to Blue Ridge I know where I'm going for dinner!

TOPPER is up on the Trout Fest Sound Stage right now rocking out with the Voices of Rock & Soul!

Finally had the opportunity to meet the great folks of the Caddis Shack! From their literature: "The Caddis Shack is a hidden gem nestled along the picturesque Toccoa River near the towns of McCaysville and Blue Ridge, GA." Imagine stepping off the porch of your rented cabin and taking a few steps into a very wadable section of the Toccoa River! Or, if guided float trips or flyfishing lessons are more what your after, they've got a full compliment of packages and guide partners to make your stay the best it can possibly be!

In the rv communities you'll often hear the line " Home is where you park it". Well, if that's the case, whenever I come to Blue Ridge home for me tends to be at the Blue Ridge/ Toccoa River KOA! Clean, friendly, lots of ammenities, level sites and, most notably, walk-in fishing access to the Toccoa River along one entire side of the campground! I've enjoyed it every time I've stayed with them, including this trip!

I got so caught up with visiting Mr. and Mrs. Alpharetta Outfitters that I neglected to post the booth picture! Always great to catch up with Jeff and Avery and if you're looking for a local fly shop in the Alpharetta area I can't recommend them enough! Tons of local knowledge, all the gear and supplies you could need, guides, instruction, events, you name it!

All I had with me was saltwater gear!

All I had with me was saltwater gear, but I couldn't resist making a few casts into the Upper Chattahoochee River above Helen while I was in north Georgia last week. That water was high, but crystal clear!! It was such a gorgeous day, if I didn't have previous plans, I would've head deeper into the National Forest and checked some of my old favorite spots!

via Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/BtwJntxj5aC/

Beautiful day for Blue Ridge Trout Fest!!

Could not have asked for a more beautiful day for the Blue Ridge Trout Fest!! It was a great time to catch up with old friends, make some new friends and hand out some Suburban Angler stickers!! Oddly enough, no one wanted an autograph!! Mark your calendar for next year, Trout Fest really is an excellent time!

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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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I need to go catch some more!

It's been a few weeks, it needs to be time to go catch some more!

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Starting to get things together...

Starting to get things together for a trip to North Carolina. Looking forward to fishing the NC Fly Fishing Trail!

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Still more than half a week away...

Still more than half a week away, but I'm already counting down the hours until I'm back, knee-deep in cold water waving a stick in the air! Find me at the Orvis Down The Hatch show in Alpharetta, I'll have stickers with me!

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The Fly Fishing Show Atlanta 2017

Evenin' Folks!  New for 2017, the folks at The Fly Fishing Shows made a venue change.  This year, for the first time, they moved the show from it's Winston-Salem, North Carolina location to Atlanta, Georgia.  More specifically, the Infinite Energy Center in Duluth, which is located about 10 minutes from the former The Suburban Angler world headquarters in Suwanee.  I say former because, as you know if you follow our social media pages, The Suburban Angler moved to Florida last fall!!!  Right before they announced that The Fly Fishing Show would be held in our backyard!!  I really hated to miss the show, I attended the last three years at the Winston-Salem venue, but we just weren't able to make the trip back up to Atlanta.  Luckily, a fly fishing buddy of mine very graciously offered to take a few photos of the show and even do a couple of live videos on Instagram from the show floor.  The videos, unfortunately, are gone forever, as is the nature of Instagram's live video feature, but here are a few of the photos he took for me.  Enjoy them, and hopefully I'll make it to Atlanta for the show in 2018!!

David Testerman from River Through Atlanta demonstrating some fly tying.

The venerable Lefty Kreh doing what he does at home on the casting pond.

Rob "The Mustache" Smith working The Fish Hawk (Atlanta, GA) booth.

The guys from Unicoi Outfitters (Helen, GA) are always glad to advise!

Cohutta Fishing Co. (Cartersville, GA) was well represented at this year's show.

One of my favorite bluegill paintings!

The art of Dave Whitlock is just incredible!

My buddy David (that provided the photos) was nice enough to get Dave to inscribe and sign the card for me!

Here's David, after a busy weekend taking photos for The Suburban Angler at his first The Fly Fishing Show!  Thanks again buddy!!

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!

via Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/BMnOzIFBmBP/

Small trout in North Georgia's small streams

Throwing back to this time two years ago catching small trout in North Georgia's small streams on small gear!

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Making plans for the weekend!

Making my plans for the weekend. When I get out of the office I like to get WAY out of the office! If you're getting way out this weekend, don't forget to leave your itinerary with at least one trusted friend. Stay safe out there!!

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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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Reading Room: Bluelining 101 by Steve Hudson

Evenin’ Folks,

The hike in.

  One of the best things I've learned about fly fishing over these past few years is that it is a hobby that can be tailored specifically to you, and there is a world of information out there no matter which direction the fly takes you.  Whether you’re into freshwater or saltwater, classic bamboo rods or ultra-modern carbon fiber, fishing from the bank of a small pond or from the bow of a flats boat on a rushing river, there is something in fly fishing for everyone.  For me, the big draw to fly fishing was being able to combine my love of fishing with my love of hiking.  I spent a lot of time thinking about being able to hike through the woods for a few hours to find a small stream full of native trout that aren't so heavily pressured that everything has to be perfect to hook them.  I've decided that 2015 is going to be my “Year of the Bluelines”.  This is the year that I wear out a new pair of hiking boots trekking through the national forest in search of the streams that only show up on a topo map as a blue line. 

There isn't much better on a rainy night than a good whiskey,
a good pipe and a good book.

  Now, I've always been the type of guy that has to exhaustively research an endeavor before I let myself embark on it.  Lucky for me, I've befriended the guy who wrote the book on bluelining in North Georgia, literally!!!  At first glance this looks more like a pamphlet than a book, but prolific outdoor writer Steve Hudson has managed to cram an extensive amount of information from his more than 40 years of experience into these 76 pages.  “Bluelining 101: How to find unspoiled wild trout fishing far from the beaten path” covers every aspect of bluelining from the definition of a blueline to reading topo maps, to what gear to take and what flies to pack.  There are even sections in the book on approaching the stream, casting in cover and reading the water. 

  After reading Steve’s book, I really feel much more prepared to tackle some blueline streams this year.  His enthusiasm for the hobby really shines in all of his writing and when you finish reading this book you’ll be ready to lace up your hiking boots, grab your ultralight fly rod and hit the woods with a topo map in hand.  You can find Bluelining 101 at most local fly shops in North Georgia, a selection of them are now listed on Amazon or you can order directly from the publisher, Chattahoochee Media Group.

  I hope you’re all doing well, I’ll see you in the woods,

   -Nick

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 .  

WNC Fly Fishing Expo 2014

Evening Folks,

  Sorry for the hiatus, I had to take a little time away from the blog to prepare for finals at school!  But, that's behind me now and I can return to the important things, like fly fishing!  

  Earlier this month I took a ride up to Fletcher, North Carolina to attend the 6th annual Western North Carolina Fly Fishing Expo.  This is considered to be the Southeast's largest fly fishing event.  The show takes place in the Expo Building of the WNC Agricultural Center.  There was  a PBR rodeo happening at the same time as the expo, driving through the Ag Center there were a lot of nice looking trucks hauling horse trailers and cowboys and cowgirls walking horses through the parking lot!  

  The expo itself consists of a large casting pond in the middle of the the big, open Expo Building with aisles of exhibitors down both sides and lecture tents in the back.  The two day show has become a live forum for local fly fisherman to see the latest gadgets and products from some of the top manufacturers, participate in lectures on a wide range of fishing techniques and scenarios and even get casting instruction from IFFF certified casting instructors.  

  This was my second year attending the Expo and while it is a bit of a drive for me from metro Atlanta I enjoy the show because it has a very local feel.  Most of the exhibitors and lecturers were either local to Western North Carolina or, at least, spoke on topics and techniques that pertained to the area.  I think my favorite part of attending the show is getting to meet the folks that work in the local fly shops.  There were 10 shops represented at the Expo this year and each booth is like stepping into a mini version of the shop it represents, the folks are always very nice, excited to tell you about their shop, quick to invite you to their store and love to talk fishing and gear with any like minded individuals.  

One of several demos at the casting pond.

  In addition to the manufacturers and fly shops, the show plays host to many booths from guide services, lodges, magazines and organizations such as Casting for Hope, Project Healing Waters (I got to talk fly tying and bluegill fishing with a couple great guys!), Federation of Fly Fishers and even a booth from the soon to open Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians!  

  Since I made the Expo a day trip from Atlanta, I only had time to take in two of the lectures.  I attended Mac Brown's Dry Fly Tactics, Casting & Presentation where I learned about effectively fishing with dry flies and various techniques to do so.  Some that I never would have thought of and would probably cause some of the uppity dry fly elite to get up and walk out! But, if it'll work it's worth trying!  My second lecture was with Cameron Mortenson and his talk on the Reinvention of Fiberglass Fly Rods.  Cameron's website, The Fiberglass Manifesto, helped to inspire me to start The Suburban Angler, so it really was an honor for me to meet him in person.  His talk on the history and evolution of fiberglass fly rods was fascinating.  The only downside is, now I want to try fishing one!!!  

BBQ and Fly Fishing just go together!

  Since nobody likes to peruse fly gear on an empty stomach, the Expo invited a couple of food trucks out this year.  A local competition BBQ truck and a gourmet coffees truck were parked at the entrance to the building and the IFFF had a beer and snacks booth inside the show as a fundraiser.  Luckily, I had $2 in my pocket so I was able to get the first Pabst Blue Ribbon I've drank in quite a number of years!  

  For the second year in a row I had a fantastic time at the Western North Carolina Fly Fishing Expo and I really look forward to attending again in 2015!  For more details on the show and the full list of exhibitors click here and if you'd like to hear an interview with Reba Brinkman, the Expo manager, and hear a shout out to The Suburban Angler, listen to The Fly Fishing Consultant Podcast with Rob Snowhite.  I hope to see you all there next year!

  

   Pleasant Fly Fishing Journeys,

       -Nick