Where to go find trout when you live in Florida? I've got Georgia on my mind

It had been too long.  Far too long since the feel of cool, clear water rushing past my legs, the dead drift of a Parachute Adams slipping down a current seam, and the reward of a successful hook-set & bend of a fly rod signalling trout on.
Florida has its pluses -- terrific weather, incredible beaches, awesome golf, and the  #1 Navy JROTC unit in the nation, but what it does not have is trout -- rainbows, brookies, browns, or cutthroats.

So as I packed my bags to go and teach at the NJROTC Area 12 (Florida & Georgia) Leadership Academy in Gainesville, Georgia, I could not help but notice that Gainesville was within earshot of the Appalachian Mountains in the north reaches of the state.

I tossed my Orvis Superfine 1wt in the back of the truck, packed a small box of flies and held wishful hopes of having an opportunity to wet a line at some point during the week-long training.
Having never fished in Georgia, I sketched out a map of where I would go and explore.  As fate would have it, opportunity knocked.
You never know what to expect when you try out a new stretch of water, especially in an area of the country you've never set foot before.  That first cast is full of wishful thinking and anticipation.

Smith Creek did not disappoint.
First cast -- my purple Parachute Adams disappeared under a swirl, the rod bent with a feisty brown trout bringing more joy than it would ever know.
The first few pools and runs contained several aggressive, acrobatic trout and I knew this had the makings of an incredible morning on the water.

I added a Pheasant Tail nymph dropper and piked up a few trout with that as well.  I thought I would be hooking brookies, but brown trout and rainbows were causing the action.  I suspect I would have to trek into the headwaters at higher elevations to find some brookies, but on this day I wasn't complaining.



Another Smith Creek rainbow hookup.

I ventured further downstream and found runs, pools and rifles unlike the high gradient Virginia streams flowing down from the Shenandoah Mountains, but comparable to some of the smaller creeks I've fished in Idaho, namely Big Creek in May.  Very similar water characteristics.  

A nice hookup here.

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Smith Creek was really heating up, and the best pools I had been eyeing were about to receive my best effort.  Now before I go any further, let me explain something -- I was in the middle of nowhere. I hiked in to the stream, and found a dirt road that came in from nowhere and paralleled the creek for a short duration before dead ending. So imagine my surprise when this played out before me.

Although it was great to see more fish being deposited right before me, these trout are totally spooked when making the transition from hatchery to back of the truck to clear. cold stream.  The Fish & Game worker proceeded to drive up the dirt road, stop, fill his net and walk into the next three pools I had been planning to fish.  I ventured up there and there were lots of trout, but they were zipping up and down, back and forth the pools and clearly with no desire to take a fly presented right past their nose. Now 24 hours after they settled down -- oh my God that would have been fun to hit this creek.

I returned to my put in location and in the spirit of landing a fish on last cast, caught one more brown 

Here was the nicest trout of the day on Smith Creek.

I had a couple of other streams I wanted to check out since I was up in the mountains and might well not have an opportunity to fish again so I struck out for new water on my trusty map -- this time the destination was Dukes Creek. 

Dukes Creek, at least the section I observed, had more in common with the smaller Shenandoah streams with the exception that this stream was heavily overgrown with rhododendrons on both banks.  That said, first cast -- first trout -- wild rainbow!
I only fished for about 45 minuted, but I suspect this stream could produce like the Rapidan on its best days with 50-100 trout.  It's that good -- but incredibly tight quarters for casting. I would like to explore this stream more one day.



This next video provides a sense of how thick the cover was along the creek.

After again catching one last trout on the final cast, I broke down my rod and headed back to my truck.  I needed this trip, and am thankful I had the opportunity to check out north Georgia fly fishing. I had read about trout fishing in this region over the years and always wanted to give it a shot.  I'm glad I did... and hopefully this won't be the last time.

Tight lines !

Smallmouth Short Trip

"Many go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after." - Henry David Thoreau

 

Standard 7-8" North Fork Bronzeback

James and I decided to fish this past weekend and try to replicate Friday's success on the North Fork of the Shenandoah.  We put-in at Lupkins in Woodstock, paddled .75 miles upstream to the first major riffle and float-fished back down the river anchoring, fishing, moving, anchoring and fishing. 

 

Fish full-flex(es) James' long rod

 

 Fishing was slower than on Friday, primarily because I spent too much time swinging streamers to attractive but unproductive water.   I should have adopted a 3-cast and move on rythm earlier.  I fished my Access 5 wt paired with a 6wt line and James fished a 6 wt full-flex Fenwick which was challenged by his up-gunned line-weight and tandem streamers. 

 

 

 

 

 

Tip-up: I let the rod do the work in alight rain

We finally found several deep runs with a seemingly inexhaustable supply of medium-sized bronzebacks.  We fished these until we wanted to look for new prospects.   We had the most sucess swinging tandem golden retrievers deep but also enjoyed success fishing a nymph-droppers behind a small-med popper.  I used both blue and white poppers with equal success.  I quit at 40 after 4 hours.   James had a decent catch rate as well particularly after we switched up rods and rigs to get him onto the fish more efficiently.   On the way back to NOVA we recon'd the confluence of the North and South Fork in Front Royal and I may make my next smallmouth foray to the South Fork IVO Front Royal.   This looks like canoe fishing deep runs, ledges, etc.  Give me a call if you're looking to get out on the river, and head into the Woodbridge Orvis Store for casting instruction, trips and golden retrivers tied by Scott.

 

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"Unless one can enjoy himself fishing with the fly, even when his efforts are unrewarded, he loses much real pleasure. More than half the intense enjoyment of fly-fishing is derived from the beautiful surroundings, the satisfaction felt from being in the open air, the new lease of life secured thereby, and the many, many pleasant recollections of all one has seen, heard and done."

- Charles F. Orvis

North Fork Shenandoah +120

The bronzebacks had been calling so Paul and I met off 66 and journeyed to the North Branch of the Shenandoah in Woodstock on Friday morning.  

"Some go to church and think about fishing, others go fishing and think about God." - Tony Blake

The June sun was already high in the sky when I stashed Emily's old orange rock-hopper under a big sycamore tree at our take-out at the low water bridge off Lupkin Road.  We retraced the road to the next upstream low water bridge and rigged up. 

Paul lands his first smallie within sight of the put-in.   Notice the high brown water

Paul started with a medium-weight spinning rod a gold floating rapala and tube baits and I rigged 3,4 and 5 wt long rods with various smallmouth friendly streamers.   The water was as high as I've fished it and stained brown from recent run off.   It was fishable, but with the water level and the lack of clarity I knew would make for a long slog.  We slid the canoe into the brownish water at 0800, finished rigging up and made our way pretty quickly to the first bend in the river where Harry Murray had recommended that I start fishing.

Paul surveys the first straightaway just before the turtle encounter

We had the first smallie at about the same time as Paul felt a large log pass between his calves...not true...the log turned out to be one of the largest snapping turtles either of us had ever seen.   It passed (through) Paul and floated with the current by me 30 feet later about just a smidgen smaller that the lid on an old aluminum garbage pail -- orangish brown in color - it was amazing.  While we couldn't see the bottom, we learned to feel our way downstream by feel of our toes as much as by sight.

Paul beating the heat -- the pics look washed out from the sunlight

In short order the sun was beating down on us and Paul, who was catching his share with his rapala, agreed that he could catch just as many with a fly rod.   We took turns throughout the rest of the day passing back and forth the 4wt Orvis Clearwater and the 5 wt Access I had brought along for the trip.  This adventure I upgunned the 5 wt with 6 wt line and it really seemed to bring new vibrancy into the rod, it loaded beautifully and shot line and tandem streamers wherever I pointed it.  We tried various streamers but settled on a heavyish size 6 streamer followed by golden-retriever variants.

The guys loved the the Golden Retriever

After a few hours our goal of 100 bronzebacks seemed doable and we both hit several holes, ledges, runs and riffles where we pulled out multiple smallies. The vast majority of our smallies today were small sophomores but every 5th fish was more respectable with the largest small-mouth of the day just about 11 inches.   It surprised us that 95% or better of the fish caught were smallies.   I would have guessed that they would have been about 50% of the catch with sunfish accounting for a far higher percentage.    The small-mouth were aggressive and dirty-aplenty.

Fish-on!

Half way through the fish, about midway through the bow of the horseshoe a welcome thunderstorm pushed just north of us and lent us some clouds to cool us off.  Paul no longer had to fish through a deep hoe to cool himself off.  Exhausted after more than 8 hours on the river and just about at the same time that the river deepened approaching the take-out we hopped in the canoe for the last 90 minutes.   Paul worked casts from the bow and I stood in the back and hit likely deep spots with my Golden retriever.   It was amazing and to see the smallies rise up from the depths and shwack our offerings.  I reminded myself how much I like casting and fishing from an elevated position to see the takes.

Standard third year bronzeback

 I stopped counting at 70 smallies and Paul had comparable numbers, so I'd estimate that we caught somewhere north of 120 smallies and a 130 fish brought to hand total -- amazing day.  A local walking along the low water bridge was happy to tell us that he'd caught 5.   We just smiled at him and told him that we'd caught a few too.

Paul: fish on with a 4wt

Head bobbing in a deep section -- Paul works the right bank -- I remember Henry taking a similar picture in the this same spot.

The Confluence

Game on

For my first smallie trip of the season I decided to head to the confluence to swing some streamers for my 2nd favorite quarry.   James was happy see new water and we headed out at 0645.  After a mountain bike approach I stood with my left foot in the Rappahanock and my right in the Rapidan and surveyed the fish-playground of the confluence in front of me. The sun was high and hot, the water was running low and we found that the smallies were holding almost exclusively in the deeper pools and moving current.  I wish it were cloudier both for myself and the fishing (catching).  I fished with my tip-flex Access 6wt and re-reminded myself that I need to use a 6wt line with this stick as it needs some weight well beyond the tip to really load the rod.   It's really much more pleasant to cast this rod over 35 feet than it is closer-in. We fished counter-clockwise, across the Rapidan, down to the power lines, across to the north side of the Rappahanock and back to the camp site. I ended the day with 6 smallies but none longer than 10 inches, James caught a similar amount but had one beauty over a foot who jumped and ran on him and and put a smile on his face till his next trip.

The confluence as seen from the tip of the camp site.   Rapidan enters on the right, Rappahanock on the left.

At least these are fun to catch!

The real quarry -- a smallie takes a weighted streamer from Murray's Fly Shop

James with the confluence campsite on the point directly behind him

Smallies are great fighters -- Floyd Mayweather could learn something from them 

Tip Flex -- Fish on!