Fly Fishing North Georgia 101 with Hunter Morris
I have zero experience when it comes to fly fishing, other than watching A River Runs Through It. I graduated from a closed-faced Zebco to a spinning rod somewhere around 5th grade and never looked back. So why get into fly fishing at this stage of my pelagic journey?
The first reason is FOMO (fear of missing out). I have a handful of friends who love two things: 1) fly fishing and 2) telling people about it. It’s basically the opposite of another Brad Pitt classic, Fight Club…the first rule of fly fishing is: you talk about fly fishing. The second rule of fly fishing is: YOU TALK about fly fishing.
The other two reasons are proximity and cost.
In terms of proximity, it’s about a four-hour drive from Atlanta to the Georgia coast versus 90 minutes to Blue Ridge and the North Georgia Mountains. Less windshield time is always a plus in my opinion. The faster I can get a line in the water, the better. And when it comes to price, fly fishing guided trips are about half the cost of their coastal inshore/offshore counterparts. Why? You’re not paying for a half or full day of fuel. Couple that with a shorter drive and the overall gas savings really start to add up.
So what was holding me back other than lacking the technical knowledge and equipment? It was simply not knowing where to begin. One of my ‘fly friends’ recommended I use a guide service for my first rodeo. So I leaned on the “Best of Blue Ridge” survey by the Blue Ridge Inn Bed and Breakfast. And that is how my wife Amanda and I were introduced to Hunter Morris of Fly Fishing North Georgia.
Fly Fishing North Georgia
Hunter is the owner of Fly Fishing North Georgia and has over 20 years of experience guiding trips in the area. After discussing the options, Hunter suggested we start with a half day / private access / wade trip as the ideal entry point to avoid getting tangled up with other more experienced anglers. When I asked what we needed to bring he clarified that they provide all of the necessary gear and to just bring our fishing licenses, a snack, and whatever we’d like to drink. Easy enough.
We met him at the entrance of his lease on Noontootla Creek and literally jumped right in. The first thing he did was size us up for hip waders and boots. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, only Amanda can make waders look good. Then we spent a solid 45 minutes discussing theory and learning Hunter’s four-point checklist:
Casting
Presentation
Setting the Hook
Landing
Now I’ve been told by my bride that I, on occasion, ask too many questions. She’s not wrong. But in my defense, I would say the number of questions I ask in a given situation is highly correlated with my familiarity with the subject matter. If I have a high level of confidence, game on (little to no questions). Otherwise, get ready for an opportunity to practice patience. Suffice to say, I asked A TON of questions which Hunter willingly answered in spite of a few spousal eye-rolls and audible exhales.
Casting. I’m going to be honest, 40 years of saltwater fishing on spin tackle and watching Brad Pitt and Craig Sheffer back in 1992 did very little to prepare me for this moment. Casting a fly rod is completely different from casting a spinning rod because you are using the weight of the line to cast instead of the weight of the lure. Everything felt awkward until we walked down to the creek and started getting some reps in. I would liken it to learning the form and mechanics of a golf swing or a foul shot in basketball. The only real insight I can offer to another newbie on casting is this: your elbow is your hinge point, not your wrist.
Presentation. On the heels of casting comes presentation, which refers to how you are presenting your fly to the fish you are trying to catch. Apparently these fish can spot a phony fly based on how it floats. The primary goal is to present your fly as naturally as possible. This is easier if the body of water your fishing is either still or is moving at the same speed. But in streams and rivers, water can move at different speeds. If your cast line lands in slower moving water than your fly, or vice versa, the line creates drag which disrupts the natural presentation of your fly making it less appealing to the crowd you are pandering to. This is where ‘mending’ comes into play. After you complete your cast, you mend your line upstream or downstream as needed to counteract the effects of the current so your fly drifts naturally instead of being pulled or dragged by the line. You mend by moving your rod in a clockwise or counterclockwise circle like you are casting a spell with a ridiculously long magic wand. As you might expect, presentation and mending take practice and repetition just like casting.
Setting the Hook and Landing. I wish I had more to impart about steps three and four of Hunter’s checklist. As a beginner with limited casting and presentation skills, I didn't exactly crush it on day one. But here is what I learned. Your hook set is triggered by sight (seeing the hit) as opposed to touch (feeling the hit). As soon as you see your fly or bobber get tapped, immediately swing your pole in a low and downstream motion to effectively set the hook. Why? Because trout face upstream into the current waiting for your fly to drift by. So you are in effect setting the hook in the opposite direction your fish is facing. The final trick to landing your prize is maintaining enough tension to keep the hook set without popping your line. Fortunately, the fly fishing gods smiled upon me just enough to land the juvenile wild trout (aka ‘fingerling’) pictured above. I don’t know who was more excited about my first landing, me or Hunter.
Book ‘em, Danno
In retrospect it definitely felt more like ‘work’ until I found my rhythm. Having a patient guide/teacher really accelerated my learning curve and appreciation for the sport. As the day went on, I found myself looking for ‘seams’ and ‘riffles’ in the current and just appreciating the natural beauty of fishing a freestone mountain stream.
We had a great experience and can’t wait to book a follow-up wade trip and get in another round of tutoring. After that we will likely upgrade to a guided float trip down either the upper Toccoa (above Lake Blue Ridge) or the tailwater section which runs from the Blue Ridge Dam to McCaysville. Our ultimate goal is to purchase gear and fish public access areas on our own. Who knows, maybe one day we’ll even learn how to tie our own flies. Until then we will continue to practice patience and humility.
So, if you are looking for a sherpa to guide you, reach out to Fly Fishing North Georgia. Hunter and his crew will definitely ‘hook you up’ regardless of your experience level.
Fish On!
Information and Resources:
Click on Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for more detailed information on trout fishing and delayed harvest streams.
Click on Go Outdoors Georgia to purchase your Georgia Fishing and Trout Licenses (one of each is required per angler).
If you are fuzzy on the rules and regulations, I recommend erring on the side of artificial lures and catch-and-release.