Chattahoochee RIver - Atlanta, GA

The River fished great this week. Tuesday, I hooked 9 and landed 7. Wednesday, I hooked 12 and landed 10. Thursday, I hooked 9 and landed 5. Saturday, I hooked 10 and landed 7. I averaged over three fish an hour on five consecutive outings, all on small dry flies, all sight fishing to rising trout. The fish were mostly browns ranging from 14" - 16" and strong. I caught just two rainbows, but one was over 15". This is about as good as the Chattahoochee gets - 15 minutes from the house. Sunday, I floated and fished for 6 hours and didn't hook a fish.

Chattahoochee River - Atlanta, GA

Great fishing this afternoon upstream from Paces Ferry. Hooked nine fish and brought seven to hand, all like this 15" brown, with the exception of one smaller rainbow. These are strong, healthy fish. All were taken sight fishing with a #18 BWO. If I hadn't run out of tippet and fished the last 30 minutes with a mangled leader, I might have managed a couple more.

Hiwassee River - Reliance, TN

Got a late start on Friday afternoon, and after exploring access north from Turtletown, I drove downstream through the National Forest, crossed the river at Reliance, and made camp in the Big Bend parking area.

The river fished hard all weekend, with three fish hooked and only one to hand for the weekend. I never found the fly of choice and power generation only complicated matters.

Saturday evening, after the last of the anglers headed for home, I backed the Suburban up to the river, opened the tailgate, and made dinner with a truly spectacular view. This was the best campsite of the year by far.

The Hiwassee is an impressive river. The photos at Reliance Fish and Tackle prove it holds some big trout. I headed home following the river along 411 and planned to stick one on another visit. There is enough good water in this historic valley to occupy a serious fisherman for a long time.

Chattahoochee River - Atlanta, GA

The Chattahoochee is fishing very well right now. I'm catching good rainbows and browns on dry files. A couple strong fish have thrown the hook as well. I've been in the water almost everyday this week. What a great resource and fortune for the trout angler.

Tuckaseegee River - Silva, N.C.

Got into the river and fished for an hour before dark without so much as a nibble. I camped in a pullout right on the river, across from the waste treatment plant - a poor decision. Rain rolled in overnight and I awoke to a steady drizzle, no different than any Saturday in recent memory. I drove up river and parked at the 116 bridge. I inflated my tube and waited for the rain to slow just a bit. An hour later I was floating. No fish at the bridge, but the fishing, and weather, picked up on the next several runs and continued through the rest of the morning. I landed several and LDR'd several more rainbow and brook trout all 10-12 inches. The brown booger took a few, but these fish loved the junk - pink and yellow worms and egg patterns were the hot ticket. Lots of guided fishermen floating through in some beautiful drift boats.

Nantahala River - Topton N.C.

Friday afternoon departure from work gets earlier the deeper we get into spring. This is opening weekend in North Carolina. My original plan was to drive directly to Big Snowbird and camp, but I'm out so early I decide to fish. Big Snowbird is closed until tomorrow, so I hit the Nantahala Delayed Harvest - my first time. I bring 5 fish to hand in two hours, all on dry flies and all right there at the powerhouse. You can almost smell the hatchery truck. I love NC trout fishing.

I roll over to Big Snowbird expecting the normally vacant river I fished all winter. But the place is mobbed; no available camp sites. So I grab a pullout with a good view and settle in. I wave at the Warden on his way out after the evening rounds.

It rains all night. I try to fish Big Snowbird in the morning, but the crowds make it impossible and I head back to the Nantahala. I decide to fish the upper portion of the DH, and I get into fish right away, again on small BWO's. Three fish to hand and the bite slows. I decide to try the Hatchery Supported waters above the DH.

The crowd is thick, but I manage to find a nice campsite - fire ring and all. A fisherman comes off the river into my camp and shows me two BIG trout. One is a fat brown, maybe 18". The other is a freakish brook trout, at least 22". "A brood fish from the hatchery", he tells me. He says "throw something big and watch for the flash." I tie on a big green bugger and get in. I fish for 20 minutes when it happens to me. I'm watching my fly when a giant fish comes out of nowhere. My reel screems and the fish is 30 feet up-stream in three seconds. I feel severly out-gunned. I get some line back and then he takes it. I get it back and he takes it again. After several minutes, I wade toward slow water and begin steering the fish there. In an instant he runs for a brush pile and he's off.

It rains all night, again. I roll down river before 7:00 AM. I consider stoping a couple times, but end up back in the DH. I ride downstream for a couple miles, this time aiming to see the middle of the DH. The water is fast and dirty. I bring three 15" browns to hand, all on a small white booger.

I head south toward home.

Davidson River - Brevard, NC

Out of the office before 3:00 PM Friday and I'm rolling north to get some. I planned to fish two North Carolina rivers - the East Fork of the French Broad on Saturday and the Davidson on Sunday.

The East Fork is a "delayed harvest" river in true North Carolina style. There are plenty of fish and they're not too particular. I connect with several and land two stock browns. Great morning of fishing. I head to the Davidson for the evening feed but get skunked my first time on this classic river.

I sneek up 475B and camp at the approach to the Nose on Looking Glass. My son and I climbed the Nose maybe 6 years ago and the place brings back a strong feeling. Climbers waited and wondered Saturday night if the crags would dry enough to climb, but it didn't happen. The Smokies pissed all weekend like they do. Sunday morning on the Davidson and the skunk is gone - two brookies to hand on midges and two more hooked but lost. I will be back.

Chattahoochee River - Atlanta, GA

Word got out fast yesterday after the hatchery truck made a visit. The water remains in "delayed harvest" status for another month, but the "catch and release" fishermen were out in force - on a workday. I woke up sick and decided I was too contagious to go in. After a shot in the ass and a prescription, I swung by the River. I landed a 12" brown in the first pool I fished, but no other takers. I thought sun block would be good - for my co-workers that don't understand the illness. There's no way I can show up for work tomorrow with sun on my face. I love Spring!

I elbowed into another spot and hooked up right away. The DNR has apparently dropped some large browns and my 3 wt. made me work. I lost that fish after several runs against my reel and three more fish after that. Several drifts of an EHC and I connect again. It's a subtle take and I suspect a weak fish. Fifteen seconds later I knew I was wrong. No measurement but I believe this thick brown was 15+ - and really pissed!

Chatooga River - Clayton, GA

Numb fingers and waiting for the sun while looking for big trout on the Chattooga... After seeking refuge here so many times this winter, I consider it my "home" river, even though it's three hours in the truck to be here.

I threw big streamers all weekend fishing and camping downstream from the bridge at Burrells ford. I raked my camp pool several times on Saturday, but after studying the water over press-pot coffee on Sunday morning, I hooked a 20"+ rainbow down deep. No measure, but it's the largest trout I've ever landed.

Prolog

My intention is to travel the Southern mountains, fish obsessively and write about it.