Good evening fellows! A few of my college buddies and I have a fishing trip to North Ga coming up this weekend and I am very excited about it:smiley: Ive fly fished for trout(fresh water)all my life, but never from a drift boat. Leaving thurs afternoon to pick up one of my buddies in Columbia and headed straight from his house to Vogel state park camp grounds, which is going to be our home base for the weekend, to meet up with the other two guys coming from ATL… Friday, we are taking a guided drift boat trip down the Taccoa River in N GA.Sat we are doing a wading trip at different river(not sure which one yet) w/o a guide. Sat we are either fishing Smithgall woods(Dukes Creek) or the Nantahala. Going to take the long road home and hit up N mills river near Asheville for a few hrs Sunday! Anyway, is there any advice about drift boat fishing that i need to know before my first time doing it? I know I am going to feel a bit lost and out of place,unlike i do here in the salt or wading the western NC rivers, but at least we have a guide to relieve some of the anxiety that comes with only having one day to fish new waters. Thanks in advance for any advice or input that you may have. Ill post the results and hopefully some photos when I get back.
- I’d rather be a free man in my grave than living as a puppet or a slave.
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I have fished out west a few times in a drift boat , you will pick it up in no time. once you get your balance point you will never feel the difference . A lot less mending of line . Its cool cause you can cover alot of water without disturbing things. I’ve heard of real nice fish in that river. Have fun
Did a couple of trips in drift boats a few years ago. My biggest issue was that I was and am used to just letting the fly line pile up at/on my feet. And, usually fishing with an 8 wt. and streamers of some sort, I use big pulls as I strip. In the drift boat, that made a mess. I had to learn to strip deliberately into a selected place on the floor or corner of the boat. Even after a week of fishing, I’d still wrap my line around the rear seat every once and a while.
We were on the Bow River below Calgary and were throwing huge wet rat patterns with sinking leaders. The faster you stripped the harder the big browns hit.
17’ Henry O Hornet
26’ Palmer Scott
Thanks guys, I caught on very fast and I loved it, i want to go in a drift boat again. Like you said LC,coverd tons of water in no time compared to wading. The fish weren’t biting the best but we did catch around 25. Not the biggest but we had a blast. We saw some monsters but you know how those big ones are…well they didnt get that way being stupid. I only have a few pics:a brown,a rainbow and a brook. We fished dukes creek sat and there were big fish every where but its a small creek and they are really skiddish and wont eat unless you do everything perfect. A few of my buddies didnt have enough experience or patience to fish it long so we went to the hooch and let them catch some fin less fish for fun. then we fished the the Nantahala Sunday on the way back and thats where we got the brooks. What a weekend: great friends, pretty fish, camp fires,good food and homemade whiskey:slightly_smiling_face:OUr guide, joe,taught me so much about trout fishing and worked very hard rowing that boat. worth every penny and we tipped his really well! Cant wait to go back on our spring trip.
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- I’d rather be a free man in my grave than living as a puppet or a slave.
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NICE, my wifes family has a house in N Georgia on Lake Burton. Who did the guy Joe work with? Headed up in a few weeks, last time I fish near Clarksville.
SeaPro 220CC
Dixie Craft-custom flats boat
Looks like it was a Great Time! My first Drift boat trip was through the Canyons of the Flathead in Montana. It was also my first trip out west . I remember doing more AWWHH staring at the scenery than actual fishing. Its the experience more than the catch .
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Originally posted by Reel Wicked
NICE, my wifes family has a house in N Georgia on Lake Burton. Who did the guy Joe work with? Headed up in a few weeks, last time I fish near Clarksville.
SeaPro 220CC
Dixie Craft-custom flats boat
IDK. My buddy booked it, i will ask him. I have good friend that guides in north GA and he is really good. Ill find out joes info, but my friend is named James Dudley. He can put you on them. Here is his info and ill get you joes. I would bet that they know each other.
james Dudley
678 449 8396
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Field-Fly/345484910075
- I’d rather be a free man in my grave than living as a puppet or a slave.
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Thanks, Im heading up in a few weeks.
SeaPro 220CC
Dixie Craft-custom flats boat
I would call one of them asap to make sure they have an opening.If they do, book it before someone else does. If you cant book a trip, let me know and ill tell you some places to try on your own. Dudley doesn’t do drift boats(i dont think) but if you want to wade tell him you know jimmy adams and he might take you to a personal favorite spot.
- I’d rather be a free man in my grave than living as a puppet or a slave.
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Sent you a PM.
SeaPro 220CC
Dixie Craft-custom flats boat