A fly fishing friend of mine was telling me about his trip last year to the Kamchatka Peninsula. Flew from Atlanta to the West Coast and then an overnighter to Seoul, South Korea. From there, he flew on to Vladivostok, Russia and then hopped on another 1400-mile flight to Petropavlovsk, the one city on the Kamchatka Peninsula with an airport. Said he had just about turned the last page of War and Peace when his final flight touched down.
To be sure, great fishing destinations tend to be in those “out of the way” places of the world. But not always. Just a two or so hour drive from Atlanta will now put you on a world-class trout stream in the north Georgia mountains, and in a brand new lodge – Headwaters on the Soque – dedicated to fly fishing guests.
Beyond its easy-to-get-to location here are three great reasons to rig up and go:
First, this limestone creek holds some exceptionally large rainbow trout, with some brown trout mixed in. In two days of fishing, I caught 45 plus fish, many in the two-pound class and at least half-a-dozen over thee pounds. The fish pictured here was over six pounds and – aargh! – I lost a rainbow, easily over 10 pounds, trying to hold him in a pool.
Second, four miles of the Soque, from its headwaters down, flow through the lodge’s property. With a capacity of only six anglers a day, this is private, uncrowded fishing at its best. The river is an easy wade and judicious pruning has opened up great casting lanes. Bring a five or six weight rod and plenty of three- and four-X tippets. Ask head guide George McMillan about his favorite fly, the Batesville Beauty.
Three, this is a High Adventure Company-operated lodge, an outfit that owns and manages some of the best hunting and fishing lodges in the U.S. and around the world. You can be assured the food and hospitality are truly top-notch.
Prime time is right now through early June and will pick up again in the fall. Owner Mark Lovell has some great hog hunting on the property as well. All the fishing is, of course, catch and release, but with this opportunity you can still bring home the bacon.
Check out the High Adventure North Georgia Fly Fishing web site or call Sean Finley, Director of Sales, at 317-441-0483.