West Point WMA in April 2011

Spring in Ga means two things: Turkey Hunting and Fishing. April marks the beginning of mild temperatures (for a short amount of time) and the turkey season in full swing around Ga. West Point lake is home to the West Point WMA on the north end of the lake is a frequent blip on the radar for turkey hunters and fisherman south of Atlanta.

After making several trips to the WMA hunting turkey with little luck (aside from a few hens chasing me down), I decided it was time to get away for a weekend, so I invited my brother-in-law, Kellen, to camp with me on the WMA for the weekend. We loaded up Friday and were at the camping area in about an hour setting up camp. The plan was to fish at night off the bridge as you head to the check in station and for me to hunt in the mornings and evenings. As soon as we arrived I threw 2 bags of chum off the bridge for the night to come.

I you want to know more about Chumming for Catfish Click Here to view my article called "The Secret to Catching Big Cats".

We didn't fish that first night since it was late when we arrived and we were pretty wiped out so we cooked some dinner and turned in early so I could hit the woods for thing in the morning.

My alarm went off about 45 minutes before day light so I donned my turkey hunting gear and set off into the woods with a hopeful heart that I would hear a big Gobbler first thing in the morning. Alas, the turkey were not so friendly that morning so after returning to camp and cooking some breakfast over the campfire we decided to head to the bridge to relax and have enjoy the beautiful weather. We were set up with Carolina Rigs for catfish and a couple tubs of chicken livers so I started baiting hooks and casting. No sooner had I reached the 3rd rod to set up, the first rod was dancing vigorously. Kellen grabbed the rod, set the hook and reeled in a nice 2 lb cat right off the bat. The chumming already looked promising as we could see several BIG turtles and fish moving along the banks all around in the little cove we were in. By the time I baited the last hook, Kellen had already reeled in a second fish. The next 3 hours proved extremely successful as we caught nearly 20 very nice sized cats. The cove behind us looked like a war zone from all the carcasses, where I was filleting the fish as they came to save space in the cooler.

We decided to take a break from the sun and Kellen went back to the camp while I returned to the hollows to try and find a big Tom. Night fell and still no luck with the turkeys so after dinner we returned to the bridge with the chairs, cooler and a lantern. The night proved even more successful! We were on the bridge until well after midnight, laughing catching fish and making some great memories.

The next day I decided I had given the turkeys enough grief and we spent the entire day catching fish on that same bridge. We had a visitor join us in our spot who turned out be a very personable basketball coach named Scotty so we shared some bait and some stories and all 3 of us caught several fish.

**Side Note** More than a year later my wife and I were fishing another bridge in the WMA in the late evening and Scotty just so happened to come to the water that day. We remembered each other and spent a bit of time catching up and reminiscing one of the most successful days of catching catch fish for both of us.

All in all the trip was hugely successful and we returned with more than 15 lbs of catfish fillets and a several case of sunburn. That night after a shower I broke out the deep fryer and the 4 of us (Kellen's wife included) had an amazing fried catfish and hush puppy dinner. If you have never tried battering your fish in a Tempora wet batter I highly recommend giving it shot. Catfish get a bad wrap sometimes, but one things is certain, that a few poles leaning on a bridge, a cooler and a lantern can truly make for an unforgettable weekend.

The Secret To Catching Big Cats

I've spent a lot of time at West Point Lake in my 25 years of existence and I have learned many things about how to catch several different species. I've experienced the thrill of a top water explosion from a hungry Large Mouth, the gentle tug of a bedding Spotted Bass on a Dead Ringer worm, and the anticipation of watching a cork near a tree while a minnow dances to entice a big Crappie. There is one species though that hold a special place in my heart that can be both exhilarating and a test of patience. I'm referring to the pursuit of the beautiful and majestic...Catfish.

 No, not that one...

That one...

Yes, I know most people would not even begin to describe a bottom feeder as beautiful and majestic, but the catfish is very much UNDER rated when it comes to fishing in Ga.

 “Reeling in a catfish is a favorite pastime of many Georgia anglers, and we are fortunate to have an abundance of locations where this experience can be enjoyed,” says John Biagi, Wildlife Resources Division chief of Fisheries Management. “Catfish typically can be found in waters close to home, require relatively simple gear and taste great – all good reasons to get out and fish.”
- From the Ga Dept of Natural Resources Press Release "Fishing for Catfish a Georgia Tradition"

Catfish are fairly easy to catch, can be successfully harvested from the bank and can grow to huge lengths and weights providing a very fun fishing experience. This endeavor is most enjoyable for children and people new to fishing, because of it's relative ease and typically relaxing nature. 

The secret I am about to share with you came from my dad when I was just a wee lad and is a method I still use, successfully, to this day. This method can be used off bridges, off the bank, or even from a boat in a cove. The secret is...chumming. That's right....chumming. 

The first thing people generally think about when they here the word "chum" is a guy on a boat in the middle of the ocean with a bucket of fish blood and guts using a a ladle to dump the entrails into the water in hopes of attracting a shark. Well, catfish chumming works in a similar way but without all the blood and guts and gore. A simple method to chum for catfish will require a few inexpensive ingredients...

1. Dog Food - The cheapest you can buy or in my case the giant bag that you bought for your dog which he vomits after every meal...
2. Orange Sacks - The mesh sack that oranges or lemons are sold in or for you who are extremely "green" you can purchase biodegradable mesh sacks 
3. Rocks - From your local branch of the Mother Nature franchise

 The process is quite simple. Fill the orange sack with dog food leaving enough room at the top to tie the top of the bag closed. Dump in a couple decent sized rocks to help it sink and tie of the bag. Drop the bag as close to casting distance as possible about 12 hours before you plan to fish. I am a big fan of night fishing so I will generally dump a bag in the morning to fish the night. That's all there is to it. When you start catching fish you can also fillet the fish right there on the bridge and drop the carcasses in the water to fuel the fire!

As far as your rig goes a simple Carolina Rig with a heavy sinker is best on a rod that has some backbone to it. Hooking into a 8 lb catfish with an Ultralight is not going to end well. Here is what you need...

1. Heavy Barrel Weight Sinker
2. Bead
3. Swivel
4. Circle Hook

Cut off a section of line that is about 12 to 18 inches long to use as a leader. Using the main line, first thread a heavy sinker (I find that barrel weights work best), followed by a bead (you can buy the orange beads at any Wal-Mart or fishing store), then tie the main line to a swivel. Tie the leader on the other end of the swivel and the circle hook to the end of the leader. Use your best judgement on the hook size. You don't need a meat hook, but the small, golden Crappie hooks are probably a little meek for a big Catfish. 

As far as bait goes there are a plethora of choices, but I prefer chicken livers from your local grocery store. Other options would be cut bait, hot dogs, or the processed dough bait you can buy. 

Bait the hook, cast it out, tighten the line, sit back pop a top. That's all there is too it. If you really want to have some fun or if several people are going to be with you, I recommend rigging several rods and placing them in rod holders or leaning against the wall of the bridge. You haven't lived until you've been fighting a fish and see two other rod tips start dancing while you are on a bridge all by your lonesome. Catfish are not the hardest fighters in the water, but they can grow to be very large so be considerate of that when you are choosing a fishing line to rig up with. Also know that there is a good possibility of hooking a Hybrid or Striper on the chicken liver and even the occasional turtle. 

Catfish make for an excellent night fishing and an even better dinner the next day. All you need is a basic rig, a cooler full of beer, bug spray and some good company and you are sure to have a night to remember. 

Let's go fishing!

A Watched Pot Never Boils...But West Point Does

Have you ever heard the stories about guys fishing on the river when all of the sudden fish start jumping in the boat? If you are anything like me you probably thought to yourself this could never happen to you and it was a fluke of nature. Well I have news for you...you're probably right. However with a little timing, some planning, and a lot of luck you very well could end up in the middle of a school of fish begging to be caught.

Several years ago I went camping on West Point Lake with my dad and uncle Richard. Dad had heard that the Hybrid were schooling at the surface so we took some time off and headed to the lake. If you are unfamiliar with Hybrid, allow me to educate you a bit.

The Hybrid Striped Bass is a mix between the Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) and the White Bass (M. Chrysops). This usually happens when the eggs from the Striped Bass are fertilized by the sperm of the White Bass and does not normally occur naturally. Hybrid are primarily raised on farms and the stocked in lakes and rivers. You can tell the difference by noting that the stripes on a Hybrid are broken and not perfectly lateral along the body. 

Hybrid Bass are known for being extremely aggressive in their feeding habits and that makes them a sought after species in the fishing world. They will school together, often by the thousand, and round up shad below the surface. Once the bait fish have congregated to their liking, the Hybrid will then push the shad upward to the surface with the timing and precision of a Navy Seal Team, working together as a unit to complete the mission. Once the shad are at the surface, a feeding frenzy will break out as the Hybrid rapidly feed on the shad on the surface of the water. This "breaking" is quite spectacular and resemble boiling water in areas as big as a football field.

This is not as rare as you might think, but it requires being in the right place at the right time. The best way to catch an experience like this is to monitor the reports and make some calls to the local marinas and guide services to see when it's happening. When you get word that the Hybrid are boiling drop what you are doing, grab the roads, and get on the water. That is exactly what happened to us that weekend. 

Our first day out on the water we headed to the nearby dam, built by the US Army Corps of Engineers in 1965, where we heard of a lot of action going on. We started watching the depth finder looking for pods of fish and began seeing massive forms right away. The presence of several other boats in the vicinity confirmed that we were right where we needed to be. We tied on large Rebel Pop-R's, clear and blue with rattling beads in the tail, and waited. It wasn't long before the action started and in an instant fish were breaking all around the boat with so much veracity it looked as though you had poured water on a hot skillet covered in bacon grease. We cast out and after only one or two pops of the lure, all three of us were hit with the hardest fighting fish in the lake. 

The combination of one of the hardest fighting fresh water fish around and medium weight tackle made it felt as though you were fighting a Marlin off the coast of the Bahamas using a fly rod! We constantly called out to each other to get the net, but were only met with "I can't I have a fish on!" Looking across the water you could see the other boats dealing with same issues as big fish ran people all over the decks and back and forth across each other. Drag was being pulled so fast at times that it sounded like someone riding a zip line across the bow of the boat. The real trouble was when you did manage to get to use the net, not only did you have to man the net with one hand while fighting the fish with the other, but once you netted the fish he would fight so vigorously that the hooks would get tangled in the netting causing you to spend time untangling it before passing it off to the next guy. This would last for several minutes until the shad would become so scattered that the Hybrid would fall back to depths and begin the round up process all over again. 

The best part of the entire ordeal was that every fish we caught was over 5 pounds and some reaching on up to 7 or 8. In less than an hour we had boated all 3 limits of big fish and were headed back to the campsite to unload. We repeated this scenario all weekend with only minor hold overs between frenzies and "schooling parties" lasting as long as several hours. I remember watching my dad standing in the water with a fillet knife for hours at dusk cutting the meat off and chucking the carcasses out into the water. 

Hybrid Bass have a very firm, flaky white meat that is outstanding in the world of fish fillets. The meat is so good that many restaurants will sell a menu item titled "Striped Bass", but what you are actually eating is farm raised Hybrid. We took home what seemed like 100 pounds of fish fillets that weekend and were able to spread that catch out over several months with fish fries. 

This trip holds a high standing in my list of "Greatest Childhood Memories" and the story will be told to my kids and their kids as the time West Point boiled. I hope one day to be able to take my daughter to the lake when she is old enough to hold a rod and put her on a huge school of Hybrid. If that doesn't make a fishing maniac out of you...nothing will.

Stocked vs. Wild Trout

In Ga we only have a few waterways that will support wild trout life. It's a combination of many things that are the culprit for this, but luckily our Department Of Natural Resources has played a huge role in stocking the popular waterways with farmed trout. Since I have just started trout fishing I became curious of how to tell the difference between a wild trout and a stocked one.

Like always in matters of trout education, my first resource was the North Ga Trout Online forum. The forum is a fantastic resource for people new to the sport and the veterans alike. The people there are extremely knowledgeable and willing to share their wisdom with all new comers. I posed the questions and was immediately met with the answers I was looking for. Here is what I learned thanks to Windknot and Fishinbub...

Windknot
This isn't quite as clear-cut as you might expect.

Generally speaking, wild fish are more colorful and fight harder. 

But some stockers each year are amazingly well-colored.

Many stockers exhibit nubby fins. These are spoken of as being rubbed off in the concrete raceways, but they are actually nibbled off by stressed-out fellow occupants of said raceways.

Some rainbows in the Hooch were born in the Hooch. If you catch a 4" rainbow, it's streamborn, for sure. At 12", who knows?

If you catch a brown trout between Buford Dam and Morgan Falls Dam, it's streamborn, no question, since browns aren't stocked there.

Stockers may escape and evade predators and anglers, and that 11" fish may be 18" and stout by next season, given good conditions and habitat.

Bottom line - enjoy what you catch. If you want to know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you are catching wild fish, you need to become a blueliner.

Blueliner requirements are simple. Maps, topo maps, research, exploration, good hiking boots, subdued clothing, simple fly box (Stimulators, visible dries, basic nymphs, beetles & Inch Worms), and whatever you consider to be a manageable-sized rod. Voila! You're a blueliner!

Fishinbub
1)Where was the fish caught? 
Some streams are too low in elevation to support a significant wild population (Panther for example), some streams don't receive any stockers (ie. Noontootla). Yes there are a lot of streams that have wild and stocked fish (Tallulah, Hooch, Tooga etc.), but the location of the catch is the easiest way to know whether your fish is wild. 

2)How big is the fish?
Some streams (Dukes) receive occasional fingerling stockings. But as a general rule, if a fish is less than about 7" long, it's probably wild. 

3)How does the fish look and act?
Most wild fish have full fins, they are more brightly colored, they prefer faster water (for rainbows), they fight harder, and as they get larger they develop a bit of a kype jaw. 

If it is possible for both stocked and wild fish to be in the stream you're fishing, it's almost impossible to know for sure. But you can make a pretty educated guess. There are some times when you pretty much know with stockers (when you pull a 9" fish with no fins out of a pod of 50 fish right next to the road), but wild fish are a little more tricky. This spring I caught an obviously wild fish in a stocked stream. I caught two little snits and released them into a hole. The third fish I pulled out was about 14" long, really skinny, had full fins, and a kype. In that case I was 99.9% sure I had a wild fish.

If you are looking for a resource to learn about trout fishing in Ga I highly recommend heading straight to NGTO's website and becoming a member. It is free to join and well worth it. You cannot buy better education than the experiences of seasoned veterans to the sport and the willingness to teach others.

What Are You Fishing For?

"Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not the fish they are after."

-Henry David Thoreau

When I was a kid I remember taking a trip to West Point Lake with my parents, aunt and uncle and a few cousins. I believe we were staying at Holiday Campground, but I cannot be certain. My dad and i would get up early every morning and hit the lake and being that dad is one of the greatest fishermen there is, we always caught some fish. We would return to camp and I would immediately head straight to the bank to continue fishing. This one day in particular I had been casting a blue and chrome rattle trap for hours from the bank. The rest of the family were laughing and hanging out around the campsite, but all I could think about was fishing. Growing up, my attention span was quite short, but there was something about fishing that would captivate me to no end. I was relentless in my casting. I remember a small bush sticking out of the water and thinking to myself "there has to be a fish hanging out around that bush". I cast repeatedly on all sides of that bush for what felt like days and finally the rattle of that shiny lure was too much for the big Largemouth sitting nearby. He struck with the force of sea monster and was not going to come in easy. The line darted back and forth as he swept the back pulling out drag as he went. I tried calling for my dad, but there were no words coming out. All I could think about was landing that fish. After a ferocious fight I was able to land the 5 plus pounder and call out to my dad to see the results of my labor. I remember getting their attention and holding that bass up like the Heisman for all to see. My dad came down with the camera to snap some pictures, and capture that incredible moment of my childhood.

This is one of my favorite stories to tell, but not because of my unwavering determination to land the big one, but because of what caught my attention immediately after I caught the bass. As my dad grabbed the camera to head down to where I was, my uncle and cousins grabbed their rods and came to the water. They started casting all over the place with this intense vigor about them that I still see as clear as day. They cast out for about 10 minutes as if they were in the final minutes of a tournament and then reeled in the lines and headed back up to the campsite to sit down and resume their camp lounging. I remember thinking to myself "is that what people think fishing is?" Do the fish start biting and give you a small window to get them while they are eating and if you miss that opportunity then call it a day? At first I was a little mad that they thought that after my countless hours of determination and focus, they could just just come down to the water and ride the shirt tail of my success and then it hit me...they were only in it for the fish. 

That seems logical that you would go fishing for the fish, but that's not how I see it. Sure when you go fishing you want to catch fish, but is that the real reason for spending all that time out on the water? If you only want the fish it would be much easier to go to Kroger and buy as much of it as you want, in the species you want without having to get up early, buy tackle, spend hours throwing a lure in the water only to return home with one or two pounds of fish that ended up costing you about $40 a pound. Fishing is so much more than just fish. It's getting outside in the fresh air and matching wits with nature. It's about relaxing and shaking off the stresses of real life while at the same time hoping you will have the honor to outsmart one of God's creatures in their own environment. 

Every fisherman who takes to the water does so for a different reason. He is a lawyer taking a break from a big case to clear his head and blow off steam. She's a girlfriend wanting to spend time with her significant other, in his world, as he teaches her about how to catch a cold, slimy, smelly animal. He is a father down on his luck and looking to catch anything he can to feed his family, because they could afford a lot of groceries this week. Whatever the incentive, it is rarely about...the fish. 

Washington Irving said "there is certainly something about angling that tends to produce a serenity of the mind" and that is why I go fishing. I can finally feel at peace with the world and my circumstance. I can think without the incessant beating of the drum that is life in a modern age where cell phones and email rule the air waves. Sometimes the only waves I want around me are the waves of a boat gently rocking from side to side as you shift your weight or the ripples produced from a top water strike. There will always be people out there who fish for the fish, but to the rest of us true anglers out there...

What are you fishing for?

Mystery Tackle Box

I was cruising some of my favorite fishing sites and forums recently and came across a website called Mystery Tackle Box. Here is their tag line...

This caught my eye so I did a little more digging. Here's how it works...

Okay...I'll bite. I'm interested so the next and biggest question is "How much does it cost?"

 

Well that seems reasonable. I can at least try it for a month and see if it's worth it. What's that? There's more?

Okay you got me. 

I signed up for the service for 1 month to see how it goes. I should be getting my first box in mid June and once I do I will give a full review. I really hope this turns out to be awesome. I have a good feeling about it. We shall see... 

Mystery Tackle Box Website 

The Front Porch

A few weeks ago my wife and I went camping with her mom and dad and my father-in-law set up his camp in a really cool way. First you want to set up your tent between 2 trees (or as best you can). Next up was a 10x10 Canopy ($50 at Wal-Mart) and he pulled it right up in front of his tent. Lastly was the fly. You start as you would with any fly and run a rope across the two trees as high as you can, then pull a LONG tarp over the rope from behind the tent. Continue the tarp over the top of the canopy and use bungee cords to secure it to the front of the canopy. This does a couple things. On a hot summer day the tarp will absorb most of the heat from the sun and keep the tent nice and cool. It is also going to do the obvious and keep you tent and canopy dry if it rains and also protect it from falling tree debris. It creates a nice "front porch" to your campsite. The last thing you can do is run a stretch of rope through the gable of the canopy and tie your lantern to it. Use the rope to raise and lower it for lighting and this will not only provide excellent light to your site but also attract the bugs up over your head rather than right in your face. Plus, you don't have to worry about looking in the wrong direction and getting blinded and have to walk around in the dark with that little blue dot everywhere you look for the next 20 minutes. I took some pictures when I set up my camp like this recently and it really is convenient. Hope this helps you stay a little more comfortable in the woods!

The Grand Adventure

"We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time."
- T.S. Elliot

Human beings as a species have a desire to explore and discover that is wired into us from birth. Some will call it an evolutionary response while others will say "that's the way God made us". Either way the search for adventure lies deep within us all and is begging to burst out of us with the vigor and veracity of a star being born. We simply cannot settle for the mundane and the ordinary. We look outside our office windows and see an entire world right at our feet, though most of will see less than 1% of it in our lifetime. There are cities and monuments and great feats of human innovation that are calling to us day and night as our minds wonder if the television does them justice.

The greatest of these adventures though lie off the beaten path. The greatest adventures begin when you see a trail and steer as far clear of that trail as you can go until you are no longer in the footsteps of other people. The greatest adventures climax when you fight your way through the thick underbrush to have the bushes and trees open up into a beautiful, untouched landscape with rivers and mountains and stars that are not dimmed from the light of humanity. The greatest adventures end when you arrive back home only to find that you are tired, beaten, bruised, and battered and counting the minutes until you can do it all over again.

The thrill of being on your own in the elements and void of human luxuries is frightening for some and a calling to others. So what is it that can make that kind of exploration and wonder better? Nothing? No. The only thing that can be better than waking up to a sunrise coming through the tress while listening to a mountain stream babble beside you, is waking up to that with the people you love most right next you. It's watching your little girl run to a group of butterflies only to turn and run away screaming when they begin to play with her. It's a husband and wife sitting together on a mountain ledge, watching the sunset and talking about all the things they want their unborn baby to see and experience. It's sitting around a campfire with good friends laughing and telling stories of the glory days and what life was like "back in their day".

Is the greatest adventure in life scaling the peak of Everest? Is is hiking the Appalachian Trail with a backpack and survival kit? Or is it SCUBA Diving in Cozumel touching the solid gold Mayan statues in Chankanaab State Park? Well honestly, as great as these things are they pale in comparison to doing them with the ones you love.

What's your next Grand Adventure?

Camp Kitchen Necessities

The kitchen is arguably the most important room in the house. The same can be said when you are outdoors. There is nothing that makes a great trip even better than eating like a king while enjoying nature. These are just a few purchases I think you will really enjoy and will make your experience just a little bit better!

Coleman Camp Sink - $13 on Amazon

The camp sink has proven essential. Being able to wash dishes, conserve water, and not make a huge mud puddle doing it has made our camping trips all that much easier. 

Coleman Collapsible Water Container - $9 at Wal-Mart

There are several collapsible water containers out there, but I recommend the Coleman for one reason...The handles. The handles on the Coleman are heavy duty and part of the container. Other are hinged and thin plastic. Definitely will not hold up for the long haul. Pay the extra $2...

Tripod Campfire Grill - $20 at Wal-Mart

This grill has been great. It takes some getting used to the swing, but you get the hang of it. The only problem I have with it is how messy it gets over a fire. Definitely take some shop rags with you in your camping box!

Coolest Coleman Camp Stove...Ever...

For the last couple years I have been using a propane stove for camp cooking. My biggest complaint is how long it take to cook. This is because the fuel stoves generally burn much hotter. The actual BTU rating will range from stove to stove but a good rule of thumb is that fuel will burn hotter than propane. The only downside to this route is that you have to buy the fuel. Coleman camp fuel runs about $9 at your local Wally World where as the Coleman Propane canisters will go for $5 for 2 cans. For me though the extra cost is money well spent. Especially if you want to go ahead and spend a little more on a Dual Fuel. These models will run on the camp fuel AND regular unleaded gasoline. Even at an outrageous $3.50/gallon at the pump, that is a great deal and overall the best way to go. I didn't really want to spend the retail price for a stove so I hit up my two favorite shopping sites. Craigslist and Ebay. Can't go wrong there right? I found a great deal on this stove on Ebay. I don't believe the seller has a website but the user name is camoartist515. The reason I am giving that out is because this person has an amazing deal from time to time. My Coleman stove was not only promptly shipped on time and with affordable shipping...It looks amazing! Camoartist515 restores and paints Coleman products with unique camo patterns. I won a bidding war to purchase this model for $40 and it has been a fantastic purchase. All the hardware and stickers were refurbished or replaced with new parts and it works like a champ. Check out Camoartist515's page from time to time to see what you can get your hands on!

Cooper Creek near Blairsville, Ga - May 23 - 26, 2013

I have been fishing my entire life. However there is a a species and a fishing style I have never tried. I have always admired fly fishermen for the elegance that comes with fly fishing so this year I decided I would learn the trade and pursue one of the most beautiful fish species in North America...Trout.

I started by buying gear...a lot of gear...My wife was a little hesitant for all the cash I was throwing down on this new hobby, but she has supported me through thick and thin, sane and insane. I really lucked out on landing this one. I practiced for a couple months all with this trip in my mind as my first trout fishing excursion of many. The destination is Cooper Creek near Blairsville, Ga. This creek is heavily stocked throughout the summer to help appease the growing numbers of trout fishermen in Ga. Everything I read and all the good people at North Ga Trout Online said that Cooper would be a great first experience. They told me the casting might be a little tough for a newbie but I wanted to embrace the challenge and put all my practice to the test.

I left out of work early Thursday at noon and stopped by the house to grab the wife and daughter and get on the road. After a quick stop at Wally World and a 3 hour drive we were at the beautiful Cooper Creek Campground.

Just before Cooper Creek

The view from Woody Gap

Me and the girl

We went up Thursday at lunch in hopes of getting a good site, but alas, all the sites were full already. No fear though...Mulky Campground is about 1 mile away and just as nice, so we kept driving and reached the campground. As we drove through we noticed a problem. All the sites here were full as well. At least point we are a little nervous because the next closet campground is Deep Hole and that is quite a drive. We drove a little bit further an noticed what looked like a previously established campsite just off the road up on a little hill. This was not in a campground, but was level, secluded from other sites, and most importantly right across the road from the creek. This was to be our home for the next 4 days.

Right across the road from the water!

My view

                                       
I had the opportunity to fish the creek late in the evening on Thursday and having NO CLUE about the creek I just picked a spot to get wet and waded upstream with the fly rod. I was using a Stimulator with an orange body and had absolutely zero strikes. Not a great first evening. On the way back down the road to the site I came across a couple guys and in casual conversation they mentioned the stocking truck had been right there earlier and released well over 100 trout into the water in my location. That explains why there were no bites. After a traumatic experience like being dumped into a new place with 99 other fish and trying to figure out where the hell  you are...I wouldn't be eating either.

The next morning I woke up early and hit the creek again. This time using a Y2K in yellow and white. I got a tug or two but nothing to speak of. I returned to camp for breakfast and a walk with the girls. While we were walking we met a couple fisherman who were annihilating the trout! The told me they were using crickets purchased from the little country store gas station just down the road on HWY 60. As much as I hated to put down the fly rod, my first priority was putting trout in the cooler so we took a drive to the store and picked up a tube of crickets. I was able to fish later that evening and on the first cast...BAM! He nailed it hard! I caught a very nice Rainbow 11.5 inches long. MY FIRST TROUT EVER! And in that moment I knew I was addicted. There was something about standing in the middle of the rushing water, fighting a fish in his element and surrounded by nature and all it's glory. I ended up bringing 5 to hand that first evening. I cleaned them and in the cooler they went.

The first stringer

Saturday morning I decided to go ahead and continue with the crickets to try and fill my limit for the day then I would go back to the fly. I went to the spot I caught the fish the day prior, but that spot was eat up with fishermen. I backtracked the road a little and found what looked like a promising entry point. The fish were holding deep in the pools so I was looking for water too deep to see the bottom. As I waded down stream I came across a downed tree which had a great looking pool with some big rocks in it so I decided to wet the hook. First cast produced a nice 11 incher on the stringer. I was in that one spot for a total of 1 hour and filled my limit of stocker trout. The largest of the bunch being a very nice 13 inch rainbow.

11" Rainbow

I went back to camp to clean the fish and relax for a bit before hitting it again with the fly rod. That evening I caught my first trout on a fly. Granted it was a 6" rainbow that hit a Stimulator that was just about as big as it was, but whatever. Unfortunately though this would turn out to be the only trout on a fly for the weekend. I keep telling myself I am on a learning curve here since I've only been fly fishing for a couple months now. I'm sure it will get better.

Another Good Stringer

Later that evening I ended up hooking a fish I have never seen before. I don't know what this is but it was pretty creepy looking. It had spikes on its head. No really! SPIKES. Don't believe me take a look...

If you know what this thing is please comment below and educate me!

Sunday was pretty much the same as far as the catch. I did have to get a little more adventurous though. I found a nice deep pool, the catch was I had to walk out on a fallen telephone pole over the creek to cast to it. Once I got into position it wasn't long before I had a nice 13" rainbow on the stringer pulled out of that hole. A couple more holes and the limit was full for the day. When I returned to the camp my wife and daughter's allergies were going haywire so we decided to pack up a day early and head back to the homestead that evening.

All in all this was a fantastic trip. My first trout fishing trip and my daughters first camping trip. She had a blast making pet rocks and watching the fire at night. It got a little cold for us at night but still an amazing experience for all of us. I will definitely be heading back to the mulky campground later this year. The Cohutta National Forest is truly a treasure to take care of. More pictures below...

What did you do for the holiday?

Let's go fishing!

Hot stuff

Walking the dog

The site and my beautiful bride!

I love this pic

Trout are beautiful in the water...and on the plate!

Mom and daughter

She wasn't sure at first but she eventually touched them...

Beautiful bow