Our web site is dedicated to anglers who enjoy catching fish and having fun. I especially like to teach fly fishing and watch my students put their skill to work. This site is separated into two main sections. One is for the Gypsy Guide Service (my fishing trips) and the other is for the Boca Grande Fly Fishing Schools. Also on the main page are links to a lot of photos, fly patterns, current fishing reports and some other important info.

When you enter the Fishing site you will find the places I fish, the species I am after, the various costs, the flies, lures and tackle I use, information on accommodations, directions, and what generally happens on a trip. There will be info on me and my credentials as well as a couple of testimonials.

The Fly Fishing School section contains information on the classes I hold, the goals I set for students, what you should expect when you enroll. This is the place to tell me what you want to learn and brag a little about your experience. There will be some scheduled events, information on setting up private lessons and some photos of my school in action.

Photos by David McCleaf

All Rights Reserved

Fishing Georgia by Pete Greenan

Rex Gudgel is a good friend and guide from north Georgia. He fishes great trout streams out of Unicoi Fly Shop in Helen. I invited Rex to join me in a tarpon fishing trip last year and he had excellent success. This fall he returned the invitation and I went to Helen to fish with him. The water was low and clear and very cold; 44 degrees I believe.

Rex suggested we try fishing the Chestatee river at a place called Frog Hollow. I followed him along steep, winding roads until we fell into a canyon carved by a beautiful stream. At the end of this pastural scene was a large, wonderfully inviting house, The Frog Hollow B&B. It was cold, too cold for my fat fingers to work well. Rex rigged my leader and fly, a size 16 nymph and a dropper with size 20 midge. A strick indicator and a little weight finished the tie.

Walking along the Chestatee is a reminder that all trout are beautiful and their home is delightful. I could see large trout slowly working the riffles and runs. None looked active. Rex explained the water temperature was still too low to get an active hatch, but that would soon change with the rising sun. Soon the water warmed a bit and midges started to come off the water. I dropped into the end of a long run below a small waterfall. I had to use all my skill to mend the line across the varied current. After a while I managed to keep a drag free drift with the fly on the bottom. Success happened so fast, I forgot what I did. Big rainbows are quick. I was fishing a 4 wt. with a 5x tippet, so I felt a little challenged by a 10 lb. plus fish. Rex's guidence helped me put the fish to the net in about 10 minutes. Not bad for a guy used to jerking lips in saltwater. The fish was huge. Twenty six and one half inches long and nearly twenty inches around. And in the corner of her mouth was a size 20 midge. I had made it to the 20/20 club. That's a fish over 20 inches on a #20 fly.

We fished for a few more hours that day, occassionally enjoying the warmth of the spacious lawn when our feet got cold. Rex and I took a number of large trout there. All rainbows, but the biggest fish I saw was a square-tail at least 20 pounds. I'll get one of those big browns one day.

On Sunday, my sister-in-law, Susan, treated me to a wild game/ mushroom luncheon at the Wolf Mountain Winery in Dahlonaga. It was a wonderful experience; great food, excellent wine, a perfect view and nice people. All in all it was a wonderful weekend. If you want to fish for trout in north Georgia contact Unicoi Fly Shop in Helen at P.O. Box 419 7280 S. Main Street Helen, Georgia 30545 (706) 878-3083 or by email at flyfish@unicoioutfitters.com or on the web at www.unicoioutfitters.com

Fish Hard,

Pete

• Hook: 1/0 Eagle Claw 254 or equivalent
• Tail: whole white marabou feather with chartreuse over, pearl crystal flash
• Body: Pearl Estaz or Estaz Grande ( for bigger flies)
• Weed Guard: 2 - 20 lb. curved, stiff mono stalks
• Thread: white monocord

• Cover shank with thread and cement
• Tie in Marabou chartreuse over white
• Add Crystal Flash
• Wind body to 1/4 inch from eye
• Crimp a piece of 20 lb. mono in middle as it lays on it's side
• Wrap mono over eye and figure eight
• Tie off head and cement with Fletch-Tite

Good Fishing!