The mountains of North Georgia are rich with outdoor activities to satisfy any nature lover. From hiking to tubing to fly-fishing in Helen GA, in particular, offers an escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
In my lifetime, I have had multiple opportunities to go fly fishing on the headwaters of the Chattahoochee River near Helen GA. This has been with a variety of friends and acquaintances who are in various stages of learning to fly-fish. Some who are so new to the sport that they would call themselves beginners (been fishing for a year or two) and others with over twenty years of experience. Even though they have all of this time on the water it’s sometimes still hard to tell from watching them cast or select a fly to match the hatch.
Now, I don’t claim to be a professional angler by any means, but people do seem to search me out for advice and instruction. So one could conclude that I must know more than those doing the asking; or at least it may appear so. And while appearances are important to people, they are not so important to trout you are fishing for. If you’re fishing for trout and have any expectations of doing any catching, you’ve got to do it their way or you’re just casting a line into the wind hoping that the delicately crafted fly will fall into the mouth of a hungry fish.
For any novice fly-fisherman out there with the chance to learn from someone with experience, here are six questions to ask that will help you hone your skills:
- Why did you choose that fly?
- What leader are you using?
- How long is it? Is it 5X or 6X?
- How long is your dropper section of tippet?
- Why did you cast right there?
- How long do I fish this pool on the Chattahoochee below the bridge in town before giving up and moving on?
If you’re going to invest the time, energy, and money (which now includes floating a loan for gas just to get to your favorite section of the Chattahoochee River in Helen), why won’t you ask somebody to help you be better at it? Don’t be ashamed to ask someone to show you how to be better. And if they volunteer, to help, keep asking them until you get the answers you need.
If you don’t have any friends who will volunteer to go through this with you, then break down and pay somebody. If they’re a taking your money, they have to listen to you and will probably invest more time and energy because they want to see you coming back for more!
I hope this information helps your fishing adventures! Remember, there are so many wonderful things to do in the mountains of North Georgia – fly-fishing on the Chattahoochee, wine tasting in Helen, or hiking through the Georgia scenery. All you have to do is get out there and enjoy the scenery!
Subscribe to the Cedar Creek Cabin Rentals blog to learn more about fly-fishing, and other great activities that you can do in Helen, Ga.
