Privileged to Fish a Sneaky Georgia Haunt

by | Nov 9, 2023 | Fly Fishing

flyfishingI had a fantastic time fishing here in Georgia today.  However, I was asked not to divulge any info or show much scenery by well-known Georgia angler, Fletcher Sams.  Fletcher treated Austin Kane and I to the awesome experience.  It’s a privilege when taken to cool places on this earth and very important to respect such a request.

 

GeorgiaFletcher floated Austin and I down a beauty of a river.  Things began as a crisp fall Georgia morning but warmed up enough to fish in t-shirts.  Our target species were the close cousin of the smallmouth, the unique shoal bass (Micropterus cataractae).  This was my second time fishing for these Georgia natives.  My first time was with Jake Darling when I did a PowerPoint presentation for the Unicoi Outfitters up in Helen, GA.

 

Fletcher-Sams-fliesFletcher isn’t only known in these parts for his knowledge of many fantastic Georgia fisheries, but he’s also conservation minded and works on various projects in the region to protect this particular watershed.  He’s also an amazing fly tyer and had me throwing this musky sized fly.  In fact he and Austin threw flies bigger than this one all day long!

 

shoal-bassI only brought my 6-weight and although was offered a loaner 10-weight, for me when it comes to bass fishing I’m ok not hunting the beast.  After I sadly lost Fletcher’s fly in a mishap, I went with a much smaller black leech concoction.  It was easier on my shoulder and I managed to catch numerous shoal bass on it while the other guys came up empty handed.

 

shoal-bassWhile most my catches were small, I caught a couple shoals that were more than satisfying to me.  Shoals are handsome fish barred up and down their sides over dark-olive-brown.  At the base of their tail they have a subtle spot.

 

Currier-shoal-bassA special thanks goes out to Fletcher for an enjoyable fishing day.  There were no big ocean waves to balance on nor line ripping fish to burn grooves in my stripping finger, but sometimes that’s nice!  Tomorrow Austin and I will hunt carp before my flight home.

 

fish-mugsIn the meantime, please visit my webstore for “Christmas Gifts for the Angler that has Everything” and stuff those stockings with my fish decals from “Pescador on the Fly”.

Jeff Currier Global Fly Fishing

0 Comments

Welcome to the Blog of Jeff Currier!

Contact Jeff

I started fly fishing at age 7 in the lakes and ponds of New England cutting my teeth on various sunfish, bass, crappie and stocked trout. I went to Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin, where I graduated with a Naturalist Degree while I discovered new fishing opportunities for pike, muskellunge, walleyes and various salmonids found in Lake Superior and its tributaries.

From there I headed west to work a few years in the Yellowstone region to simply work as much as most people fish and fish as much as most people work. I did just that, only it lasted over 20 years working at the Jack Dennis Fly Shop in Jackson, WY where I departed in 2009. Now it’s time to work for "The Man", working for myself that is.

I pursue my love to paint fish, lecture on every aspect of fly fishing you can imagine and host a few trips to some of the most exotic places you can think of. My ultimate goal is to catch as many species of fish on fly possible from freshwater to saltwater, throughout the world. I presently have taken over 440 species from over 60 countries!

Subscribe to the Blog

Archives

Sponsors