Summertime in the Blue Ridge Georgia area presents a unique set of challenges for fly anglers. When we get in to August and September, we often go through periods of very little rain. Lack of rain and hot weather often leads to clear, low water conditions that can make it difficult to fool trout. However, with the right approach and a bit of patience, you can still enjoy successful fishing. In the rest of this post I’ll share a few of the tips I’ve learned so far obsessing over fishing for these beautiful trout in the Summer!

First, Reduce Your Tippet Size

One of the keys to success in these conditions is to reduce your tippet size. I like to use a 5X tapered leader and then add 2 feet of 6X tippet to the end of the leader using a surgeon’s knot. The smaller 6X tippet is key in these low water conditions with wary trout. 

They Are a Lot Shallower Than You Think

When I first started fly fishing in the Summer, I would always target pools at the bottom of waterfalls. Those are great areas but you’d be surprised how many fish you are spooking by ignoring the shallow waters surrounding those pools. Especially in the smaller creeks, the trout will often seek out these shallow areas with moving water to wait for a passing bug. I like to use a dry fly like a caddis pattern and I’ll fish upstream targeting any little area between rocks that form a ripple. Watching a trout run down a dry fly in ankle deep water is what I dream about! 

Keep Changing It Up

One of the great things about fishing clear water is that you will be able to see how the trout respond to your fly. Don’t be scared to try a variety of colors of dry flies and keep some nymph patterns in your box to fish those deeper pools. For my dry/dropper set up, I just add a 1 foot section of 6X to my dry fly and run a small nymph like a pheasant tail. Junk flies are also great for those stocker trout. Bottom line, keep changing it up and offering them something new based on the conditions. 

Jumpstart Your Knowledge 

New to fly fishing for trout around Blue Ridge Georgia? Stop by Cohutta Fishing Company in downtown Blue Ridge. They are and bunch of great guys and are very generous with local information and can save you a lot of frustration by getting you the right flies for the current conditions. If you are completely new to fly fishing these smaller streams, I would highly recommend taking a trip with them to jump start your experience. They will teach you how to fish these smaller waters, well worth the money to save you a lot of learning time. 

By following these tips and adapting your approach to the specific conditions, you can enjoy successful fly fishing trips in the Blue Ridge Mountains even during the hottest summer months. If you need a great place to stay while exploring the great fly fishing around Blue Ridge, there are plenty of cherry log cabin rentals like ours, the Lazy Laurel. Cherry Log is centrally located between Blue Ridge and Ellijay with a lot of great streams within an hour’s drive.