First Time Trout Fishin'---Recommendations

[matchbx]

Hi all. Next weekend some friends of ours (me and my wife) are taking us camping near Tulluah Falls and we're planning on heading over to one of the near by trout streams :D (don't know which one yet), but I'll find out this week.

I grew up in Louisiana (north part) and have fished most of my life (Bream, Bass and Crappie mostly). About two years ago my dad took up fly fishing again, he'd not been in 20+ years, and last year he taught me and my wife how to fly fish. So far I love fly fishing, but I've only fished for Bream on Lakes and Reservoir's mostly from the bank.

Next weekend will not only be the first time I've fly fished for trout but fished for trout period. I was hoping to get some recommendations on the types and colors of flys to use.... Any help would be great.

Thanks,
matchbx

[Josh Barnett]

What rivers/creeks are you planning to fish?

This information should give us locals a better idea of how to help you.

[Rick Padgett]

Glad to have you join us. You have the right guy offering advice in Josh. There are also a lot of others here that are highly knowledgeable, (maybe one day I can join that group), LOL! However, having knowledge about what files to use is totally differnt from using them. A stream is a different animal than lake fishing, (ie current, drag, presentation, species, etc). Try to get one of these experienced folks to meet up with you if at all possible. This would accelerate your learning curve a great deal as you make your first attempt at taking trout on a fly!

Tight Lines,
Rick

[TheEndlessEnigma]

the tallulah river (above lake burton) the Chattooga River and hmmmm some other small wild streams ..... panther creek is just south of you and can be fished ..... what types of methods are you wanting to use and what size streams are you wanting to fish

[matchbx]

Thanks for all the responses (very suprised). EDIT: It looks like we are going to be fishing on the Tallulah River and possibly the Coleman. I couldn't tell the exact location, but I've been told it's about a 10 minute drive from Tallulah Falls (which is where were camping).

I also just found out that another couple (experience fly fishers) will be meeting us up there so we might already have an expert on hand.

As far as the methods, the couple we're camping with has never fly fished (I hoping to change that) so I'm clueless in that area. Hopefully the couple that is meeting us up there can give me some guideance in that area.

[TheEndlessEnigma]

who told you that .... it is at least 30

[matchbx]

sound like somebody I know exaggerated!!!!!!

[Path_Less_Traveled]

The only trout stream 10 minutes from Tallulah Falls is Panther... they could have their Tallulahs mixed up... and meant up there somewhere on the river, above Burton.

Anyways... EE (or anybody who knows)... how does Panther Creek fish in the late summer/early fall?... does it get too warm?... i see that it's year-around... and has received some holiday stockers in past years... and also has a really long public section south of 441.

[matchbx]

I be sure and check into tonight and post back.

[flyg]

Anyways... EE (or anybody who knows)... how does Panther Creek fish in the late summer/early fall?... does it get too warm?... i see that it's year-around... and has received some holiday stockers in past years... and also has a really long public section south of 441.

I have fished there, south of 441, in summer (June? July?), but it's been a few years. I would not visit it again with a fly rod. There is some very nice hiking there, and nice picnicking, but the stream seems pretty marginal IMO. It's kind of a cross between a real appalachian free-stone and a sandy peidmont stream. I fished it maybe 3 times, picked up some stockers every time, but it just didn't feel like mountain water. Go north.

G

[Path_Less_Traveled]

Thanks flyg... from what i learned from your post and doing a little research on NGTO, here's what i may do: hit Panther in the early season... preferrably early on a weekday... lay off it until later in the year... then try to find those nice fiesty red-eyes that are supposed to be below the second/larger? falls.... then look for any holiday stocking and hit it then (by then the freezer will need fresh meat since i practice C&R after late Spring).

matchbx... so for this time of year, it is sounding like there are better options than Panther Creek if you're looking for trout.

[hawgleg]

Hooch-JB is most popular area.

[matchbx]

Ok. The best I can come up with is we'll be fishing on the Tallulah and Coleman Rivers about 15 miles from Tallulah Gorge Camp site.

If anyone could give me some recommendations on colors and styles of flies I would appreciate it.