Georgia Fly Fishing Blog

Posted By Kent Klewein on September 1, 2010

RJF Guide Erik Hove:

If you haven’t witnessed the spectacular artwork of Paul Puckett, you are truly missing out on one of the richest talents in the world of Fly Fishing art and culture. Paul’s work includes mediums such as watercolors, oils, etchings, and sharpie fly box illustration. His subject matter ranges from his famous Catch & Release paintings, to scenic landscapes, and even to topo-map illustrations.

In today’s world of catch and release fishing, these ‘fish portraits’ are a great alternative to mounting your big fish. According to Paul, “Catch and release paintings to me are so much more than the actual fish. They reflect the feeling that comes with catching your first rainbow on a fly rod; the rush that comes from an Alaskan salmon burning line from your reel. When the client sees these paintings s/he remembers the weather that day, the coolness of the water, the way it felt when the fish finally sipped the fly. A catch and release painting is a way to capture the memory, and everything extraordinary that goes along with it.”

Custom Fly Box Illustrations, by Paul Puckett

Whether your looking for a beautiful painting to put over the fireplace, a way to encapsulate that memory of THE fish, or simply want the coolest fly box in town, Paul Puckett is the man for the job. His artwork is just another great way to relive your trip with Reel Job Fishing for a long time to come.

Check out some of his works below, or visit his website at:  paulpuckettart.com Paul Puckett lives in Atlanta, GA, and can often be found working down at The Fish Hawk in Buckhead off Peachtree Rd. Stop by to check out his work and ask a few questions. The Fish Hawk is a top notch fly shop and my home shop down near Atlanta, and I recommend them highly:

Category: Fly Fishing | No Comments »
Tags: Catch & Release Paintings, Eric Hove, Fish Hawk, fly fishing blog, Kent Klewein, Paul Puckett, Reel Job Fishing, Sporting Art of Paul Puckett, The Fish Hawk

Posted By Kent Klewein on August 31, 2010

Noontootla Creek Farms (NCF) in the fall brings spectacular fishing every year. We catch big numbers and lots of trophy size trout during this time of year. The fish generally are coming out of a nice break of fishing pressure from the month of August shutdown, and the dropping water temperatures get the fish happy and more active. This means screaming reels from hot runs and lots of jumping trout. Best of all, we’re still able to fish big nasty terrestrial dry flies throughout the remainder of September, and sometimes a good ways into October.

One problem clients find when they’re trying to book for the great fall fishing at NCF is that they don’t book far enough in advance. Anglers need to understand they’re not the only ones trying to get rid of their August trout fishing sorrows. To ensure your target fishing dates are available you need to be calling now to reserve your spot.

So what should you expect to be fishing during the fall at NCF? We generally start with big dry flies when we first approach a hole. Then after we land a fish we’ll then switch to a streamer or nymph rig to mop up the remaining willing trout. There’s really no better time of year than the fall for anglers to catch fish on dries, nymphs, and streamers. The spring is great, but you won’t find the dry fly fishing comparable. Remember, the trout sense the winter approaching and in turn, they increase their feeding to build fat reserves for the upcoming spawn and winter months.

So take it from the Reel Job Fishing staff, if your looking for a great time to fish NCF, the fall is the season you want to be on the stream. Our close proximity to NCF allows us unmatched monitoring of the fishing conditions from our competitors. In other-words, we know what bugs are on the menu, and what sections are fishing the best day to day.

Below is a short film we shot last September at Noontootla Creek Farms. Check it out if you haven’t seen it already. Even if you have seen it, we’re sure it will get you excited again for this coming fall fishing at NCF.

For more information about Noontootla Creek Farms and booking reservations, please visit our website or contact us by phone or email.

Keep it Reel,

Category: Fly Fishing | No Comments »
Tags: GA Trophy Trout Fishing, Kent Klewein, NCF, NCF Fall Fishing, NCF Fly Fishing Guide, Noontootla Creek Farms, Reel Job Fishing

Posted By Kent Klewein on August 31, 2010

Are you planning on the fishing the Lake Blue Ridge drawdown this fall, and have you booked your guide yet? The TVA lake draw down on Lake Blue Ridge will produce some of the best smallmouth bass fishing of this decade, offering bass anglers a unique opportunity to reap the rewards of a lifetime.  Because the lake levels will be so low, there will be limited real estate for the smallmouth to take up residency. Anglers will not only find bass easier, but they’ll find schools in much greater numbers.

Reel Job Fishing guide, Eric Welch says, “I’m expecting to see a new Georgia Smallmouth Bass record landed during the drawdown, and I’m hoping it’s out of my boat during one of my guide trips”. So what’s the rush in booking your trip, I mean after all doesn’t the lake drawdown every year? The lake used to be drawn down significantly annually during winter months in the past, but the TVA says once the dam is repaired, there will not be another draw down to this extent ever again.

That means none of us will have this opportunity to capitalize on this mega bass bite ever again.  So check out your calendar for this coming fall, call your favorite fishing buddy, come up with a good excuse for your boss, and book your spot for the upcoming bass action. We promise you’ll thank us later after you’ve iced your arm for a week and replaced your burned up reel.

Smallmouth Bass like this should be the norm this coming Fall.

Please practice catch & release during this drawdown on all smallmouth bass.

If you have any questions regarding the upcoming bass frenzy and want more details about our guided lake trip on Lake Blue Ridge, feel free to give us a call or drop us an email.

Keep it Reel,

Category: Lake Blue Ridge | No Comments »
Tags: Eric Welch, Kent Klewein, Lake Blue Ridge, Lake Blue Ridge Bass Guide, Lake Blue Ridge Drawdown, Lake Blue Ridge Fishing Guide, Reel Job Fishing

Posted By Kent Klewein on August 26, 2010

There’s nothing like driving north for seven hours only to find your planned smallmouth fly fishing trip is a bust when you get their. That’s what the Bent Rod Media boys and I found, the first day we floated the New River. We had received mixed fishing reports both positive and negative before we left for the trip, but decided to move forward with the trip anyhow. Though we didn’t get skunked during our float, the measly dozen bronze-backs we landed forced us to reevaluate our fishing plans the rest of the trip.

New River Smallmouth on the Fly.

When the New River is on, it’s ON! Fifty to hundred plus fish days is not uncommon with a fly rod.  We threw everything at them during our float, but no particular pattern in the end really turned the smallies on. Instead, as we pulled up to the take out the first day, all we could do was debate about what each of us thought created the slow fishing.  Was it the multiple fronts that lead up to the trip, the significant water level drop during out float, or the fact that every fish we did catch was completely gorged to the max.  I guess we’ll really never know, but one things for sure, I’m really happy we decided to change our game plan to wild trout fishing for the remainder of our trip.

So our second day, we moved locations and I got the pleasure of being introduced to a fantastic wild trout stream loaded with rainbows and browns.  The first day we landed around sixty trout between us, with several of them in the 14-18″ range.  We had our opportunity to land a few in the twenty-inch class during our visit. Those big fish takes however, came on streamers and despite some good hook ups, the big boys failed to end up in the net.

Our third day we finished up around 2:00pm with a trout count around thirty fish.  I won’t say the name of the stream since I’m sworn to secrecy, but supposedly the stream has the fastest trout growth of all streams in the area. It was absolutely amazing to see how healthy and fat the trout were.  For instance, the sixteen inch trout we caught had big thick bodies of twenty plus inch fish.  I”m talking three-to-four inches across the backs…., it was awesome.

Click on the Photos for Larger Views

If we wouldn’t have changed our game plan the second day and stuck out the New River for the remainder of our fishing, the trip could have very well been a complete bust.  However, we adapted to the current fishing conditions, changed locations, and got into some epic wild trout fishing for August.  Next time you find yourself in this situation don’t be afraid to completely change up your fishing itinerary. More than likely it will save your fishing trip.

P.S. That means packing enough gear that will allow you to change species and fish effectively.

Keep it Reel,

Category: Fly Fishing, Uncategorized | 5 Comments »
Tags: Bent Rod Media, fly fishing blog, Kent Klewein, Murphy Kane, new river, Reel Job Fishing, Ryan Dunne, smallmouth fishing, wild trout fishing

Posted By Kent Klewein on August 18, 2010

I’ve got a lot of people asking me what’s a good smallmouth bass fly? Below is my version of the Tequeely Streamer that has proven very effective for smallmouth bass. What’s your favorite smallmouth bass fly? Email us a photo and description with your name and we’ll post it here on the blog.

Hook: Orvis Bass Bug Hook 8810 3/0

Tail: Yellow & Barred Red/Orange Marabou

Thorax: Copper Tinsel Chenille

Legs: Round Yellow Rubber Legs

Head: Chart. Estaz

Clawdad tied by Chuck Kraft - Courtesy of Ben Austin

Keep it Reel,

Category: Fly Fishing, Fly Tying | No Comments »
Tags: Fly Tying Blog, Kent Klewein, Klewein's Tequeely Fly, Reel Job Fishing, Smallmouth Bass Flies

Posted By Kent Klewein on August 18, 2010

Reel Job Fishing guide, Erik Hove, recently went on a fly fishing trip out west with buddy Langdon Attaway for a week of trout fishing. They stuck some nice fish along the way and captured some pretty sweet photographs. Check them out below by clicking on the photos.

Erik Hove with a nice Jefferson River Bow.

Langdon Attaway with a nice Jefferson River Brown.

Erik and I will be hitting the Toccoa River very soon and we’ll give everyone a fishing report on how it’s fishing with the warm temperatures. If you’re interested in having Erik guide you this fall for trout give us a call and we’ll gladly set it up. Thanks for forwarding us some of the photos from your trip guys, we enjoyed them.

Keep it Reel,

Category: Fly Fishing | No Comments »
Tags: Erik Hove, fly fishing blog, Fly Fishing Montana, GA Fly Fishing Guides, GA Trout Fishing Guides, Langdon Attaway, Reel Job Fishing

Posted By Kent Klewein on August 18, 2010

Here’s Luke Filmer’s latest mounts from Blackwater Fish Replicas. This is what you call replica perfection everyone. Look how close these mounts are to the photographs of the originals provided. It’s amazing…, if you’re looking to get a mount of one of your trophies done, I highly recommend contacting Luke Filmer. The attention to detail is striking.

Click on Photos for Larger Views

Blackwater Fish Replicas Cutthroat - Luke Filmer

11- pound Columbia River Rainbow

Luke's Columbia River Rainbow Replica

Let Luke know that I sent you and he’ll take extra care of your trophy mount.

Keep it Reel,

Category: Fly Fishing | No Comments »
Tags: blackwater fish replicas, luke filmer, Reel Job Fishing

Posted By Kent Klewein on August 18, 2010

Thought I would post some photos from the Bent Rod Media Road Trip out west, for everyone to check out. I wish I had some great words by the famous Dave Grossman, a.k.a. Nymph-O to go along with these photos, but he’s been busy catching up with his new born son. Two weeks on the road calls for some much needed R & R with the family. When I get the scoop on the stories from the trip I’ll add them to this post.

Click Photos for Larger Views

Dave enjoying the vacation

I’ll be heading out of town this weekend with the BRM crew to do some filming and fishing for smallmouth bass up in West Virginia. It should be a great trip and I look forward to posting all the details on the blog. Hopefully when I get back our temperatures will have cooled off.

Category: Fly Fishing | No Comments »
Tags: Bent Rod Media, Dave Grossman, fly fishing blog, Kent Klewein, Murphy Kane, Reel Job Fishing, Ryan Dunne

Posted By eric_welch on August 16, 2010

I got out yesterday morning to do some fishing on Lake Blue Ridge. The TVA has been releasing water 24/7 since the 20th of July and the lake is currently down 28 feet. All ramps are closed at this time, we are putting in off the lake bed at Morganton Point. It needs to come on down 10 to 15 more feet over there before the concrete low water ramp will be useable.

Lake Blue Ridge - August 15th, 2010

The lake will have to be down 55 feet before you will be able to put in off the TVA concrete ramp at Blue Ridge Marina. All I can say is you better be prepared for the best smallmouth fishing ever. I’m expecting to see  the lake record smallmouth and possibly the state record smallmouth bass broke during this lake draw down. When TVA gets these repairs done we may never see Blue Ridge Lake drawn down like this again. Since the water has been dropping there are fish already breaking top water like it’s fall. We caught some on tubes and dropshot yesterday.

This Fall we will be doing float n fly trips on area lakes. If you have never tried it, it will only take one trip for you to be hooked. If your looking to fish the only lake left in Georgia with Big Smallies I encourage you to call and book now our calendar is starting to fill up.

Click On Photos For Larger Views

RJF Guide Eric Welch

Tight lines,

Category: Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
Tags: Dropshotting for Bass, Eric Welch, GA bass fishing guide, Kent Klewein, Lake Blue Ridge, Lake Blue Ridge Draw Down, Lake Blue Ridge Guide, Reel Job Fishing, smallmouth bass fishing, Smallmouth Bass Guide

Posted By eric_welch on August 16, 2010

Just finished up two great days on Parksville Lake with clients Matthew & Brent Schirmer. We caught fish on shakey head and flukes, but our main fish catcher was the dropshot. It didn’t take long for Brent and his dad to start boating fish. We had two days of 20 to 25 plus fish, Thats awesome for the heat were having in August. Keep on learning Brent and I look foward to guiding you and your dad in the future.

Click on photos for Larger views

Category: Lake Blue Ridge | No Comments »
Tags: Dropshotting for Bass, Eric Welch, GA bass fishing guide, Lake Chickamuaga, Parksville Lake, Parksville Lake Bass Guide, Reel Job Fishing

Posted By Kent Klewein on August 13, 2010

Here’s some more killer photos out west form the man, Louis Cahill.  Enjoy my fellow fly bums.

Click on Photos for Larger Views

Tails up Cuttie - Photo By: Louis Cahill

Green River Brown - Photo By: Louis Cahill

"I hate streamer fishing, but I love streamer fishing" - Brad Wayne

Cutthroat Release - Photo By: Louis Cahill

More photos to follow, for now though, I hope this gets you your out west fishing fix until morning.

Keep it Reel,

Category: Fly Fishing, Louis Cahill Photography | 3 Comments »
Tags: Brad Wayne, fly fishing blog, Fly Fishing Out West, fly fishing outwest, Kent Klewein, Louis Cahill Photography

Posted By Kent Klewein on August 12, 2010

Fishing the Grey's - Photo By: Louis Cahill

Many of you heard it wasn’t a banner year for us with the fishing out west. The same heat wave conditions in Georgia followed us to WY, and water temperatures were the hottest I’d ever seen them this time of year in our area. We ended up making a mistake going through a rental company and not renting a U-haul like we did last year. Our suburban came with four factory slicks that had been previously patched in multiple spots, and we ended up losing a day of fishing changing tires and driving into Jackson to get a new set of shoes put on.

Another day we went out to the Grey’s River and hiked into a secluded section only to find two spin fishermen throwing double treble hooks on Rapala’s. They said, “Fishing’s great, we fished the last two miles and landed 80 trout between the two of us”. Let’s just say we decided to head straight back out the way we hiked in without wetting our line.

Click on Photos for Larger Views

I guess it could have been worse though….., ha. We could be out there right now fishing the Green River at a trickle with 70+ degree water temperatures, and landing only whitefish. That’s how it goes folks, this global warming thing really is starting to ruin my fishing trips

Brad Wayne with a doozy of a male brown - Photo By: Louis Cahill

All in all, despite the tough conditions all three of us did land some pretty nice trout. It was really nice not having to zig-zag down the river to keep my driftboat from running aground, like we have to do on some sections of our home waters. Plus I’m really fortunate to have such great buddies to go on these enjoyable fishing adventures with…, life’s grand and there’s always next year.

Nice cuttie from the South Fork of the Snake River - Photo By: Louis Cahill

I’ll post more of Cahill’s photographs from the WY trip later this coming week. Hope everyone enjoys, and make sure to click on photos to view them full size.  Also, my Bent Rod Media bros, will be posting some of their fishing pics and stories from their fishing trip across half the states out west. They went out the week after us.

Keep it Reel,

Category: Fly Fishing, Louis Cahill Photography | 1 Comment »
Tags: Brad Wayne, Fly Fishing Photography, Kent Klewein, Louis Cahill Photography, Reel Job Fishing, trout bum trip, WY fishing 2010

Posted By Kent Klewein on August 11, 2010

I’m always looking for interesting content for the blog and I ran across this comical fly pattern from The Stonefly Inn, located in Montana. They have a great blog as well.  Check it out.

Photo Courtesy of www.thestoneflyinn.com

Hows this for your fly tying fix for the day ?

Keep it Reel,

Category: Fly Tying | No Comments »
Tags: Fly Tying, Fly Tying Blog

Posted By Kent Klewein on August 11, 2010

It’s been a while since I’ve posted a YouTube video everyone.  Eric posted this on the RJF Facebook page and I had to put this up on the blog after watching it.  I’m sure there’s a bunch of us hardcore anglers out there that understand exactly what Gerald is talking about, HA. Good stuff.

Keep it Reel,

Reel Job Fishing, LLC

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Posted By Kent Klewein on August 10, 2010

I want to invite you to Cohutta Fishing Company to preview the complete 2011 Simms Fishing Product line. Capt. Dave Chouinard our Simms Repesentative will be here to answer questions and display the products.

Date: August 28th

Time: 12:00 – 4:00

Lunch w/ be served from 12:00 – 2:00

Hope to see you and until then Good Fishing!

Andy Bowen

Category: Fly Fishing | No Comments »
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