Georgia Fly Fishing Blog

Posted By Kent Klewein on November 23, 2009

Noontootla Creek Farms - Male

I had the pleasure of fishing with Brad and Kevin Shaw this past Saturday.  Brad had set up a guided fishing trip for his son at Noontootla Creek Farms for the chance of getting into some nice trout.  It reminded me of my Dad doing the same thing when I was about his age.  It’s how I first learned I wanted to be a fishing guide when I grew up.  I joked with Kevin about it, saying you know, you might end up being a fishing guide when you grow up.  This is exactly the kind of day that got me hooked.

It was both their first time fly fishing a small stream and I gave them both instruction on ways to approach, cast, and fight fish in the tight conditions.  They’ve fished quite a bit on the Toccoa River, but had not set foot on a small stream like Noontootla Creek before.

Just about right off the bat  Brad hooked into a nice fish which we chased down stream for quite aways before netting.  Shortly after Kevin landed his first fish as well, and then a second right off the bat.  The pressure was now off of them and they could really relax and enjoy themeselves.  They both had a grin from ear to ear and kept saying this is really fun.  Man I love my job when I help make memories like these.  It’s what guiding is all about.

We worked our way up stream landing some smaller wild fish and I explained to them that these wild trout were born one to two years ago, and how special it was to have natural reproducing fish in a the stream.  Next I taught Kevin to high-stick properly and we sight fished to a huge rainbow.  We didn’t get the fish but it was a good learning experience for Kevin that I’m sure he’ll look back on down the road and capitilize on in a similiar situation.  Next hole up Brad hooked into a fish which once again faught us down stream and eventually broke us off.  With the water up hight right now it really is important to fight the fish perfect to get it to the net.  Still learning how to fight the big trout we struggled throughout the day to get the fish to the net.

Noontootla Creek Farms

We broke for lunch and headed to another section at NCF.  We only had about an hour and I still had to get Kevin on a really big trout.  I set him up on a productive riffle and he began drifting his nymphs through.  Nothing happened at first, but after I added another BB split-shot to the rig he hooked up with a huge rainbow which screemed line off the reel down stream.  To make a long story short we worked our way about 75 yards downstream where the big trout worked us into a laydown and broke us off.  I could tell Kevin was a little upset, and I said don’t worry about it, this situation is what will keep you coming back to the river the rest of your life.  Kevin’s Dad did get some video of the fight that I think Kevin will get a kick out of later.  The trout would have measured at least twenty-two inches.

We had time for one more hole and I put Brad in it.  I had to change flies a couple times but eventually he hooked up with a very nice male rainbow and the fight began.  Every time the fish got almost within netting distance it would rip the line off the reel and take off down stream.  I bet the fight lasted at least fifteen minutes or more and Brad’s arms were jello by the time I finally net the colored up male.  We ended the day after we released the trout and agreed it was a perfect way to finish up.

Noontootla Creek Rainbow (Male) - Brad Shaw

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For more information about fishing Noontootla Creek Farms click the link.

Keep it Reel,

Categories: Fly Fishing
Tags: fly fishing blog, GA Trophy Trout, Georgia Trout Fishing, Kent Klewein, NCF, Noontootla Creek Farms, Reel Job Fishing, Trophy Trout Water