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Tag: Soque River

Reel Time on the Road: Fishing The Soque

Reel Time on the Road: Fishing The Soque

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Fishing, Outdoors, Reel Time.

The Soque River is a 30-mile-long tributary of the Chattahoochee River in northeastern Georgia whose watershed, headwaters and mouth lie entirely in Habersham County.

The river has a vibrant heritage dating back to the Native American tribes that originally inhabited the region. The name “Soque” is said to be derived from the Cherokee word for “raccoon” because the area was known for its profusion of raccoons.

The river played a major role in the early settlement of the region by providing water for agriculture, industry and transportation. In the 19th century, the river powered sawmills, grist mills and other industries along its banks.

Today, the Soque River is known for its scenic beauty and excellent fly fishing opportunities. The river is a popular destination for fly fishing, primarily for its natural beauty and population of trophy-sized trout.

The river is protected by the landowners who realize the importance of a sustainable trophy trout fishery, and by a nonprofit organization, the Soque River Watershed Association (SRWA), that’s dedicated to protecting and restoring the river. The SRWA was established in 1998 by local residents and focuses on protecting the river’s water quality and ecological integrity.

The Soque River is unique in the state, as it begins and ends within Habersham County; and it serves as a vital headwater tributary to the Chattahoochee River, which supplies 70% of Atlanta’s drinking water. The final destination of the waters that spring from Habersham County is the Apalachicola River that empties into the Gulf, in Northern Florida.

This past Friday, I fished the Soque’s upper reaches, near Batesville, Georgia, with my longtime friend Bob Seeger of Blue Ridge, Georgia. We spent the day on a stretch of the river managed by Dragonfly Lodge, with guide Phil Culver. After meeting Culver in nearby Batesville, we drove a short distance to the river and donned waders and boots while Culver rigged our fly rods with leaders and flies. During the day, we fished several stretches of the river. At first the trout were picky, until Culver discovered the nymph patterns that the trout were keyed in on. For the balance of the day, we had some of the best fishing that either of has ever seen.

Fishing a combination of double nymphs and dry flies with nymph droppers, we estimated that we caught between 15-20 trout from 22-24 inches. These trout weighed in at 6-8 pounds and put up excellent fights that featured runs, jumps and headshaking rises to the surface. The highlight of the day was a rare catch by Seeger of a Kamloops rainbow trout, a fish in the steelhead family that’s renounced for its vivid colors and fight. Besides being one of the best days of fishing, the ambiance along the river’s banks made for an exciting and relaxing experience. An experience we both look forward to exploring in the future.

For more information, or to book a trip on these storied waters, contact Culver at 707-768-8922.

Reel Time on the Road: Looking back, paying forward

Reel Time on the Road: Looking back, paying forward

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Fishing, Outdoors, Reel Time.

One of the things I like most about fishing is the friends we make along the way and the many experiences that last a lifetime. When we can combine that with sharing the passion and paying it forward, then the experience is even more rewarding.

I first met David Schulhofer 12 years ago when I took him and his grandfather, Bob Seeger (not the musician), fishing in December of 2010. Seeger and his wife, Judy, lived in the Village on Longboat Key until 2011 when they moved to Blue Ridge, Georgia in the northeast Georgia mountains. That day, just two weeks short of his fourth birthday, David caught his first fish, a trout. Although the details were lost to me until I reread the article I wrote about it, they were burned into the memory of Seeger, or Bobo, as he’s called by David.

Seeger and I fish regularly when my wife Chris and I vacation in Sautee Nacoochee, about an hour’s drive southeast of Blue Ridge. For the past few years, Seeger has mentioned that David has become a passionate angler, and we made plans to take him trout fishing. COVID-19 derailed our plans for a few years but this past week we had the opportunity to make it happen. Through a series of unintended consequences (fortunate ones I might add), we booked a day at the Brigadoon Lodge on the Soque River near Sautee.

We met our guide, Zack Chapman, at 8:30 that morning at Brigadoon, one of the few destinations on the Soque I hadn’t fished. When I first got there and realized what a special place it was, I commented that I couldn’t believe that I hadn’t fished there in all the years before. On second thought, I was glad to discover and have a new special place to share with everyone. After quick introductions, Chapman set everyone up with waders and tackle and led us on a sensuous path along one of the prettiest sections of river I have ever experienced.

As Seeger and I watched and listened, Chapman took David to the edge of the river near a deep clear run and explained the nuances of making an effective cast, how to create a drag-free float, and the best way to set the hook. I was impressed with the instruction, David’s attentiveness, and especially how quickly he put the new lessons into practice.

The morning light on the river was mesmerizing and although the conditions seemed perfect, the fish were not responding to the flies that Chapman had David present. I know from experience that even waters rich in trout can prove challenging when they are not feeding. I watched as our guide constantly changed patterns to find one that might tempt the fish he knew lurked in the pools, runs and riffles we fished that morning. David was persistent and worked diligently, managing to hook one fish and catch one other during the morning session. Hoping that the afternoon might prove more productive, we stopped for lunch at the lodge before heading back to the river in the early afternoon.

That afternoon the fish began to feed, and the persistence that David exhibited during the morning began to pay dividends. The excitement was infectious as beautiful rainbow trout from 16 to 24 inches were fought and netted in the upper section of the river above the lodge. By the time we stopped fishing that afternoon, Chapman had netted over a dozen large trout that David hooked, fought and landed. I was impressed with how he listened attentively to Chapman and how his casting improved. I commented to Seeger, in jest but fully in earnest, that it wouldn’t be long before he was a better caster than I am.

The day was a treat for everyone and particularly for me. It brought back memories of all the mentors that I had over the years starting with my dad who took me fishing when I was 5 years old. I’ve written many times about the importance of taking kids fishing, but this day was special, being able to reconnect with a young man who had caught his first fish on my boat over a decade ago. Revisiting that day through Seeger’s eyes and seeing the passion that it had created in David only redoubles my desire to pay it forward. To all of those who showed me the importance of paying it forward, thank you David, Bob and Dad.