Hiwassee River, Georgia
On The Fly Freshwater
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Sponsored By
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August 2024
By Steve Hudson
The morning sun is touching the tops of nearby mountains, and we are sitting on the porch of our cabin at The Retreat at Hiawassee River. The aroma of bacon lingers, and the first cup of coffee is just about gone.
Photo by Steve Hudson
That can mean only one thing. It’s about time to pick up the fly rods, walk to the river, and see what the day might bring.
“I think it will be good!” she says, picking up the now-empty bacon plate and carrying it to the
kitchen.
“I do too,” I say, gathering silverware and glasses. “Should we leave the dishes till later?”
“Yes!” she replies. “There are trout calling my name!”
Ten minutes later we stand beside the water. She casts first. I look away for a moment, tying a new fly to my tippet.
“Steve! Steve! We’re going to need the net!”
Steve showing off Trisha’s big rainbow. Photo courtesy of Steve Hudson.
I turn and see her rod bent in that beautiful curve, following her line to the water. My gaze touches the surface just as a 20-inch rainbow blasts straight out of the water like a Polaris missile, pirouetting in the air before crashing back in a splash to make any special effects guy proud.
She brings the trout to net. Then, as heart rates return to normal, she lowers one edge of the net and the exquisite fish slips back into the river with a flick of its tail that splashes us with cold, clear water.
We’re quiet for a moment.
“Okay, I’m casting again!” she says.
It is going to be a very good day.
The Retreat at Hiawassee River is a 15-acre riverside event facility stretching along about a half mile of the Hiwassee not far from the town of Hiawassee, Georgia (You’ll note that the river and town names are not spelled the same!} Owned by Scotty Fain and his brother-in-law Richard Engert, this off-the-radar fishery was born about 30 years ago, when Scotty’s dad – Scotty Sr. – purchased the property with the idea of raising cattle and hay.
“It was just a cow pasture initially,” Scotty says. But he adds the family enjoyed fishing and began stocking the water with trout not long after the property was acquired.
At that time, Scotty was just entering high school. “I convinced my dad to build a cabin there so me and my buddies could stay and fish,” he said. The fishing was good, and the cabin got plenty of use.
The Retreat now features a dozen cabins. Photo by Steve Hudson.
Meanwhile, in the world beyond the river, interest in destination weddings was growing. There were plenty of folks who loved the idea of getting married alongside a flowing mountain stream, and the site soon became popular as a wedding venue. A dozen elegantly rustic cabins were eventually built there, along with a reception hall and an outdoor wedding venue. Its popularity grew.
But what about the trout fishing? “We never really promoted fishing on the property until a few years ago,” Scotty says. “But now we are.”
What awaits fly fishers at The Retreat at Hiawassee River? There are rainbows – strong, healthy rainbows – and Scotty notes that they’ll be adding some browns to the mix as well. When stocked, many of the fish are in the 10- to 12-inch range. But the river is rich in food, and that (combined with supplemental feeding) leads to fast growth and some truly impressive trout.
There are stream-born fish present too. On occasion, you’ll land a multi-pound rainbow on one cast and then a 6-inch-long wild fish a few casts later. Scotty notes that this water holds “an unusual number of small, wild fish,” citing a recent study of the stream’s trout population. He adds, “It’s some of the coldest water in the state, and that helps too.”
The fishing is catch-and-release, and only artificial flies or lures with barbless hooks can be used.
One thing worth noting is the ease of approaching this water. In some areas, the bank is gently sloped and access is remarkably straightforward. In fact, it’s possible to fish here without ever stepping into the flow. Wading opens up more of the river, of course, but you can access plenty of area without getting in the water.
Access to the river is easy at the Retreat. Photo by Steve Hudson.
How about flies? Small nymphs such as Pheasant Tails often work well, and those in the know often add a tiny midge emerger – think Zebra Midge or Blue Assassin – as a dropper. Larger offerings such as Pat’s Rubberlegs can also be effective.
Familiar “junk flies” also work well. The first trout my wife caught there took a size 14 Beadhead Y2K. Others in that category include pink 3-D Sucker Spawns and pink or chartreuse Mop Flies. Don’t overlook the San Juan Worm or Chamois Worms either.
How about dries? Try a size 12 Stimulator paired with a generic brown Soft-Hackle Emerger dropper. Fish may take either one, especially if there’s insect activity.
One other class of topwater flies to consider is those that imitate terrestrials. A size 14 Black Ant, fished either on the surface or in the film, can work.
So can a thick-bodied Deer Hair Beetle. Is that because the fish see it as a bug, or is it perhaps because the beetle’s blocky body resembles that of the food pellets with which they are familiar?
I remember the rainbow that sipped my size 14 brown beetle. I’d seen a rise about 15 feet upstream, so I cast the fly in that general direction. It landed with a satisfying plop and made it about five feet before the water swirled. I set the hook – and then the reel sang as something big took off upstream, then shifted into reverse and turned downriver. It flew past me in a silvery blur before roaring headlong into a big downstream pool. There ensued an epic tug of war, but in the end the leader held and my wife was able to net the fish for me. It was great!
The author with his rainbow. Photo by Trisha Hudson.
Then it was her turn. She tends to prefer tenkara and was using a 10-foot tenkara rod with a similar fly. On her fourth or fifth cast she had a similar strike. Another fish on!
Would this one run too? Explosive runs can be bad news for tenkara anglers, who have a fixed line and no reel. But that one stayed in front of her. Soon it was my turn to handle the net – and, yes, her fish was bigger than mine. They often are.
What’s ahead for fly fishers at The Retreat at Hiawassee River? Scotty notes that future plans include special events such as fly-fishing weekends, fly-tying weekends, special fly-fishing seminars, and even rod-building workshops.
“We will even offer fly fishing as an activity for wedding parties,” he says.
To fish this water, you need a daily permit. Whether staying in one of the cabins or just visiting for the day, anglers pay a daily rod fee. The number of anglers per day is generally limited to four.
As on similar waters, fishing is put on hold during the hottest months of the year. But as fall approaches, the water cools and fishing resumes.
