Inns, Lodges, Resorts

May 2023

By Polly Dean

Photos by Jimmy Jacobs

Located in the picturesque and historic town of Blue Ridge, Oyster’s Cast N’ Blast Inn is a small and intimate option for lodging, whether trout fishing or just visiting this quaint town in the North Georgia mountains. Convenient to restaurants and shops, the Cast N’ Blast Inn has a common area for gathering, with a small kitchen area (no stove) and four bedrooms. Each guest room has a private bath, Wifi and cable television. The tastefully decorated spaces are known as the Trout, River, Quail and Tree rooms. The inn’s balcony offers guests a place to relax with a bird’s eye view of the heart of Blue Ridge.

Visitors travel from around the world to study and build custom bamboo fly rods with Bill Oyster, one of the most prolific teachers of the art today. Students often take the week-long class multiple times, creating an arsenal of hand-crafted rods. Oyster guides his students from start to finish of their creation. Students leave with a rod that is ready to take on the water.

Bill and Shannen Oyster offer the accommodations when their bamboo rod-building classes are not in session. Whether interested in leasing the entire inn or a single room, the location can’t be beat to be near the water, shopping or places to grab a bite. Cohutta Fishing Company Fly Shop offering guided trips, advice and fishing gear is located right next door.

Besides 100 miles of trout streams, the Blue Ridge area offers 106,000 acres of Chattahoochee National Forest and 300 miles of hiking trails. Ranked one of the South’s best mountain towns, Blue Ridge is the ideal place for a romantic getaway, a girls’ or boys’ trip, family vacation or fishing trip.

Beautiful Blue Ridge Lake is convenient for boaters. The Toccoa River tailwater runs at the edge of town offering multiple options for fishing whether drifting in a boat or wading on foot. The upper portion of the Toccoa is above Blue Ridge Lake and offers a heavily-stocked delayed-harvest section for trout during winter months.

The town of Blue Ridge provides a generous sampling of restaurants and food options for hungry anglers and even a few pubs and breweries are convenient for those looking for adult refreshment.

Call (706) 374-4239 or visit Oyster’s website for more information.