Atlanta is the heart of the south, home of the Braves, the Falcons, the Hawks, and fly-fishing in the southeast quadrant of the United States… fly-fishing? In Georgia?
Forget what you knew – or thought you knew – about Georgia and the sport of fly-fishing and consider that Atlanta and nearby communities support four competing major stores: Alpharetta Outfitters, The Fish Hawk, Cohuta Fishing and Unicoi Outfitters, plus numerous guide services along with the Atlanta Fly Fishing Club, TU GA and GA Women’s Fly Fishers. These are in addition to a phalanx of boat dealers, general sporting goods dealers and outdoors shops. The area’s commitment to the long rod is so strong that now the area will host The Fly Fishing Show, Feb. 3-4 at Infinite Energy Center in suburban Duluth.
The Atlanta Fly Fishing Show will boast 50,000-square feet of exhibit space plus additional seminar rooms. There will be more than 150 exhibitor booths, dozens of fly tiers and seven different presentations each hour including fly-casting demonstrations, featured fly tiers, Destination Theater audio/visual presentations, classes with experts and both formal and informal talks by authors.
Kreh received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award by the American Sportfishing Association, has been honored with the Lifetime Contribution Award by the North American Fly Tackle Trade Association and is also in the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame. In 1997, he was named Angler of the Year by Fly Rod and Reel Magazine. In 2003, Kreh was inducted to the International Game Fish Association Hall of Fame. Kreh has served a number of years as Senior Advisor to Trout Unlimited and the International Federation of Fly Fishers.
Other featured casting and/or fly tying demonstrators include Dave Whitlock, Bob Clouser (the Clouser Minnow), Dr. Gary Borger, and Henry Cowen.nWhat many outside the area don’t realize – or tend to forget – is that the focal point of area’s fly-fishing is the 430 mile long Chattahoochee River. Information on the area notes that “Atlanta is built upon the crest of a large ridge, rather than in the floodplain of the river. This has contributed the preservation of much of the natural scenic beauty of the section that runs through metropolitan Atlanta. North of the metropolis, the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area protects other portions of the riverbanks in a region that is spread across several disconnected areas.”
The ninth largest population center in the United States, Atlanta is the only one with a major tailwater stream running through its downtown and boasts a self-sustaining wild brown trout population just north of the city. “We chose a Friday-Saturday for the Atlanta Show for a number of reasons, but have the option to expand into Sunday in the future,” said Fly Fishing Show president Ben Furimsky. Parking at the Infinite Energy Center is free; and the show hotel, Embassy Suites, will be newly opened in December. For reservations call Kana Corporate Office at (856) 297-4748 and request a reservation for the Fly Fishing Show rate. Admission to the Atlanta Fly Fishing Show will be $15 for one day; $25 for both days. Children under age 5 are free, under 12, $2. Scouts under age 16 in uniform are free. Active military with ID are $10. Show hours are 9 a.m.-6 p.m. on Fri.; 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sat.
The International Fly Fishing Film Festival will be presented Fri. at 6:30. Film Festival tickets are $15 at the door or $10 in advance. Prior to the film, the inaugural Southern Trout “Legends of the Fly” Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held. For additional information, contact the Fly Fishing Show at +1 (814) 443-3638 or info@flyfishingshow.com.