Fishing the Flint River

The Flint River is an amazing natural resource - most amazing is that it continues to exist. This river starts just below the Capitol in Atlanta, but just a few miles below one of our most populous and dirty areas, it returns to the wild. Threatened and endangered, it holds on - write your congressman.

The Flint seems out of place - in many sections, it looks and fishes more like a mountain stream. Many of the fish here resemble their cold-water brothers, too. Though largemouth bass are present, more common is the shoal bass (variously called and identified as "coosa" or "red-eye" bass). Small but feisty, they like the prevalent rapids and rock gardens of the Flint. Bluegill, redbreast sunfish and shellcrackers like the swift water, too; If you think a bream is a fighter in still water, catch one in a current.

This is a perfect setting for fly fishing - I commonly use any visible #12 to #14 dry fly with a black wooly-worm dropper(#8-12) down 18-24". With the bream particularly, but also with the red-eyes, I get double hook-ups. Bait fishermen use hellgramites gathered from the river for bass, crickets for bream. Traditional lures include plastic worms, spinnerbaits, roostertails, and top-waters.

Access to the Flint is available at highway crossings at Gay, Woodbury (GA Hwy 18), and below Manchester (GA Hwy 36 and Pobiddy Road). This middle section of the river is more suited to canoes than powered craft, though launching of small power boats is possible at these crossings - be careful as there are numerous shoals and slightly submerged rocks. Wading access is available at Sprewell Bluff State Park and Big Lazer Creek Wildlife Management Area. You can check current water levels at this USGS site.

When the weather's hot and the lake is crowded, go wade the cool waters of the Flint River. And remember to protect the natural beauty of this place - there're not many like it.

We do guided fly fishing trips on the Flint, either by canoe or wading the shoals. These trips are a treat for the experienced angler or a terrific place for the novice to get a good start.

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