the age of five in his grandparents’ pond on their farm in the Ozark Mountains of northwestern Arkansas. Little did he know then that a small bream caught on a bare hook would hatch a lifelong passion—some might even call it an obsession—in the pursuits of all things finned.
Growing up in the suburbs of north Atlanta, David could be found either on a basketball court or on the banks of a farm pond within a short walk of home. After heading into the mountains for college—first at Young Harris College, then at North Georgia College and State University—he discovered a strange fish in the local creeks that spent its entire life battling current all for the pleasure of eating a few small bugs. Not long after this discovery, David made another find—the fly rod—and he soon found himself in the vicious throws of addiction.
After spending a few months as an intern for Governor Sonny Perdue, he landed a job at the state’s largest hunting and fishing magazine, Georgia Outdoor News. Because of his addiction, he was given the opportunity to write and was blessed with his own monthly column on fly fishing north Georgia called “Cannon’s Creel,” in addition to some news and feature writing.
In 2007, David jumped at the chance to work for Morris Sporting Group, publisher of American Angler, Fly Tyer, and the legendary Gray’s Sporting Journal. While there, he worked in the advertising side of the business and wrote the “Closer Look” feature in American Angler, book reviews, and news briefs.
A member of the Georgia Outdoor Writers Association, David’s words and photographs appear regularly in American Angler, Georgia Sportsman, Georgia Outdoor News, and Alabama Outdoor News. He is the Outdoor Editor for the Athens Banner-Herald newspaper. One of his photos appeared on the cover of Brian O’Keefe’s and Todd Moen’s outstanding online journal of fly fishing photography and video, Catch Magazine.
He and his wife Stephanie live east of Atlanta and are members of First Baptist Church Loganville, the Rabun Chapter of Trout Unlimited, and the Atlanta Fly Fishing Club. When not fishing, writing, or shooting photos, David enjoys speaking to fly fishing clubs, watching Texas Longhorn football with his father, building furniture and woodturning, and searching for the world’s best barbecue with his wife.
To learn more and view additional outdoor photos and video, see www.CannonOutdoors.com.
David Cannon with a 16-pound striped bass from Lake Sidney Lanier. Photo by Henry Cowen.
About the Photographer
For Chad McClure, two boyhood hobbies have developed into lifelong passions. The Augusta native picked up his first camera as an eight-year-old and has been documenting the world around him ever since. He has also been fishing for as long as he can remember and first discovered the sport of fly-fishing as a teenager.
As an avid outdoorsman, Chad has been hunting and fishing the woods and waters of the southeast most of his life. He finds as much pleasure in fishing sixty miles off the coast as in the small streams of northern Georgia. A graduate of the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism, Chad began his photography career at the Chattanooga Times Free Press, where he honed his skills as a staff photojournalist under the guidance of editor Billy Weeks.
He continues to do freelance photography and has been published in magazines including Gray’s Sporting Journal, American Angler, Stratos, Georgia Sportsman, Georgia Outdoor News, and Western Horseman. His photos also grace books, including Tennessee 24/7 and The Best Fly Fishing in the Southeast, as well as many daily newspapers.
Chad is employed by Morris Sporting Group where he works on Gray’s Sporting Journal, American Angler, and Fly Tyer. When not fishing, he enjoys hunting, wingshooting, and gardening. Chad and his wife, Pam, live in Thomson, Georgia, with their wonderful dogs. See www.chadmcclure.com.
Chad McClure gets ready to fish a mountain stream. Photo by Pam McClure.
Dedications
This book is dedicated to four important people in my life:
To my wife, Stephanie.
You’re my first, my last, my everything, and I couldn’t have completed this book without you.
I hope this book makes you proud.
To my parents, Jay and Mary Cannon.
Thank you for the ridiculous amounts of love and encouragement you’ve always thrown my way.
I hope this book makes you proud.
To my friend and fly-fishing mentor, Jeff Durniak.
Thank you for being sympathetic and taking the time to help the guy in the Smithgall Woods parking lot who got skunked. Your instruction has saved me years of frustration.
I hope this book makes you proud.
—David Cannon
I would like to give special thanks to my wife, who supports me in all that I do.
I would also like to thank my parents for their love and patience.
—Chad McClure
Releasing a Brown by Bucky Bowles.
Acknowledgments
Before I acknowledge all of the amazing people who offered their expertise to make this book a great resource, I think I’d be remiss to be able to spend so much time in Creation without at least acknowledging the Creator. We are blessed to live in an area rich with natural beauty and life. It’s difficult for me to witness all of this and not see a loving Creator behind it all.
It would not be possible to write a book on fly fishing Georgia without the help of many people, especially Jimmy Harris of Unicoi Outfitters; renowned fly designer, writer, guide, and friend to everyone, Henry Cowen; and of course, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
Covering our cold-water fisheries, I owe a big thank you to Chris Scalley and Kyle Burrell at River Through Atlanta guide service, as well as Don Pfitzer for their help on the incredible Chattahoochee tailwater. Chris’s knowledge of the river is staggering and I’d put Kyle with fly-rod-in-hand up against the tag-team duo of an electro-fishing Department of Natural Resources biologist and a blue heron any day of the week. It was also great having access to the knowledge of David Hulsey and Julian Byrd on the streams surrounding the town of Blue Ridge, as well as great fishing author and Georgia Sportsman editor Jimmy Jacobs. Also thanks to Jimmy Harris and Jeff Durniak on the Chattooga River and Richie Santiago and Carter Morris on Waters Creek. And I would also like to acknowledge Rex Gudgel for helping out with many of the private waters, for helping me become a better fly-caster, and for being insanely quick with a net!
Across
