Bowman Fly Fishing Driftline Certified

Bowman Fly Fishing is a guided fly fishing outfitter in Dahlonega, in the North Georgia mountains about 90 minutes north of Atlanta. The operation is built around private water: more than ten miles of it on the Soque River, where anglers target rainbow, brown, and brook trout on water that sees no public pressure.

There are a few ways to fish it. Half-day (four-hour) and full-day (eight-hour, lunch included) wade trips cover the private Soque water on foot. Drift-boat float trips run the Toccoa and Tuckasegee, covering more water from the boat, and Bowman also guides the Etowah. Rods, waders, flies, and the rest of the gear come with every trip, so first-timers can show up with nothing and fish, while experienced anglers get put on technical water that tests them.

The season sets Bowman apart. The private water is a tailwater that stays cold through the Georgia summer, so trips keep running in July and August, when many wild-trout streams in the region warm up and other guides stop for the year. Bowman guides all twelve months.

Rates run roughly $400 to $550 per trip depending on length. Because this is a directory listing, you book directly with Bowman: Driftline takes no commission and adds no markup, so the price you see is the guide's own. Trips are open to every skill level, from beginners on their first cast to experienced anglers after a big fish.