Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 36

GeorGia Department of natural resources

At Smithgall Woods State Park, Dukes Creek lures fly fishing enthusiasts with its difficulty, beauty and sheer size.

Pining for a mountain getaway but want
to experience something new? Try
your hand at fly-fishing, sling your
own pottery masterpiece, or strap
yourself in for a loop-de-loop in a
World War II biplane. Adventure
doesn't necessarily mean roughing it, so while you're at it, pamper yourself with accommodations
fit for a king. And don't forget this
year's big astronomical event: a rare
total solar eclipse on August 21.
The Blue Ridge region offers plenty
of prime spots to view this unique
blackout of the sun.

Fly Fishing at
Smithgall Woods
State Park, Helen,
Georgia
Arriving at Smithgall Woods State
Park, I'm still thinking about last
night's delicious Chilean sea bass,
served with a perfect view of historic
downtown Dahlonega at the Back
Porch Oyster Bar, and about the luxuriously quirky Mountain Laurel Inn
36 BlueRidgeCountry.com

and Spa, with its mix of Moroccan,
Indonesian and Appalachian art.
In the Smithgall visitor center,
however, my attention turns to the
classroom wall, where interpretive
ranger Sarah Kelehear is projecting
images of native insects that live in
these streams: stoneflies, mayflies,
neon green caddisflies, water pennies and pinching Dobson flies.
Their presence, she notes, signifies that trout are lurking nearby.
Kelehear passes around a selection
of artificial "flies"-the only type
allowed in the park's 5-mile stretch
of Dukes Creek, a catch-and-release
zone-made with furs, feathers and
worm-like rubber.
"One of the reasons we have such
big, pretty fish," she points out, "is
because people are not taking them
out of the streams."
Late morning, workshop participants head down to the creek to
watch the sport in action and try
their hand at casting in the adjacent
field. Jimmy Harris, a guide with

Unicoi Outfitters, ties a fake mayfly to his line and stealthily moves
through the water. Trout are smart,
sensitive and as aerodynamic as torpedoes, he explains, trudging slowly
upstream before stopping short of
two fallen logs that form a V, creating a small dam. Harris deliberately
walks closer, flushing four or five
fish from their hiding place. "Trout
are a lot like human beings," he says
with a grin. "They're not going to
intentionally stay in a place that
takes a lot of energy."

Hiking at High
Hampton Inn, Cashiers,
North Carolina
At High Hampton Inn, a concierge
who looks and sounds a lot like Antonio Banderas escorts us to Caroline
Cottage, with its prime view of Rock
Mountain and Jewel Lake. Gone are
the fancy modern amenities: TV,
WiFi, air conditioning. In their place
are genteel politeness and manners,
with anything I need-an alarm


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Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017

July/August 2017 - Cover
Table of Contents
Letters / Worth a Click
Contributors
From the Editor
Mill Creek Stories
Creature Feature
The Good Walk
Mountain Report
Country Roads
Eclipse!
Saluting the Blue Ridge Parkway: A Photo Essay
Mountain High Life: Explorations for Summer
‘Swiss’ Towns in the Mountains
The Strange Post-Biltmore Life of Cornelia Vanderbilt
The Almost-Happened Lost States of the Mountains
Farm-to-Table in Upcountry South Carolina
Festivals & Events
Singing in the Garden
Guest Column
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Intro
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - July/August 2017 - Cover
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Cover2
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 3
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Table of Contents
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 5
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Letters / Worth a Click
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Contributors
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - From the Editor
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 9
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Mill Creek Stories
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 11
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Creature Feature
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 13
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - The Good Walk
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 15
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Mountain Report
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 17
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Country Roads
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 19
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 20
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 21
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Eclipse!
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 23
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 24
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 25
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 26
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 27
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Saluting the Blue Ridge Parkway: A Photo Essay
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 29
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 30
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 31
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 32
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 33
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 34
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Mountain High Life: Explorations for Summer
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 36
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 37
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 38
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 39
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 40
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 41
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - ‘Swiss’ Towns in the Mountains
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 43
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 44
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 45
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 46
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 47
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - The Strange Post-Biltmore Life of Cornelia Vanderbilt
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 49
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 50
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 51
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 52
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 53
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - The Almost-Happened Lost States of the Mountains
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 55
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 56
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Farm-to-Table in Upcountry South Carolina
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 58
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 59
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 60
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 61
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Festivals & Events
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 63
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Singing in the Garden
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 65
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Guest Column
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Cover3
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Cover4
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