ABOUT US

Located in the mountain town of Blue Ridge, we are North Georgia’s Premier Fly Shop, Outfitter, and Guide Service. From the moment you step into our store, we strive to provide the best customer service possible, with friendly and knowledgeable shop staff and fishing guides. If you’ve never touched a fly rod, we offer schools, guided fly fishing trips for Trout, and information that can help you get your feet wet. For the advanced angler, we offer guided fishing on world class fisheries in Georgia and destination travel trips, both in country as well as abroad. We also stock the shop with gear and tackle selected with expertise and input from our fishing guides that can up your game from companies like: Simms Fishing Products, Orvis, Thomas & Thomas Fly Rods, Nautilus Fly Reels, Filson, Fishpond, Montana Fly Company, and more!

Meet Our Staff

Drew Friedrich
Drew FriedrichOwner/Guide Service Manager/Guide
Drew is a Cartersville Native, growing up on the banks of the Etowah River. Drew’s passion for fly fishing has led him from Cartersville to Montana where he Completed Sweetwater Guide School on the Yellowstone, to Colorado where he lived for a spell and fished Estes Park before returning home to Cartersville. Drew now lives in Blue Ridge where he is living out his dream growing the Cohutta Fishing Company with his staff that shares his passion for fishing. Drew is a versatile fisherman who is just at home slinging big streamers for Stripers on the Etowah as he is casting dry flies to brook trout in the mountains. Drew is a great instructor and is happy to teach novice anglers as well as people with more advanced skill.
Cole Bryant
Cole BryantGuide
Cole grew up in the North Georgia mountains. Fishing has been his passion from the time he caught his first fish. Cole has spent time in south west Montana, working and fishing the greater Yellowstone area. His roots brought him home; you can find him floating the river for trout or bass, or in the backcountry chasing brook trout.

Garner Reid
Garner Reid Guide
Garner is the premier fly guide on the Etowah, Striper are in his blood. He grew up in Northwest Georgia; hunting and fishing were always a way of life. If he is not on the water with a rod, you can bet he has a shotgun or a bow in his hands. After venturing out West and exploring the waters of Western Montana he wandered his way back home to work for Cohutta Fishing Company to chase river stripers, Brookies in the Appalachians, as well as other fresh and saltwater species. Garner also runs trips to destinations from Chile to Louisiana and everywhere in between.
Austin McDonald
Austin McDonaldGuide
Austin grew up a stone’s throw from the Etowah River. During that time, Austin fell in love with chasing Spotted and Coosa Bass throughout the Etowah and its tributaries. Austin’s knowledge of fly fishing for both trout and bass inspires him to teach as well as learn. You can find Austin on a river, lake, or creek in his free time chasing anything that swims.
Matthew Morrison
Matthew MorrisonGuide
Matthew grew up fishing for bass on Chickamauga Lake in his hometown of Chattanooga. Once he stumbled into fly fishing, he spent his teens fly fishing for bass and sunfish in the creeks around his hometown. Matthew became obsessed with honing his skills on Tennessee tailwaters and small streams in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park, and eventually he fished his way west, ending up in Montana for guide school. Matthew came back to guide on the rivers and streams around north Georgia for Cohutta Fishing Company – whether he’s chucking streamers from a boat or casting dries to small wild trout, Matthew is at home on the water. He loves sharing knowledge to new-comers of the sport and sharing fish stories with others just as immersed in it.
Jason Davis
Jason DavisGuide
Jason grew up in South Alabama and was a tournament bass angler in his formative years; he has also guided whitewater rafting trips, fly fishing trips out west with Glacier Anglers for West Slope Cutthroat Trout, and has been a professional touring musician. Jason specializing in fly fishing for shoal bass; his passion to pursue this unique bass only native to a small number of rivers continues to inspire him to both teach and share this species in the pursuit of conservation
Andy Bowen
Andy BowenTravel Director/Founder
Andy is a United States Coast Guard licensed captain and owner of Cohutta Fishing Company. Andy’s passion for fishing began at a very early age fishing everything from farm ponds to lakes, and rivers. Growing up in South Georgia there was abundant opportunities for largemouth and bream fishing along the Flint River. Over the past 30 years his fishing experiences has taken him to several destinations including the Virgin Islands, Mexico, Costa Rica, Florida Keys, Chile, western rivers, Cuba, Seychelles (East Africa), Baja (Mexico) and the Outer Banks of North Carolina. He is a member of CCA, Trout Unlimited (Coosa Valley Chapter), Bonefish and Tarpon Trust, and the Atlanta Fly Fishing Club.