Dukes Creek North Georgia
Dukes Creek, in the Smithgall Woods Conservation Area near Helen, blows those assumptions out of the water with plentiful trophy rainbow and brown trout, with only a valid fishing license and trout stamp, a free reservation and a $5 daily parking fee required to fish for them.
Fishing the creek is restricted to 15 anglers in the morning and 15 in the afternoon each Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Between those days, the creek is closed to all public fishing. As a result of the limited number of anglers per day, free reservations are recommended and available by calling the Smithgall Woods Conservation Area office.
Like nearly all trophy waters anywhere, Dukes is restricted to catch-and-release fishing only, with artificial lures with barbless hooks. While this regulation leads to most folks fly fishing Dukes, it’s not off limits to spin-fishermen who follow the same lure restrictions.
It’s worth noting that even possession of a barbed hook can result in pretty stiff fines at Dukes, and the regulations are strictly enforced.
All this praise is not to say that Dukes hasn’t earned its reputation as being a tough place to fish for beginners and even regulars.
There’s also the simple fact that there are lots of fish in the 20-inch range and some closer to 30 inches all over the stream. And even big fish that must be released didn’t get that size by being stupid. Add to that the approximate 4-mile length of the Dukes trophy-managed section, and the stream can easily take a long time to learn.
The trophy water stretch is broken into four separate sections, and anglers are typically restricted to one or two for an entire day.
Throughout the stretch of creek is everything a trout fisherman might expect, big drops with deep pools, long flat stretches, riffles and runs along with man-made stream improvements here and there.
As a result, every little detail, from stealth to presentation to gear and fly/lure selection, matters in how you fish for the trout at Dukes Creek.
“Stealth is really one of the most important things.
The applied tactic is known by several names, but perhaps the most common is called “high-sticking.” Where an angler fishes without any strike indicator and holds the rod high enough to see or feel each hit. It’s not the easiest fly-fishing tactic to master, but it will definitely improve catch rates if practiced and applied correctly, not just at Dukes, but anywhere trout swim.
Changing flies is another trick to repeatedly fooling fish in the same hole at Dukes.
A lot of the time just changing one of your flies will get a fish to bite again.
It’s like they just want to see something different. Sometimes it’s just flashy versus natural or big versus small.
Gear questions like rod length and weight are really more of a personal preference than anything else. However, Landon nothing less than a 4-weight rod. A 6-weight rod is good because it gives me a little more power to steer the big fish from rocks and rootballs.
Long tapered leaders up to 12-feet long with tippet portions ranging from 4-lb. test and up depending on water conditions.
Generally, the less weight and lighter tippets the better when you fish low, clear water, But that’s not to say we’ve never caught fish on 8-lb. mono, either. But that’s when the water is high and stained from rain.
If you plan to go, just remember to be stealthy, be persistent and pay attention to your gear and presentation. Apply those things, a little time and a little luck, and you’re sure to get a picture of yourself with a dandy, public-water trophy trout.
For more information on fishing Dukes Creek, or for reservations, call the Smithgall Woods Conservation Area visitors center at (706) 878-2087.
Fishing the creek is restricted to 15 anglers in the morning and 15 in the afternoon each Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Between those days, the creek is closed to all public fishing. As a result of the limited number of anglers per day, free reservations are recommended and available by calling the Smithgall Woods Conservation Area office.
Like nearly all trophy waters anywhere, Dukes is restricted to catch-and-release fishing only, with artificial lures with barbless hooks. While this regulation leads to most folks fly fishing Dukes, it’s not off limits to spin-fishermen who follow the same lure restrictions.
It’s worth noting that even possession of a barbed hook can result in pretty stiff fines at Dukes, and the regulations are strictly enforced.
All this praise is not to say that Dukes hasn’t earned its reputation as being a tough place to fish for beginners and even regulars.
There’s also the simple fact that there are lots of fish in the 20-inch range and some closer to 30 inches all over the stream. And even big fish that must be released didn’t get that size by being stupid. Add to that the approximate 4-mile length of the Dukes trophy-managed section, and the stream can easily take a long time to learn.
The trophy water stretch is broken into four separate sections, and anglers are typically restricted to one or two for an entire day.
Throughout the stretch of creek is everything a trout fisherman might expect, big drops with deep pools, long flat stretches, riffles and runs along with man-made stream improvements here and there.
As a result, every little detail, from stealth to presentation to gear and fly/lure selection, matters in how you fish for the trout at Dukes Creek.
“Stealth is really one of the most important things.
The applied tactic is known by several names, but perhaps the most common is called “high-sticking.” Where an angler fishes without any strike indicator and holds the rod high enough to see or feel each hit. It’s not the easiest fly-fishing tactic to master, but it will definitely improve catch rates if practiced and applied correctly, not just at Dukes, but anywhere trout swim.
Changing flies is another trick to repeatedly fooling fish in the same hole at Dukes.
A lot of the time just changing one of your flies will get a fish to bite again.
It’s like they just want to see something different. Sometimes it’s just flashy versus natural or big versus small.
Gear questions like rod length and weight are really more of a personal preference than anything else. However, Landon nothing less than a 4-weight rod. A 6-weight rod is good because it gives me a little more power to steer the big fish from rocks and rootballs.
Long tapered leaders up to 12-feet long with tippet portions ranging from 4-lb. test and up depending on water conditions.
Generally, the less weight and lighter tippets the better when you fish low, clear water, But that’s not to say we’ve never caught fish on 8-lb. mono, either. But that’s when the water is high and stained from rain.
If you plan to go, just remember to be stealthy, be persistent and pay attention to your gear and presentation. Apply those things, a little time and a little luck, and you’re sure to get a picture of yourself with a dandy, public-water trophy trout.
For more information on fishing Dukes Creek, or for reservations, call the Smithgall Woods Conservation Area visitors center at (706) 878-2087.
Fishing Access Type:
Boat No
Kayak No
Wading Yes
Boat No
Kayak No
Wading Yes
Fishing Access:
Smithgall Woods State Park (call the Smithgall Woods Conservation Area visitors center at (706) 878-2087 for fishing reservations)
Map
Access to Dukes Creek is by foot path or using the state-run shuttle van, in the lower reaches. Additionally, all access is by foot or (in the lower reaches) by the site's fly-rod-friendly van. Dukes Creek is divided into four sections.
Smithgall Woods State Park (call the Smithgall Woods Conservation Area visitors center at (706) 878-2087 for fishing reservations)
Map
Access to Dukes Creek is by foot path or using the state-run shuttle van, in the lower reaches. Additionally, all access is by foot or (in the lower reaches) by the site's fly-rod-friendly van. Dukes Creek is divided into four sections.
- Section 1, the uppermost stretch, extends upstream from the Alternate 75 bridge. Offering easy access and enticing big-fish pools, it gets a good bit of pressure. This section regularly yields exceptional fish. There's a widespread belief that it's the most productive section of the creek
- Section 2, which starts not far from the parking area, begins with a short run of water near the visitor's center. That's followed by a stretch of clearly-marked closed water, with public water returning on the far side of a moderate hill. Section 2 anglers will find that the creek flattens somewhat and opens up in some areas.
- This pattern continues into Section 3, which is good water if you're after big browns. If the creek's clear, try carefully presented mayfly imitations, various caddis patterns, or small nymphs. Following a spring or summer rain, try streamers like the brown sculpin which will often work well in the fall.
- The lowermost portion, Section 4, is the most inaccessible and (by far) the most lightly fished section of the creek. Visiting anglers seldom get this far, but you'll notice that locals often head quietly in that direction right from the start. Part of the reason is the gargantuan browns said to lurk in some of those deep Section 4 pools.
Fishing Style:
Nymph
Dry Fly
Spinner Fall
Terrestrials
Streamers
Nymph
Dry Fly
Spinner Fall
Terrestrials
Streamers
Equipment:
4wt to 6wt rod
4wt to 6wt rod
Flies: Hatch Chart
Species:
Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brim, Crappie, Catfish, Large Mouth & Small Mouth Bass, Striper
Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brim, Crappie, Catfish, Large Mouth & Small Mouth Bass, Striper
Misc. Information: Fishing License
