Fly Fishing the Soque River for Trout (Westbound & Wild EP.1)
Westbound & Wild: Episode 1 – Go With The Flow
We’re officially on the road. Day one of Westbound & Wild started somewhere in North Georgia, about eight and a half hours from home, with twenty hours still to go before reaching the wild country out west.
I had packed everything perfectly for this trip: rods, reels, camera gear, and the week’s worth of plans that would shape this new series. But one bag didn’t make it into the truck… the one holding my Sony cinema camera. It was sitting cozy back home in Florida.
At first, I felt that sinking feeling all creators know too well, the one where your gear plan falls apart before you even hit record. But then I remembered something: sometimes, the best stories come from the moments you didn’t plan for. I had a few GoPros, my Nikon Z6, and a couple of lenses. It wasn’t what I envisioned, but it was enough. The trip wasn’t about perfection; it was about the journey.
Mark of the Potter
Our first stop was Mark of the Potter, a small mountain shop filled with handmade crafts and a back porch overlooking a waterfall. In the pool below, giant trout cruised lazily in clear water, an irresistible sight for anyone with a fly rod in their hand. For a quarter, you could buy feed and watch these fish rise in slow motion.
It reminded me of Robbie’s down in the Keys, just swap the tarpon for mountain trout. It was the perfect place to shake off the long drive and start thinking like a fisherman again.
Making It Work
While rummaging through the truck, I found an old Nikon 28–50mm vintage lens buried in a door pocket. Dusty, manual focus, and probably older than me, but with my FTZ adapter, it fit perfectly on the Z6. I figured if I couldn’t film this trip how I planned, I’d at least give it some character. Vintage glass, vintage look. Sometimes, imperfection adds soul.
It just felt right.
The Soque River
We hit the Soque River that afternoon, small, tight water winding through the mountains. Drake was celebrating his 30th birthday, and we were chasing big Georgia trout. Purple has always been my lucky color, so naturally, my fly box was full of olive and purple patterns.
The first few casts brought a rush of hope. A massive brown rolled behind my streamer, headshakes, wake, the whole thing. It chased five feet before nipping the tail and vanishing. Drake hooked into a big one himself, looked like a 24-inch brown, but it came unbuttoned too.
That’s fishing.
Still, the energy was electric. The mountains were alive, the water cold and clear, and we were finally here. The sound of the river, the smell of wet bucktail, and the rhythm of cast, strip, repeat all brought me back to what this trip is really about.
First Fish of the Trip
A few pools later, we spotted several trout holding behind a rock. Drake climbed down and made a clean cast. Within seconds, chaos broke out, three fish competing, flashing gold and red beneath the surface. He hooked one and landed the smallest of the group, but the smile on his face said it all.
Sometimes, it’s not about the size; it’s about the moment.
Heading West
We packed up, walked the trail back to the truck, and pointed the rig west. Twenty more hours of highway ahead, but spirits were high. Day one wasn’t perfect, but maybe that’s exactly why it was.
Watch the Episode
Fly fishing the Soque River, adapting to what you’ve got, and learning to roll with the unexpected.