About Us
Unicoi Outfitters first opened it’s doors to the fly-fishermen of North Georgia in 1994. First located in a small building along the Chattahoochee above Helen, in 1996 the shop moved and up-sized into the building it is in today. Around this same time Unicoi Outfitters began to offer guided trips throughout the North Georgia mountains and opened Nacoochee bend, our personal trophy trout stream. In 2020 we opened our second shop located in historic downtown Clarkesville. Here in addition to fly tackle we also expanded into carrying conventional bass tackle to cater to anglers fishing the many highland lakes and rivers in our area for bass and stripers.
Owners, Jimmy Harris and David Dockery and Operations manager Jake Darling have all fished in North Georgia for the better parts of their lives, as have most of the UO Staff and Guides. Above all, here at Unicoi Outfitters, we value customers and relationships, and strive to be more than just a typical fly shop. We pride ourselves on customer service and authentic interaction, with each and every customer. If you have any questions, would like to book a trip, or would like fishing tips or product information, never hesitate to call us.
Jimmy Harris - Owner
Jimmy has been an angler of one sort or another for over 65 years. The early days would find him sitting in an old wooden flat-bottomed boat on his family farm pond in middle Georgia. While the years have provided a myriad of fishing experiences across North and South America, small stream trout and Chattahoochee River Shoal Bass are his passion these days. His desire for all anglers is that we pass along our love for the sport and our respect for the resources.
David Dockery - Owner
David started Unicoi Outfitters in 1994 using funds from a home equity line of credit and a student loan. David has a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology and a Master’s Degree in Fisheries Science. He has been a licensed captain for over 21 years. He coined the original mission statement that guided the shop’s inventory buying policy for several years - “What would we not mind being stuck with when we go out of business”. Twenty-four years later, he still wouldn’t mind being stuck with a better collection of fly rods!
Jake Darling - Operations Manager & Guide
Jake has been an angler his whole life and has been a part of Unicoi Outfitters since he was a teenager. Few anglers in Georgia are as well versed or as dedicated to fishing as Jake. From his time in the competitive fly fishing scene for trout to fishing for spotted bass and stripers in mountain lakes and everything in between. Jake is an expert angler whether he has a fly rod, baitcaster, or spinning rod in his hand and is a wealth of knowledge. These days you can find Jake on mountain lakes in our area targeting spotted bass or in rivers chasing shoal bass.
Wes McElroy - Store Manager & Guide
Wes had a love of the outdoors and fishing instilled in him at a young age. Once he began fly fishing he quickly grew passionate about it and is always trying to gain as much knowledge of the sport as he can. While fly fishing is his preferred method of targeting fish, Wes is a very versatile angler who is equally as comfortable with a spinning rod or baitcaster in his hand. He enjoys fishing for all kinds of species throughout our area. From Brook trout in a small mountain creek to Bowfin in a swampy backwater and everything in between. Wes also loves teaching others about fishing. Whether it be guiding a client on the river or giving someone in the shops advice about a nearby stream, he is eager to share his knowledge.
Israel Patterson - Sales Associate & Guide
Raised in the south eastern United States, Israel grew up testing the many reservoirs for Largemouth Bass, and exploring the southern Appalachian streams for trout. A Marine Corps veteran, Israel turned to a career as a fly fishing guide and photographer in northern Colorado in 2013. Relocating back home to Georgia in 2021, Israel now guides the watersheds of northern Georgia for trout, and exploring the region for species not yet caught. Since relocating he has found a love for pursuing Permit on the saltwater flats. His photographs have been published in The Drake Magazine, Fly Fisherman Magazine, The Fly Tying Artist, and featured in multiple industry catalogs and advertisements. Israel is a Lifetime member of Trout Unlimited, as well as a member of Back Country Hunters and Anglers and volunteers with Project Healing Waters, Reel Recovery, Casting for Recovery, and Reeling in Serenity.
Caleb Barge - Sales Associate & Guide
Caleb was raised in West Georgia and spent most of his youth chasing largemouth and bluegill in a pond behind his house. He fell in love with fly fishing out West while visiting Montana and it quickly grew into his passion while living in Northern New Mexico. During his off time, Caleb enjoys bluelining for wild trout and pond hopping for bluegill. What Caleb enjoys most about guiding and working in the shop is the educational side of it. Caleb has a passion for teaching and introducing fly fishing to new anglers.
Ben Smith - Sales Associate & Guide
Ben has been fishing since he could hold a rod and reel, fishing for Bass, Trout, and many other freshwater species. He has been Guiding for the last 6 years. Ben has spent time in the competition fly fishing world dialing in his trout fishing techniques. He also has a deep passion for the sport of Bass fishing whether it be for Shoal Bass, Largemouth Bass, or spotted Bass, you name it he wants to catch it.
Jeff Durniak - Sales Associate
Jeff comes to us with a BS and MS in Fisheries Science, and 34 years of service with the GA Wildlife Resource Division, with 24 of those years serving as the North Georgia Region Fisheries Supervisor. More importantly, Jeff has more than four decades of experience flinging a fly rod at anything with fins. He loves sharing his knowledge of the sport with others, especially new anglers.
Grant Barron - Sales Associate & Guide
Grant has been working with UO for three years and enjoys working in both the Clarkesville and Helen locations. Grant is an avid fly fisherman with a lifetime experience in both freshwater and saltwater fishing. His favorite fish to catch is tarpon is Homosassa Springs, Florida. While in Northeast Georgia Grant enjoys catching striper on Lake Lanier and trout in the Chattahoochee River. When not fishing Grant enjoys spending time with his family and friends. He is studying nursing at Brenau University in Gainesville, Georgia.
Joseph Clark - Sales Associate & Guide
Atticus Leithner - Sales Associate & Guide
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Palmer Loggins - Guide
Palmer is from Gainesville, Georgia where he also works as a Firefighter/EMT. Palmer grew up with a love of fishing and quickly adopted the fly rod. He enjoys chasing shoal bass and stripers in our local rivers as well as wild trout in small mountain creeks. Palmer also loves to travel and check off new species on the fly.
Kenneth Comeaux - Guide
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