Rex Gudgel

Ok, another "guide bio"! Let’s make this a little more interesting than usual. I’ve got some questions for you. Which guide at Unicoi Outfitters grew up just a short drive away from Yosemite in the Sierra Nevada Mountains? And, who became obsessed with fly fishing by learning to catch the wide variety of trout species that thrive in these Sierra Mountains? The list of favorites soon grew to include all eleven of California’s recognized species of trout and most of if not all of the sub species! During this time he was lucky to travel and fish the western trout Meccas, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, Utah, Oregon, Washington, and the little known Arizona and Nevada! Was this person a trout snob? Heavens no! Between his home in the San Joaquin Valley and the Sierras were great bass, bluegill, striper, carp and "bull frog" fly fishing hot spots.

Let’s move on… this guy did. He moved to Santa Barbara, California. There on the South Central Coast he was bitten by the saltwater bug. Here are more questions for you. Who has caught record size halibut, white sea bass, and calico bass on the fly rod? Who would guide a group of adventure junkies out in float tubes to catch sharks on fly rods (yes, foolish we know) and then drive five hours to the Eastern Sierras to guide and fish trout water?

Let’s move on… to Florida. Who became friends with Flip and Diane Pallot and helped build Hells Bay Flats boats during the early years of inception? This fellow we are talking about has caught bonefish, tarpon, permit, and snook in Florida, Belize, the Bahamas, and the Yucatan Peninsula. Talk about a "slam". He has had a couple of days when he caught eighteen different species of fish on a fly in less than eight hours! Do you have any ideas yet? Here’s another hint. Lefty Kreh has said that this person "can teach anyone to cast! I have seen him on his knees with kids and I’ve seen him tweaking the casts of advanced casters to make them better! He can cast a loop through a screen door!"

Well if you don’t know by now…I’m not going to tell you! He is a Federation of Fly Fishers Master Certified Casting Instructor and has implemented new techniques and ideas into teaching casting to others. This guy has been written up in outdoor magazines and news papers. He is proud to be on pro staff with TFO fly rods. He has introduced hundreds to the art of casting and to the sport of fly fishing all over the U.S... He thoroughly enjoys sharing the sport along with his knowledge of it and he has been doing just that by teaching classes and guiding with Unicoi Outfitters for the last eight years.

No more questions! We are talking about Rex Gudgel! If you want to experience fly fishing at its best come to Unicoi Outfitters and ask for Rex!!

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Contact Unicoi Outfitters:

In Helen:
P.O. Box 419
7280 S. Main Street
Helen, Georgia 30545
(706) 878-3083
or by email.

In Blue Ridge:
490 East Main St.
Blue Ridge, Georgia 30513
(706)632-1880
or by email.

Unicoi Outfitters is a permittee of the Chattahoochee-Oconee, Sumter, and Nantahala National Forests. See contact page for more information.