About Cohutta Fishing Co
Since 2009, when we opened up shop in a too-small retail space with only eight-foot ceilings, Cohutta Fishing Company has proven itself as the Southeast’s premier fishing outfitter and guide service. Now located in the trout-rich mountain town of Blue Ridge, Georgia, Cohutta Fishing Company continues to provide the best in guided fishing trips, classes, and field-tested gear.
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. Even if you’ve never touched a fly rod and don’t know where to begin, we offer schools and guided fishing trips to help you master the basics and land that trophy trout or bass. For the advanced angler, we also offer access to world-class fisheries in Georgia and destination travel trips, both in country as well as abroad. We also stock our shop with only the best gear and tackle selected with expert input from our seasoned fishing guides. Up your fishing game with offerings from trusted companies like Simms Fishing Products, Orvis, Thomas & Thomas Fly Rods, Nautilus Fly Reels, Ross, Fishpond, Montana Fly Company, and more!
Our Staff & Guides
Drew Friedrich
Owner / Guide Service Manager / Guide
A native of Cartersville, Georgia, Drew grew up on the banks of the Etowah River. Drew’s passion for fly fishing led him from Cartersville to the Yellowstone of Montana where he completed the Sweetwater Guide School to Estes Park, Colorado where he lived and fished for a time before coming full circle again to Cartersville. Drew now lives in Blue Ridge, spending his days living the dream, growing the Cohutta Fishing Company with his crew of equally-passionate fishing diehards. A versatile fisherman, Drew feels just as comfortable slinging big streamers for Stripers on the Etowah as he does casting dry flies to brook trout in a mountain stream. Drew is a seasoned instructor with the skills and enthusiasm to teach both novice and advanced anglers.
Matthew Morrison
Guide
Matthew grew up fishing for bass on Chickamauga Lake in his hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee. As soon as he learned about fly fishing, he spent his teens chasing bass and sunfish in the creeks around his hometown. Matthew became obsessed with honing his skills on the Tennessee tailwaters and the small streams of the Great Smoky 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 feels at home on the water. He loves sharing knowledge with newcomers of the sport and sharing fish stories with other “long-timers” who share his passion.
Austin McDonald
Guide
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.
Monroe Mayfield
Guide
A Mississippi native, Monroe got his start in the world of fishing from his father, who passed down his skills and his enthusiasm for the sport. Whether on small farm ponds or the Gulf Coast, Monroe was always happiest on the water. Then, on a trip to Alaska as a teen, he first learned to fly fish and never looked back. A love for the mountains and small town life brought him and his family to Blue Ridge in 2018. Monroe is a proud father of three and loves to take his family fishing whenever possible. His passion for teaching and fishing brought him to Cohutta Fishing Company in 2020. From small trout streams to chasing big fish on salt, Monroe always has a smile on his face when he is fishing!
Kyle Bierce
Guide/Store Manager
Kyle grew up in rural Cherokee County near Lake Allatoona. He started fishing at an early age for largemouth, spotted bass and bluegill in many of the lakes, rivers and reservoirs from north Georgia up to North Carolina. Soon after finding his grandfathers fly rod in the family bass boat one day he quickly became obsessed with the art of fly fishing as well as learning the ways of fishing for trout in the mountains. He now loves to pass his knowledge down to others of the area and the techniques used to pursue anything that will rise, sip or swipe at a fly.
Cole Bryant
Guide
Cole grew up in the North Georgia mountains, and he became a passionate angler from his very first fish as a young boy. Cole honed his skill in southwest Montana, working and fishing the greater Yellowstone area for some years before the mountain waters of his home called him back. Most days, at work or play, you can find him floating the river for trout or bass, or in the backcountry chasing brook trout.
Cody Bain
Guide
Cody grew up within walking distance of the Conasauga River and the Cohutta Wilderness in Murray County, GA on the GA/TN line. Over the years he has fished the Conasauga, and Ocoee Rivers extensively and many surrounding rivers and watersheds. From the Smokies down to the Chattahoochee, I am confident that I’m able to help anyone get on a fish. I specialize mostly ,and prefer, in Alabama/Spotted Bass, Coosa/Redeye Bass, and most warm water species, but also have alot of experience in cold water fish as well, like Brook, Brown, and Rainbow Trout.
Andy Bowen
Founder/Travel
Andy is the founder of Cohutta Fishing Company and owned and operated Cohutta for 15 years. He now focuses on his travel business Cohutta Travel Company and continues to work with Cohutta Fishing Company when his clients need tackle and rigging. Andy is a US Coast Guard captain and resides on the Georgia coast. Andy also works as the Sales and Marketing Director for Thompson Boatworks. He has traveled extensively to destinations such as Alaska, Argentina, the Bahamas, Baja California Sur, Mexico both on the East Cape and Magdalena Bay, Bolivia, Chile, Cuba, Isla Holbox, Mexico, the Seychelles, and the US and British Virgin Islands. He is a member of Trout Unlimited, Bonefish Tarpon Trust, and Coastal Conservation Association.
When Andy isn’t traveling to fish, you can find him bouncing up and down the East coast and beyond fishing with his wife Kim for Redfish, Speckled Seatrout, Tripletail, and Tarpon.