On Wednesday, April 29, 2026, a fishing buddy and I had the privilege of having Chris Scalley take us out on the Chattahoochee River. The float was from Jones Bridge to just above Island Ford. Chris was awesome! His knowledge of the river, fly fishing, managing/handling a boat, and showing appreciation to his customers is second to none. We caught fish! Good size rainbow trout and brown trout. You will not be bored! Chris is a good conversationalist and has a good sense of humor. The float itself was quite scenic. Chris pointed out several interesting spots and told the history behind them. I recommend using his guide service. If Chris is not available, he has plenty of competent employees who can guide you. read more

River Through Atlanta - Chris Scalley assisting a customer land a trout. - Fishing Near Me

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I highly recommend Chris and a River Through Atlanta. My son and I were in town for a golf vacation and decided to try fishing on one of our non-golf days. Chris booked us the last minute and exposed us to a great afternoon on the river. We were beginners, so fishing off the top with with the spinning reels but using bobbers enabled us to get the hang of the casting motion and land a handful of trout. We'll be back. read more

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Wow what a beautiful experience with my son Chris the owner is one of the nicest guys ever and made the trip amazing for us Top must thing to do in Georgia read more

River Through Atlanta - Best Fishing Charter in Georgia - Fishing Near Me

Very knowledgeable about the river system and ecological impact of its health & spawn. read more

River Through Atlanta - Apalachicola bay clam hunt - Fishing Near Me

Chris was an amazing guide, had a great time on the river and even caught 3 rainbow fish!! Great weather and he was also really educational. Would highly recommend! read more

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My husband and I wanted to learn where and how to fish on the Chattahoochee River near Atlanta, so we booked a 4-hour "spin fishing" excursion via RiverThroughAtlanta.com. Owner Chris Scalley served as our amazing guide! We arrived at the designated boat ramp 30 minutes early and were pleasantly surprised to find Chris and his boat already there. He showed unbelievable familiarity with river navigation, as well as concern for our safety and comfort. The 4 hours passed quickly, as Chris was so interesting to talk to! He gave great tips on casting, lure selection, reeling, and provided encouraging comments! He was very patient and recovered every lure that my husband and I snagged on unintended targets! As a native of metro-Atlanta, Chris's love and appreciation for the awesome beauty and true natural treasure of the Chattahoochee River is contagious! We saw osprey, king-fishers, turtles, beautiful spider webs glistening in the morning dew, and we appreciated the many photos snapped by Chris which he sent to our phones after our outing ended. We were thrilled to have caught 7 rainbow trout, which we cooked that night; so fresh and delicious! We highly recommend River Through Atlanta for a fun and memorable experience! read more

River Through Atlanta - River Through Atlanta - Chris Scalley - Fishing Near Me

I walk here often . It is very safe , beautiful, and has friendly people all over. Easy walk with lots of dogs to look at. Highly recommend this place for a serene stroll. read more

Our first time down the hooch and what a treat! Chris was phenomenal! His knowledge of the river, flies and fishing made for an exceptional experience. We caught way more fish than we expected and had a ball doing it! He created a love in fishing for us and we can't wait to go again! read more

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For those of you who have been fishing for a while, or are just beginning, a good guide can come in handy. I finally got the chance to go out with Capt. Kyle Burrell of River Through Atlanta this Tuesday. I'm not exactly a beginner, but I did manage to learn more in about 8 hours of fishing with a very experienced guide than I have over several months of trying on my own. I also was able to explore much more river than I could have safely managed by wading on my own. Chris Scalley, the owner of RTA, has done a lot to educate anglers and nonanglers about the importance of conservation. Kyle, whom I've known for a couple of years, is extremely knowledgable when it comes to trout habitat, river ecosystems, and of course, fly fishing techniques. RTA offers both drift boat and wading trips. Beginners are just as welcome as veterans. They offer schools in addition to trips. Half-days are offered as well. Perfect for travelers in town for business or someone who'd like to see what it's all about before diving into the sport headfirst. read more

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Chris out guide was a very skilled guide as you would expect from his experience, but in addition to that he went above and beyond. He taught my daughter to cast, mend, and set the hook. She had it all down by the end of the day and had reeled in plenty of trout. I had as well. His focus was constant and he was quick to point out a moving strike indicator or a line that needed a mend when our attention drifted. We also leaned a lot about how to fish, and enjoyed seeing a bald eagle, kingfisher, and other wildlife that was all pointed out and identified for us along with the history of the land surrounding the river. Overall a great experience. read more

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What else is there to say. I was given a Groupon for my first fly fishing lesson. So very excited. After making my reservation months in advance, the week of the lesson approached. I exchanged emails the week of the lesson with the leader Chris who informed me the class was still confirmed as I inquired about possible bad weather. The day of the lesson I wake up at 5:45 am on a Saturday to drive 40 minutes to the lesson to find an empty parking lot. I called Chris and he told me the lesson was canceled due to inclement weather! I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT! Not only did he not inform me on the cancellation, he had no idea who I was and had no record of me signed up for the lesson in the first place. He gave a questionable apology and then directed me to reschedule at a later date. I could not believe how unprofessional this experience was. I will not be rescheduling to wake up early on a weekend again to drive 40 min and stand in a parking lot. No thanks. read more

Had a great morning on the river with Chris. He was very knowledgeable, fun to be with and we caught lots of rainbow trout. In 30 minutes he taught us how to fly fish and we were pulling them into the net right away. Very fun experience my son will be talking about for years. read more

I am a huge fan of the movie "A River Runs Through It" and on my many drives I would always end up watching the fly fishermen on the bank of the Chattahoochee. I was fascinated with the motion as they threw out the reel, the count they had between each swing and the way the line danced along the top of the water. I was put in a trance and knew I had to try it for myself. Thankfully, after an extensive Google search I found an instructor. I was told to bring a pair of overall waders, a hat and a lot of patience. It was a cool day in October so needless to say, getting in the water, even in waders took my breath away but I eventually got used to it the more I moved around. The instructor was knowledgeable and patient. He counted with me as I snapped my wrist front to back and he held on to me and my rod as we moved up and down the stream. I was in my glory! The Fall leaves were bright orange, yellow and red up and down the river; this paired with the cool water running by us and the light breeze was absolute heaven. There were other, more seasoned, fly fishermen about 40 yards away but even with them so close, it was quiet and serene. There is such an art to the swing of the line and the release and while I was pleased I got the rhythm down quickly I didn't want to really get too intense my first day but the instructor claimed I could be on my own after lunch. Through lunch I gave myself the "you can do this" pep talk and even though I was literally shaking in my waders I was handed my rod and away I went. I tried to make it as close to the other guys fishing as I could but kept my distance because of my giggling as a little cold water got in to my waders and my nerves were getting the best of me. I finally found a place in the water, almost to my waist where I felt comfortable enough to begin. I moved my foot a little to the left under water, leaned my rod back to swing and as I stepped forward I lost my footing and slipped, going under water. I stood back up screaming as my waders were filling full of water, ultimately dragging me under. At this time I had lost complete control and was beginning to go down stream with the current as I lost my rod and my hat. Thankfully, the instructor and every other guy fishing had come to my rescue. I was embarrassed and mortified as I was helped back to the bank. I walked up to the rocks where my instructor was and felt an odd cool breeze come up my back-I tore my waders in the process of almost drowning. Considering this was my first time with waders, no one told me you have to wear pants regardless of the waders you are wearing. So, there I was, the only girl on the river that day that was sucked in to the water, my hair a mess, shivering uncontrollably and now my bare ass flashing the guys that came to my rescue. I was encouraged to come back the next day but needless to say my pride and my sore ass never made it back. That was over a year ago and I still have the torn waders to prove that at least for a few hours I was fly fishing! read more

Based on my experience three things happen if you book a trip with these guides: 1. You will catch trout. 2. You will learn about how to catch rainbow and brown trout in cold tailwater rivers, like how to adapt to changing light and river conditions, when to switch to a dry fly, change color nymph, tie on a dropper, etc. 3. You will have a good time. You are pampered, and you won't get wet. Our guide tied the flies, tied them on your line when needed in a hurry, and will offer helpful fly casting instruction if requested. They spend a lot of time on the Chattahoochee River so they know the hatches, and what fly/nymph/streamer is working that week. I'll definitely book Chris Scalley and his team again this fall. read more

What a great way to spend Father's Day with my kids. A fantastic experience with our top notch guide guide John McCloskey. The weather was perfect and we got a very patient and encouraging intro to fly fishing from John . Plenty of bites and we caught 3 beautiful rainbows . A fun filled , enjoyable half day trip for the family . Highly recommended ! read more

Took the "Intro to Fly Fishing" class with Chris from River Through Atlanta. I have tried to fly fish on my own only to be come extremely frustrated, but with this one class, Chris changed my whole perspective on the sport. In an about 90 min Chris had our entire group, which consistently mainly of novices, casting like pros. In addition Chris took the time to explain the equipment, proper maintenance, safety practices, and even how to tie a couple of useful knots. If you ever get the bug to try to fly fish, do yourself a favor and take this class first, you will be glad you did. read more

I had a great experience with Chris Scalley and River Through Atlanta yesterday. I had originally signed up for a 3 hour wade trip but because of concern about rain and water levels went on a drive trip to various access points to wade the river. The trip was phenomenal. We started at Island Ford and the went to Buford Dam and worked our way down to Jones Bridge. I learned more about the Chattahoochee and where and how to fish it in 3 hours than I could have in 10 years on my on. Chris has an unbelievable amount of knowledge about the river. I would highly recommend a trip like this to anyone wanting to get familiar with the Chattahoochee river. I can't wait to reschedule that wading trip as well. read more