Fishing

Southern Trout Fishing and Quail Hunting with Charles Warren

By FarWide September 14, 2020

Meet FarWide’s newest ambassador! Charles Warren grew up fishing and hunting in the south and is well known throughout the outdoor community for his photo taking skills and ability to consistently find large trout! We sat down with Charles to get to know him a little better, find out more about his trout addiction, and talk about ways we can get more people outdoors with FarWide.

First off, where are you from, what do you do, and how did you get into it?

I was born and raised in Atlanta, GA, and am currently a Project Consultant for Cushman & Wakefield, a commercial real estate firm. I wanted to give the corporate life it’s fair chance, but am finding out it’s not for me!

Tell us your life story as seen through fishing and hunting (skip all that boring stuff that doesn’t involve being outside).

My grandfather took me quail hunting in south Georgia for the first time when I was 8 years old. He was the iconic grandfather – old Orvis rods and reels from the ’90s piled up and wore chaps in the field like a traditionalist. He loved to fly fish, but we never got the chance to go together. My mom took me on my first guided fly trip on the Tuckaseegee River shortly after he passed away and I immediately fell in love. I am a closet introvert, so fly fishing gives me an escape to process recent events and gives time for reflection. I spent my Senior year of college at Sewanee: The University of the South, living in the Sportsman’s house – a house sponsored by the University for upperclassmen to educate the campus community about hunting safety, fly fishing and conservation. From there, I went on to be an assistant guide at C Lazy U Ranch, learning from Maddie Brenneman, and then back to Atlanta where I currently guide on the Soque River (taking some time off right now from guiding, however). My biggest love about Fly Fishing is photography. Capturing a moment that is only amazing after seeing the developed picture is a neat feeling, and trout are some of the most beautiful species of fish on earth.

Why do you like what you do in particular?

It gives me life and gives me an opportunity to affect others. Guiding is not just putting clients on fish. You have an opportunity to invest in them and their day, make their day a great experience and show kindness to others. For many, coming to fish at an outfitter is their way of finding an escape from the busy world as well.

Are there any outdoor sports or activities that you’ve been wanting to get in to? Places you’ve been wanting to go?

I am a total trout bum, so obviously New Zealand and Patagonia are at the top of my list. Other than that, I would love to fish the Seychelles as well as Iceland for Arctic Char.

Tell us about your most epic day of hunting or fishing.

I was night-fishing the Upper Colorado River on the second-to-last night of my time out West a few summers ago. We fished until dark, went back and took a nap and then woke up about 1:00am to hit the river again. After an hour of throwing and changing streamers, I hit a bank with a white articulated Sex Dungeon and a healthy 21″ Brown Trout smashed it on the top of the water and came to the net. It was really something I will never forget.

What are the most important things we can do now to make sure future generations have opportunities to do this stuff? To make sure they actually want to do this stuff.

KEEP THEM INFORMED. There is so much out there to explore, most people don’t even know what they don’t know. It’s like starting a job in a field you’ve never worked in before. Showing people destinations and access points gives them the opportunity to go and explore these places themselves.