River Fishing Adventure offers a genuinely distinctive North Georgia fishing experience, led by guide Marty Petza, running custom-built Xtreme jet boats capable of navigating water as shallow as ankle-deep to reach unspoiled, uninhabited stretches few other boats can access. The philosophy is simple: a truly amazing fishing trip should feel relaxing, scenic, and genuinely off the beaten path.
Marty has chased fish of all sizes for 34 years, building a reputation as someone with a “sixth sense” for finding and catching fish. As a teenager, he was a sponsored tournament angler for companies like Gambler Boats, STORM Lures, and Versitex Fishing Rods, competed in B.A.S.S. Pro/Am and RedMan tournaments, and became a 1991 state champion in BP’s very first CastingKids competition — later publishing informative articles in early Maryland BASS Federation magazines and giving seminars at industry shows across the East Coast. Growing up navigating the Chesapeake Bay and completing United States Power Squadron courses, Marty brings genuine boating expertise alongside his fishing knowledge.
Trips run on three North Georgia rivers (the Etowah, Coosa, and Chattahoochee) in the custom jet boat, or aboard a luxurious 22′ Sea Pro (Yamaha 200 HP) for parties up to 6 fishing Lake Allatoona, Carters Lake, Lake Lanier, and Lake Nottely. Live bait is used almost exclusively — guests simply relax while the fish do the work — targeting Striped and Hybrid Bass, Largemouth, Spotted, and Smallmouth Bass, Trout, and Blue and Flathead Catfish, with bait caught fresh by the guide to match exactly what fish are feeding on that day.
The business practices “CPR” (Catch, Photo, Release) for all trophy striped bass to help sustain healthy fish populations for future generations, though guests can keep a legal limit of catfish, trout, white bass, crappie, and other pan fish.
Pricing runs from $350 for a Half Day Lake Allatoona trip (first person, $50 each additional up to 7 total, one child under 10 fishes free) to $650 for a Full Day (7-hour) river trip. River trips run May 15-September 30 only, with a strict 900 lb combined passenger/gear weight limit due to the jet boat’s shallow-water requirements. All bait, tackle, life vests, and water are included.
For anglers of any experience level near North Georgia looking for a genuinely unique, scenic river or lake fishing adventure with a highly credentialed tournament-background guide, River Fishing Adventure offers a distinctive operation with Marty Petza.
