Back in 1965, Andy’s Trout Farm was founded by Andy and Hazel Cope. Today, Sonya Cousineau, granddaughter of Andy and Hazel and current owner of Andy’s Trout Farm, is continuing the legacy started by her grandparents, sixty years later.
Cousineau first started working at the trout farm in 1988, but she spent a lot of time there before her working days, given that her grandparents were the owners.
Although technically located in North Carolina, Andy’s Trout Farm has provided the people of Rabun County and its visitors with many fun outdoor activities. The farm offers gem mining and hiking to its guests, but the main pull has always been trout fishing.
Cousineau says there are families that visited the trout farm in its early years that still make yearly visits to this day. People who fished as kids back in the day now bring their own kids to fish in the same location.
Legacy is a very important part of what makes Andy’s Trout Farm special. Whether its the same family that has owned and operated the farm or the families that have visited since day one and still bring their kids and grandkids to go out and fish.
The trout farm also has cabins on the property that people can rent out to stay for extended periods, as well as Cope Hall, an event space that has held weddings, baby showers and other group events in the past.
Cope Hall, built in 2015, hosted the weddings of all three of Cousineau’s daughters.
This story was produced by Derek Oliveros as part of the 2025 Woodall Weekend Workshop.
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