RIO Products recently announced they’ve got a new specialty fly line coming out, the Smallmouth Bass. It’s a fair guess that RIO put a lot of thought and effort into producing the animal, because the company is good like that. There will probably be quite a few bass fanatics who pick one up if for no other reason than writing a blog post about it testing it out on their favorite smallie water.
I like smallmouth bass, to a degree. I’m grateful that they are showing up in ever increasing numbers in my preferred local water, the urban South Platte River – it’s a sign the river is getting healthier. But I find them a bit irritating because they have a tendency to ambush those clouser swimming nymphs I’m throwing at…carp.
Scratch the previous politically correct commentary.
Smallmouth bass are perpetually hungry, and damn easy to catch. The city smallie is a good fun fight if you’re holding a four-weight, and I don’t think I’m alone when I say four-weights are for sissies. In summary, they’re a pain in the ass – I consider them the punks of the DSP, and ditto on the “not alone” bit. Hooking one isn’t just bittersweet, it’s downright bitter. The resulting battle spooks every carp for a thousand yards, meaning it’s now time to pack up. You could say they’re environmentally unfriendly, seeing as every time you catch one you have to get back in your car and drive, through stop and go traffic too. But that would be reaching.
On the cusp of the news about this fabulous new line, I’ve heard rumors that the RIO Carp is being discontinued. Me thinks this is a conspiracy – @#$%ing smallmouth bass stealing capr thunder!
I smell a class action for discrimination.
MG signing off (did I mention more smallies are a sign the DSP is cleaner?)
