Home Film Different Fish, Different Places: The Deep South

Different Fish, Different Places: The Deep South

Presented by: LOON Outdoors

October 18, 2022

In the next installment of “Different fish, Different Places” we head to Bass country.

Most people in the continental United States have undeniable access to bass fishing right in their backyards. Whether it is in a pond or a local river, the bass is America’s fish. Join us with Adam from Blue Line Fly Co. as we explore some South East Bassin’!

Flylords: Did you ever get funny looks throwing flies at smallies on your home waters?

Adam: Absolutely! Any time I pass people on the river they will question what Iâ€™m doing. And generally, they donâ€™t think itâ€™s for bass, usually, they think Iâ€™m trying to catch bream/panfish.

FL: Why do you love smallmouth so much?

Adam: They fight hard and you get a lot of visual eats. I love watching smallmouth hunt their prey. Plus some can be very pretty fish when they color up.

FL: Do you think the bass can handle more fishing pressure?

Adam: I personally think smallmouth handle fishing pressure worse than trout. Weâ€™ve had quite a few rivers ruined in our area by kayak rental locations. Between pressure and the amount of trash in the river in throes areas we stay away. The best smallmouth rivers we have found are remote. Not sure if thatâ€™s as true about areas with more catch and release fly fishermen or not. But it certainly is true here.

FL: How many flies have you done R&D on for smallies?

Adam: Oh, hundreds of R&D patterns have been tested. Weâ€™re constantly developing new patterns and tons of Blue Line Co flies get tested that you never even hear about. But I feel like I learn something from each fly that doesnâ€™t work. Whether itâ€™s profile, color combo, or movement in the water. Itâ€™s all a puzzle that when it comes together can either work great and make it to market or flop and be another fly in the reject bin.

FL: What is your usual setup for smallmouth fishing?

Adam: I use a 7 wt (or an 8 wt for bigger and deeper water) with a heavy sink tip fly line.

7â€™s are better for the finesse and casting up under trees and around logs, but the 8â€™s sometimes handle flies easier and handle the heavier sink tips we use. Plus the bigger fish we find will put up a huge fight even on an 8 wt, youâ€™re not over gunned. I am not in the masses as I typically will steer toward softer and slower action rods whereas the industry is headed toward stiffer faster rods.

FL: What is your Fly Tying Set Up?

Adam: I use a dyna king or a renzetti vice. Both have pros and cons and I donâ€™t like either for just 1 function. Wish there was a vice brand I could find that did it all, but just like rods, there isnâ€™t.

I have been using a bunch of the loon tools since they came out. I love the scissors and their UV cure and lights have been the best Iâ€™ve found. I’ve been teaching to tie with the tying tool kit and itâ€™s the best kit on the market.

FL: Whatâ€™s next for BlueLineCo?

Adam: BlueLineCo was based on helping people get out on the water in their local fisheries. We started out helping anglers in communities where there werenâ€™t fly shops or resources. We want to continue that trend with other fisheries throughout the country and continue to make quality products for folks. Hopefully, this leads to a more enjoyable time on the water.

Thank you to Adam from BlueLineCo for taking us behind the scenes! If you want to check out the rest of the Different Fish in Different Places series head over to LOON’s Youtube channel.

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