Fly fishing is a favorite sport among many. Whether you’re quite good or just starting the hobby, you’ll find a variety of products to buy, such as the Rio Fly Line. If you haven’t purchased one before, it might be a challenge to know where to start.

Beginners often spend more time casting than anything to help them improve their technique. When you can cast easily, the action reduces arm fatigue. This, in turn, allows you to make more casts each session, which builds proficiency and accuracy.

As such, you would want to find a slick line because it can almost cast itself. It will slip through your guides easily, resulting in less effort on your part. Plus, there is a reduced risk of false casting.

Rio Fly Line

RIO has been in the fly fishing product market for over 20 years. It has demonstrated innovation, passion, and a love of the sport because of its development of high-performance fly lines. The professionals here continue to design, refine, and research options to ensure that they are the best.

This company was founded in 1990 by Jim and Kitty Vincent. They wanted to create the best fly fishing products back then, and they still focus on that same ethos now.

Who Is This Product For?

This line is designed for anyone who likes to fly fish or wants to learn how. If you have a fly fishing rod in your possession, you know that you need to have the right fly line. Otherwise, the device isn’t going to work correctly.

What’s Included?

When you order this line, you get one box, which is about 4 x 4 x 2 inches big. Inside it, you will find the moss-gold fly line. This product is designed for freshwater applications only and says so on the box.

Overview of the Features

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The Rio Gold version features a special tapering design. This provides you with more loop stability, even at greater distances.

You’ll find that this product is only provided in the WF5 size. However, it is one of the most popular options and is ideal for fishing trout. Rio Gold is an all-around, floating line suitable for freshwater applications.

Though most people claim that orange is the best color for casting and fishing, the moss or gold version is quite noticeable, too. In other sizes or weights, you can find different colors available.

How to Get the Most out of This Line

It’s ideal to buy a new fly line at the start of each season. The new line is going to improve casting regardless of your skill level. Though you can work with the same fly line, you may put in more effort to cast, which is what you don’t want.

You should also clean your fly line frequently. It often takes less than five minutes, but it will keep the slick coating smooth and ready for action. When fishing in “dirty” water (areas with organic material or stagnant water), it is ideal to clean the lines after each use.

Since you’re likely to be practicing a lot, you should avoid casting on dirty or hard surfaces because this will just damage the line. You should always practice on the water when possible because it is more real, though grass is a second-best option.

Casting or Mending Tips

Most people have issues with false casting. This is where you throw the rod, but the line doesn’t come out. Instead, you should focus on the pick up-lay down casting.

However, false casting can be beneficial for certain situations. You may want to dry the fly, change length, or change direction. Otherwise, you’re just showing off if you false cast and other fishermen may not appreciate it.

It is best to practice at home as often as you can. Though you want to get on the water to make it seem more realistic, you don’t want to be practicing while everyone else is catching fish. The goal here is to focus on short, more efficient casts with few, if any, false casts. Take only about 15 minutes at a time. Otherwise, your arm will start getting tired, and the casts will become sloppier.

Using Fly Line Backing

Fly line backing is a thin and strong line that’s secured to your fly reel and the back of your fly line. In a sense, it is an insurance policy on your limited tackle while you’re landing, playing, and hooking fast species.

Generally, fly lines are only about 100 feet long, and some are only 90 feet in length. If the fish goes a longer distance while you’re trying to hook it, you’ll run out of line and snap it. The backing works to “catch” the fish and hold it while you start reeling it back in.

Often you’ll need 50 yards of backing. It’s usually found in the 20-pound range. However, some people prefer to use up to 200 yards of backing, especially if they’re fishing tarpon or bonefish.

There are two types of backing: gel-spun and Dacron. Dacron is often a polyester material and is a tough, synthetic line with little friction; it’s also the most popular. Gel-spun backing is similar, though it’s much smaller in diameter.

Alternative

Though we believe that the Rio Fly Line is an excellent product, we did want to provide you with a more cost-effective option. Even if you can’t afford the high-end item, it doesn’t mean you don’t have the right to fly fish. The M MAXIMUMCATCH Maxcatch Avid Fly Line is a less expensive version.

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This option comes in a variety of sizes, including the WF5 (weight forward). Plus, it’s also a floating fly line that can deliver more accuracy regardless of distance.

The high-tech coating is there for durability. It will also help it float and be more dependable. Of course, the two-tone color is different, but it can help you determine the ideal load point when you’re casting.

Conclusion

When it comes to purchasing a fly line, there are probably many questions running through your mind. We talked about a few tips and how to get the most out of your fly line.

The taper is also important. With the more modern tapers, you can load your rod for the maximum power. Primarily, people focus on WF (weight forward) tapers, which are highly popular and work well in many circumstances.

Of course, this Rio Fly Line product review was designed to help you decide if this product is right for you. We chose to offer an alternative toward the end, just in case you wanted something that was more cost-effective.