NEW - RIO IT Technical Trout

[sweetandsalt]

BREAKING NEWS a NAFF Forum Exclusive: Visitors to the RIO Booth at the EFTTEX European Fishing Tackle Show today will be introduced to a brand new fly line optimized for the dry fly fisherman. "Technical Trout" will be available in both braided Nylon standard core and limited stretch InTouch versions. It is a true AFFTA standard weight line, a 5-weight is 140 grains in its first 30 feet. It's a presentation style line with a long head similar to ongoing RIO Gold, however, the front taper is elongated to 10' and the long "belly" is followed by a much longer finely attenuated rear taper to maximize both loop stability and in-air and on-water line manipulation control. Technical Trout is a tri-color line with the running line being pale tan, the back of the head is a subdued yellow and the forward business end is sky blue; a nice combination of blend with the environment while being well visible to the angler. I have it mounted for 8 1/2'/#5 Sage X but will fish it on 9'/#5 Igniter too. Following my return from Idaho and Montana in a month, I will report about my experiences with it.

 

[osseous]

Does it have the same coating as the gold? Sounds like a great color and taper.

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[sweetandsalt]

I have not discussed this with RIO but I presume it to have the same fabrication technology as Gold and other current lines of this type. I imagine if there was something new in this area they would have commented about it. The design team told me they tested it on the Henry's Fork and knew this was just the kind of line I always bug them about hence my being the fortunate recipient of an early production sample pre-introduction.

I know there are some on our Forum who dislike RIO's floating line PVC coating. I fish lines from RIO, SA, Cortland and a few from Airflo. Sticking to the PVC users, I find all of them very good and experience fine durability most of the time. It is rare I fish a line to the point where it is squeaking in the guides and developing little fissures in it jacket. On our upcoming Western trip I'll fish 6 outfits so line wear will be distributed not singularly focused. One of the rigged lines is a three year old Gold which seems fine to me but I'm packing a new one as a spare just in case.

 

[osseous]

I find them noticeably coarse right out of the box. The difference compared to others is significant- though in their defense, I have found that they float extremely well.

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[sweetandsalt]

My fly line priorities start with taper design and weight distribution. As a sight fisher in both fresh and saltwater, the presentation characteristics of a line matched to a given rods preferences (as perceived by me) is dominantly my focus. While I have, including recently (redfishing), fished some lines with abrupt transition from head to running line, I pretty much insist on a zero-hinging fluidity achievable only by elongating the rear taper into the running line. For the angler of me, I fail to grasp why ALL lines don't have long rear tapers and I say so like a loud, broken record to RIO, Cortland and SA. (No, I can't take much responsibility for the slow increase in lines with this feature but I'm a persuasive arguer.)

 

[osseous]

They figured out the coating on the flats pro- for $100 the trout lines deserve a smooth finish as well. I've never had an issue with their tapers.

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[sweetandsalt]

I was fortunate in being able to obtain a new Technical Trout from RIO before my Montana trip and its official introduction in Belgium at the EFFTEX Show. Mine is the InTouch limited stretch version in a 5-weight which I immediately mounted on the reel accompanying my beloved 8 1/2'/#5 Sage X, one of the most enjoyable to cast and fish rods in my current inventory. I have been happily fishing RIO's IT Gold on this outfit up to this point.

Technical Trout is related to Gold in that they are conceptually both long head extended rear taper "presentation" style fly lines...but they differ in a few important ways. Technical Trout is true-to-weight in its first 30', 140 grains in 5-weight as opposed to slightly overweight at 146 grains in IT Gold. Perhaps more noticeable is the front taper is nearly twice as long at 10' and the head and especially the rear taper are both longer too. Gold is an excellent dry fly line but his new one expands on Gold's virtues and genuinely enhances the feel and adroitness of a dry fly rod like the 8 1/2' X...simply perfect. I like the three tone color too providing a great combination of visibility for on-water refrence without being unnaturally bright. The camo against the sky blue front part of the taper is particularly appealing to me. Technical Trout loads in close, turns over 15'+ leader and carries in the air just the way I want a line too. No hinging and impeccable presentation with a long but not way too long front taper as on another line with the same initials which is why I do not refer to this new line as TT. Yes, the front taper is long but there is a slight forward bias to the head body taper rather than being level which enhances its in-air and on-water manipulation capabilities. Mine is the IT version and it is also available with the standard braided Nylon core which I have not tried nor do I have it in a 4-weight yet but I anticipate it will give the SA Trout I fish on some of my #4's a run for the casting...latter on that front.

 

[osseous]

The taper is sort of upside down for gentle presentations, no? And for mending and roll casting. I suppose if it's long enough that is mitigated, but then- it reaches aftma weight in 30'? The taper is opposite of the Triangle Taper or the Orvis Pro Trout.
Love the choice of blue- about time!

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[sweetandsalt]

I find I do not get the presentations I want with very long front tapers as on Triangle Tapers. Inadequate mass for loading in shorter casts hinders aerial and particularly on water control and these lines have a propensity to unfurl rather than maintain loop shape until wafting the fly to the surface. It is all about defying gravity to me. Prior to new Technical Trout (developed on the Henry's Fork) SA's Expert Distance and RIO's Gold where the presentation champs but extra long front tapers with short rear tapers are great for roll casting and using as shooting heads but are not adroit manipulators. I am aware that others opinions differ from mine, OK fine.

 

[ixoye]

Rio's answer to SA's Trout taper? they seems very similar.

 

[The op]

The more similar to sa trout coupled with non stretch core is what has me intrigued by this one.

Sweetandsalt,,I’m curious to hear if you tried this line with your igniter.

 

[osseous]

Not too far off from the MPX's taper

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[sweetandsalt]

Not too far off from the MPX's taper

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Except with a long head and a long rear taper and true-to-weight... A little like some rod companies, fly line taper designers don't grow on trees. There have been great ones like SA's Bruce Richards responsible for EDT and others and RIO's John Harder, father of Gold and more; both retired now. Harder's two disciples /protégées are engineers at RIO but SA is making do with some Orvis folks who were customers of SA's. Cortland has some great new names up state NY too. SA's best line, Trout, is a direct derivative of EDT.

 

[osseous]

Slighty less involved in designing a line taper than one for a fly rod

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[sweetandsalt]

Slighty less involved in designing a line taper than one for a fly rod

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Agreed, but still important. And it is not only the taper but weight distribution and continuity of energy transfer. Many/most lines are designed to be easy to cast including fast loading only some take adroit presentation into account; new Technical Trout is one of these.

 

[osseous]

I encourage you to try the Pro Trout as well

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[wthorpe]

Should the new Rio Technical Trout replace Rio Gold for those who now use Gold for most WF floating line trout fishing applications? And conversely, what would one use Gold for instead of Technical Trout? (I have used Gold for almost all my fishing in recent years, which is 80-90% dry or dry dropper fishing. I have also recently enjoyed the longer headed SA Trout taper lines for what it's worth.)

 

[sweetandsalt]

I'm still fishing Gold on a number of my outfits happily. Gold is a little more aggressive than this new dry fly specialty line who's front taper is almost twice as long as Golds. I will further try the new line on rods that I currently have been fishing SA Trout on that like a lighter more attenuated line configuration. For example, on GS 8'4"/#4 I tried both Gold and Trout on and felt it distinctly preferred Trout. As soon as I get Technical Trout in #4, I will re-test.

 

[Johnny D]

Hi there,

I’m currently fishing the regular #5 Gold on my 590 Igniter. Really keen to here how other #5 Rio lines fish on it, particularly the Technical Trout. The line will be used for 99% dry fly or single, small nymphs.

 

[sweetandsalt]

Since writing this initially I've fished Technical Trout quit a bit and on some rods, GS #4 and 8 1/2'/#5 X it is perfect and a little upgrade over the similar in intent SA Trout but for Igniter#5, IT Gold rules.