Line for a 5# Radian

[geordie41]

As the title suggests I'm looking for recommendations on a good alround line for a 5# 9ft Scott Radian.
Mainly I will be fishing dries but will chuck the odd nymph and maybe even swing a streamer now and again. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[eastfly66]

Borrowing from Rio the A & B column system:

A - Caster inclined to hauling , prefers a light and fast feel.

B- Caster prefers to "feel" the rod load or casting slightly heavier/larger flies.


A - Mastery Trout DT/WF , MED #5, Barrio GT90

B- Rio Gold, Elite, Wulff TT +, Rio SHS, Barrio SLX

* I don't have TT (standard) GPX/MPX or Exceed to test.
** I deploy both A or B as need be or depending on my mood.

 

[boisker]

Hey Geordie
I haven't a 5w Radian but have the 4 & 6w's...

I have the gold on the 4w and the barrio gt90 on the 6

Only recently tried the Barrio, had it on the 6w for about 3 weeks and it's a brilliant line... no memory, soft and it cast brilliantly... very well designed and a great taper..

I'm going to pick up a 4w gt90 for the new season as well.

1/3 the price of Rio lines and I believe postage is free worldwide, not much too lose

 

[eastfly66]

Another explanation....

Hopper & Dropper all day - Rio Gold and the like

Single dry and presentation - Mastery & such ..

Rio SHS & Barrio SLX , good compromise with a neat twist.

 

[hereismyworld]

Royal wulff triangle taper or triangle taper plus.

Sent from my XT1563 using Tapatalk

 

[cletus]

I like the Gold on the 905 as well as the SA Textured Trout.

As an aside, one of my goals was in 2016 was to cast the whole line with a 905. I know, a goal of very little value on the water but a goal nonetheless. I accomplished it with the Radian 905 and the Rio Gold. Now I never have to cast that far again!

 

[willyf]

I like the Gold on the 905 as well as the SA Textured Trout.

As an aside, one of my goals was in 2016 was to cast the whole line with a 905. I know, a goal of very little value on the water but a goal nonetheless. I accomplished it with the Radian 905 and the Rio Gold. Now I never have to cast that far again!

Now you have to buy a MED and cast that whole thing.



I really like the Perception for an all around line for the Radian. It does everything well.

 

[sweetandsalt]

I'm going with Gold, perhaps the InTouch version for Radian. However, I have no Barrio lines in my collection to try, I want to learn more about them. One of their tapers has the longer head and elongated rear taper like Gold and MEDT, a feature I find invaluable for dry flies.

 

[ixoye]

SA MPX or Rio Gold (Standard)

 

[joerg66]

For calm days and dry flies I prefer a SA VPT.
For windy days or bigger flies a like a rio perception.

 

[bevanwj]

Scientific Anglers Sharkwave Ultimate Trout WF5F works well for me.

 

[bob3700]

Yesterday was a very windy day ( 15-gusts to 20) , and my 905 with Courtland 444 did the job. We were throwing two wet flies or two wets with an indicator.

 

[fc1955]

I've been using Airflo super dri exceed on my radian so far so good

 

[boisker]

I've been using Airflo super dri exceed on my radian so far so good

This shows that for all the advice you'll only really know by trying differing lines yourself.
I found the exceed too heavy for the radian. Obviously it cast fine, but it just 'felt' too much and dulled the rod a bit for me.
It wasn't on the 5w radian, so perhaps that's different, but on the 4 I preferred the super dry elite, which is lighter. I've since got rid of that and tried the gold this season but will probably settle of the barrio gt90 next season which is lighter than all the above.

 

[el jefe]

This shows that for all the advice you'll only really know by trying differing lines yourself.
I found the exceed too heavy for the radian. Obviously it cast fine, but it just 'felt' too much and dulled the rod a bit for me.
It wasn't on the 5w radian, so perhaps that's different, but on the 4 I preferred the super dry elite, which is lighter. I've since got rid of that and tried the gold this season but will probably settle of the barrio gt90 next season which is lighter than all the above.

I also use the Elite, on my 906 Radian. I have an Xceed ready to try, but haven't felt the need.

 

[gidva]

Did not like the elite on my radian gave it to my dad he did not like it either way too light. Using a distance pro now but seems like the Radian likes the triangle wulf taper.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

 

[sweetandsalt]

I don't own a Radian so my observation is based on friends and the several I've included in cross comparison test casting.

This rod possesses a conundrum in line selection...I'm talking single, un-weighted dry flies here. Radian has a fairly fast taper with decent lower taper grunt that likes a little extra weight to access. Conversely, it has a softer flexing tip that does not want to be collapsed by over-lining. Recent Scott trout rods prior to Radian, S3 and S4, were among the few rods I've fished that actually preferred the SA GPX lines, they were designed using them. Many of you are aware of my distaste for the GPX taper; the way I formed this opinion is by fishing GPX on my S3#4 (4.5) as Scott instructed me to when I commented I could not find a line it liked.

So, depending on how and at what distances one fishes Radian, different lines are applicable. Hence the diversity of opinions expressed in this tread. Since Radian is not as sharp reflexed as some of the Sage and Loomis rods, I'm inclined to go with a conventional braided core rather than a non-stretch cored line on it. My partner, Dillon, fishes Radian#6 a lot and we have decided standard Gold is best fishing dry flies with it. It loads Radian better than slightly lighter M.EDT and is not so aggressive or heavy as to dull its tip. We have not tried it but I have a friend who likes SA VPT on it too, it has a Wulffian long front taper good for no overload in close but with enough mass behind it to bend the lower rod for more distance and is not as over-weighted as the TT lines.

So, while I like to believe there is an objectively "correct" line match-up for most rods...sometimes with a line I do not otherwise like the taper of...Radian, by design, proves elusive.

 

[zjory]

905 Radian is my all-around rod, and RIO Gold is a great all around line for it.

 

[willyf]

So, while I like to believe there is an objectively "correct" line match-up for most rods...sometimes with a line I do not otherwise like the taper of...Radian, by design, proves elusive.

I see the Radian as a really great all around rod, and I think that's why it works well with so many different lines.

I own the 906, and I've fished it with quite a few lines. Rio Perception fishes great on it (though I've given it up because those lines just don't last for me). So does a 200 grain Orvis Hydros HD Depth Charge. Rio Gold is good too. And for distance work, the 5 weight MED is excellent. The 5 weight Anadro (which is actually a 7 weight line) is an amazing indicator nymphing and floating line streamer line for it.

I don't have much experience beyond lawn casting the 905, but I'd imagine that it is similar in what lines it can handle well.

 

[boisker]

So as an update...
I've had the barrio gt90 on my 4w radian for a couple of weeks and really love it...
Some may find it a bit light real close in but it works well for me, get a bit more line out and it sings
I had a gold on it prior and was starting to feel it was a tad heavy with 40' of line out, that's being real picky it still matched very well...
But gotta say after 2 weeks I'm starting to think the gt90 is the one for me.
I think many will prefer the gold and feel the rod flexing more, but I'm starting to realise I like a lighter line