I'm contemplating trying a Rio Gold WF-5-F fly line to use on my 8' & 8.5' 5-weight bamboo rods (Grangers, Phillipsons, Para-15, Reams, Kenney,
Jennings), but I haven't had the opportunity to try one. I usually fish DT lines, but I have a reissue 3' Hardy St. George that would struggle with a
DT-5 line so I'm thinking about one the Rio Gold WF lines. Has anyone fished one of these lines on their bamboo rods? What did you think? Any pros and
cons and honest opinions would be appreciated.
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Anyone fish a Rio Gold fly line on their bamboo rods?
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 castafly |
Anyone fish a Rio Gold fly line on their bamboo rods? |
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Posts: 334 04/03/2009 21:49 |
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gbflytyer |
#1 | |||
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Posts: 119 04/04/2009 22:15 |
i tried several different lines and ended up with the rio gold. works well on my bamboo rods. you can't go wrong
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cyangler |
An alternative to consider | #2 | ||
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Posts: 65 04/05/2009 02:20 |
The Sylks and Hook & Hackle are a bit thinner in diameter for their given line weight. With 12lb test braid, 20 gel spun, or even SpiderWire for backing,
you could probably still get away with a DT in one of those lines. I've got a Gold and have tried it on several rods - feel lukewarm about it. If you are
considering the color as one of your determinants, you might want to look at a Cortland Precision Trout. Similar golden hue, though somewhat subtler --- and
two tone, with a forest green (if I recall correctly) running line. A bit thinner dia than the Gold. And, comes in half-weight designations for a more precise
match to your rod of choice. Overall, a more pleasant casting and better performing line, IMHO - re., my needs. But, line choice is highly subjective and
varies with the specifics of average casting distance, typical size/patterns fished, water temperature, etc.
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ibookje |
#3 | |||
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Posts: 1547 04/05/2009 04:40 |
The Rio Gold (or the SA Sharkskin) are new lines that are slightly heavier than the usual line of same eight. Roughly 1/2 size heavier. So rather than the line
being a 'better' line than the other, it's probably the additional line weight that you feel as 'wow...'.
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canerodscom |
#4 | |||
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Posts: 2059 04/05/2009 07:44 Bamboo preacher |
ibookje,
I'm not certain about the Rio lines, but the Scientific Anglers Sharkskin lines are not 1/2 size heavier. That's a different SA line. The Sharkskin lines are held closely to the IFTA standards. Harry |
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ellensdad |
#5 | |||
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Posts: 97 04/05/2009 07:59 |
I have the 4 weight. Although it does cast well I wasn't crazy about its turnover. Seemed more aggressive than the DT's that I'm used to.
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ibookje |
#6 | |||
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Posts: 1550 04/05/2009 09:07 |
Harry,
You might be right. I thought SA's Sharkskin lines were made slightly heavier to fit those fast graphite rods folks use today. I'm almost certain that the Rio Gold lines are slightly heavy for their line size. Obviously staying in the bandwidth of the line weight rating. |
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cyangler |
Gold v Precision Trout | #7 | ||
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Posts: 66 04/05/2009 12:38 |
I haven't checked weight charts or weighed them myself but, I think that may be why I have had a lukewarm response to the Gold while liking the Precision
Trout. The Precision Trout comes in half weights, i.e., 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, etc., and allows closer fitting to the rod. One can choose to go heavier or lighter
than the designated line recommendation for the rod. And if the rod is a 5/6, one can go with a 5.5 rather than having two lines and not being fully satisfied
with either. I think the Gold may have been overpowering my rod just nominally enough to notice as not ideal. Yet, when I tried it on another rod with a tad
more backbone, still wasn't entirely happy with it. I agree with ellensdad, another issue I had with the Gold was its turnover. Don't
get me wrong - the Gold is not a "dog" of a line by any means. I just find the Precision Trout a bit more to my liking.
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Arctic Grayling.fiberglassflyro... |
#8 | |||
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Posts: 31 04/06/2009 12:47 |
SA came out with the Sharkskin GPX this year that is a half weight heavier, but I think that the original Ultimate Trout Taper Sharkskin is a standard weight
line.
They also came out with a Sharkskin DT this year. I fished the Sharkskin on heavy Grangers last year and loved it! |
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David Dornblaser |
#9 | |||
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Posts: 77 04/06/2009 15:36 |
Interesting question. I tried my wife's Rio Gold line on a couple of rods before we received a couple of more inches of white "spring" yesterday.
I didn't care for it. Then again, when I tried the Rio's ST II DT line on her 8' BIIx, I liked it. I like the DT's turnover and smoothness over
the Gold.
- David  www.UpperMidwestFlyFishing.com - from spring creeks to smallies to steelhead!
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ibookje |
#10 | |||
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Posts: 1551 04/06/2009 16:09 |
You're comparing apples to oranges here.
The taper of the Selective Trout is different than the Gold's taper. The gold has a much more aggressive taper (= steeper build up from the thinner tip to the thicker body). Selective Trout 
Gold 
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David Dornblaser |
#11 | |||
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Posts: 78 04/06/2009 17:09 |
ibookje wrote: Yes, but that is question. He is looking for some feedback as he is considering a line that is substantially different than the DT lines that he currently fishes. - David www.UpperMidwestFlyFishing.com - from spring creeks to smallies to steelhead!
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cyangler |
Yeah, I think that's what I'm hearing | #12 | ||
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Posts: 67 04/07/2009 00:38 |
There seems to be a split here on preference with regard to posts thus far. The nays seem to have issue with finesse. I'm in that category. But, I'm an
Eastern angler and find myself casting relatively short throws to a fish, even when sight casting. I can imagine for a Western angler, the thicker, heavier,
more aggressive taper may work even when sight fishing (I understand they use clip on binoculars rather than clip on magnifiers).
Why I can't find a rod that the Gold works well with may be a function of my rod inventory. The majority of rods I own fall into the Bangor/Catskill tradition. The rods I own to fish big water are bazookas. I wouldn't use a Gold on them. A GPX, Bass Bug, Steelhead, Redfish or Saltwater taper..., but there is a gap between my frequently used stream rods and my big guns. Maybe, that is where the Gold fits well. If one is looking for a line to fish the Au Sable or AuSable, or some such altered state  water where one's casts
are almost always at the far end of where conventional transitions to "special" distance configured lines... the Gold may be perfect.
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Cornmuse |
#13 | |||
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Posts: 60 04/10/2009 09:52 |
Although I can't comment on the Rio Gold with 'boo, I can certainly suggest this review if you want to know a bit more about the Rio Gold as it compares with other fly lines and
how it behaved on a few different plastic rods.
Joe C. "Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the
drink, taste the fruit,
- Henry David Thoreau
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cyangler |
Seems in line with ibookje's post re., slightly heavier line weight | #14 | ||
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Posts: 68 04/13/2009 16:38 |
Graphite rods appear to allow for more fiddlin' with moving the weight closer to the tip or overall trickin'. I mean, you can make a given line work to
do certain things with given rods to a greater extent than one can with bamboo. My sense is, with cane, there is much less latitude when it comes to matching
lines with rods. If you want more from a rod that works well with a certain line when fishing boo you probably would be better off setting up a whole
'nother rig to do it.
To put it in a celluloid film and 35mm metaphor [for those who still remember the days before auto-exposure and digital], boo has less plus/minus latitude in terms of exposure, like color film (one needs to match the ASA and color temperature to the lighting more), than the B&W zone system that graphite affords by moving this way or that way with certain line tapers weighting the grains in various condensed forward or back configurations or over-the-length . Or to put it another way, boo is more like a Leica rangefinder and graphite like a Nikon SLR. They are both wonderful tools. Each with their own limitations and areas that exceed the limitations of the other.
Last Edited By: cyangler 04/13/2009 16:41.
Edited 1 time.
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bamboofan |
#15 | |||
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Posts: 67 04/21/2009 14:39 |
I just returned Saturday from spending 4 days on the spring creeks of s.w. Wisconsin. I purchased a 5wt. Rio Gold WF for my Redington Wayfarer & loved it
on that rod, so, I got out my GV8642 Granger & put the reel on it with the Gold & tried it. I loved it! I usually fish a 6 WF Sylk on that rod but
after trying the Gold I don't think I'll ever go back to the Sylk. I'll be buying another Gold to put on my Hardy LRH for the bamboo.
Brian |
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cyangler |
Sounds right to me | #16 | ||
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Posts: 71 04/22/2009 23:45 |
I fish one whole line weight up on my Wayfarer and a half line weight up on my Granger. Sounds like you found the right line to work with those rods. On my
rods and my casting style (and I use the term loosely) the Gold feels like it falls half way between the designated weight and a half weight up, i.e., a 5 is
like a 5 1/4 wt. line. But that's getting pretty nit picky and limited in practical application. Though, if one is looking for a line to use with a given
rod within a specific range (distance), that's where these board threads are really useful. In any case it can cause a few sparks in the neural network and
chip off a little plaque. In my case, always a good thing.
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steeldog94 |
#17 | |||
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Posts: 142 04/30/2009 07:31 |
I have been using the Rio Gold in 7 and 8 wts for Steelhead fishing on bamboo Salmon rods. I absolultely love this line. It's an excellent fishing line.
This is the best overall fly line that I have tried for fishing multiple methods (nymphs, dries, floats, etc.) on any given trip. For me, a fishing trip
typically requires multiple methods and that is where this line excells as a fishing line. If you fish only dries, then this line is not as subtle as others.
Overall I liked the line so much for fishing I replaced all of my other fly lines from 3wt to 8wt with the Rio Gold.
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steeldog94 |
#18 | |||
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Posts: 159 05/16/2009 12:28 |
Recently, I have been fishing the Rio Gold in 5 and 6 wts on bamboo and it is by far the best fly line I have ever fished with. Prior lines that I have used
include Wulff TT, Orvis wonderlines Cortland 444 DT Peach, various SA lines.
Last Edited By: steeldog94 05/16/2009 12:31.
Edited 1 time.
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