The Rio Gold is our best selling line at Red's.  It shoots through the guides silently and has a slick surface that is coated with a material called AgentX.  The coating not only provides a nice slick surface, but it also protects the vinyl and adds longevity to the fly line.  The Rio Gold is an all around great fly line and has the ability to deliver the fly softly if necessary, but still has enough body to turn over large streamers, indicators, or anything else you decide to tie on the end.

Is the Rio Gold the right line for me?

The Rio Gold is our best seller, so most likely this line fits your casting style.  It does have a slightly lighter feel than some other fly lines that compete with it.  The result is that casters see the performance in the cast visually and track the progress of the cast rather than feeling the the cast load deep into the rod.  The upside is that you are maximizing performance of the rod with this line.

Other floating fly lines to consider:

The fly lines that compete most directly with this line is the Scientific Anglers GPX Mastery Series textured line.  The chief differences are that the GPX is a half a line weight heavier and great for anglers that want to "feel" the road load rather than seeing visual feedback.  The Mastery series is also textured so it does make some noise sliding through the guides.

The Scientific Anglers Sharkskin is quite similar to the Rio Gold in feel, weight, and performance.  It features a textured coating that shoots well, floats well, but it does make some noise moving through the guides.  The Sharkskin does cost a few more dollars but is generally regarded as the most premium line on the market.  It is very durable as well. 

How do I tie the fly line to my backing?

Backing is the braided line on  your reel underneath the fly line.  Most reels should have at least 100 yards of backing.  You will need to tie this fly line to your backing.  There are a few options.  Some fly lines come with a loop on the backing end.  In this instance you can tie a Surgeon's Loop in the backing and connect the fly line with a loop-to-loop connection.  You will have to lace the entire fly line through the backing loop. 

The most common connection is to use a Tie Fast Tool (instructional video) and make a nail knot connection from the backing to the fly line.  This is the way that our staff connects most fly lines for trout and similar sized fish.  If there is a loop on the fly line and you choose to tie a nail knot simply cut the fly line loop off and tie the nail knot onto the fly line. 

The other option is to tie an Albright Knot.  This knot is most often used in situations where larger fish are being pursued like Steelhead, Salmon, or big trout.  You don't need a tool to tie the Albright Knot but it is a bit more challenging.

FREE Backing and Setup with Purchase of Fly Line and Fly Reel!

FREE Shipping, WA State Sales Tax Discount, and Red's Customer Service

At Reds we ship all orders FREE via UPS and USPS and pay your sales tax.  In addition to a great price, you are also buying from a premium brick and mortar retailer whose passionate and knowledgeable shop staff will stop at nothing to provide you with the best possible advice and service.  Combine all this and you have the best deal on the internet!  Shop with confidence at Red's Fly Shop.