Gear » Fly Lines

RIO, the Idaho Falls-based fly-line manufacturer, has announced the expansion of their Gold series of fly lines. "RIO Gold fly lines first took flight in 2008," RIO writes. "Hundreds of thousands of casts across endless miles of water later, the Gold Standard of multipurpose fly lines transformed the game by giving anglers the ability to transcend...

In this recent episode of the Orvis podcast, Tom Rosenbauer sat down with Josh Jenkins, head of R&D for Scientific Anglers, to talk shop about floating fly lines. You'll learn all about the differences between saltwater and freshwater lines, warmwater and coldwater lines, and why so many lines are built a half-size heavy. It's a great show, and you can...

Earlier this year MidCurrent reported on the launch of new compostable line spools from RIO Fly Lines. Those spools have officially launched. Instead of shipping their fly lines on plastic spools, RIO will now package all their lines on a 100% compostable, recyclable spool. The spools themselves are built from 100% recycled newsprint that have been used at...

In a big move to reduce waste, RIO Products has announced that all of their lines starting in fall 2023 will ship on compostable spools. The material looks similar to what egg cartons are made from, and RIO says this change will save up to 20,000 pounds of plastic per year. RIO should certainly be applauded for this move, and it'll be interesting to watch...

RIO has announced the launch of three new fly lines for this spring. The Elite Smallmouth Bass, Elite Salmon/Steelhead, and Premier Bank Robber lines are available now. Of particular note is the Bank Robber line. Per a press release from RIO, "The Bank Robber’s expertly tuned, fine front taper enables precise, accurate casts while a rear-loaded head...

The folks at RIO have released a brand-new fly line for tarpon that feature some unique technology. Below is a press release from RIO that details this new line. RIO’s all-new Tarpon Clear Tip Floater features ten feet of GinClear floating line, eliminating the need for a long, cumbersome leader, and allowing the angler to cast flies closer to the target...

Airflo, the fly line manufacturer, will offer fly line recycling to the public starting in early 2023, according to Fly Fisherman Magazine. Airflo will partner with a New Jersey company named TerraCycle to make the project happen. You can read more about it here.

In the most recent video in the Basic Fly Fishing Tips series from Orvis, Tom Rosenbauer talks about over or underlining fly rods. It's a great video for folks just getting used to the somewhat arcane line weight system we use in fly fishing, and what exactly those line weights represent. See All Orvis Learning Center Fly Fishing Video Lessons

This great video from Backcountry.com offers a fantastic overview of what goes into making a fly line work. If you've ever wondered why some fly lines cost more because of how they're built, or their tapers, then this video should help explain that.

I recently had the chance to spend some one-on-one time with the Weekend Warrior Starter Pack from Ventures Fly Co. This starter pack has everything you need to get started in fly fishing (except waders or boots) and it's one of the most impressive beginner fly fishing combos I've ever seen. You can read all my thoughts about it here.