Need help with my RIO Gold?

[Darren N]

I know this is a nice line of which is why I bought it. For the last 4-5 years I have used RIO Grande which is a much heavier front taper. I have used the new Gold twice now and I'm struggling with it. I find it alot lighter which means I cant feel it load my rod on the back cast and I end up waiting for the feel. Then my forward cast is weak and too late, I either hit the my back or splash in the water 20-30 yards. My dry fly casts were ok but anything wet was a struggle and I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I use a TFO 6W Med action. I think I need to strip load it more when i feed it back so I can have it load my rod more? Any other ideas?

[pikergolf]

Just keep at it, because the line is not so front weighted the tug on the end of your back cast will be more subtle. The brain is an ingenious machine and it is not getting the clue it wants, but with time will pick up on the new more subtle one.

[uplander]

One of the steps to being a master fly fisher is always and I mean every cast watch your back cast straighten out it will make you used to casting your line and a better caster all in all.

[Darren N]

One of the steps to being a master fly fisher is always and I mean every cast watch your back cast straighten out it will make you used to casting your line and a better caster all in all.

That's hard for me to get in the habit of turning my head back. I am anxious to see where I'm going to cast. Kinda like lifting your head in the middle of a golf swing I guess. Good advice none the less.

[wetdream]

One of the steps to being a master fly fisher is always and I mean every cast watch your back cast straighten out it will make you used to casting your line and a better caster all in all.

that's a good tip. when i started flyfishing, I never looked behind me and my casts suffered (snapping flies off). once I started to look behind, I could "feel" the line a lot better. my casts were a lot smoother and farther after that. then when I got a feel for the line and how it reacted to my casting and hauling, I then didn't have to look behind me any more. And then I had to repeat the process when I went from the standard line to the rio gold. It did take some time and practice though. It definately wasn't a 5 minute fix.

[Doc]

That's hard for me to get in the habit of turning my head back. I am anxious to see where I'm going to cast. Kinda like lifting your head in the middle of a golf swing I guess. Good advice none the less.

Some good advice on watching your line lay out behind you. Also, if you cast early before you line straightens, you end up with tailing loops which causes wind knots in your leader. If you're casting larger, weighted flies, you may also want to use an oval (aka Belgiun) cast. You want to draw you line into your back cast using a side arm motion then present you forward cast as usual over your shoulder. That should stop you from getting flies stuck in your back and will get you more distance. Here's a couple articles on it from two well known FFF Certified Master Casting instructors.

Jim McLennan - Lobbing The Lead (http://www.flyfishingtechniques.co/2011/01/fly-casting-techniques-weighted-nymphing/)

Bill Spicer - Casting Weighted Lines (http://www.flyfishingtechniques.co/2011/01/fly-casting/)

[Darren N]

All good. thanks everyone.

[biggamehunter]

Rio indicator line is thee way to go