Like it or not, Largemouth are America’s fish, and America’s fish have a thing for deer hair concoctions that go plop. A rod setup that will deliver those larger-than-average goods without tearing your shoulder off is going to greatly increase your success - and enjoyment - of targeting largemouth on the fly. A rod with a deeper load will provide anglers the ability to slow things down while a powerful top end turns these rigs over with ease - minimizing fatigue and greatly increasing the amount of time that fly is in the water.

Rod: PAYLOAD 889-4
Reel: SPECTRUM 7/8
Lines: RIO Warmwater Predator WF8F
Flies: Deer hair poppers, frogs, and wind-resistant baitfish patterns
Fisheries: Bass ponds & lakes

Cast, pop-pop, pause, pop-pop, pause, re-cast. That’s the name of the game when it comes to classic mid-west smallmouth fishing. Having a rod that can easily pick up long lengths of line to reposition a small foam popper or diver is imperative. For these reasons, a fast action rod is preferred in order to drive tighter loops and carry longer lengths of line for supreme accuracy.

Rod: R8 CORE 790-4
Reel: ARBOR XL 6/7/8
Lines: RIO Premier Smallmouth Bass WF7F
Flies: Small poppers, foam hoppers, divers, RIO's Soft Chew
Fisheries: Upper Mississippi River, traditional smallmouth rivers across the U.S.

There’s arguably no more physically taxing fly fishing application than targeting pike or musky. With fly sizes sometimes exceeding 12" in length, big rods and big lines the norm, and blind casts the day in and day out necessity, these fisheries demand a rod that won't rip your shoulders out before lunch. This is where a rod that loads deep and easy is paramount to maintaining the repitition necessary for success. Additionally, having the option to engage a rear handle even further allows for less fatigue when throwing heavy shooting heads over and over again.

Rod: PAYLOAD 1090-4
Reel: ENFORCER 9/10
Lines: RIO Elite Predator WF10I/S6
Flies: XL Streamers
Fisheries: Lakes, ponds, and rivers across the northern portion of North America

Winds have settled out, a light chop on the water turns to slicked out conditions, and the only thing disturbing the surface tension is the tail of a carp moving about as the rest of its body feeds below. Damsels, crawfish, and hex nymphs are all on the menu. The 890-4 R8 CORE provides the accuracy and sensitivity for landing heavier carp flies with a supremely light touch with enough backbone down low to present at longer distances and keep heavy fish out of the reeds. An ENFORCER 7/8 balances well and provides plenty of stopping power for even the largest carp while RIO’s Bonefish line features a long head length that allows for great versatility and control at a variety of distances.

Rod: R8 CORE 890-4
Reel: ENFORCER 7/8
Line: RIO Bonefish WF8F
Flies: Damsel Nymphs, Crawfish, RIO's Carp'n Crunch, RIO's Carpdashian, RIO's Cray Cray