THE ART OF THE RIGHT TOOL

WARMWATER SETUP

Though warmwater fly fishing may at times require finesse, it’s about as far from subtle as one can get with a fly rod, and that’s exactly the point. This is fishing that rewards loud, splashy presentations, because when the water hits 70 degrees loud and splashy means dinner time. We take our time with trout. On the flats, we don’t even cast until we see a fish. But out here we cast and cast and cast again, because even if we can’t see ‘em we know the fish are there, and they can’t eat a fly unless it’s in the water. No matter how you choose to fish, get your setup dialed in and explore the nuances of our various families perfectly suited to warmwater fishing.

FAST ACTION

R8 CORE

The R8 CORE features a fast action that is ideal for pickup of longer lengths of line and delivering moderately sized warmwater flies with precise presentations. Plenty of sensitivity down into the cork gives anglers complete control of every cast and provides a versatile tool where success often comes from repeated accuracy.

PERSONALITY

Suited to anglers looking for a versatile fast action rod that will excel in a variety of warmwater applications.—

LINE SPEED

High line speeds and tight-loops offer supreme accuracy and the quickest in fly-to-fish delivery.—

APPLICATION

Smallmouth bass, panfish.—
BIG FLIES / FAST ACTION

PAYLOAD

Delivering big flies and sink tips consistently is a physically taxing exercise. A rod that loads extremely easily and down into the cork minimizes this fatigue, but power is still critical in order to deliver these more robust rigs. The PAYLOAD is designed specifically with this in mind, offering a deep and very easy loading action, while maintaining exceptional power up high.

PERSONALITY

Suited to anglers consistently blind casting the largest, bulkiest flies, shooting heads, and heavy sinking lines and looking for a rod developed specifically for this chore.—

LINE SPEED

Deeper loading butt section drives a more open loop shape that assist in delivering bulky rigs with ease.—

APPLICATION

Musky, largemouth, pike, blind casting into structure.—
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LARGEMOUTH

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
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SMALLMOUTH

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.
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PIKE & MUSKY

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
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CARP

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

LARGEMOUTH SETUP

SMALLMOUTH SETUP

PIKE & MUSKY SETUP

CARP SETUP