RIO intros new InTouch Single Handed spey line

by Ben Kryzinski - Friday, Jul 3rd, 2015

Spey casting has long been the domain of steelhead and salmon fishermen, but as we've written often lately — it is quickly becoming that of the trout fisherman as well, as more anglers discover the distinct advantages that spey casting offers, especially for those fishing in tight quarters where backcasting room is limited. And as trout and other anglers continue to experiment with spey casting on smaller water for smaller fish, manufacturers are building gear to feed the demand that is being created. More and more rod makers are bringing two-handed rods specifically designed for spey casting in the "trout weights" (2 through 5) to market. But anglers with two handed rods aren't the only ones taking to the water with spey casts in their arsenal, single hand anglers are as well and, in increasing fashion line makers are noticing.

It's not that anglers spey casting with their everyday trout sticks is a new thing, it's not — but anglers have traditionally needed to make do with their existing all-purpose line, load up head and running line systems intended for longer two-handed rods, or experiment with other niche lines, typically choosing a line with an aggressive or "power taper" and lining up. Airflo's 40+ line has long been a popular choice, and for some time now Wulff has been making its "Ambush" line which is also popular amongst the one-hand spey casting crowd.

RIO, with its new InTouch Single Handed spey line recently joined the party with one of the first integrated lines designed specifically for spey casting with single hand rods. The new line has already taken home accolades, winning "Best New Fly Line" at EFTTEX 2015.

According to RIO, the new InTouch Single Handed spey line is designed with a "rear weight distribution [that] loads a rod easily in tight casting conditions, while the long, gradual taper excels at overhead casts and allows for incredibly smooth loop control. A thick handling section lengthens out the head for increased stability and control."

As the name denotes, the InTouch Single Handed spey line is built on RIO's ultra-low stretch ConnectCore — which RIO is rapidly updating much of its lineup to include. The line is available in WF4 to WF8, retails for $89.95 and is slated for availability in August.