RIO Powerflex Ultra Shooting Line - Angling Active RIO Powerflex Ultra Shooting Line

Used this in the past and it flew out with a scandi head (also rio)

 

iv been chopping and changing between coated and mono recently and found you dont really loose much distance from a coated running line and nicer to handle especially with cold fingers/downside i get cuts from them in the joints of my fingers when stripping, the heavier the head im strippng the worse cuts are.
I would recommend the scientific anglers custom shooting line in 30lb, smoother and less cuts also not stupid money and for a mono line, guideline compline pro in 45lb or 55lb,without a doubt the best out there bar nam hazumi but cheaper and you get 2 out of the spool

 

iv been chopping and changing between coated and mono recently and found you dont really loose much distance from a coated running line and nicer to handle especially with cold fingers/downside i get cuts from them in the joints of my fingers when stripping, the heavier the head im strippng the worse cuts are.
I would recommend the scientific anglers custom shooting line in 30lb, smoother and less cuts also not stupid money and for a mono line, guideline compline pro in 45lb or 55lb,without a doubt the best out there bar nam hazumi but cheaper and you get 2 out of the spool

The cuts to my fingers in the joints is what I am trying to avoid, I was hoping a handling section would be the answer, I'm wedded to the Airflow Skagit Scout shooting heads as they suit my casting style and my rods well, I am leaning towards the Rio Gripshooter as its description seems to indicate it has a much thicker handing section, anyone use one and can confirm its thicker than the running line?

 

We have been using the Maxcatch ones for a few years now, just changed them all this year (at £10ish for the 30lb one on Ebay) they are cheap enough to swap out. They shoot well, dont set like a spring off the reel (good pull in the field first time out each season). Only thing is dont trust the loops, either weld your own or reinforce theirs.

 

I would strongly recommend using a thicker coated running line with a handling section. Sacrificing a couple of yards for an easier tangle-free experience is more than worthwhile. I've put one Rio Powerflex in the bin so far this year and another will follow shortly.

 

I've been mostly using the Guideline Compline or Stroft mono running lines for sinking heads and bigger lines this year, but I've also been using the Gaelforce ESL running line on an 8/9, especially if I anticipate stripping or working flies. It's a lovely supple line and does cast very well, but it tends to tangle in swirling water. Only gripe is it doesn't have an oversized front loop for swapping heads around. I might cut and shrink tube a new loop for next year but I don't trust my work too well!

 

I like Rio slick shooter, manageable and shoots well. Easily handled but appreciate not everyone likes mono.

 

The john norris ridge coated one for me if they still sell it. Its my go to and just nice to use. Think airflo made them.
Ive got the meterd rio on on another reel and its ok but not as good as the norris.
I binned the rio mono one with coated handling section. Hated it.

 

Loop running line is the best I have used, and still do.

 

There one I keep going back to but can’t remember the name 🙄 amnesia 🤔😉 30lb in fluorescent red or green

 

It’s stripping the rest of the thin running line that cuts your wet soft fingers. The handling section is just for ease of grip during the cast.

 

Thats what gets my fingers. Alot of the time i fish a slow figure 8 so the line is constantly rubbing on my top hand index finger. Probably from dry cracked hands using chemicals all day but irritating non the less.

 

Agreed, so what is needed is a thicker running line, the compromise being the thickness vs the slickness of it, in theory the ridge running lines should hold some advantage if thick enough to not cut into the finger joint crease. 🤔 Hate wearing gloves maybe finger stalls, I'v tried short ones, but they fall off in short order when wet, maybe look for the old fashioned ones that attach around the wrist:https://www.amazon.co.uk/Medisure-Medium-Finger-Stall-Leather/dp/B005LFYT2E/ref=sr_1_6? Probably too soft to last long or these supposedly designed for fishing: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08ZL56...36a9-1b35-470d-ad04-959677f8bf67&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWxfdGhlbWF0aWM and these advertised as wear resistant: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Protection...otection-Protector-WEARRESISTANE-Protective-Accessory/dp/B0D8TTN1SB/ref=sr_1_6?

 

Roll of elastoplast

 

Slickness is a grossly overrated quality in a running line. 'Springer', the founder of this Forum had clear opinions on the matter and backed them up with practical demonstrations.

Your running line has to provide the right amount of resistance during the cast, otherwise the loop can stop unscrolling and collapse backwards, leading to a failure of turnover. There's little point casting to the far side of the moon if you then have to strip back several yards to straighten the leader to achieve good presentation of the fly.

 

amnesia was my go to for a long time but moved recently to Asso, found it to be much better

 

I think I have tried them all ,but always go back to Varivas mono and Guideline tsl or tsl+ as a coated running line

 

For quite some time I've been using coated running lines for the bulk of my fishing- usually Norris or Airflo 30lb, with 20lb for switch rods. I've also used Amnesia Mono for quite some years now for all my Tay gear, 30lb and 40lb. Both types have their merits and pitfalls. Given a choice I usually plumb for coated 30lb floating running line, in my eye's distance isn't everything, presentation does count for a lot more. Coated stuff dosen't kink and tangle line mono's do and a very important benefit in that it comes ready looped up, I've never used a mono yet that didn't at least irritate me with knots at the front loops and it has to be said where it joins to the backing too.. Yes mono can be utilised in longer lengths 50m or 100m easily which means one is less likely to be playing fish with knots and splices running through the rod rings constantly. I did use and it has to be said recommend Maxcatch coated running lines for quite a while, that was until the front loops started just pulling neatly off when subjected to pressure, so I'm sorry to say I don't go near them now or would I recommend them at all, no matter the cost or the shoot ability of them.
There is a 3rd choice available now in the Polythene running lines. For over a year now I've used Rio Powerflex in 25lb on my Switch rods. It floats, has pre- formed loops, dosent tangle like mono can do and it certainly dosent kink like mono can do. It's thinner than coated running lines but not quite as thin as a similar mono- a very good compromise!. I've also just spooled up with a spool of Monic running line, thin, 100% float ability, shoots like f**k and has pre- formed loops and 70lb b.s. so no more knots. I'm very impressed with this stuff, sadly only 30m, but for my 12ft 6 7 weight it's proving to be quite the revelation!. Typical in that Monic appear to have just gone under or ceased trading now I've cottoned on!.
The Maxcatch coated stuff would certainly be what M.A.Johnson could be looking for, but seriously I wouldn't recommend it at all after two lots letting go on me!. I have a spool of the Rio stuff to try, 44lb mono with a coated handling section, but as yet it's untried by me so I can't comment. I've also a spool of Guideline with a tapered handling section to a coated running line, but I gather they're hard to find as Guideline seem to be struggling getting fly lines out onto shelves.
It's not an easy choice to make, I mean hand on heart how many times does out n out distance matter, over a seasons fishing I feel coated running lines are easier to handle and use, they actually float and you'll get far less in the way of serious fankles with them compared to mono.
Thing is with a mono running line, all the floatability, pre formed loops and handling sections in the world won't matter a sparrows fart once it starts to kink, because then its just a fast lane to ever more problems the more you use it. I'd also throw one more thing into the ring, floating mono's generally don't float and of those that do ( Varivas ) and have hollow air chambers in them once they kink or get tangled they're goosed and will attract tangles for ever more and just get worse and worse.
I'd say there's the probability of greater longevity and less trouble with coated running lines over time and I've always found they very easy to use and handle.
One more little snippet, any mono or thinner running line will perform better and for longer when utilised from wide Large Arbour reels. The wider the reel drum they're stored on and fished from, the less likely they are to become coil bound which leads to tangles and fankles, get the reel properly full too it will make a significant difference.
Pedro.

 

One thing about the Guideline coated lines, i wouldn't have another. Like a lot of Guideline stuff I've found the coatings a bit brittle, but I had a running line snap off while trying to retrieve a fly that had exceeded its brief and reached a tree on the other side of a river, leaving me a Jumanji style adventure to retrieve a Gaelforce head and tip. I then found I couldn't get another loop solid enough with shrink tube and ended up using a perfection loop at the end of it until it went in the bin shortly after. Only reason I'm wary of redoing the Gaelforce running line at the moment with a bigger front loop.

 

Does anyone get a lot of extra distance with mono ? Ive found it to be minimal in real terms. Could just be my casting but theres not much in it at all.

 

I notice a difference alright but I suspect it's more to do with the fact that my longer rods are more likely to be used with mono and they're more set up for distance anyway.

 

I find I get very significant extra distance with mono compared against the coated type running lines (John Norris Airflo Ridge) when used on my salmon rods. I’ve not used on switch or single hand rods so can’t comment on these.

I also have no trouble knotting my own large loops on both ends using a double surgeons’ knot, pulling very tight (most important) and cutting close (see from 2 minutes 50 seconds on the vid). This goes through the rings with hardly a sound; any bump coming from the loop to loop caused by the thickness of the welded loop in the head itself.

 

As some one who's fished both styles of running line for a very long time, it's very easy to believe the Legend that mono running line equals long cast's. In reality it's good casting and technique that leads to long casts, not merely the running line. Wheras mono may well assist a good caster in achieving distance, it will just as easily help those with poor technique to make an even bigger taws of it all and generally end up counterproductive, often leading to the merry go round of seeking the nirvana of the perfect running line to help deliver the perfect cast and spending brass willy nilly to achieve that end.
Pedro.

 

Thanks all for your input a lot of different opinions as one expects, I have ordered a Maxcatch, but will re-do the loops or put on a bit of heat shrink, When making my own loops I leave the heat shrink on after shrinking, it provides a bit more support to the joint, never had one fail yet! Try it and then try to pull a loop out of the end with a bit of mono, it may be a surprise how difficult it is even without the line coating shrunk together completely.

Also looking at Monic as a back-up or should that be my main line?

 

ma.johnson, chalk and cheese between Monic and Gripshooter. Monic floats for a start-fully!, and is infinitely better all round I'd use Monic as your 1st choice and keep the Gripshooter as a spare.
It's blowing me away how good it is and how well it performs.
Pedro.

 

The big issue with Monic for me, and why I sold mine, was the lack of stretch. Very few heads have enough stretch either and the combo of low stretch heads, low stretch running lines and fluoro leaders leads to a disappointingly low hook to landing rate. It's not as though we get to hook so many anyway.

 

I've been on low stretch set ups for ages now, fluro carbon leaders, non stretch lines and running lines and I'm not finding them a disadvantage if at all- in fact on the very odd occasion I do spin now its with braid so thats very much the same stretch wise.
Now it also has to be said I use Monic and Powerflex on smaller switch rods and lighter rated 2 handers, that could account for me being satisfied. My big rods, 16ft+ are usually used with Amnesia mono and tbh feels just a tadge strange with all that stretchy mono damping things down as it does!.
Pedro.

 

Its braid that convinced me i dont need stretch or cussioning in the line itself. The diffrence in what you can feel happening at the business end is night and day.