Gear Review: RIO InTouch CamoLux Fly Line
As Stillwater Fly Anglers, we all rejoice when those dog days of Summer finally burn off into the sunset. After spending the last few weeks fishing as deep as possible in quality lakes like Chopaka for shade-seeking trout, we begin to see fish activity in the shallows once again-.
Yes, Fall is when an Intermediate sinking, clear/camouflage line can become your best fishing friend. I recently had the pleasure to test such a fly line -- RIO’s "InTouch CamoLux" sub surface line.
Why This Line?
Okanogan’s temperate stillwaters offer tremendous amounts of food for trout, in and near the shallows. All kinds of fishy proteins are available in our lakes’ undulating waters, giving fish a veritable smorgasbord of bugs. Fishing imitations such as freshwater shrimp (scuds), callibaeitis mayfly nymphs, dragon and damsel fly nymphs, waterboatmen and many others can be awesome this time of year. And most of these food sources inhabit the upper reaches of the water column, often near shore, in depths up to 15 feet.
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While a floating line can do an angler very well near shore in lakes, an Intermediate line can fish many of these insect imitations even better. So, to test the RIO Camolux, I chose casting/stripping, and trolling as my methods to test RIO’s line. I also put myself over spooky fish: not your average 'put and takers’: so I could gauge any benefit from the camouflage-
Cast Test
At the launch, I was just eager to get out on the lake, drop an anchor and rig up this line. So I headed out and figured I would rig up in the boat. It was a relief to see that RIO had included a welded loop at the business end of the CamoLux. This made it super easy to tie on a piece of RIO 3X fluorocarbon leader while afloat.
The first fly I tied on was the Morris Waterboatman. If you’ve ever watched these bugs 'row’ around your local lake, you’ve seen 'em scoot pretty fast. RIO’S InTouch CamoLux turned out to be the perfect line to retrieve a bug, a few feet down by using 6" to 8" strips. I wasn’t even settled in, when I had the first fish on that line a nice 14" carryover bulging the net. Just parked there 30 or 40 feet off the bank, I could fan casts with the CamoLux in toward shore and toward a point that just jutted out slightly. I was pleased with the control and the shootability of the CamoLux. Not being the best caster nor slinging a really nice casting rod, I was easily covering the little cove I had chosen to test the line.
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Troll Test
After hooking and landing a few more respectable rainbows, I decided to see how the line would troll. Don’t know about you but, in a trout lake, I typically troll from one casting location to another, sometimes, picking up the fish of the day. For this, you need a full-sinking line, and preferably one that won’t get hung up in the weeds while sticking close to shore. Enter the RIO Intermediate CamoLux that sinks at a rate of 1.5": 2.0" a second.
So, in the rod holder the rod went and as I rowed, I payed out most of that intermediate line. I had switched to a small, brown pumpkin-head leech that was unweighted and about the time I was getting close to the backing, Wham! Trolls well? Check. I had a nice 16" bow put up quite a fight before finally netting it. Fights well? Check, Check. That RIO 'Connect Core’ transmitted every headshake despite having most of my line out during much of the battle. For long distance trolling, bite sensitivity and hookset, I strongly recommend RIOs 'Connect Core’ technology.
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Bottom line
The RIO InTouch CamoLux will keep you off the bottom and into suspended fish. Casting, stripping and trolling, the CamoLux is a joy to fish and will keep you prowling more near-shore depths of your favorite lakes, staying 'in the zone’. Two thumbs up.
Steph