RIGS Tenkara Nymphing Hi-Viz Indicator Level Line

I recently received an email from Paul Vertrees where he asked me if I had ever had a chance to use any of the proprietary tenkara lines from RIGS Adventure Company. I said that I had not, so he contacted the shop and Tim Patterson (Owner of RIGS) kindly send my a few samples to try. Paul is well known in Colorado. He is a certified tenkara guide for RIGS Adventure Company. He is also a highly experienced and respected hunter, explorer, and mountain adventurer. Let's just say, Paul knows his stuff! His personal blog is very informative and I read every post he publishes. His blog is Tenkara Tracks.

Paul Vertrees (lifted from here)

The RIGS Tenkara Nymphing Hi-Viz Indicator Level Line is a well built fluorocarbon line for those in the tenkara community that prefer level lines for their fishing. Here is what they say on their website: "RIGS Tenkara Nymphing Level Line is not just another Level Line, rather a depth control indicator system designed for fishing sub-surface weighted nymphs on larger streams. The Hi-Viz Indicator Sections, coupled with clear running line sections, allow for maximum depth control and added strike detection without sacrificing visibility. Our Hand Tied 100% Fluorocarbon Tenkara Nymphing Level Lines, with added Tippet Ring and Transition Loop, offer Tenkara anglers a more effective and convenient line management system when deep nymph is required."

My line, after using it.

My sample was the 12 foot 6 inch #4.5 line, therefore I fished the line with a Daiwa LT39SF on a tail water stream. I used a two nymph NZ dropper set up with the point fly being tungsten weighted and the dropper fly having a brass bead. I found the line very easy to attach to the lilian, thanks to the generous Dacron transition loop. The upper part of the line is chartreuse and quite easily seen while the lower section is clear fluorocarbon with dyed colored indicator sections. The line easily turned over my dropper set up and casting the line was flawless with the LT39SF.

Transition loop

Bright pink indicator section (about 6 inches long)

Clear to dyed transition of the lower section.

While I was fishing in the sunshine, I could easily see the indicator sections of the lower part of the line. But I noticed that when I entered the shady parts of the canyon I had a much harder time seeing those indicators sections against light being reflected off the riffles. They were not invisible, but they were harder to see.

The terminal end of the line has a very small tippet ring. Personally, I'm a big fan of tippet rings. I think they make it easy to tie on or revise tippet length without modifying the main line. I use tippet rings in all of my hand tied level lines.

Tippet ring

All in all, I like the RIGS Tenkara Nymphing Hi-Viz Indicator Level Line. It is well thought out and perfectly constructed. If you want a fluorocarbon level line for nymphing, and you don't want to make one yourself, consider this buying line. It attaches easily, turns over really well, is generally easy to see (with some caveats, as mentioned above), and appears to be very robust.