As for lines I like either the RIO InTouch Gold with ConnectCore Technology or the RIO InTouch Grand with ConnectCore Technology. Both load easily and deliver the fly to the tiny sipping target with ease. I have had a good time with the Trout LT Double Taper as I still cling to my softer rod Double Taper roots. They have since been chopped clean but I find a fondness in my heart for DT fly lines. They have certainly fallen out of favor with the continual taper innovations that seem to make our modern day fly rods cast even better. I just love to fool around with differing fly lines on different rods. A different taper can change the personality of the fly rod. The RIO In Touch Gold and In Touch Grand change the feel of the SAGE Method drastically. Those two fly lines are designed for different casters, varying casting styles, and various fishing situations. Choose the appropriate line for your individual needs. Many fly shops have Demo lines for you to try. Take advantage of that privilege and find a line that works best for you!
Leaders can make a big difference as the line comes into contact with the water. I once used much shorter leaders as I believed that the fly would more often roll over and present better. I was wrong. I now know that it is nearly as weary to turn over a longer Trico appropriate length leader. Spookier more difficult fish do require longer leaders. They demand cleaner drag free drifts and the RIO 12’ 4X leader allows me to present more efficiently more often and therefore fooling more fish. I tie on a 48” piece of 5X and let it ride. A 16’ leader is not too long. Sometimes I even insert a 24” section of 4X first. Now I am nearer 18’. Down and across presentations here on the Missouri allow you to use these long delicate leaders to fool our wary trout.
One item I am never without is the RIO Line Cleaner. The single packages are easy to slide into your pocket and use freely. It is not uncommon for me to clean my fly line as many as 3-4 times during the hatch. Just takes about 30 seconds and improves the slickness and shootability dramatically. Fewer tangles, a slippery feel, higher floating, easier mending, farther reaching put you in the captain’s chair while casting at freely rising Trico feeding trout.