RIO Elite Gold Fly Line

A fly line built for castability, durability and accuracy–ideal for compact, wind-busting loops over distances of 20-40 feet.

Kara Armano

October 18, 2024

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RIO | Elite Gold Fly Line

product description

“The Elite RIO Gold has a taper design that gives incredible loop stability at distance and a front taper that delivers perfect presentation of flies between sizes #2 and #22. With a long head and back taper this line is an excellent all around fly line on rivers and lakes when long casts and complete line control are required.” – RIO Products

company ethos

“Our core purpose is to inspire the fly angler through outstanding products and extraordinary experiences.” – RIO Products

Buy Now

RIO has created fly lines that perform in every fishing scenario, and the Elite Gold Fly Line is no different.

I took this fly line in a 6-weight, along with a Sage R8 Core fly rod, to New Zealand, pursuing trout that often require longer distances and all-day accuracy from a fly line. The fly rod and Elite Gold pairing provided impressive casting distance and line control, even in challenging (windy) conditions.

The fly line, enabled with a proprietary SlickCast coating, slipped through the guides easily and cut through the wind with ease. It even performed well when hucking chunky cicadas at big browns on the South Island. I also found the line perfectly capable of delivering soft presentations when required, and it floated, as advertised, in various conditions and heavier currents.

I fished Elite Gold primarily with dries and some lighter weight nymph rigs, but I’m sure it would handle small streamers as well.

It’s a highly functional and accurate fly line–I’m also hoping RIO makes a clear version in the not too distant future.

Pros

Distance and control.

The muted colors were perfect for New Zealand’s wary trout.

SureFire tricolored system provides the ability to measure casts accurately.

Floats (well) as advertised.

Cons

Primarily intended to help load fast-action fly rods, so the progressive head design is often overkill for medium-action rods.

$130 is a decent investment for a fly line.

If only RIO made a clear Elite Gold fly line for fish in New Zealand…

Price

At $129.99, this definitely is an “elite” fly line in terms of price, but it’s also an incredibly important component to match with your new fly rod and the performance is there. When you consider the on-water performance and long-term durability, the value is defensible.

Craftsmanship

RIO included all the bells and whistles on this fly line, like its proprietary SlickCast coating and low stretch core. I also appreciate the line style and weight printed near the front loop.

Durability

RIO built this line with its ConnectCore Plus technology, touting durability as well sensitivity while casting and fishing. For the record, any RIO line with “Elite” refers to the company’s “ConnectCore Plus” technology, meaning it’s a low-stretch line, and more in touch with you, the angler.

Price: $129.95
Size/Type: 6-weight floating (4-weight - 8-weight)
Line color: Moss/Gold/Gray
Sink rate: Floater
Head length: 47 feet
Total length: 90 feet
Warranty information: Shipping & Returns

Far Bank warranty.

“Returns Policy: Any item purchased on the farbank.com website, excluding eGift CARDS, may be returned unused up to 90 days from the date of purchase.”

Likely buyers

If you’re in the market for a new trout line, this one should not be overlooked. A good fly line goes a long way in enabling higher performing casts, on-water control and improved fish fighting. The line is definitely expensive, but worth the investment if you’re serious about your dry fly game.

What others say

“The RIO Elite Gold Fly Line’s mass is more evenly dispersed throughout most of the head, with a light, finesse-focused front taper at the tip. It’s easy to form fairly compact, wind-busting loops over distances of 20-40 feet (or beyond), and control your line (mending, rolling and so forth), so it’s quite versatile.

It’s adequate, though not super-suited, for short casts and delicate presentations in tighter confines (that’s what the RIO Elite Perception Fly Line is made for). With this one, you false cast and form loops for distance, though the SlickCast coating lends itself to shooting also.

The one rub: This line was designed to help load fast-action rods. If you have a medium-action rod, are fishing fiberglass or even bamboo, even at a half-weight heavy, this line is overkill. Best to go with a true-weighted line for those rods. And, if you don’t need this crutch, you’ll find more finesse and feel without over-lining.

For wind in New Zealand, perfect; for calm creeks in the Driftless, better options exist.” – Kirk Deeter

Conclusion

The RIO Elite Gold fly line is a great tool for all around trout fishing scenarios. It shoots line well at all distances, carries flies through the air with accuracy, allows for tight cast loops (even in the wind) and provides tight connections while fishing. It’s a well designed fly line that delivers all levels of performance.

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