The RIO Elite Bonefish is a bonefish-specific line built around the one thing that separates successful bonefish presentations from unsuccessful ones: the ability to deliver a fly accurately at distance without disturbing the fish. The long head (approximately 46–49 feet, depending on weight) and long rear taper smooth out the casting loop, allowing clean, controlled delivery at ranges that shorter shooting heads handle less precisely. The mid-length front taper turns over typical bonefish flies without the abrupt energy transfer of an aggressive taper that can scatter a fish moving through shallow water. DirectCore’s low-stretch construction transmits strip set energy directly to the hook rather than absorbing it in a stretching core — a meaningful difference for bonefish, where the hook set is a firm strip strike rather than a rod tip lift. SlickCast’s low-friction coating extends shooting distance on presentation casts. The line is available in two colors: the standard Sand/Orange/Blue with SureFire first change at 20 feet, and the Bahamian Yellow/Black/Aqua colorway developed with Bahamian guides, with first color change at 30 feet. Features • Long Head & Back Taper — Approximately 46–49 feet depending on weight. Extended head provides distance capability and loop control for longer presentations; long rear taper smooths the casting loop for cleaner, more accurate delivery.• Mid-Length Front Taper — Turns over typical bonefish fly sizes cleanly without the abrupt energy transfer of an aggressive short taper. Balances turnover power with presentation delicacy.• Front-Weighted Design — Weighted toward the front of the head for fast rod loading at close range with minimal false casting.• DirectCore Low-Stretch — Transmits strip-set energy directly to the hook. Easy to anneal; lies flat without memory coils in tropical heat.• SlickCast Coating — Very low guide friction for extended shooting distance on presentation casts. Durable under UV, deck contact, and repeated saltwater use.• Core Strength — 30 lb core (WF6–WF7); 45 lb core (WF8–WF9).• Welded Loops — Front and rear. 90-foot total length. Floating only. Rod Pairing Rod Action Pairing Notes Fast Action Ideal The front-weighted design loads fast-action rods efficiently at close range, while the long head provides the control needed for longer presentations. Medium-Fast Action Works Well Performs well on medium-fast rods. The long head and rear taper support smooth loop formation and comfortable timing across a range of distances. Medium Action Works The long head is more forgiving on medium-action rods than a short shooting head. Size Guide Line Weight Head Length Head Weight Grain Wt. (30') Species / Technique WF-6-F 46.5' / 14.2M 245gr / 15.9g 173gr / 11.2g Ultra-light bonefish for Belize, Mexico & Honduras WF-7-F ~47' / ~14.3M ~280gr / ~18.1g ~200gr / ~13.0g Light bonefish for Belize, Mexico, Honduras & the Bahamas WF-8-F ~48' / ~14.6M ~320gr / ~20.7g ~225gr / ~14.6g All-around bonefish applications WF-9-F ~49' / ~14.9M ~370gr / ~24.0g ~260gr / ~16.9g Heavy bonefish & cross-species use FAQ What are the parts of a fly line and what does each section do?A weight-forward fly line has five sections: Running Line: The thin, level back section that shoots through guides. The Elite Bonefish’s running line benefits from SlickCast’s reduced friction for longer shooting distance on presentation casts. Rear Taper: The transition from running line to belly. The Elite Bonefish specifically features a long rear taper — this is one of the line’s defining design characteristics. A long rear taper smooths out the loop during the casting stroke, reducing tailing loops and allowing a clean, controlled delivery at the longer distances bonefish presentations often require. Belly: The thickest, heaviest section. At approximately 46–49 feet (depending on weight), the Elite Bonefish’s head is significantly longer than short shooting heads like the Grand Slam. This extended belly allows carrying more line in the air for longer presentations and provides more surface area for loop control. Front Taper: The transition from belly to tip. The mid-length front taper is the balance point of this line’s design — long enough for a gentle, accurate fly presentation, but with enough taper rate to turn over typical bonefish flies cleanly at distance. Tip: The final section where the leader connects. The welded loop at the tip provides a fast, secure connection to the leader. How does the Elite Bonefish differ from the Elite Flats Pro?Both are high-performance RIO saltwater lines with DirectCore and SlickCast, but they are built for different applications: Elite Bonefish: Bonefish-specific. Long head (~46–49’), long rear taper, mid-length front taper, 6–9 wt, 90-foot total length. Optimized for the longer presentations, accurate fly delivery, and loop control that bonefish fishing specifically demands. Elite Flats Pro: Multi-species flats line. Available in more weight options (6–12 wt), longer total length (100’), and in multiple densities (floating, 6’ intermediate tip, 15’ intermediate tip, full intermediate). Designed to handle bonefish, permit, and tarpon on the same setup. Choose the Elite Bonefish if bonefish is your primary target and you want a line specifically optimized for that presentation style. Choose the Elite Flats Pro if you’re fishing a variety of species and want one line to handle the full flats range. What is SlickCast and how does it affect performance?SlickCast is RIO’s proprietary coating that produces a very low-friction outer surface. The practical effect is reduced guide contact resistance during the forward shoot, which translates to longer delivery on presentation casts. The coating is also notably durable — it holds up to deck contact, UV exposure, and repeated use without the degradation that affects some coatings. What is DirectCore and why does it matter?DirectCore is RIO’s low-stretch core technology. Standard fly line cores stretch significantly under load, which absorbs some of the energy from the strip set before it reaches the hook. DirectCore minimizes this stretch, transmitting more of the strip set energy directly to the fly. DirectCore is also notably easy to anneal (stretch out by hand before fishing) and lies flat on the water without the memory coils that affect some saltwater lines after storage.
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