Rio Elite Greased Line 40 Plus Shooting Head Fly Line

The Rio Elite Greased Line 40 Plus is the shooting head for anglers who want more than a Scandi gives them but are not ready to commit to a true long belly and a 15 foot rod. Designed on the Deschutes, Salmon, Snake and Clearwater, it is a full-floating head built for the classic broadside swing, where a wet fly or a skater fishing at the right angle matters more than raw distance. At 43 to 47 feet it is meaningfully longer than a typical Skagit or Scandi head, yet still short enough to cast comfortably on an all-around spey rod as short as 12.5 feet.

Best For

Traditional floating-line swing - This is a greased line in the original sense: a floating head for presenting wet flies and skaters broadside to anadromous fish that are looking up. The longer head keeps more line off the water's competing currents, which gives you a cleaner swing and better fly control through the bucket than a short head can manage.

Stepping up to long-head casting - If you have been fishing Scandi heads and want to learn a longer-line game, this is the natural bridge. It rewards a proper sustained anchor and a smooth stroke without punishing you the way a 60 foot belly does, and it works on the 12.5 to 13.5 foot rods most anglers already own.

Temperature and Conditions

Built for temperate and cold river systems, which is where its home water sits. The coating stays supple through a cold desert morning and the head continues to float high when the air temperature is near freezing. It is not a tropical line and it does not need to be.

Taper, Weight and Design

The taper is the whole story. On the #7/8 at 520 grains, the 44 foot head breaks down into a 0.5 foot back taper, a 14.5 foot back body, a 12.5 foot body and a 16.5 foot front taper. That steep rear taper is what lets a relatively long head load a medium-length rod and turn over cleanly, while the very long, fine front taper delivers a wet fly or skater with grace rather than dumping it. Head weights run 470 grains at #6/7 through 700 grains at #10+, and the whole head floats. It pairs naturally with monofilament leaders or Versileaders when you need to get a fly slightly under the surface.

Features

SlickCast - Low friction coating that lets a 44 foot head clear the guides and shoot running line without hanging up, and stands up to being stripped over rocks and gravel bars.

DirectCore - Supple, low-memory core that stays straight in cold weather, so the head turns over predictably on the first cast of the morning rather than the fifth.

Loading Point - A visible mark for where the head should sit relative to your tip-top before you set the anchor, which is the fastest way to make a longer head feel easy.

EasyID and Welded Loops - Size printed on the head and welded loops at both ends for knot-free leader and running line connections.

More Info

• Best for: Steelhead and salmon on the floating-line swing, wet flies and skaters, rods 12.5ft and longer
• Sink Rate: Floating
• Temperature: Cold to cool
• Taper: Long front taper with a steep rear taper, 43ft to 47ft head
• Weight: Sized by grain weight, 470gr to 700gr
• Loops: Welded loops front and back
• Sizes: 470gr, 520gr, 580gr, 640gr, 700gr