About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the line, which I purchased with my own money in March of 2020.

My take

As a guy that fishes mostly streamers and makes multiple trips a year to the Texas Gulf Coast, I have stocked up on the Rio InTouch Outbound Short Fishing Line. The sweet spot for me is 6-10wt. Floating and intermediate sink lines in the Outbound Short will launch the biggest of flies as far as my rod will cast them!

About the line

• Model: Rio InTouch Outbound Short (OBS)
• Weight: WF6F, WF6F/I, WF7F, WF7F/I, WF8F, WF8F/I, WF9F, WF9F/I, WF10F, WF10F/I
• Water: Fresh and Saltwater
• Taper: Short aggressive front taper
• Core: ConnectCore - PVC
• Ideal Temp Range: 30F to 100F
• Loops: Welded front and back loops
• Line Profile:

About me

• Preferred fishing style(s): Streamers and Dry Flies
• Experience: 16 years

Test conditions

• When I bought this: March 2020
• Rod and Reel Paired with Line: Sage Rod and Hatch Reel
• Days tested: 100+
• Waters I’ve used it on: Lakes, rivers, and saltwater
• Species targeted with rod: Bass, Stripers, Redfish, Sheepshead, Bonefish, Roosterfish, Spanish Mackerel, Mahi Mahi, GT, Trevally, and Bonita
• Fly Size: Size 4 – 4/0

How it performs

What I was looking for

I was looking for a heavy taper-forward line that would allow me to throw large flies. I needed something that I could strip up to the leader, and be able to get back out to distance in just a couple of false casts.

Why I chose this gear

I decided on the Rio Outbound Short Fishing line on a whim. I had been casting other Rio products and decided to try this line out. Turns out, after my first purchase (WF7F), I bought this line for every single one of my streamer and saltwater setups, ranging from 6wt to 10wt.

What I love about it

• Performance: This line performs well, turning over big flies and casting at distance with ease.
• Quality: PVC core and slickcast makes for a quality line. The slickcast technology keeps my line smooth and casting better for longer. Every once in a while a good coat of line speed from Loon Outdoors will keep this line in tip-top shape for the entire fishing season!
• Use Case: This line is great for fishing with streamers in both fresh and saltwater. The coating allows me to fish both water types without the salt eating away at the line.
• Casting: This line allows me to cast streamers at long distances with relative ease. The only drawback is this line already comes overweighted so if my rod does not have the backbone to cast a line size up, I’d consider underlining my rod.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Versatility: The aggressive taper on this line makes it excel at launching bigger flies at a good distance. However, it lacks the versatility to do many other types of fishing such as delicately landing a dry fly.
• Durability: Like all fly lines, this one has a shelf life, but I can typically expect 3-5 good years of fishing out of it.

Favorite moment with this gear

I took a few of these lines down to Mexico. Every fly in my box was a 3/0 or bigger hook, and this fly line turned over these streamers with ease. I was able to cast from the beach, as well as from a panga, with no issues. I finally got into a fight with a Bonita using the intermediate sink line to get my fly down to a school of them. He took me 45 minutes to land and will be a fish I talk about for years to come (below).

Value for the money vs. other options

The Rio fly line is worth the money for me. They make a great product and the new slick cast lines are phenomenal. The Outbound short comes in between $99.99 and $129.99 depending on if I go with the Premiere or the Elite. Compared to other fly lines on the market, Rio products sit on the higher end of the pricing spectrum but are well worth it in the long run as they will last longer and perform better.

Final verdict

The Rio InTouch Outbound Short Fishing Line is a must-have for anglers who like to sling big flies. I love the aggressive taper on the Outbound Short Fishing Line, and have it on every one of my saltwater and streamer setups.