By Skip Clement
In interviews, fly shops responded languidly to RIO’s month old entry into supplying flies but expressed overall confidence in RIO’s quality and service.
Nathan Davis, Alpharetta Outfitters, Alpharetta, Georgia: “No, the uniqueness of local patterns are not of interest to RIO, we’re guessing, and we’re fine with our local tyers. RIO’s providing angling standards. Woolly’s, GotCha, Deceiver’s – making ordering easy, and shipping quickly. They’re not on target yet with saltwater flies… as we see it.”
Gary Merriman: The Fish Hawk, Atlanta, Georgia: “RIO will not change our local purchases of flies. We buy very little locally. I have not seen their samples yet or pricing.”
Others’ comments fell within the lines of both quotes. RIO is a solid company, unique local patterns will not disappear, and let’s see where this goes.
No, It’s not “The Hit Man” … Season 2, Ep 4. It’s Simon Gawesworth from RIO – the nicest guy in the fly fishing industry. A YouTube “thang.”
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho / RIO Products / Press Release / June 27, 2018
[dropcap]R[/dropcap]IO’s brand promise is to help anglers “Make the Connection” and with the launch of RIO Flies, that couldn’t be truer. From backing to line, leader, tippet, and now flies, RIO Products helps anglers make the connection to more fish across the globe.
“RIO has been known for its numerous products anglers can count on when it matters, so adding high-quality, competitively priced flies is a natural fit,” said Larry Barrett, president and CEO of Far Bank Enterprises, parent company of RIO Products. “We’re committed to utilizing our resources to ensure high inventory availability, and we’re excited to offer our specialty dealer partners a new product category that integrates into our current pricing and shipping programs.”
RIO’s entry into the fly category continues the brand philosophy of a core group of experts working intimately with RIO’s greater team of passionate anglers, territory representatives, and RIO ambassadors to identify, design, and select key patterns. RIO Flies are hand-tied by tiers with an eye for quality, and combined with world-class product imagery, the most thoughtful and competitive pricing structure in the category, and Far Bank’s easy-to-use electronic order system (EOS) to create a compelling new opportunity for RIO dealers and anglers everywhere.
RIO Flies for freshwater, saltwater, steelhead, and salmon will be available for purchase by fly fishing specialty shops immediately with a large selection of core patterns in multiple colors and sizes. In addition, specialty patterns for a wide variety of species developed by its in-house team of experienced anglers and fly tiers will be available. RIO Flies brings anglers the right fly for every fish.
About RIO Products:
RIO is a pioneer in developing fly lines, leaders, tippet material and flies to enhance fly fishing experiences across the globe. Offering premium fly lines for both freshwater and saltwater fishing applications, RIO consistently utilizes field experience and scientific testing to create the best products on the market for anglers. Founded 20 years ago in the mountains of Idaho, RIO continues to develop innovative products, design revolutionary tapers and refine performance-driven fly line technologies.
