Its the new Winston. With some of the finest quality finish and components ever put on a fly rod and the trademark Winston green, the Air 2 has the classic appearance of a Winston with the performance of a top tier modern fly rod that can handle it all. These rods can do anything present tiny dry flies to wary trout on flat water, cast a heavy streamer to the far bank in the wind, launch the entire line when you need it, and make quick, accurate close-range shots. This rod is the perfect summer steelhead rod with dry lines, lighter tips, and poly leaders. This is the black art of rod design, the subtleties of taper change, weight and relative stiffness, the variables a rod designer sees in his sleep but must bring to life in a physical product. It feels terrific and offers a combination of finger tip touch with support to the heel of the casting hand for both short and long throws. Every few fish, wed swap rods to compare. Sage Salt R8 fly rods: read our model-by-model review. Feel confident that the fly will drop where you point the rod and not six feet up in the bush. The action is fast, but still within line class. As versatile as the 8' 6" 4wt is, the 9' 4wt may be more versatile. Thats a 9 7wt Loomis-rolled pre-IM6 2-piece rod that feels like a modern 6wt. Nice job, guys. While any time I get to spend with Mike, Ryan, and Josh is certainly a win, we couldve picked a more convenient location and time to break bread and catch up on life. When you daydream of delicate presentation trout fishing, where does your mind wander off to? The new Air 2 is perfectly designed to deliver both . Photography By: Jason Shields It was a decent rod, but I didnt fall head-over-heels for it like I did the B3x. When anglers move to a 6wt fly rod in freshwater, usually they're throwing larger flies or fishing to bigger fish. The gang at Telluride Angler 800-831-6230 www.tellurideangler.com orders@tellurideangler.com Want to change how you receive these emails? The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. It will handle slightly heavier lines, such as the Rio Technical Trout or Gold, but why not split hairs and bring out the very best? Blending power and finesse is a difficult task but this model finds the sweet spot on every cast, every hook up. The extra 6" of length means this rod mends line easier on the water and helps anglers who are fishing slightly larger streams. Whether someone is looking for their first rod or trying to upgrade, the Winston Air 2 has the versatility and performance to excel in a variety of fishing situations and casting abilities. Combining our proprietary SuperSilica lightweight resin system and Boron III material with modern progressive tapers, Winston Saltwater AIR rods deliver the celebrated Winston feel, along with balanced, fast graphite recovery rates, for incredible line speed and presentation, making them our most versatile rods in saltwater environments. Lines: RIO Creek Fly Line, SA Amplitude MPX Fly Line. Fish it with an SA Trout Taper. No rod in the series rewards this effort more than the 6-weight, a remarkable stick in every regard. Its hard to draw this up on a blackboard, but when you feel it, you know it. I stood in a halfhearted drizzle with my back to a wall of willows while I surveyed the river. Howler Monkeys call from the canopy. Especially for the anglers with a slower casting stroke, this rod is one of the best in the series. That weekend, we did his first float and the rest is history. In a 9 5wt, the AIR 2 packs more of a punch than I expected. Every angler will be impressed with the Air 2 96 6-weight. No longer to be compared to other high-end rods. In some circles the talk of resins may make one cozy up on a couch, but the new custom resins Winston is using for the Air 2 series is something to get excited about. AIR TH rods adjust to any casting style and preference by utilizing several standardized rod lengths across multiple grain windows. The 8 #4 doesnt feel stiff, but fishes in a tremendous range. Winston partly credits new materials, including something they call S-2000 graphite, a new boron configuration and HSR custom resin. We suspect its just better rod design. These rods had to be standouts, equal or superior on a windy day with heavy flies and distant fish. Ryan and I waded back into the water, giving each other enough room to cast. This is a wonderful fishing tool. We get questions about specific rod models all the time. While I only fished the former situation with this model, this stick would be my first choice for the South Fork of the Snake in July, where youre double hauling bushy stoneflies along the bank and fishing hatches in the riffles on the same afternoon. So far, we were the only things fish or people caught in the rain. Shop by species to find the right gear for your best saltwater fishing trip yet. In 2021, Winston introduced the flagship Air 2. Fast action rods are designed for such rivers and generally catch more fish under demanding conditions. Rods that track straight, dampen quickly, and have little oscillation will cast more accurately in a competent anglers hands. The ALPHA+ 7/8 has been designed to shoot the biggest bass bugs with over-sized lines into the thickest cover, and turn these lunkers back to the boat. Copyright 2018 all rights reserved by R.L. Over the winter I had the opportunity to fish the new 96 5-weight Air 2 on my homewaters of Puget Sound. Fly fishing equipment reviews, practical advice, factory tours, interviews and instruction. It will handle slightly heavier lines, such as the Rio Technical Trout or Gold, but why not split hairs and bring out the very best? Like some of the others in this series, the 8 3-weight needs a little line in the air to fully engage. What Im not new to is spending most of my time in the outdoors. Dont be afraid to load a heavier taper either, for turning over bigger bugs. Also a great a choice for smaller Jungle species like piranha, payara, and others. To say this rod blends power and finesse is unfair and simplistic, however. Back at camp, we shuffled around in a bit of stunned silence. This resin also allows Winston to use a little less material in their blanks to reduce overall weight while increasing strength and preserving the feel of the casting stroke in a wide range of fishing scenarios. The fish of 10,000 casts never comes easy. Each of our new bamboo fly rods can take up to a year to build. If you could own only one saltwater rod, this 9 8 weight would cover any standard saltwater application. Website Design & Development by unleaded.digital. Your email address will not be published. (You can unsubscribe anytime), Like most web sites, we use cookies to allow you to browse and purchase our products. Roll casting is buttery and effortless. These rods can do anything present tiny dry flies to wary trout on flat water, cast a heavy streamer to the far bank in the wind, launch the entire line when you need it, and make quick, accurate close-range shots. In addition, Winston changed the Boron pattern, which is used to strengthen the graphite and provide some backbone. Winston Rod Co. This shorter 3wt is a great rod for small streams and backpacking in the backcountry. In the past, some Winston 6-weights have lacked the bottom end to overcome challenging conditions, like high wind or the necessity to hold up a long backcast while wading deep. Winston Air 2 9'6 5-weight Like the 9'6 4-weight, this model is a deadly fishing tool in the appropriate arena. The rod rolls gorgeous loops off the light and sweet tip as if dry flies were the only way to fish. Air 2 | Selecting a fast action fly rod - Telluride Angler Telluride Angler's fast action fly rod review compares Scott Centric, Sage X, Loomis Asquith, Loomis NRX+and Winston Air 2 fly rods model-by-model. On the water, the Air 2 9 6-weight is equally well suited to nymphing, dry fly fishing and streamers. Copyright 2023 Telluride Angler 221 W. Colorado Ave PO Box 685 Telluride, CO 81435 1 (970) 728-3895 All rights reserved.Privacy PolicyWebsite by WEBDOGS. Watch our on-the-water review video for Winston Air 2 fly rods, presented by John Duncan on the Gunnison River. Like the 96 4-weight, this model is a deadly fishing tool in the appropriate arena. Copyright 2003 2023 MidCurrent LLC, All Rights Reserved. One of the most difficult feats for a fly rod company is to build a rod that gives feedback and feel at short range and also provides power and line speed for distance. The AIR 2 felt like the B3x, butbetter. Choose your line for your fishing situation, but keep in mind that heavier lines (such as the Infinity Taper), slow the rod down into a medium-fast action and youll lose some of the benefit of keeping your line high on the backcast. This is a really well crafted fly rod with specific purpose: line control for presenting smaller flies. pounding the banks from the boat, or wet wading, the new AIR 2 is a pack rod, a travel rod, a beautiful rod, and an all-around rod. These are rods we will think about all winter. A recent conversation with rod designer Jeff Evans illuminated Winstons patient approach and pure (no pun intended) motives. The four of us were exploring a stream that was supposedly seeing good hatches of early-season blue-winged olives. The new Winston Air 2 fly rod is the obvious choice for those of you that want the most versatility out of your trout gear. Check the Winston Air 2 Fly Rod out in action with this ON-THE-WATER REVIEW on our YouTube channel. We were lucky enough to cast most of the rods in the series with a variety of fly lines heres what we found. Ryan and I turned to face him, 100 yards upstream, just as the brown trout jumped, landed, then pulled off another 20 feet of line. The rod rolls gorgeous loops off the light and sweet tip as if dry flies were the only way to fish. Lines: SA Amplitude Anadro Fly Line, Royal Wulff Triangle Taper Floating Fly Line. The Winston Air 2 combines the feel and soul of Winston with higher line speed, a faster recovery rate, and a modern smooth action. ALPHA+10wt.380-430 grain lines. Umpqua Signature Tyer Bob Quigley designed the Film Critic to match mayflies at their most vulnerable stage of the hatch while emerging from nymph to dun. But our ALPHA+ 9/10 has been designed for power, big bug turnover, and foot-long flies, while having the sensitivity for mandatory figure 8s and at-the-boat eats. New arrivals: Nautilus NVG and Abel reels in custom customs. First offered in 1989 as a limited edition 60th Anniversary model, the Tom Morgan Favorite Rod has proved to be so popular it has remained a Winston customer favorite for the last 30 years. The medium-fast action of the Air provides the angler with plenty of feedback and feel at shorter distances and is ideal for dry fly fishing. Specialized Rods For the Nymph Specialists. For floaters, Id match it with an SA Trout taper or Infinity taper all day long. With any fly line, this model is more touch-oriented but less powerful than the Air 2 9 5-weight. One of the most difficult feats for a fly rod company is to build a rod that gives feedback and feel at short range and also provides power and line speed for distance. It casts progressively with touch, line speed, control and most of all, feel. Item : . Fish one and you will understand why anglers become devotees of bamboo and a part of the ultimate fly fishing tradition. They have a specialized grip that feels more trout rod than Spey, use slightly larger chrome guides than typical trout rods, and come with a larger tiptop that allows for the larger diameter of the spey style lines. What Doesn't Wind Most presentation rods don't do well in the wind. The 8' 4wt Air is very similar to the same model of the Pure. Boron Super 10 rods have been specifically designed for fishing applications that require more reach, perfect presentations and better long-rod balance. Shorter headed lines tend to bounce or disengage. The rod is capable of blazing line speed, but still allows its master to manipulate its capabilities on the water. More accurate, lighter, and surprisingly, it threw line with more backbone than I expected. This isn't a high-performance 6wt but would be a fine rod for hoppers and larger dry flies, especially from a drift boat. But building a little more power into the butt/mid-section of the Air would've captured a broader audience. It was a rare moment of angling nirvana, where you could thoroughly lose yourself in the machinations of the natural world. Use this smooth and powerful 10 weight for quick shots on Roosterfish, Sharks, blitzing GTs, and more delicate presentations to tarpon. Casting this rod with a range of lines, I can distinctly feel the different rod sections performing their intended tasks. It feels touchy but fits the hand in a way that offers plenty of support from the fingertips through the palm. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. One of the challenges many anglers face is how intimidating such a large body of water can be. Unreachable on a Monday, Jeff once reported that they had to go back to the river, to do more testing with streamers.. R.L. Winston Pure 490-4 won the hearts of testers when used in classic dry fly situations. The new Air 2 is perfectly designed to deliver both ends of the spectrum with the ability to do it all. I have this rod in a 5 weight and it is no less the combination of grace and power you speak of. Its pale golden flanks glittered dimly in the gray, flat light of midmorning. That wed driven so far to explore a hunch only compounded the feeling that we needed something to happen soon. Spring creek and tailwater anglers have a new favorite rod. Winston has set the bar for the all-purpose category of fly rods and will become one of the most important rods in the trout quiver. Swing weight is virtually non-existent. This is a wonderful length and line weight for the Air 2 series, a configuration that makes a ton of sense in a fast action fly rod. From high stick nymphing, pounding the banks from the boat, or wet wading, the new AIR 2 is a pack rod, a travel rod, a beautiful rod, and an all-around rod. This is a rod designed for Steelhead and Salmon with extra length for line mend-ability and a stout butt section for lifting power on feisty fish. Winston,Hardy, and more. Shops fly reels on sale from top reel makers. Long leaders turned over with ease. Finally, the 133 is the perfect winter steelhead rod, that can get smaller flies in the strike zone.Tip recommendations:10 feet of T8 T10, 10 poly leaders, AIR TH 7wt:Featured in two lengths, a 123 for shorter heads and bigger flies, and our classic 133 taper, that honestly, does just about everything well. With either the 9 or 10 model, theres plenty of room for a variety of fishing applications, from dry fly fishing on bigger western rivers, to light nymphing and small streamers. All Rights Reserved Design by unleaded.digital. Fish it with an SA Trout Taper. This rod will handle it. It is my favorite trout rod period. Breathing is believing. While it's more of a medium / medium-fast action rod, it's a totally different rod than the 8' 4wt and we thought it added a valuable dimension to the rod series as a whole. Light in hand, and extremely responsive, these 7 weights are becoming the go-to for dedicated bonefish anglers worldwide. It reminded me of the picture so many folks I know try to paint of a stonefly hatch. Sage Salt R8 fly rods: read our model-by-model review. Ferris Bueller . But still a true Winston >> Shop Winston Air 2 rods Fish on! These are fantastic fly rods. If a double haul is required for casting in the wind, tap it lightly and expect a confident response. Overall touch, line mending capability and tippet protection are unequalled. Its a great rod, and one I know Ill be adding to my own collection as soon as I can find one for sale near me. From the first cast, I pictured myself fishing this rod on The South Platte, Green or San Juan with either dry flies or a long, light nymph rig. It's maybe not exactly what the op is looking for, but I notice TA included into their comparative reviews: Giving you real-time river information, with details on hatches, flies, and fishing tactics for the Big Hole River.
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