If you're used to fishing Sage and Loomis fast action rods, it'll take a little while to get used to the action of the Winston. Compared to an XP it's a night and day difference, but if you're interested, in getting a rod with more "feel" then this is the rod for you.

I live in Washington and frequently use this rod for everything from fishing double nymph rigs with split shot on the Yakima River to casting big bunnies for bull trout in small waters to lake fishing for wild coastal cutthroat, and of course every time I head to a spring creek this is my rod of choice. It's delicate enough for nice presentations and to protect light tippets, yet still has enough backbone to turn over a little weight and handle a little wind. However, little is the key, it is a medium fast four weight rod.

I think the key with Winston rods is finding the right fly line. I think that many people tend to underemphasize lines, take two different four weight lines and cast them, and you'll quickly learn that four weight is a subjective term. In reality, the AFTMA rating system only refers to the grain weight of the first thirty feet of fly line. Everything else is different.

I use two different lines on this rod, depending on where and how I'm fishing. The first is a Scientific Anglers XPS WF4F line that works exceptionally well on spring creeks and anywhere I need a delicate presentation. If I suspect any wind or split shot involved, however, this rod doesn't quite load the rod enough. In those situations, I fish a Scientific Anglers Nymph Taper WF5F, which has a large head and loads the rod very well.

It took me about four months to learn how to cast this rod, which may sound weird, but it took me three times that long to learn how to cast the six weight. By learning how to cast it, I mean learning how to REALLY cast it, how it works, where the sweet spot is, where you need to hit your timing, etc. Once you figure it out, it's akin to magic. Superb rod.

4/5 Stars

Ryan Davey
Fly Fishing Instructor, Guide, and Videographer
Angling Exploration Group

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Article	070
Created	7-10-2004
Modified	7-13-2004
Author	Worldanglr
Rating