The 8' 4wt didn't really fit into the series as well as the other rods we cast and we felt it was pretty similar to the Pure. Shop by species to find the right gear for your best saltwater fishing trip yet. The mid and butt sections are super springy, making it a joy to cast and exceptional in all those on-the-water techniques that contribute to a prodigious day on the water. With a little more feel than a 12 weight, this 11 will make pinpoint presentations when a pack of silver kings are bearing down on the skiff. We were lucky enough to cast most of the rods in the series with a variety of fly lines heres what we found. The new Air 2 is perfectly designed to deliver both . SOME EXCLUSIONS APPLY*, JOIN ANGLER REWARDS TODAY - Earn 1 Point For Every Dollar Spent, EARN 1 POINT FOR EVERY DOLLAR YOU SPEND AT MRFC.COM, Moderate action with quick recovery that allows for open loops for fine dry fly presentation along with the ability to generate faster line speed as required for different conditions, Slim profile with fine grip and guide configurations for better connection to the rod, Proprietary design puts presentation and tippet protection as the first priority, Ideal for light nymph and dry fly fishing applications, Highest performance boron/graphite composite materials, Exceptionally powerful, capable of generating high line speeds, Designed to cast big flies, heavy lines, shooting heads and sinking tips, Extra reinforced ferrules for ultimate lifting power, Designated grain windows for each rod model, Designed and Handcrafted in Twin Bridges, MT, All graphite with classic WT spigot ferrule design, Incredibly smooth with wonderful touch and feel, Extra light 4-weight, perfect for spring creek fishing, GUIDES: Chrome nanoli test ripper guide/chrome snake guides, REEL SEAT: Nickel Silver with burled wood insert, STORAGE: Premium aluminum tube with logo rod sock. Please call to check if reel seat is box elder or maple. For general purposes, my favorite line on the Air 2 9 6-weight is the SA Amplitude Infinity WF6F. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. The AIR 2 handles small flies with the delicacy you'd expect from a Winston. Meant for happy-go-lucky streams, this rod perfectly casts microscopic dry flies on the lightest tippet, and bends to the butt section with the weight of a 7 brook trout. Winston showed great discipline is designing this model, prototyping and field testing relentlessly until they had a rod with the power and command to meet all the demands of a cutting edge 6-weight but also the lightness and feedback to belong in the Air 2 Series. The slim profile provides a better connection to the rod while the proprietary design puts presentation and tippet protection as the first priority. It seemed like every time we called Winston this spring, the guys were on the Big Hole, testing rods. It turns out that fishing is a critical part of the job, but we always smiled when we got these reports from the factory. Their rods are the product of over 85 years of die-hard anglers and fly rod innovation. I appreciate the Wells grip Winston chose for this model, which reduces fatigue and accentuates the feeling of lightness. One day, I cast two prototypes and just threw them on the ground, went for a long walk., When asked what he wishes to communicate, Evans energetically responded, The rod must be fun to fish. Winston AIR 2. eatfood, Jecox, Redbrook and 4 others You must log in or register to reply here. Here at the Madison River Fishing Company, we are proud to represent our neighbors. Fly fishing equipment reviews, practical advice, factory tours, interviews and instruction. Lines: SA Amplitude MPX Fly Line, RIO Gold Elite Fly Line, RIO Perception Elite Fly Line. Thats a big price. Your mileage may vary. That being said, this isn't a 6wt you would want to take to Alaska or on a river where bulky indicator rigs are common. 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. FLY RODS JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. I first cast this rod with a Scientific Anglers Trout Taper, which throws beautiful loops but allows for a little bit of tip bounce inside of 25 feet. The Air 2 96 6-weight has an immaculate, progressive flex profile. The Air 2 is available in line weights 3 to 6. The Air 2 9 4-weight is definitely faster action than the Pure 9 4-weight, which flexes into the middle of the rod on every cast, but not as powerful as the equivalent Centric, X, Asquith or NRX+. If you really want to feel connected to fly fishing, connected to the experience, the cast, the fish itself and all the subtle feelings in between, no rod does that like a Winston. The AIR 2 mended everything like an absolute dream. Photography By: Jason Shields It casts most general-purpose trout lines with confidence, but I dont recommend streamer-style lines or overlining, which cause the rod to bog down and lose torsional stability. Combining the power of a Spey rod and the finesse of a trout rod, they add a new and exciting dimension to the sport. Swing weight is virtually non-existent. Choose the right rod with help from Telluride Angler! Mayfly emergers are often stuck in the film for quite some time making them easy pray for hungry trout. Remarkably, the new High Strain Rate resin is perfect for the all-purpose rod category by amplifying the energy transfer allowing an angler to make tight loops and punch through the wind with incredible velocity as well as present smaller dries to rising fish at close range in calm water. The next generation of all-around freshwater fly rods (3wt-6wt). Line speed and control will match or exceed any other rod in the most demanding conditions. The next generation of all-around freshwater fly rods (3wt-6wt). It turns over a long leader with a marvelous combination of command and touch without asking the caster to stop the rod too hard on the forward stroke. Its hard to make a bad cast with this rod. R.L. This rod will handle it. Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site. Some might imagine casting yellow humpies, stimulators, and Royal Wulffs on their favorite freestones. Its truly a do-it-all fly rod. The 9 3-weight is one of the faster action rods in the series. The Air 2 is now one of the few modern fast action trout rods without a Wells grip. Blending power and finesse is a difficult task but this model finds the sweet spot on every cast, every hook up. Think any spring creek from Paradise Valley, Montana, to the world renowned Driftless area in Wisconsin. This is one of our favorite 5wt rods at the short trout distance of 30-feet. The Air 2 9 5-weight is a dark horse entering the arena with the Scott Centric, Sage X and Loomis Asquith. A Winston rod series designed to up your game against the Alpha fish lurking in the shadows. For all-around summer steelhead, the classic 126 adds versatility to both Skagit and dry line applications. Winston,Hardy, and more. Featuring a deep loading action with fast recovery rates, AIR TH models are ideal for any steelhead and salmon fishing application. It felt like the folks in Twin Bridges had tried to cater too much to the general crowd in fly fishing that demands a do-it-all rod, instead of playing true to Winstons strong suit making high-end, light, wonderfully smooth casting dry fly rods. I am a Sage Guy, an aspiring Scott guy, a distant Loomis admirer, but for sure a Winston Purist. It fits into the series really well and, while it won't impress your friends in the parking lot, it's a rod that's built for the angler who wants to catch fish instead of bomb casts at long distances. I routinely am adding Air 2s in different models to complete my quiver! Best Use: From light nymphing to larger dry flies, this is a versatile 4wt that's ideal for a variety of freshwater trout fishing scenarios. The Air 2 9 4-weight wont drive nails into the wind like other rods in its class, but it has the characteristic feel and presentation qualities that make anglers love Winston rods. It has a faster action than other rods in the series and flexes most in the tip and mid-section. This shorter 3wt is a great rod for small streams and backpacking in the backcountry. With that said, I think the positives outweigh the negatives here. 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. These moderate action rods feature a quick recovery that allows for open loops for fine dry fly presentation along with the ability to generate faster line speed for different conditions. The rod is capable of blazing line speed, but still allows its master to manipulate its capabilities on the water. Some of our staff feel that its best beyond 30 feet, but I found that it loads naturally from very short to very long. 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. It was a perfect hatch. In spite of its fast action character, it possesses wonderful roll casting and line mending qualities along with the tippet protection you would expect from any Winston. Its pale golden flanks glittered dimly in the gray, flat light of midmorning. While it is the middle of January, we threw a bit of everything with the Air 2 and it handled it all with the grace and power you expect out of a Winston. Sage Salt R8 fly rods: read our model-by-model review. This is a rod that can be used for light nymphing, larger dry flies, and technical small dry fly work. It's a moderate action rod like many rods in the series, but has some of the same power levels you'll find in the 8'6" 4wt. The Rio Technical Trout strikes a reasonable compromise, but I like the rod best with long headed lines. For a good long while, I didnt find a modern Winston series that fished better than my trusty old 9 5wt B3x. In a 9 5wt, the AIR 2 packs more of a punch than I expected. What Doesn't Wind Most presentation rods don't do well in the wind. 100% of our funding comes from your gear purchases, so if this blog post helps you on your next fly fishing adventure, please support us by buying your gear from us. It casts progressively with touch, line speed, control and most of all, feel. These reviewsYou had me at was an invitation to be eaten alive. With any fly line, this model is more touch-oriented but less powerful than the Air 2 9 5-weight. When adding power to the stroke at longer distances, I feel the butt section tighten and kick back with authority. {"pos":"top","cat":"gear","type":"article_children_page","format":"default"}. While casting this rod in a field isn't really the best test (it's a nymphing rod after all), during our casting session we felt that it was heavy and less powerful than Winston designed it to be. ALPHA+10wt.380-430 grain lines. Fish it with an SA Trout Taper. Its impossible to say what the best rod is out there, but Winstons Air 2 series makes a persuasive argument for top billing. These are special fly rods, not mere tools. Its casting stroke tracks straighter than any other Winston Ive fished, and straighter than some of the other flagship rods on the market right now. And they had to be Winstons. 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. Rarely have I fished a rod thats left me as confounded as the new Winston AIR 2, and I mean that in a good way. 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