Winston Air 2 Max 8’6″ 9-weight

Reviews

1. Rated 5 out of 5

   A wicked stick for permit, striped bass, juvenile tarpon, salmon, bull reds and bonefish, the Air 2 Max 8’6″ 9-weight sets a new standard for wind efficiency, castability and line speed. I cast it with a Rio Elite Bonefish WF9F line, a perfect choice for longer shots, but if your fishing scenarios call for shorter shots, pair it with an SA Bonefish Plus, SA Amplitude Grand Slam, Rio Outbound or Rio Flats Pro, all of which have heavy heads for loading the rod deeper without much line in the air. The spring and recovery in the 2nd and 3rd sections of this fly rod are sensational, making me want to cast as far as I can on every toss. The casting action of this rod is very fast, but this is one of those models that “uses a lot of the rod” in the loading process. The feel is “springy” rather than “tip action,” a character that almost every angler will love. Beyond 30 feet, line speed is world class and no 9-weight throws tighter loops. It’s a rod that responds to a powerful casting stroke yet falls softly into the hands of any saltwater angler. Every saltwater angler needs to try one of these 8’6″ Air 2 Max rods.

   John Duncan (Telluride Angler)