Over time, almost every angler feels the inclination to own a Winston. The unmatched beauty of these rods stirs a longing for tradition. Unquestionably fine fishing tools, Winston trout rods all seem to inhabit the mid-action category in terms of their flexing characteristics. This article will help distinguish the 50 shades of green, helping you choose the right Winston rod for your fishing. We begin by defining our categories of evaluation, followed by comparisons of all single-handed Winston rods.
Comparative Fly Rod Characteristics
Stiffness: We grade the rods on a scale of 1-10 for relative action (higher number = stiffer fly rod). The stiffest, “fastest action” rod is the Air 2 Max, designed primarily for power in saltwater environments. The “slowest action” Winston rod is the Tom Morgan Favorite, followed by the members of the Pure 2 Series. These rods are designed for touch and are coveted by dry fly anglers.
Distance: The range in which each rod excels. When choosing a rod, the angler should consider his or her most typical casting situations to select a rod that casts best in those high percentage scenarios.
Touch: On a scale of 1-10, how well does the rod respond to subtle input from the angler? Line mending, high sticking, slack line casts and tea cup accuracy are abetted by a responsive rod that may easily be manipulated by its caster.
Versatility: On a scale of 1-10, is this rod everything to everyone (10) or highly specialized (1)? This is not a quality grade, but rather a relative scale of specialization. Many premium rods receive low versatility marks because they were designed for a specialized purpose (like tarpon fishing or long leader dry fly angling).
Feel: As distinguished from “Touch,” “Feel” is our mark for how much feedback the angler receives in the palm of the hand while casting. When paired with an appropriate line, some rods merely get the job done while others feel exceptional. In general, rods with high stiffness marks offer more power but less feel to the caster.
| Stiffness | Distance | Touch | Versatility | Feel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pure 2 | 5 | short-mid | 10 | 8 | 10 |
| Air 2 | 7.5 | mid-long | 8 | 9 | 8 |
| Air 2 5-piece | 6 | short-long | 8 | 9 | 8 |
| Air 2 9 1/2' rods | 6 | short-long | 7 | 7 | 8 |
| Air 2 Reach 10' rods | 6 | short-long | 7 | 6 | 8 |
| Air 2 Max | 8.5 | long | 7 | 8 | 7 |
| Tom Morgan Favorite | 3 | short-mid | 10 | 4 | 10 |
Winston Freshwater Rods
Pure 2 Series
The Pure 2 Series represents the best of Winston, both past and present. Deceivingly pegged as “slow action” fly rods, the progressive flex of the Pure 2 is a reminder that the most versatile trout rods can do more than just cast. Winston loyalists swoon at the feeling and touch in these rods, but every angler will notice their on-the-water capability in roll casting, line mending and tippet protection. They cast dry flies magnificently, but have enough reserve power for dry-dropper and light nymph rigs. We generally prefer Pure 2 models for fishing distances of 50 feet or less. For longer distance, dedicated nymphing and streamer fishing, go with the Air 2 series, but if you are looking for a classic Winston dry fly rod, you have found it.
Lines: The SA Trout Expert and Rio Technical Trout are the best lines for Pure 2 Series rods.
Outstanding model: Pure 2 8’3″ 4-weight. [model-by-model Pure 2 reviews]
Air 2 Series 4-piece rods, 9′ and less
Note: The Air 2 series contains 4 subsets of fly rods: 4-piece models of 9′ or less, 4-piece 9 1/2′ models, 4-piece 10′ “Reach” models and 5-piece 9-footers. Only the first group is “fast action.” All others are “medium fast,” as described below.
The fast action 4-piece Air 2 series is the logical counterpart to the Pure 2. Light tipped with quick recovery, these rods cast tight loops and possess great command, especially at distance. We characterize the light line models in this series as “long distance dry fly rods.” The 3 and 4-weights throw gorgeous, silky loops in the 35-70 foot range, designed more for broad water than creek fishing. They are wonderful technical presentation tools for tailwaters and spring creeks.
The 8 1/2′ and 9′ 5-weights, as well as the 9′ 6-weight are the finest fast action trout rods Winston has ever designed. From short to very long, they cast with loop control and line speed that exceed any predecessor while delivering electrifying feel to the caster. They are sensational fly rods, arguably best in class across the industry.
Line pairings: The Rio Technical Trout brings out the best characteristics of every rod in this series, but we must also observe that Air 2 rods throw a Rio Gold as well as any fly rod on the market. Many anglers choose the Rio Gold for its on-the-water fishing capabilities rather than pure casting characteristics. If you are a “Rio Gold angler,” you’ll love these rods.
Outstanding model: Air 2 9′ 5-weight [model-by-model Air 2 reviews]
Air 2 Series 9 1/2-foot models
The 9 1/2-foot 4, 5 and 6-weights are medium fast action, designed equally for casting and after-the-cast techniques, such as line mending. They are notably less “fast action” than their 8 1/2′ and 9′ cousins, as these longer rods have a more progressive taper, requiring the angler to be more patient with his or her casting stroke. Line control ability is spectacular, but expect a slightly slower action in these models.
The 9 1/2-foot 7 and 8-weights are cannons, clearly designed for steelhead and salmon, as well as heavy stillwater applications (think Jurassic Lake). They are fast action by anyone’s measure, with powerful, stable butt sections for chucking streamer-style fly lines and making long casts while wading deep steelhead rivers.
Line notes: the 4, 5 and 6-weights fish best with a Rio Gold, Rio Technical Trout, or any full sinking lake line with a gentle taper. The 7 and 8-weights are stiff enough to handle specialized nymphing lines such as the Scientific Anglers Anadro, as well as the Rio Gold Max, Rio Gold XP and SA Infinity taper. They also cast streamer-style lines including the Rio Outbound Short and SA Titan/Titan Long series, and all common sinking or sink tip fly lines.
Air 2 Reach 10-foot models
Similarly, Air 2 “Reach” models could be their own series. Specialized for nymphing and stillwater angling, these 3 rods are distinctly slower in action than shorter Air 2 models. They have heavier tips and flex deeper, providing much more line control but at the expense of additional weight. They roll cast and mend line like few other rods on the market, yet possess enough bottom end stiffness to lift a full sinking line out of a lake or fish a strike indicator with multiple nymphs and split shot with confidence. Most anglers considering a 10′ trout rod have a specialized purpose in mind, a specific set of techniques for specific fishing scenarios.
Line notes: These 10′ rods fish best with long-bellied lines including the Scientific Anglers Infinity series, Rio Technical Trout and the full host of lake-style sinking lines with gentle tapers. They do not cast streamer lines well, however. That is simply not their purpose.
Outstanding model: Air 2 Reach 10′ 5-weight [model-by-model Air 2 reviews]
Air 2 Series 9′ 5-piece rods
5-piece rods were added to the Air 2 lineup two years after its introduction. Designed for the traveling angler, these rods offer tremendous convenience and versatility, but similar to to the Air 2 Reach models described above, are not as stiff as most of the 4-piece rods in the Air 2 series. We would describe them as “medium fast.” They cast dry flies elegantly, flexing deeply and recovering with snappy confidence, but not casting “off the tip.” This is neither positive nor negative, but in choosing one of these 5-piece models, the angler should expect the rod to flex deeper than its 4-piece counterpart.
Line notes: The SA Trout Expert and Rio Technical Trout cast and fish best on these 3 models (unlike many of the 4-piece Air 2 models, which fish a Rio Gold superbly).
Outstanding model: Air 2 9′ 4-weight, 5-piece [model-by-model Air 2 reviews]
Tom Morgan Favorite
The TMF (8′ 4-weight, 2-piece) could remain forever in the Winston lineup. Regarded as a legacy fly rod by many, it remains among the finest dry fly rods ever made and completely unique among 8′ 4-weights on the market today. We recommend the TMF as a pure dry fly instrument, if only for the luxury of owning a pure dry fly instrument. You couldn’t choose a finer fly rod for fishing single dries at 15-45 feet under calm weather conditions.
Lines: SA Trout Taper, Rio Perception, Rio Light Line [see rod model for reviews]
Winston Saltwater Rods
Air 2 Max
Winston has unapologetically stepped into the modern era with Air 2 Max saltwater fly rods. There are simply no asterisks in this series. The Air 2 Max cast and fish high in their line classes, meaning they are powerful rods that can handle aggressive-headed lines such as the Rio Outbound and SA Bonefish Plus, throwing with confidence and control in the wind and with plenty of bottom end for dictating the fight. Componentry is top shelf and the quality of construction will convince even the saltiest angler that Winston has come to play. There are no dogs in the series and every rod model makes a statement.
Here, too, there is a series within the series. In line weights 6-9, Winston offers an 8’6″ model to complement the 9-footer. 30 years ago, almost every major rod maker offered sub-9-foot saltwater rods. Now Winston comes back with 8’6″ rods that rival any saltwater fly rod on the planet. The advantages include lighter swing, greater accuracy, lower shear in the wind, feeling 1-2 line weights lighter than their 9′ cousins and offering a superior lever for fighting fish. The are notably lighter while also more stout and compact. This creates a design challenge for the manufacturer, but Winston Rod Designer Hank Haen absolutely nailed these models. Don’t buy a saltwater rod without asking yourself the question, “9 feet, or 8 1/2?”
Outstanding models: Air 2 Max 8 1/2′ 8-weight and 9′ 11-weight [model-by-model reviews for Air 2 Max]