Every angler will be impressed with the Air 2 96 6-weight. The rod can handle heavier lines or wind, but not both. Website Design & Development by unleaded.digital. I dont know how many fish I caught that day I never started counting. Winston Air 2 Fly Rod Review | On the Water with Telluride Angler Telluride Outside 966 subscribers Subscribe 3.2K views 1 year ago COLORADO Telluride Angler's John Duncan field. 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. The PURE is no exception. Lines: RIO Gold Elite Fly Line, SA Amplitude Smooth Trout Fly Line. The AIR 2 bucks that trend, and its just plain fun to cast. When he was only a few days old, I put a Winston rod in his hands, hoping that hell grow up to be a Winston guy like his dad. WARRANTY / REPAIRS I and a fishing buddy got together during a blue-wing olive hatch a month ago, and we fished this AIR 2 and my trusty 9 5wt B3x. Either line would be great with a dry fly, but the Technical Trout will kick over a dry dropper or indicator with a little more authority. The AIR 2 powers line, but doesnt feel like a crazy fast-action stick. Saltwater AIR 9wt:An unbelievably light 9 weight that produces fast line speed with incredible accuracy. Asked what fuels his perfectionism, Evans says, I want anglers to say, I plan my fishing days around this rod., He wants anglers to anticipate that first day of fishing in spring with their favorite Winston in hand. Elegant, sensitive and plush, it casts from short to long with the cadence of a finely tuned instrument that any angler will handle with intuition and precision. 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. By decreasing the diameter of the guides and then making them ultra slick, the Winston Air 2 effortlessly shoots line to maximize the velocity and distance for all casting abilities. The 133 gives anglers a longer option without being too long itll lean closer to the more traditional longer Skagit and Scandi lines and cast longer tips. Connect with him on Instagram/Twitter, @Spencer_Durrant. Winston Pure 490-4 won the hearts of testers when used in classic dry fly situations. Like the 96 4-weight, this model is a deadly fishing tool in the appropriate arena. Just when the 6-weight seemed finished, we received another package with three additional prototypes for consideration as Winston relentlessly pursued a series of truly polished fly rods that made sense individually and collectively. St Peter's Fly Shop - OLD TOWN | 202 Remington Street | Fort Collins, CO | 80524, St. Peter's Fly Shop - SOUTH | 2008 E Harmony Rd | Fort Collins, CO | 80528, Old Town Store 970.498.8968 | South Store 970.377.3785. Winston AIR 2. AIR TH 5wt:Anglers needing a crossover rod for trout and light steelhead should consider the 12 5weight Air TH. Best Use: This is a great rod for a variety of freshwater trout fishing scenarios and can be used on larger rivers than the other 4wts in the series. 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. Saltwater AIR 10wt:With great power comes great fish. But against stiff headwinds, I couldnt get the line speed and power to work against the wind as well as Id like. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. The bugs were small, dark, and only came off when the weather turned sour. That I got to spend the whole day throwing dry flies only made the experience that much more unforgettable. Howler Monkeys call from the canopy. I dont think technology is the key, just a means to an end. We get questions about specific rod models all the time. It reminded me of the picture so many folks I know try to paint of a stonefly hatch. The short range accuracy of this rod makes throwing stimulator patterns easy and delicacy at mid-range seamless. Lines: SA Amplitude Anadro Fly Line, Royal Wulff Triangle Taper Floating Fly Line. Rods that track straight, dampen quickly, and have little oscillation will cast more accurately in a competent anglers hands. 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. 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. Hi guys,Thanks for youre excellent review on the Air 2 line.I really enjoyed reading it.I fish Winstons and looking to get the Air 2 5wt.I need a five to bridge the gap.I have a older dl 4 and the Alphas 6 and 8 and really should get a five its needed.Just curious what you think bout the Airflo superflo universal taper on that rod.Really digging the Airflo lines lately as Rio has been falling apart on me and not holding up past that six month mark dissapointing but things change sometimes.Like to stick with Airflo just wanted youre thoughts about this.Looking forward to hearing from you and thanks for the help. My very favorite is the Rio Elite Technical Trout, which loads this rod with no effort from fly-in-hand to beyond the backing knot. For general purposes, my favorite line on the Air 2 9 6-weight is the SA Amplitude Infinity WF6F. Mike played the fish quickly into the net, popped the hook free, then held the fish up briefly so the rest of us could see. Copyright 2003 2023 MidCurrent LLC, All Rights Reserved. Simply match a lines grain window to the appropriate Alpha model to suit your needs and fishing styleALPHA+ rods are extra reinforced in the ferrule for ultimate lifting power, to turn fish away from heavy cover, and support all-day casting with big flies and fly lines. info@montroseanglers.com In addition, Winston changed the Boron pattern, which is used to strengthen the graphite and provide some backbone. Two different lengths gives anglers of different casting styles the ability to choose the model that fits them best. Winston smooth. The next generation of all-around freshwater fly rods (3wt-6wt). I fished size 24 midge patterns in low water, and was impressed with how softly those tiny dries laid down. I have an 8 ft 6 pure, and really like the way it feels. These are fantastic fly rods. 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. 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. It has a lively response to a gentle double haul but doesnt require a haul to tap power in the butt section. The AIR 2 handles small flies with the delicacy you'd expect from a Winston. Winston sent package after package to pro staff for testing and feedback. You wont want to leave home without it. If these are your daydreams, we encourage you to explore our all-new PURE series of trout rods. Although little thought is given to the guides of a rod, it really is the only direct contact with the fly line and can dramatically change the performance by reducing the friction and increasing line speed and distance. My favorite line on this rod is a Rio Gold, which hops from the tip and makes the rod feel extra light and crisp throughout the delivery. Mike and I both lived in Utah at the time, while Ryan and Josh drove down from Olympia, Washington. R.L. Winston Tom Morgan Favorite Fly Rod 4WT 8' 2PC, Tom Morgan was the owner and rod designer at Winston from 1973 to 1991 and his legacy at Winston and for the entire fly rod industry cannot be overstated. 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. Line speed and control will match or exceed any other rod in the most demanding conditions. Also of note is how well this rod mends. Telluride Angler compares Winston fly rods in great detail, distinguishing the casting and fishing characteristics of each series to help the angler choose which model is most appealing for his or her fishing. The 9 3-weight is one of the faster action rods in the series. I appreciate the Wells grip Winston chose for this model, which reduces fatigue and accentuates the feeling of lightness. The technology platform for Air 2 utilizes new high modulus materials as well as Winstons traditional boron in the butt section, the turbo charger for line speed and raw power. It will roll cast forever and deliver precise stack mends without exhausting the caster. The gang at Telluride Angler 800-831-6230 www.tellurideangler.com orders@tellurideangler.com Want to change how you receive these emails? For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Forget the term teeth, fish with fangs swim in these waters. This helps eliminate the confusion associated with lines over-weighted by 1 or 2 line weights. This will ruffle feathers in the crowd of folks who think Winstons best rods were the IM6 ones, but the AIR 2 is the best rod Winston has built in its 91-year history. Personally, though, Id be surprised if the AIR 2 doesnt sell exceptionally well. Small but big: I love the modified half Wells that Winston crafted for these rods. We cast them side-by-side and couldn't tell which rod was lighter or which rod was faster/softer. If you could own only one saltwater rod, this 9 8 weight would cover any standard saltwater application. This, like many other rods in the series, is a moderate action rod for the angler with a slower casting stroke. Copyright 2018 all rights reserved Lines: SA Amplitude Smooth Trout Fly Line, RIO Technical Trout Elite Fly Line, RIO Creek Fly Line. The new Winston AIR TH rods redefine two-hand casting performance. 1325 Mayfly Drive Read our model-by-model casting evaluation of each rod in the Winston Air 2 Series, complete with line pairing recommendations. Winston AIR 2. This article is designed to pass that info along to you. We fish Centrics, Asquiths and X rods on the Gunnison, Animas and Colorado. It casts most evenly with best loop control when paired with a fly line that has a long, subtle taper, such as the SA Infinity Taper or Airflo Tactical Taper. The next generation of all-around freshwater fly rods (3wt-6wt). We love the new modified half Wells grip. We continue to believe in Toms principle that a great fly rod is always a great fly rod, so as we celebrate Winstons 90th Anniversary, we find it only fitting to reintroduce the Tom Morgan Favorite. Its also well suited for wading tailwaters, presenting long leaders with a little distance between angler and trout. These are rods we will think about all winter. The moderate action is perfect for anglers who don't need a highly powerful rod but want a rod that loads quickly at short distances for those trout in brushy environments. To pro staff for testing and feedback many folks I know try to paint of a hatch... 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