[foreach71]

I'm quite in love with double hand casting, but there is no salmon in our waters... so I'd love to keep this skill up to date to properly prepare to future salmon trip.

My favorite local river is here:
Aktualno?ci
There is plenty of brown trout, common size varies from 11" to 18"
River is quite suitable for double hand rod.
So I'm thinking about trout spey rod for fishing streamers and occasionally wet flies.

I rarely use flies with tungsten heads larger than 4.8 mm (3/16" beadhead)
Most common size is 3.2 to 4 mm (1/8" to 5/32") .
Sometimes I use sinking polyleader (8'-10' versileader or similar)

So, question to those who own this rod: is Winston MS 3wt comfortable to cast buggers/leeches with 3/16" tungsten head, or I need to go to 4wt?
Is airflo streamer switch 300 grain OK for Winston 4 wt?

 

[Botsari]

Full disclosure - I do not have that particular rod. That said, I have experience with an Echo SR 3wt 10'6" switch, a Meiser 4wt 10'6" and a sage one 4wt 11' 6". I was able to cast weighted zonkers (rabbit strips) about that size just fine on the 3 wt. Others may have a different opinion, but I think you should be in range. Most likely the line you are using for a particular larger fly may be as important. I liked to use a Wulff Ambush 5wt line with a versaleader sink tip for the 3wt.

If one of your goals is to keep your spey skills honed, consider getting a micro "spey", rather than a "switch" - a little longer rod, like a 12' 3wt - just a passing thought. I have a 13' 4wt that casts a 305gr scandi head, and wow is that a fun rod to catch smaller fish on the swing. For the price of the Winston you could even have one made for you - probably for less. If you are curious you could email Steve Godshall in Bob Meiser's shop: [email protected]. He is a very friendly guy, and loves to talk about exactly the sort of questions you are asking. He does beautiful work. Not encouraging you to go crazy, but get him to telly you about the crazy 15'+ 2/3 wts he has built for people

Just some radom early-moring thoughts for you. Good luck. That river does look nice. Wish I had it in my "back yard"!

 

[Storybook]

I've previoiusly owned both Winstons. Looking at the videos in your post, I think for the size of fish you are catching the 3wt would be just fine. In fact I had a buddy hook and land a 24" Coho on the 3wt this past fall.

Echoing what Botsari said above, give the custom guys a call. You might like a fuller flexing 3-4wt for that size of fish. Might make a 16" fish feel like a 24".

 

[J.James]

Who makes a 13' 4w?!

Let's see it!!

Do tell my friend do tell!

Full disclosure - I do not have that particular rod. That said, I have experience with an Echo SR 3wt 10'6" switch, a Meiser 4wt 10'6" and a sage one 4wt 11' 6". I was able to cast weighted zonkers (rabbit strips) about that size just fine on the 3 wt. Others may have a different opinion, but I think you should be in range. Most likely the line you are using for a particular larger fly may be as important. I liked to use a Wulff Ambush 5wt line with a versaleader sink tip for the 3wt.

If one of your goals is to keep your spey skills honed, consider getting a micro "spey", rather than a "switch" - a little longer rod, like a 12' 3wt - just a passing thought. I have a 13' 4wt that casts a 305gr scandi head, and wow is that a fun rod to catch smaller fish on the swing. For the price of the Winston you could even have one made for you - probably for less. If you are curious you could email Steve Godshall in Bob Meiser's shop: [email protected]. He is a very friendly guy, and loves to talk about exactly the sort of questions you are asking. He does beautiful work. Not encouraging you to go crazy, but get him to telly you about the crazy 15'+ 2/3 wts he has built for people

Just some radom early-moring thoughts for you. Good luck. That river does look nice. Wish I had it in my "back yard"!

 

[fredaevans]

+1 to Bonsri's post.

With these very light rods you ARE limited to the size of the fly they will handle. A broken rod will really 'dent your day!' Me I'd shy away from the type of fly you want to use and you don't want them weighted with anything heavier than chain bead eyes.

That said, as a 'trout rod' these types of rods are a total joy for trout fishing. Steve Godshall built me a 2/3 and that's my go to rod for smaller river's/streams/low water in Montana.

Fred

 

[Botsari]

Who makes a 13' 4w?!

Let's see it!!

Do tell my friend do tell!

Its the Meiser TM106130 conversion rod (300-500 gr for the spey) - in the spey configuration.

R. B. Meiser Fly Rods - Master Series Conversion Rods

I love that I'm pretty sure I can finally post THIS link legally here.

Best of both worlds (and about the same price as the Winston mentioned), but I really LOVE the spey rod config! Together with Steve's line, shear joy. Would be perfect for half-pounders up to smaller summer steelies - provided a really big adult doesn't slip in there.

Fred is probably right - there are other issues besides mere cast-ability. Especially if you are going to get an nice expensive Winston. You can do an awful lot messing with the sink tips instead.

 

[Fireroad]

I'm quite in love with double hand casting, but there is no salmon in our waters... so I'd love to keep this skill up to date to properly prepare to future salmon trip.

My favorite local river is here:
Aktualno?ci
There is plenty of brown trout, common size varies from 11" to 18"
River is quite suitable for double hand rod.
So I'm thinking about trout spey rod for fishing streamers and occasionally wet flies.

I rarely use flies with tungsten heads larger than 4.8 mm (3/16" beadhead)
Most common size is 3.2 to 4 mm (1/8" to 5/32") .
Sometimes I use sinking polyleader (8'-10' versileader or similar)

So, question to those who own this rod: is Winston MS 3wt comfortable to cast buggers/leeches with 3/16" tungsten head, or I need to go to 4wt?
Is airflo streamer switch 300 grain OK for Winston 4 wt?

While I don't own either rod I may be able to help as my buddy and I just tried to answer the same questions. We were looking at targeting the same size fish as you, but I wanted to primarily swing wet flies and he wanted to primarily swing streamers. I cast the 3wt and thought it was perfect for what I wanted to do, but budget dictated something less expensive and I went with the Echo Glass 3wt and the 3wt Airflo Switch float. He got to fish the 4wt Winston on a float trip and bought one as soon as he got back. He tried both the 4 and 4.5 Streamer Float and settled on the 4.5. I will still eventually get the 3wt (I hope), but the Echo Glass is wicked fun and 1/4 the cost.

Both the Winston models are fantastic, but if you ask Tom Larimer (who helped Winston design the rods, and we did) he'll tell you the 4wt is the most versatile of the 3 models and the sweetheart of the bunch.

 

[J.James]

I'm sure the Winston is a nice Rod

Don't be afraid to explore any 5w switch too. They all cast pretty close to the same lines

I own a plethora (love that word ever since the 3 amigos flick) of trout rods. I would recommend the Helios 5w, Thomas and Thomas 11'9 5w, TFO DC spey and switch in 4w, anything by Meiser, etc.

Any of those rods will give you intuitive feel, they give a nice stout bend on a 10-12 rainbow or bigger, can fight a strong wind, and cast 80+ feet with either a scandi or skagit shooting head.

You have options of deep loading rods or tippy rods. The lower handle looks short on the Winston which is something to keep in mind. I have no trouble casting sink tips and weighted flies with any of those rods.

It's nice to be able to have a rod that can address the weather conditions as much as the fish and water conditions by just changing a shooting head or poly leader.

I'd also consider Beulah's Onyx 5w and Sage Z-Axis 5w if you're looking for over 12 feet but the TFO DC Spey is a sick Rod. As is the Meiser version of course.

I don't know anything about Winston as a company but their rods look pretty and it's cool they dipped in on the trout switch theme. I'd ask around about warranty service experiences just for information

Good luck!

 

[wstcstbob]

So, question to those who own this rod: is Winston MS 3wt comfortable to cast buggers/leeches with 3/16" tungsten head, or I need to go to 4wt?
Is airflo streamer switch 300 grain OK for Winston 4 wt?

Hi there foreach. I recently bought the Winston MS 3wt and I think that rod is a kick in the teeth. So much fun to fish it. I target the same size fish you are planning to fish for and I can say that the 3wt won't disappoint. I paired it with a 250gr RIO skagit max short and prefer a tip around 45 - 55 grains. I used poly leaders and the 5wt 10' Type 3 and Type 6 tips. All cast very well with streamers in the range of 1.5 to 2.5 inches with small dumbbell eyes and beads that you mentioned. Throw a scandi or single hand line on there and it will cast very nicely if you are looking to swing soft hackles and such.

I can't say enough good things about this rod. It has a really great balance between castability and fish fighting feel for those trout under 20 inches. Best of luck!

 

[Botsari]

wstcstbob definitely wins for the best answer to the original question!

 

[J.James]

wstcstbob definitely wins for the best answer to the original question!

Botsari

Please let me know if you ever feel the 13' 4w doesn't suit your applications anymore



Happy holidays all

 

[Botsari]

Botsari

Please let me know if you ever feel the 13' 4w doesn't suit your applications anymore



Happy holidays all

Sure thing! I'm writing you into my will now.