Few names garner as much respect in the world of fly fishing as the name 'R.L. Winston'. Beginning in 1929, the R.L. Winston Company has carefully and determinately dedicated themselves to creating the world's perfect fly rod. This dedication to the craft of rod building has resulted in R.L. Winston being recognized the world over for their detail, determination, perfection, and love of fly fishing.
Winston Rods are hand-built in Twin Bridges, Montana, the very heart of some of the world's finest trout fishing waters. Winston rods are the product of nearly 100 years of lifetime anglers and fly rod innovation. The history and culture of R.L. Winston is ingrained deep within each rod produced. Attention to the small details creates the perfect balance of progression and tradition, which transcends into a distinct feel that is unmatched in the rod building industry.
Not just a fly rod but an heirloom.
Today, this distinct feel is recognized by experienced anglers as 'Winston feel', the deep flexing profile, strong lift, and a sensitive tip. One thing has remained true throughout the history of Winston fly rods and that is that they possess a nearly ethereal soul which is found in all Winstons rods, that Winston feel.
Wade Softly and Carry a Green Stick
Winston rods have gone through some visual variation over the years but there is a palette to which the R.L. Winston Company always returns, that deep, recognizable green. The blank shines in the sun with a deep green, red tipping that pops in contrast, hand-written rod insignia, each rod piece is individually serialized, features a clean - nearly bleach-white - cork handle, all topped off with an extremely high-quality wood insert.
Current Lineup
Air2 - The current flagship rod in the R.L. Winston lineup. The Air2 is the fastest trout rod that Winston has ever produced which makes it more interesting when comparing to other rods in the Winston catalog. Available in the most popular freshwater sizes (3-6wt), the Air2 is a jack-of-all-trades where other rods from the company might find themselves more at home using one angling tactic. These rods can do anything – present tiny dry flies to wary trout on flat water, cast a heavy streamer to the far bank in the wind, launch the entire line when you need it, and make quick, accurate close-range shots. The 5wt Air2 was recently selected as the 2022 Best Freshwater Fly Rod at IFTD in Salt Lake City.
Pure - Perhaps the greatest dry fly rod ever assembled. A moderate speed, delicate presentation, quick dampening, and a soft tip to protect those 6x and 7x tippets. If an angler is looking for a rod that will present a diminutive fly to skittish trout, ReelFlyRod is sending them away with an R.L. Winston Pure. Available in 2-5wt, the Pure was made for one purpose and one purpose only, dry fly fishing. Trout angling is engrained so deeply in the fibers of Winston and the Pure is the rod that bleeds that tradition.
Air Salt - A lightweight saltwater rod with a deep flex and easy swing weight. Released alongside the Air2 as Winston's saltwater specific rod, the Air Salt is available in 7-12wt to cover everything from Redfish all the way to the biggest tarpon. While the saltwater was not the place that the Winston Company cut their teeth, they clearly and intimately understand the demands that come within the territory. Anodized aluminum reel seat, close-hugging snake guides, fast line speed and recovery, but still retains that 'classic Winston feel'.
Alpha+ - The Alpha+ was conjured up in Twin Bridges, Montana for those anglers that are chasing after voracious predators. The 5 and 6wt were built for throwing meat to big trout, the mid-weights are perfect tossing chunky poppers to bass, and the 9-12wt sticks are most at home against esox or hitting tropical jungles for Peacock Bass, Tarpon, and Golden Dorado. The fastest rod that Winston has ever built, the Alpha is perfect for cutting through high winds, lifting with its powerful butt section, and chucking aggressive sinking lines and rigs.
Boron Super 10 - The first dedicated nymphing stick from Winston, the Boron Super 10 was born out of the recent rise in popularity of European Nymphing in the angling world. Built in 10-foot configurations with 3,4,5wts, the Super 10 features a down-locking reel seat for balance, a soft and sensitive tip for strike detection. Soft presentation and the ability to easily mend lines makes the Super 10 popular with an audience wider than just nymphing fly fishers.
Air Two-Hander - Featuring a deep loading action with fast recovery rates, AIR TH models are ideal for any steelhead and salmon fishing application. They showcase adaptive and specified grain windows that are ideal for specific two-hand applications. In addition to the dialed grain windows, AIR TH models utilize smaller diameter grips to give anglers more feel and intuition during the cast.
Boron TH Microspey - These rods combine the power of a Spey rod and the finesse of a trout rod to add a new and exciting dimension to the sport. Featuring Boron III technology, these fast action rods excel in a range of Two-Handed situations, from covering big, broad rivers to dealing with tree-lined banks or demanding weather. They have a specialized grip that feels more trout rod than Spey, use slightly larger chrome guides than typical trout rods, and come with a larger tiptop that allows for the larger diameter of the spey style lines.
ReelFlyRod Pro Staff are intimately familiar with entire range of rods that R.L. Winston has to offer. As a shop we love to talk green with our customers and we make sure that we steer them into the right choices so that they are happy walking away with their new outfit.
Have any questions or need help? Our friendly Pro Staff is here to help you find the perfect gear! Please give us a call toll free at 1-855-434-8472 or email us at: [email protected].
