Tag: Winston Fly Rods

The Missoulian Angler Fly Shop has been a cornerstone of the local fly fishing community for nearly four decades.

But, our expertise extends way beyond Missoula, Montana.

This knowledge enables us to equip every angler for success, wherever their adventures take them.

And one company that has been a top-quality recommendation for us is R.L Winston.

Every Winston rod is handmade here in Montana, and a perfect example of craftsmanship at it’s finest. 

With this in mind, the award-winning Winston Pure is no exception.

My First Impressions of the Winston Pure

My first time fishing with the Winston Pure was on the lower Clark Fork river near Missoula, MT.  

It was a mild Fall day with great BWO and Trico Hatches and willing fish; a PERFECT day for the Winston Pure.

I noticed right away that this rod really shines with smaller dries in mid range casts.

The 9′ 4wt that I had with me that day reminded me a lot of my older Winston B III LS, which was my all-time favorite small dry fly rod.

Power

As the day progressed and the wind picked up (as it tends to do in Missoula), we found ourselves casting hoppers in about 10mph wind. 

This is the first time where the difference between the B3LS and the Pure came out. The upgrade in power made casting bigger flies way easier than it’s predecessor.

And when I hooked one of the many large Clark Fork Rainbows, the stronger backbone also helped fight fish harder than the B3LS.

Finesse

When you are fishing small dry flies on light tippet, finesse and delicacy is absolutely paramount.

The softer tip of the Winston Pure softened the hookset and made fishing 5x and 6x way easier. 

This improvement also absorbed more shock so that less fish broke off and more fish were landed. 

Overall

After my first day of fishing the 9’ 4wt Winston Pure, it was very easy to see the improvements over my beloved B3LS. 

The stiffer backbone made fighting fish in heavier current easier and helped power bigger flies through the everpresent Montana wind.

This rod really shines in delicate dry fly presentation with smaller dry flies like Caddis, Midges, Mayflies, Smaller Stoneflies and terrestrials on small and large streams.

But the improvements came to light when casting larger dry flies like Salmonflies, Hoppers and Golden Stones for shorter distances with little effort.

While I’m not going to go as far as to say it’s the perfect “do everything rod”, it handled a wide variety of fishing situations with elegance and ease.

From Small Streams to Big Rivers: The Versatility of Winston PURE

My second outing with this rod was a smaller stream to the north of Missoula.

This time I loaded up a 7′ 6″ 3wt for fishing smaller foam attractor patterns and terrestrials.

I quickly noticed just how accurate this small rod was for tight pockets on smaller streams.

Not that the the larger 9′ 4wt wasn’t accurate. All these rods are spot-on accurate!

But the range of rods transitioned from a longer rod on the bigger rivers to a shorter rod on smaller streams exactly as expected.

While the Pure is not designed for bigger nymph rigs and streamers, it handles smaller nymph rigs and small streamers with accuracy and delicacy that it is designed for.

If you’re looking for a rod with more power to cast larger streamers, large dry flies and big nymph rigs, check out the Winston Air 2.

It is a lot faster and has more power when compared to the Pure.

If you’re looking for a 5wt or smaller with a softer touch, pin point accuracy, and refined delicacy, the Winston Pure delivers this in spades.

Design and Build

The R.L. Winston Pure is still built with the advanced boron technology which gives it a lightweight feel but still as strong as ever.

The reel seat is Tiger Maple with uplocking nickel silver hardware with a slimmed down cigar cork grip that feels great in the hand.

The stripping guides are the nanolite guides that are chrome plated and light wire snake guides.

The highest quality construction and components for a top quality rod is standard on Winston.  So, none of this is really a shocker. 

This rod looks as beautiful as it fishes. 

Conclusion

I currently own 12 different Winston fly rods. Don’t call it a problem, It’s an obsession

From the old IM6 for trout to the newer Air Max 2 in 12wt for saltwater.

I’ve fished them throughout the northwest, all the way down to Christmas Island to Cuba and many other places around the world.

And I keep coming back to Winston because they just never let me down, and the Pure is no exception. 

In fact, I mentioned before that the B3LS was my favorite dry fly rod, but now that rod is being neglected, collecting dust in my closet and replaced with the Winston Pure.

It’s a little faster and has more power while also keeping the softer tip which any fisherman fishing technical streams with dry flies will tell you is key to the perfect dry fly rod.

I’ve been fishing this rod since it came out in 2018 and I now feel comfortable endorsing it.

For people fishing small to large streams, size 22 to size 10 dry flies, to smaller streamers and lighter nymph rigs, the Winston Pure is my NEW favorite dry fly rod.

It’s no wonder why this is one of the most popular rods with our fishing guides, fly shop staff and many customers.

Its combination of sensitivity, power and aesthetic appeal makes it one of our favorite fly rods of all time.

R.L. Winston Pure Fly Rod

The PURE series (2-5wt) earned the IFTD’s Best of Show award for freshwater rods, thanks to their unmatched ability to present flies delicately and accurately. These medium-action rods are ideal for technical waters big and small. The 2 and 3-weight rods excel in small streams, while the 4 and 5-weight rods are perfect for larger rivers and fish that need a light touch. Each rod comes with a graphite tube, logo rod sock and an unconditional lifetime warranty.

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