The Meadows

Yes, there is a trout stream running through the meadow in the above photo...you just can't see it for the tall grass. There are about three locations in New Mexico where an 8ft rod is just the ticket for the stream environment (for me anyway).  I enjoy walking through a high altitude meadow with a meandering stream, free of trees, where wild trout call it home. It's this type of environment where an 8ft rod, in light line weights, makes sense to string up and dance with the trout. The length is just long enough for when I need to hang the tip over a bank to drop a fly and yet it's short enough for controlled casts into those narrow streams.

When the wind is blowing off and on and a bit stiff, I rig up the 8' 4wt Boron IIILs fly rod. This rod is much faster with some power than the other rod. Of note, the LS series of rods were the successor to the BIIt series. My LS is a fabulous rod and I have awesome memories with it on fishing trips, however, I would have to be honest and say I would trade it for a BIIt model if given the opportunity.

Walking through a dew covered grassy meadow in the early morning while there is not a breath of breeze is when an 8' 2wt Winston WT fly rod is in my hand. I actually plan fishing trips to locations just so I can fish this rod. It shoots a 2wt line out to rising trout and lands a fly as softly as any rod I have.

Unfortunately, there are times when the little fellers will not rise to a dry fly no matter how good the offering...so adding a dropper with a nymph often does the trick.