The Ultimate Kit - Winston

The boo guys, and the glass guys, and the high-tech graphite guys will all disagree with this post. But that's okay...it's my blog.

For fishing light-line rods on my home waters, the ultimate rod and reel kit for me is the Winston 6'6" 2wt IM6 fly rod, with a Winston Perfect 2 7/8" fly reel locked into it. It just doesn't get any sweeter than this kit on a tiny mountain Rio. The two-piece 2wt rod is perfect for casting in the tight quarters of my streams and its action is perfect when handling a tight line with those Leetle Fellers. Who give it their all. In a losing fight for freedom. Dang, this rod is gooooood.

So what reel do you use with the perfect light-line rod for these Rios? Well, the Winston Perfect 2 7/8" reel, of course. The folks at Winston designed this Hardy made Perfect with the IM6 fly rod in mind. That Winston green finish and buttery handle look perfect when locked into a Winston down locking seat...and particularly, one with a birds eye maple spacer. It makes this kit look like the pure classiness it is. And, the click-check adjustable drag is all one should ask for when fishing a Rio. Did you know the Winston Perfects weigh less than the Hardy Perfects? Yep, Winston designed it to be lighter for their fly rods.

So, for this classic angler, this is the ultimate light-line kit for my home waters. Winston should come out with a limited-edition rod in this model, with Bauer introducing a click/pawl reel to match.

Click on photo for larger view