Three For The Road - IM6 Creekn'

When I leave the house to spend a few days camping and fishing somewhere in the Southern Rockies, I usually pack three fly rods...one each in a different weight class and length. As for which rods to pack for the trip, I like to select a trio with similar personalities and action (mostly) that will work on any of the streams in the surrounding area of the camp.

It's hard to beat a trifecta of IM6 two-piece rods in 2, 3, and 4wt models for fishing various streams and environments up on my Rainy Mountain. And, that's why I acquired these classic Winston rods built in the 1990's. I can go anywhere on the mountain and have the rod that melds into a select stream location. My classic Winston IM6 two-piece rod models are:

IM6 6'6" 2wt with down, screw-locking, maple reel seat. Designed for casting to smaller trout at shorter distances, this rod will allow you to make very delicate presentations with tiny dry flies.

IM6 7'6" 3wt with down, screw-locking, maple reel seat. A fabulous choice for mountain creeks or technical water, this 3-weight excels at short to medium distances when there's not much wind.

IM6 7'6" 4wt with sliding band maple reel seat (Bellinger). This rod is a new custom build from a 90's Winston Rod Kit. The 4-weight has enough power to handle larger dries and even some wind.

Tom Morgan loved fishing spring creeks and designed rods that were a perfect fit for those who enjoy fishing various types of creek environments. There will never be another era in rod building that will match the magic of Tom Morgan's IM6 Light Trout Rod designs. That's a bold statement. However, go look for yourself what the major rod companies are offering today in these two-piece 2-4wt rod models. Hint. Today's light weight rods won't have the all round performance of Tom's designs, even if you can find a two-piece model.

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