There are rods and reels that work together as though they were specifically made for each other. They pair naturally for a variety of reasons, depending on brand, construction, aesthetics, and current trends. And you know a perfect pairing as soon as the reel is locked into the seat of a fly rod...it's like magic.
I pair a rod to a reel for a blend of aesthetic and performance reasons. Which reel will balance best on a given rod? Does this rod need a click-check reel or one with a disc drag? Will the reel appear more of a fit to a slide band or an up locking seat? These questions are the factors I consider when making rod and reel pairings.
Yeah, big trout will be handled by a disc-drag reel, and the Leetle Fellers dance to a click-check reel.
My favorite rod and reel combination is the Winston IM6 6'6 2wt fly rod with a Winston Perfect 2 7/8" fly reel. The reel is spooled up with a Winston Energy WF2F fly line. An all Winston fly fishing kit that fits in with mountain Rio's quite nicely.
This Winston IM6 7'6" 3wt fly rod paired with a Bauer SST3 fly reel that is as good as it gets when I want to fish a light trout rod. Which is a lot! Absolutely, my favorite kit in this 3wt category. A Winston Energy WF3F fly line keeps everything in the family of R.L. Winston.
I find this rod and reel just works perfectly together. A Winston WT TMF 8' 4wt rod paired to a Hardy Lightweight LRH fly reel. With a Rio LightLine WF4F fly line rounding out the outfit, it makes for a top-tier creek pairing that can't be outdone in the short-length 4wt class.
Another 4wt rod and reel combination that is fantastic, the Scott G2 8' 4wt fly rod with a Ross Colorado 2/3 fly reel sitting under a sliding band reel seat. Scott made this rod model for the Japan market, and should have offered it to the USA anglers as well. The reel holds a Rio Perception fly line that puts this kit in perfect harmony with our trout streams in New Mexico.
This list wouldn't be complete without sharing the best 7' 2wt of all time. The Winston WT 7' 2wt fly rod paired with a VRdesign fly reel is a total pleasure to fish. It's a lot of fun to fish little mountain creeks holding wild Leetle Fellers. I like a Rio LightLine WF2F fly line with this rod. You can't do any better in my experience, unless you fish it with a LightLine WF3F fly line...oh yes!
My TMF also gets a Winston Perfect 3 1/8" reel locked into it for fishing on anything from mountain creeks to trout streams meandering through valley floors. The rod and reel combo is like stepping back in time when fishing was in a different realm, one that included our fly fishing pioneers who understood the essence of fly fishing, and left their mark in the history books.
I fish three-weight rods frequently on home waters, and also on streams where I drive several hours for extended outdoor fun. Here is a more contemporary rod and reel combination that lives up to the Winston name. The Winston AIR 7'6" 3wt with a Bauer SST3 reel. To make it an all Winston affair, it's casting a Winston Energy WF3F fly line. A combination that is a blast when landing the Leetle Fellers, and quite capable of handling the bigger trout too! This is a period-correct pairing too, by the way.
I just realized there were only creek rods represented above...so, I added a 5wt at the bottom of the photo sequence. Not just any 5wt rod, but one of Winston's iconic models. A WT 8'6" 5wt with a SST5 fly reel snugged into the reel seat. It has an Airflo Elite Super-dri WF5F fly line wound into the reel's spool.
For me, these rod and reel combinations are my favorites, and they go fishing often in streams throughout the Southwest.
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