WT 480 VS TMF (WT)

 A couple of years ago, I posted a comparative review between my WT TMF rod and an IM6 8' 4wt two-piece model. The early IM6 8' 4wt models, like mine, were softer than those built after 1995 and were a bit "TMF like" in action...just a bit firmer in the upper half than my more contemporary WT TMF rod. The IM6 4wt is a real sweetheart of a rod, in my view. For those interested, here is a link to that post: WT TMF vs IM6 480

I had been in search for a three-piece WT 480 model for a few years, and was not disappointed once I had acquired one. This WT model has proved to be quite an exceptional fly rod on several streams of mine. My buddy, Ben, requested a comparative review as to how this WT 8' 4wt compared to my WT 8' 4wt TMF fly rod. And yes, I was curious too.

It's been almost a month since I've held a fly rod, and I was needing to knock some rust off of my casting stroke. So I went to the park this week to compare these two premium fly rods. While it's helpful to do side-by-side test casts when reviewing two rods, the real learning comes from actual fishing experiences with them. I've fished each of these rods this summer, and they are both impressive, but it was time to cast them in a side-by-side controlled setting.

For the side-by-side test casts, I locked a Bauer SST4 reel, spooled with a Rio LightLine WF4F fly line into the WT 8' 4wt fly rod. A Winston Perfect reel, spooled with Rio LightLine WF4F, was paired with the WT TMF fly rod. These pairings are what I prefer rigging up when fishing these classic rods.

The Winston WT TMF 8' 4wt fly rod doesn't require as much effort to load the blank as does its sibling, the WT 8' 4wt rod. And that is why it's so effective with short casts. For me, the TMF's range is 15 to 45 feet...with the sweet spot a bit shorter. The top half of the rod is very responsive and sensitive; however, the rod feels quite crisp during the casting stroke. My WT TMF fly rod is what I call medium-slow action as compared to the WT 8' 4wt rod's medium-action taper. The TMF also has a lighter swing weight than does the WT 8' 4wt rod. It's deadly accurate in the shorter casting range between 15 and 35 feet, and can facilitate very delicate presentations. It's simply the best dry fly rod I own and fish.

The Winston WT 8' 4wt rod is firmer, with a progressive action, and needs just a bit more effort to load the rod versus my TMF. I can feel it has more power when casting out to longer distances than the TMF rod. With a firmer top half of the rod, this WT has the control and accuracy needed to easily land dry flies out to over 40 feet. Yes, the rod has enough power to casts beyond 50 feet, but that's when I begin to lose accuracy. This rod model has more versatility than my TMF, and can handle a light dry/dropper, and even a small streamer when conditions call for such.

An 8' 4wt fly rod is a good rod to have in this region for trout fishing. And while I've owned and fished my TMF for several years, and consider it my favorite rod...it is a two piece. There are times I want to slide three WT rods into one fly rod carrier for certain extended fishing trips I enjoy, and that two piece TMF will not fit that carrier. My WT 8' 4wt 3pc rod resolves that issue for me.

Nope, I can't go wrong rigging up either one of them for a delightful day on my trout streams. They both have sensitive tip sections for exciting tight-line moments with the Leetle Fellers. And, each rod has the butt power for landing big, healthy trout. They are both WT rods after all, with proven tapers that are as relevant today as they were twenty five years ago.