Winston Boron III x or Boron III Plus

[Papasequoia]

So, the latest offer from TU if you sign up for life membership is your choice of either a Winston Boron III x or a Boron III Plus, both in a 9' weight. They retail for about ~$850 and the life membership is $1200 so it looks like a pretty good deal since I usually send them at least $50 per year. Has anyone cast either/both of these rods? It's tough making a choice based just on the website description. Thanks.

[BrownBear]

No experience with the plus, but the X is just about the nicest casting rod series I've handled in over 50 years of serious fly fishing. It's really fun to hand one to friends who really know their casting, but not Winston rods. You should see the looks on their faces as those beautiful smooth loops lay out perfectly and accurately- way out there or up close. It's a very different casting experience than Sage or Scott or Orvis.

While staying with our friends in Florida we fished with their favorite guide for a day of really tough casting near and far up under mangroves. Late in the day he asked to try my Winston, and after a few casts he turned to me and said "So it's not just that you're a good caster!" We finished the day standing on his dock casting all sorts of rods, and he just kept shaking his head and smiling at that BIIIx. It is a 10WT, by the way, but feels more like an 8 in your hand. I'm not stretching anything in saying I have close to twenty 10WT rods in just about every brand and model due to a lifetime of saltwater and bigwater fishing. And this thing is over the moon better.

But wait! There's more!

We also have the 5WT and 7WT in the house. Same can be said for them. I think I remember how well the 5 casts, but since my wife tried it, she claimed it, and I'm forbidden to touch it! The 7 is right there with it, and I'm tempted by the TU offer simply because I NEED and 8WT.

If the Plus is that good, you have a very tough choice ahead of you!

[flybob]

A few years ago I jumped on the 50th anniversary lifetime deal and got the Boron II MX 9' 5wt. (I think you have seen it) I love that rod! And I only use up at the GTW.
Mark Allen is our resident Winston Pro....he recommended that I pair it up with the Wulff Triangle Taper line....that rod just WOKE UP! The casting is darn near effortless and the line just seems to shoot off the rod.

My guess is the III X is just and even faster version.

FWIW, I also got a reel, line, hat, pins, stickers, and I look forward to the the calendar every year!
Not to mention a healthy tax deduction!

On a sad note, my TU Lifetime membership expires in 2050, which means I will only be 94...

[BrownBear]

My guess is the III X is just and even faster version.

That's a good comparison, though I'm basing that view on comparing an 8WT BII and 10WT BII with my 7WT BIIIx and 10WT BIIIx.

The old BII 10WT is very happy with the Triangle Taper line, but the BIIIx isn't happy at all.

Interesting enough both the BII and the BIIIx seem very "true" to line weights. I'm fond of the Rio Outbound (full version, not the Short) for saltwater, but both rods are overloaded with the 10WT Outbound. It's important to note that the Outbound is at least a half a line size "overweight." That's confirmed in the fact that both Winstons are perfectly happy with the 9WT Outbound line. So far the best line for both has proven to be the Scientific Anglers "Professional Custom Taper" Textured Grand Slams, which I got at huge discounts from Sierra Trading. The running line almost completely eliminates tangles, while the Rio Outbound is infamous and nasty for tangles.

[Papasequoia]

No experience with the plus, but the X is just about the nicest casting rod series I've handled in over 50 years of serious fly fishing. It's really fun to hand one to friends who really know their casting, but not Winston rods. ...Late in the day he asked to try my Winston, and after a few casts he turned to me and said "So it's not just that you're a good caster!" We finished the day standing on his dock casting all sorts of rods, and he just kept shaking his head and smiling at that BIIIx. It is a 10WT, by the way, but feels more like an 8 in your hand.

... I'm tempted by the TU offer simply because I NEED and 8WT.

If the Plus is that good, you have a very tough choice ahead of you!

Thanks for the input! FWIW, going just by the brief description on the Winston website, the Plus is the one that appears to be more designed for big fish/salt water, so it's good to hear that the X also works well. As for the TU offer though, it is limited to only the 5 wt. so no 8 wt with this offer. On the other hand for me, I don't own a 5 wt. right now, so this might fill that hole perfectly.