10' Winston 5-piece 7WT

[BrownBear]

Recently picked up an old Winston 5-piece 10' 7WT BL5 in pristine condition, and just put a line on it. Wow.

Not as fast as today's typical "graphite" rod, but with just enough extra spine in the right places. A little faster than glass, yet it doesn't flex clear back into the handle when you load it well. Without a doubt one of the smoothest casting rods I've tossed. I bought it for fall coho fishing, but it's likely to get place of honor come streamer time for trout in big rivers. My wife heard me cackling as I cast and came outside to see what was going on. I darned near lost it to her when she tried it!

Paid the lordly sum of $250 for it. You better believe I'm on the hunt for more of these older Winstons!

[flybob]

BB, I currently own the Boron MXII, 9' 5wt, got it as part of lifetime membership to TU some years ago. This rod has been my Go-To for the GTW since I got it! I am not a great caster by any means, but this rod makes me look GOOD on the lakes! I have caught many many Goldens on it, in fact, I do not believe I have ever used it anywhere else, so Goldens are the ONLY fish it has ever caught!
It took awhile for me to get the hang of the rod, along with the help of Mark Allen and his suggestion of the fly line to use.
FWIW, I will never let this rod go! (it is also signed "50th Anniversary TU")

I have also had the opportunity to cast one of Luc's old Winston's, if my memory serves me correct, a 7' 2wt IM6. Again, a dream of a rod, I could not believe how far I was effortlessly casting a dry and putting it on a dime with a 2wt!

Have fun with your new OLD rod, and congrats on the outrageous deal, the icing on the cake!

[BrownBear]

Oh yeah. Those older Winstons are still as good as the day they were built. Last year I picked up a 9' 10WT BL5 five-piece for $200, if you can imagine. It got quite the workout in Florida this winter. Not quite so smooth as the 10' 7WT, but it's still head and shoulders above anything else in that price range, for sure. If I recall correctly the BL5's ran about $700 back when they were new.

I'm delighted to hear that your TU rod turned out so well. I was sorely tempted at the time, but passed on it for some foolish reason or another....

[briansII]

I remember drooling over a BL5 6wt at a local shop(Buz's Fly Shop). Every trip to the shop I would take it off the rack and wiggle it. It was on sale for quite a while, and one day it was gone. Shop is gone now too.

briansII

[BrownBear]

...a local shop(Buz's Fly Shop). Every trip to the shop I would take it off the rack and wiggle it. It was on sale for quite a while, and one day it was gone. Shop is gone now too.

You just dated yourself! As a kid I met Buz shortly before his death (1965-66?) and made annual safaris to the shop until I left Bakersfield in 1970. Quite the guy, and memorable flies. His Kings River Caddis is still one of my favorites, even if you don't see or hear about it much any more.

Thanks for the memory nudge!

[briansII]

...a local shop(Buz's Fly Shop). Every trip to the shop I would take it off the rack and wiggle it. It was on sale for quite a while, and one day it was gone. Shop is gone now too.

You just dated yourself! As a kid I met Buz shortly before his death (1965-66?) and made annual safaris to the shop until I left Bakersfield in 1970. Quite the guy, and memorable flies. His Kings River Caddis is still one of my favorites, even if you don't see or hear about it much any more.

Thanks for the memory nudge!

I'm old, but not THAT old. I started going to Buz's Fly Shop in Visalia. Not sure how many times they moved, but I went to two different locations they had. A local golf Pro(Larry)owned or managed it back then. Sad day when they closed the doors. I believe Buz's was the oldest fly shop in Ca.

I fished the Kings River Caddis a lot during the summer hatches on the Kings. I still have them in my box, but haven't fished that hatch in a couple years.

briansII

[BrownBear]

I'm old, but not THAT old.

And here I thought I'd spotted a fellow geezer in our midst!

[briansII]

I'm old, but not THAT old.

And here I thought I'd spotted a fellow geezer in our midst!

I'm headed that direction at warp speed.

By the way, after all that time drooling over that BL5, I ended up buying a LT5 4wt(8'9" 5 piece). Nice rod, but not quite what I was hoping for. I have a very early graphite 2wt. I was told by Winston it was a pre IM6/WT. It was in rough shape so i sent it to Winston to rebuild. I got a brand new rod(WT blank)back, but I kinda wish I had left it in original condition. Almost sold a IM6 9' 5wt earlier this year, but quickly came to my senses.

briansII

[BrownBear]

...but quickly came to my senses.

Whew!

Near misses can be really scary.