barham
Well-known member
How would one compare the actions of these two rods in a 9' 5wt model.
Thanks,
barham
Thanks,
barham
winston B2mx and Sage Zaxis
- Thread starter barham
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sweetandsalt
Well-known member
Scroll down in this forum to Sage One Test Casting and Yellowstone Mini-Shootout threads. Much has been written about both of these fine rods. They are aimed at the same medium to large trout river, technical presentation type and, if that is who you are, you must cast them side by side to decide. Nothing anyone writes is a substitute for that exercize. And add Zenith to your list.
comeonavs
Well-known member
Mind you my answer revolves around 5 minutes of using both in a 4wt. I have a Z-Axis and my friend has a b2x. We did a 5 minute swap and he said he liked the Z better and so did I. It was a little windy and we were needing 40-50 foot casts where we were. So the faster (faster being relative here) Z helped in that situation.
But it is like asking if you like the Porsche or BMW they both are super nice
But it is like asking if you like the Porsche or BMW they both are super nice
MoscaPescador
Well-known member
B2Mx - Ultrafast taper, stiff butt section. Your timing has to be on to cast this rod. The only application that I would use this rod is for throwing streamers with heavy sink tips.
Z-Axis - Fast. Very soft tip. For a fast rod, it is very forgiving. It is a great all around rod.
Z-Axis - Fast. Very soft tip. For a fast rod, it is very forgiving. It is a great all around rod.
texastroutbum
Well-known member
I would like to say something to defend Wiston Biix 4 wt 9 foot rod, which is one of my shining armors.
First time I struggled with it on a windy day. But after I slow down even in the windy condition, I can feel rod loading with a little bit of a longer pause in your back casting, and it shoots line like dream and present a fly beautifully.
Do not get me wrong. I really love Sage rod. I consider Winston as a sports car with a stick shift. The transition takes a bit longer time than automatic. But After the gear is shifted and the gas on, your car (or fly line) cuts through the wind.
First time I struggled with it on a windy day. But after I slow down even in the windy condition, I can feel rod loading with a little bit of a longer pause in your back casting, and it shoots line like dream and present a fly beautifully.
Do not get me wrong. I really love Sage rod. I consider Winston as a sports car with a stick shift. The transition takes a bit longer time than automatic. But After the gear is shifted and the gas on, your car (or fly line) cuts through the wind.
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FrankB2
Well-known member
Just a reminder: The Winston in question is the B2MX, not the BiiX. I have zero experience with any of the Winston boron rods, but will say that the Z-Axis is dandy. I'm certain MP's comments on spot on: he sells them both. 
comeonavs
Well-known member
Love the stick shift analogy.
High end rods to me are lie the gun world. Your either a "glock guy" Smith guy" "1911 guy" . There all great it just preference.
I betcha $5 if someone lets me fish their Biix all day I would like it :shades:
I have both the BIIx and the BIIMx and have to say, I reach for the BIIx far more frequently.
I like to think I know how to cast and how to evaluate rods but even between the two I just can't consider the BBMx an ultra-fast rod. It acts like a 5 weight when using a 5 weight line. The ultra fast rods I tried needed to be over-lined one or two line weights to act their rated weight.
If you can't cast both rods how about telling is your intended use for them? That might help narrow things down a bit.
Here is another perspective on the famous 5wt shoot out
Is The “Best All-Around” 5wt Fly Rod A 6wt? (or, Yellowstone Angler’s Fly Rod “Shootout” Misses The Target) ? The Trout Underground Fly Fishing Blog
Is The “Best All-Around” 5wt Fly Rod A 6wt? (or, Yellowstone Angler’s Fly Rod “Shootout” Misses The Target) ? The Trout Underground Fly Fishing Blog
ausablebrown
Well-known member
Mosca...I'm curious. Hope you get a chance to check this out and respond. I got a chance to cast the BIIMX in the 9'5wt. I own and fish the BIIx all of the time and I didnt think that it was drastically different. I just felt that it had a little more umph and was a bit stiffer throughout than the biix. I just tied on a big size 10 dry and I had absolutely NO problem casting this at targets. I don't consider myself a great caster, but I'm not a terrible caster either, but there was no learning curver or adjustment needed when I picked this rod up. I agree with jackster; I tried it with a normal 5wt line and it cast like a faster 5wt rod.
If you (or anyone else) has more experience than my 5 minute test cast please give me a little review if you get a chance. How does this rod work under a variety of circumstances?
MoscaPescador
Well-known member
When the MX was being released, I cast the X and the MX side by side. I felt that the difference was night and day. I had to really power my downhaul and push the rod harder to get the MX to flex enough to gain any kind of line speed. With the X, I did not have to work that hard. And you and Jackster are correct. It casts like a faster 5 weight rod.
My personal take is that I do not prefer very fast rods for general use. They are specialty sticks. I fished a 5 weight demo MX with a 200 grain integrated shooting head and heavy streamers. The setup was stellar. Keep in mind that the 200 grains slowed the rod down for my style of casting.
I would definitely choose something not as fast as the MX model for more all around usage. I prefer to feel more of a load down the blank.
Dennis
My personal take is that I do not prefer very fast rods for general use. They are specialty sticks. I fished a 5 weight demo MX with a 200 grain integrated shooting head and heavy streamers. The setup was stellar. Keep in mind that the 200 grains slowed the rod down for my style of casting.
I would definitely choose something not as fast as the MX model for more all around usage. I prefer to feel more of a load down the blank.
Dennis
ausablebrown
Well-known member
Maybe I've just gradually become accustomed to faster action rods. I began fishing with a TFO pro, and a TFO Finesse but later got a 4wt TXL, and the 5 WT BIIX and found them preferable. I feel that i can cast my dries just fine and also boom out big stuff if I needed to switch to streamers mid=day. I think I have more trouble trying to cast a streamer on a medium action rod than I do trying to cast a size 22 on a fast action rod. I was casting this BIIMX with a friend of mine who is thinkign of purchasing it; hopefully I'll get to try it again if he buys it. I'd like to see if I can throw a griffiths gnat at a 20ft target. Thanks for your evaluation though; believe it or not I can't really find too many in depth reviews of the BIIMX online, there are plenty on the BIIx and the BIIIX but I couldn't hardly find anything of substance on the MX.
MoscaPescador
Well-known member
You will find more reviews on the BIIMx in the heavier weights. To me, that rod series throws the big flies and heavy lines well.