Winston Boron IIt vs Scott G2, 3wt, others?

[colotrout]

Looking for a nice dry fly rod.

Thoughts?

 

[MoscaPescador]

Two fine sticks. Flip a coin, either would be a fine addition to any quiver.

MP

 

[crittergetter]

I have tried a G2, G and a Boron IIx. Never tried the IIt

My opinion - A Scott G is a better top water rod than a G2. (I still don't understand why they named the G2. It is totally a different rod than the G)

I did try a Boron IIX and I would still have it for top water if I did more top water fishing than I do. The IIX was as light as a feather and what a touch. It might be a bit fast on the hook set but I loved it. For nymphing I would snag hook 3/4 of the time so I sold it back on eBay.


Good luck

Crittergetter

PS... I agree with MoscaP... Scott and Winston make some really great rods.

 

[BlueDun]

Yes, 2 great rods! I have a 7' 6" Biit 3 wt and an 8'8" G2 4 wt. I enjoy both of them immensely. Can't go wrong with either one. As MoscaPescador said, "flip a coin."

 

[estrother]

Orvis Superfines are on sale for $475.

Since you said others, you might want to look at the Orvis Superfine rods. They are on sale; a new Superfine series is coming in the spring of 2011. According to Orvis the new series will not have sanded blanks; I think that they are trying to lower the price of the entire line to account for the Helios Ion rods.

In any event, I have fished a Winston Boron IIt (a truly great rod), and I found it nearly identical to my Superfine in every way (including the beautiful dark green blanks - the Superfine are a dark olive). When I bought my Superfine 3wt 7.5 ft several years ago, the total cost with the free BBS reel promotion was ~$500 for the line, reel and rod. When I purchased my Superfine 1wt about a month ago, the total cost with the sale prices on the rod, BBS reel and Superfine Wonderline (Rio Selective trout is what I understand) plus the 20% off e-mail coupon on everything was ~$500.

Try the Superfine. You might find it does it all at a lower price without any regret in any area.

 

[colotrout]

Thank you all for your comments.

I took the plunge and ordered the Winston BIIt in 3wt 8'. I had an opportunity to fish with one and was very impressed with the rod. Although I did not get a chance to fish the Scott G2, I heard from several individuals that the G2 was disappointing compared to Scott's old G series.

As far as the Superfines, well, I guess just not my cup of tea...

 

[taylor16]

Thank you all for your comments.

I took the plunge and ordered the Winston BIIt in 3wt 8'. I had an opportunity to fish with one and was very impressed with the rod. Although I did not get a chance to fish the Scott G2, I heard from several individuals that the G2 was disappointing compared to Scott's old G series.

As far as the Superfines, well, I guess just not my cup of tea...

I'm looking to add to my current Clearwater 5wt and can't seem to decide which way to go with respect to some of the rods mentioned in this exact thread. I'll be fishing the driftless region of iowa/minnesota so a 3wt 7'6" seems appropriate.

Any quick thoughts about the Winston WT, Scott G2, Sage ZXL and the Orvis Superfine?

 

[mysticm]

I'm looking to add to my current Clearwater 5wt and can't seem to decide which way to go with respect to some of the rods mentioned in this exact thread. I'll be fishing the driftless region of iowa/minnesota so a 3wt 7'6" seems appropriate.

Any quick thoughts about the Winston WT, Scott G2, Sage ZXL and the Orvis Superfine?

All the rods you state are good choices. I have a WT, ZXL and the Orvis Superfine in 4wt & like them all. They all have lot of similarity yet also have slight nuances that help them stand apart from each other.

If I did not have these 3 or had to do it over, I would have opted for the Redington CT. They can be found on sale for ~130$, so are almost 1/4th the price of the other brands. Read some of the reviews on the CT series on this site, you will like them for the Driftless area waters. Plus the money you save, can be used towards gas, flies (if you don't tie) or even a guide.

At the risk of sounding pedantic:
I love rods & reels from the high end manufacturers since they provide so much aesthetic enjoyment. There is something immensely joyful seeing the glossy richly colored (burgundy for the ZXL, green on he WT) blank glisten in the sunlight. Everything is perfect in the construction and the actions are terrific.

Having said that, one of the most satisfying times I have had in recent memory was fishing small mountain streams with a Redington CT. I was back country camping so having a relatively cheaper rod was great. With the Redington, I was able to cast with very little fly line out the tip and was not worried all the time about damaging (scratching or breaking) the rod while scrambling over the stream side boulders & flora. It worked perfectly for dry, dry-dropper & a weighted nymph. I even cast a size 8 w bugger at one of the deeper pools. I could focus on making good presentations with the fly (even in tight spaces) and to be completely frank did not find the rod lacking in any manner in terms of the hook set, how the fish felt on the tip etc.

 

[golfnfish]

I've tried most all the rods mentioned and you really can't go wrong with any of them.

For my money, if you can find one, the old Sage 389-3 LL is the best light dry fly rod I have ever owned. It is one rod I will never get rid of.

 

[cletus]

If a 2-piece rod isn't an issue, you may want to consider a Winston Tom Morgan Favorite (TMF). It is by far my favorite rod, truly an outstanding dry-fly rod. It's listed as a 4wt, but many consider it a 3.5wt (though still lined with a 4wt line). I got a good deal on an 8' 4wt Biit (which many consider a 4-piece TMF), it's a great lawn-caster, haven't gotten it on the water yet (I keep grabbing the TMF!). I haven't fished the Scott, Sage, or Orvis rods listed but have good things about them all. Good luck!

 

[fishiowa]

Thank you all for your comments.

I took the plunge and ordered the Winston BIIt in 3wt 8'. I had an opportunity to fish with one and was very impressed with the rod. Although I did not get a chance to fish the Scott G2, I heard from several individuals that the G2 was disappointing compared to Scott's old G series.

As far as the Superfines, well, I guess just not my cup of tea...

Just wondering if you would mind giving an update after you have had a chance to fish it for a while? I've been thinking about this rod but haven't been able to cast it.

Thanks,
Rich