Long Haul Review: Winston TMF Fly Rod

Long Haul Reviews are written to give you in-depth, firsthand knowledge of how a product fares over time. While initial reviews and testing for a few weeks is great, it doesn’t give you a solid idea of just how a product functions after long-term use. In this review, we’re looking at one of fly fishing’s longest-running rods: the Tom Morgan Favorite (TMF) from Winston.

The TMF has been continuously offered by Winston for over 30 years, and aside from changing from IM6 blanks to WT graphite and tweaks to the reel seats, these rods are the same thing you’d buy during their original offering in 1989. These 4-weights have a reputation for uncanny accuracy, an incredible light-in-hand feel, and the sort of relaxed, responsive casting stroke you’d expect from a Winston.

I’ve had my own TMF for close to a decade now, and it’s a go-to rod for me both in the high country and on the local freestones. You can only buy this rod in a 2-piece configuration, which makes it less-than-ideal for travel, but helps the rod retain that sweet casting profile that’s made it a legend.

Winston TMF Fly Rod

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Fly Rod Specs:

• Spigot-ferrule, two-piece design for the ultimate slow-action, relaxed casting feel
• Designed for use with true-to-weight, classically tapered fly lines
• Continuously in production since 1989
• MSRP: $995

Pros:

• Responsive, lightweight, and extremely accurate
• Excels at single and double-dry rigs in tough conditions like spring creeks
• Able to manage large trout and reasonable wind

Cons:

• A bit too light for larger dry-dropper rigs
• Can lose accuracy past 45 feet

The Skinny

To understand why you’d want to buy a TMF, you need to know a bit about this rod’s history and place in the fly fishing world.

The rod was designed by Tom Morgan, the man who moved Winston from San Francisco to Twin Bridges, Montana. At that time, Winston’s blanks were supplied by Gary Loomis (with a small stock of blanks from the J.K. Fisher Company, as well). Soon enough, IM6 graphite became available, which is a low-modulus (slow-action) material that was perfect for Tom to bring his favorite rod to the masses.

Released for the 60th anniversary of Winston in 1989, the Tom Morgan Favorite is described in that year’s catalog as a “medium-action” rod built for fishing 15-45 feet. Tom designed the rod for fishing on Montana’s spring creeks, where the fish are picky and wary, and a downstream drift with a dry fly often isn’t possible.

The rod is infamously light, with even Tom himself describing it as more of a 3.5 or 3.75-weight than a true four. That incredible lightness is a large reason why this rod retains such a great feel in-hand, and wonderful line control at 15-45 feet.

It’s hard to beat that description today. This rod excels in the situations where you need extremes in both accuracy and delicacy. Winston doesn’t build the current models with IM6 graphite, but with an in-house version of that material dubbed “WT.” The rods are still built with spigot ferrules, are only available in two pieces, and come in a powder-coated aluminum rod tube.

A brand-new TMF will set you back $995, the same price as the company’s much-loved Pure 2 lineup. That Winston is still making this rod, with virtually no major changes since WT graphite started being used in the 90s, is notable. Even Scott’s beloved G-series has gone through several iterations throughout the years. Winston has wisely not messed with a good thing here.

The TMF performs best with a true-to-weight, classically-tapered fly line. I use a Scientific Anglers line that they don’t make anymore, but lines like their Trout Expert are a perfect match for this rod. I still prefer a weight-forward line because the rod, while slow, is still crisp in its casting stroke. Double-taper lines are wonderful on a TMF as well, but I like the extra oomph I get with a WF. You can’t go wrong with either line, in my experience.

The Time Test

I’ve owned a TMF built on WT blanks for about a decade now, and it’s frequently at the front of my quiver. Paired with a true-to-weight line and a classic reel (I opt for a Hardy 1921 Perfect), I’ve yet to see a prettier setup in the fly fishing world. Not that aesthetics catch fish, but it’s sure nice to have a pretty rod to admire when the fishing is slow.

Obviously, it excels at presenting dry flies. I haven’t fished a rod that surpasses the TMF in ability to delicately and accurately put dry flies on the water. I’ve used a few that are roughly equal, but are quicker in action, stiffer in the butt, or more suited for a wider array of rigs.

And that’s an important point to make. The TMF was never built with the intention to do much more than delicate dry fly work. This rod was designed to solve the problems Tom Morgan ran into on Montana’s spring creeks, and it absolutely succeeds in that department.

All that said—and I apologize in advance to TMF fanatics everywhere—you can get away with using this rod for light nymphing work. If you’re in a pinch where the hatch just isn’t coming off, the TMF will work just fine for a couple of size 16 nymphs and a strike indicator. Shoot, I even rigged up an amateur tight-line rig on this rod once, because I saw a huge rainbow at the bottom of a pool and needed my flies to drop deep and quickly.

The TMF is great with double-dry fly rigs, so long as both dries are reasonably sized. I wouldn’t fish much larger than a size 12 on the TMF, personally. If you’re in a blue-winged olive hatch and want to throw a size 16 parachute, followed by an 18 Sparkle Dun, the TMF is more than up to that challenge. Even long leaders turn over well on this rod, thanks to its crisp action.

Honestly, the TMF has surprising strength and guts. I spent a week fishing a well-known Oregon tailwater with this rod, back when the average fish size there was pushing 18 inches. The pale-morning dun hatch was in full swing, and big fish were gulping flies off the surface with the sort of regularity that doesn’t feel real. Even when hooked into 20-inch browns in heavy current, the TMF had the backbone to quickly get them in the net.

Dry-dropper rigs aren’t ideal on this rod, unless you limit them to size 16 or 18 dropper nymphs. It’ll throw those larger rigs in a pinch, but it’s not the most pleasant experience.

Finally, the TMF was built for relatively close-quarters combat (by today’s standards, at any rate). It’s excellent out to about 45 or 50 feet, but past that, its accuracy can start to wane.

My Recommendation

The TMF is one of my favorite Winstons (I own 13), even though it’s not the most versatile in my quiver. It’s light, lively, and while still slow, has a crisp finish to its action that gives it enough oomph to deliver flies on target, or handle large fish.

The two-piece design aids in how smoothly this rod casts, even if it’s not ideal for traveling. That said, the only time I’ve ever bemoaned my two-piece rods is when I’m flying somewhere.

If you consistently fish dry flies—whether on technical spring creeks, or in easier water—it’s hard to beat the experience of a TMF. Unless I need the extra backbone of a 5-weight to handle Wyoming’s wind, I reach for the TMF during our early and late-season blue-wing hatches. It feels remarkably like bamboo, in many ways, but it’s so light in-hand that the TMF just disappears as part of your casting stroke.

Any angler who loves dry fly fishing owes it to themselves to cast a TMF. The action isn’t for everyone, and the $995 price tag isn’t, either. But this rod debuted for $380 in 1989, which is the same as $1,019 in 2025. Regardless, even with its slower action, the TMF is hard to beat for any dry fly enthusiast.