Putting together a list like this is asking for trouble. The folks who agree with me will, of course, be happy to see their opinions reflected in writing. Those who don’t, though, will attack everything from my credibility to my casting (the latter of which is middling, at best).
But these lists are fun, and they’re part of the never-ending debate about what constitutes “good” gear. Great gear isn’t always expensive, but it usually is, especially when it comes to fly rods.
I’ve had the opportunity to fish and review dozens of rods in my career, but I’ve only lawn-cast some of the best. So, while the 8’6″ 4-weight Winston B2T should probably make this list, it won’t, because my only time with it came on Winston’s casting lawn in Twin Bridges.
The same is true for the Scott G series, unfortunately. I’ve thrown a few around at fly shops and in parking lots, but no one seems to want to share theirs, even for a few casts, once we hit the river. That’s a testament to a rod’s quality if nothing else.
This list isn’t in order, except for the first rod. It’s my personal favorite, and while a lot of other sticks come close, I suspect nothing will top it. Beating out a rod with as much sentimental value as this one isn’t easy.
But enough chit-chat. Let’s dive into the list!
The Best
Winston B3x 9′ 5-weight
I’m not sure how long I’ve owned my B3x, but I know I’ll hang onto it forever. I’ve already had the butt section rebuilt once, and I suspect that won’t be the last time this rod sees the inside of Winston’s repair shop.
The B3x is a wonderfully balanced rod. It’s quick enough to generate some high line speeds, but like most of the rods built in Twin Bridges, it has a progressive action that slows up the further you cast. If you need a rod to dap dry flies in pockets at 12 feet, or toss hoppers at 60, the B3x is up for the job. It tosses nymphs and streamers with ease, and has enough backbone to tame a big trout. The B3x is the true jack-of-all-trades rod, though it performs like a master with dry flies.
I’ve fished technical blue-winged olive and midge hatches across the West with this rod, taken it to Alaska to one of the only places in the world that grayling will refuse your flies, and plenty of places in between. The only time it’s disappointed me with its dry fly performance was if I bungled a cast. To borrow a quote from a friend, this rod has all the delicacy to lay a fly down like a butterfly landing with sore feet.
It’s not the lightest rod in swing weight, and it’s not the best against stiff wind. But it was the first top-end rod I ever bought for myself, and it was my only rod for a while. I have enough memories tied up in this stick to last a lifetime, and I’m lucky I get to keep fishing with it.
The Rest
Winston pre-IM6 8’6″ 6-weight
Before Winston started building on their vaunted IM6 blanks (the most popular of which were rolled by Loomis until Winston took production in-house and re-branded the material as WT graphite), the J.K Fisher company rolled graphite according to then-owner Tom Morgan’s specifications. A Fisher-rolled pre-IM6 is a holy grail among collectors, and for good reason. These rods are incredible.
They’re as soft, lively, and light as an IM6, but with a bit of flair that’s hard to put into words. With how deep these rods bend, it’s surprising how high of line speeds they can generate. The 8’6″ 6-weight, in particular, is the most versatile of these rods. It’s stable enough to be accurate at long distances (something the 9′ rods struggle with, in my experience), but still light enough to fish small dry flies. These rods were built for a double-taper line.
In good condition, a rod like this (from the early ’80s) will go for around $700 on eBay. They’re worth every penny, and I’ll never part with mine.
Orvis H3D 9′ 6-weight
What stands out here is this rod’s versatility. It has served me incredibly well, especially in Alaska, where I’ve used it to fish for grayling, rainbow trout, pink, and sockeye salmon all in the same day. Granted, that sockeye I caught wasn’t on purpose, but the H3D 6-weight still handled it like a champ.
I’ve also used it for surf-casting to dolly varden off Kodiak Island, and for tossing chironomids to cutthroat in Pyramid Lake. While it doesn’t have the delicacy for early-season hatches, the H3D has done well throwing summer-sized bugs at trout and grayling.
For such a powerful, fast rod, it offers an immense amount of feedback. It’ll cut through wind and effortlessly turn over long, or heavy, leaders. About the only negative thing here is that the rod has a 25-year warranty, so mine likely won’t be around forever.
Douglas LRS 9′ 5-weight
Part of this rod’s greatness stems from its price (it retails for less than $300), but even if it were $600 or $700, I think I’d feel the same way about this stick. It’s one of the few 5-weights I’ve ever used that has the guts to pick up and move 70 feet of line in a single cast, but is still soft enough to complete picky dry fly work, when needed.
You don’t get all the bells and whistles with a rod this cheap. The cork isn’t great, the reel seat is cheap, and the bright blue blank is a bit off-putting. But once you start fishing it, you’ll understand that Douglas caught magic in a bottle with this blank and material pairing.
It’s not the most accurate rod ever built, and it’s not the lightest, either. But for less than most trout reels cost these days, it’s hard to beat its performance.
Tom Morgan Rodsmiths 8’6″ 5-weight
If I had to pick one rod to use for dry flies and smaller dry-dropper rigs, it’d be hard to pick against this one. The 8’6″ 5-weight is deadly accurate, and really loves a double-taper line. It’s a precision tool for those situations when you need as delicate a presentation as graphite is capable of.
Unfortunately, it seems like TMR is going through some problems at the moment, so finding one of these rods on the used market might be tough. If you can find one, though, it’s worth buying. The build quality and attention to detail on these rods are legendary.
After owning and loving Winston BIIX’s in 5,6,8, and 9 weights, I read about all the love and praise heaped upon its successor. I was finally able to acquire a BIIIX 9′ 5-wt, but in a 5-piece I thought would be great for travel. Honestly, I did not like it at all. The swing weight was horrific. Never having cast a 4-pc, I can’t generalize about the series. I sold it quickly.
My BIIX doesn’t love casting the 20-foot leaders I need to cast on my home waters in Spain, where fish eat dries in water that’s barely moving. You have to throw pile casts with 7X tippet. So, I went in search of a faster stick. I found it, and I have to tell you, it’s the favorite rod of my life. It does everything beautifully. Scott Centric 9′ 5-wt, 4-pc. Accurate, medium-fast, and loads short but can launch when you need it. So, in my personal Hall of Fame, it’s right there with the Winston LT 8’9″ 4-wt 5-pc, the BIIX’s, and the Scott G 9′ 5 passed on to my son.
Interesting – I have the 9′ 5 BIIIx and love it – its always the rod I want to string up first, but not always the one I end up fishing. Here in NZ we can contend with some big windy rivers and heavier nymphs (especially early season) and the BIIIx doesnt excel in this endeavour,. But if the suns out, the wind stays at home and rivers not too rowdy its an awesome rod no question – my favourite for sure. I also regularly fish a Scott GS 9′ 5 (a spectacularly good rod in the right conditions and application) a T&T Avantt 9′ 5 (perfect for heavier nymphing and rowdier water) and the Sage One 9’5 (which I only break out when i need to start muscling things). But of all of them (all of which are awesome rods in the right scenario) the BIIIx is the winner….
Spencer, those Winston’s really are pieces of art. I need many of them!
If you get a chance … and I get that they’re niche in volume so not too many on the riverbank … try the Epic 590G 9ft Reference Series. For accuracy, and sheer poetry in motion with a dry fly, that 590G will put a huge grin on your dial.