That’s not really a knock against the rod, but against 2wt rods in general. It’s also not a great rod to fish against a headwind. Granted, this is a 2wt, but it’s worth noting that if you pick one up you’ll need to get better at stalking trout. Past 30 feet, you really have to pay attention to your casting stroke or you’ll end up with a tailing loop. Out to 30 feet, the 2wt LS is dead-accurate, lively, and fun. An evenly-weighted rod casts noticeably different from an unweighted rod, and I suspect with either a lighter reel or a lighter reel seat, the LS 2wt would be even more fun to cast. I’d slim the cork down, go straight to wood and nickel silver on the reel seat, and trim as much weight there as possible. Likewise, the skeletonized reel seat felt as though it added weight, as opposed to Winston’s traditional nickel silver and burled wood affairs. The cork grip – while once again, top-drawer stuff – felt too thick and heavy for such a think blank. But this is one area in which I think Winston could improve. That Battenkill is the lightest reel I own at 2.8oz and should have been a great fit on the LS. That’s hardly a heavy setup, but the rod wasn’t balanced as well as it could’ve been. However, I paired this rod with an Orvis Battenkill I reel and Orvis Hydros 2wt WF line. You hardly notice you have a rod in hand when holding the 2wt LS, in all honesty. The model I reviewed featured Winston’s new skeletonized aluminum reel seat – Winston green aluminum wrapped in a silver skeleton casing, much like Orvis’s Helios 2 rods. Winston uses their usual Nanolite stripping guide, hard-wire chrome snake guides, and top-drawer cork on the LS. I own six Winstons now, from a pre-IM6 Fisher rolled 8’6” 4wt to the Boron IIIx, and the build quality just can’t be topped. Winston consistently produces the most well-built factory rods in the world. That said, the LS does roll cast well, is strikingly accurate when there’s not wind, and the half-moon shape it takes on when fighting even a 10-inch trout is amazing. I didn’t nymph or cast streamers on this rod, because a) the dry fly fishing was too good to warrant anything other than a dry-dropper, and b) who buys a 2wt intending to use it for streamers or nymphs? I fished a dry-dropper rig one evening, and the LS did just fine turning over a 16 dry with a size 20 zebra midge below it. Granted, a size 6 chunk of foam is hardly an ideal suitor for the LS 2wt, but it’s nice to know that when needed, this rod can help you make up for poor planning. The LS coped with the wind – I had to really work the rod at times to get my fly to the right spot – but I was very surprised with how it turned over a 9ft 6x leader with a size 6 hopper on the end. I also had to use a bigger fly than I would’ve liked, because the hoppers were everywhere and I didn’t have any 2wt-sized hoppers in my box. During one of the afternoons I spent with the LS, I faced a decent headwind. But the 2wt LS packs a punch – for a 2wt. Wait, power? This is a 2wt review, right? Even fans of fast-action rods will like this Winston offering, I think. It’s a slower, more delicate rod than the Boron IIIx, as it should be. Out past about 15 feet, though, the lower sections of the rod start to work and the LS slows down. The blank recovers quickly, tracks straight, has some backbone (we’re talking about a 2wt, after all) and lays dry flies down like butterflies landing with sore feet.
![rl winston im6 fly rod rl winston im6 fly rod](https://flyrodtrout.com/en/images/R_L_Winston_IM6_Fly_Rod_8_1_2_5WT_2_1_2_oz_16295_Excellent_CNDTN_Free_Shipping_02_ev.jpg)
Rather, in the 2wt LS, I actually felt the Boron graphite. Crisp doesn’t mean fast, because it’s not. The LS, in a 7’ 2wt (4pc) size, has a surprisingly crisp action for such a light rod. With that out of the way, let’s dive into the Boron III LS 2wt. I’ll name the “winner” of this mini-shootout at the end of the Orvis piece. This review will look at the Winston, then the next part will look at the Orvis rod.
![rl winston im6 fly rod rl winston im6 fly rod](https://i0.wp.com/www.thomasturner.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/winston-34.jpg)
![rl winston im6 fly rod rl winston im6 fly rod](https://images.fiberglassflyrodders.com/u/1/pi/hP5frzg1~PC210579.jpg)
![rl winston im6 fly rod rl winston im6 fly rod](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0063/0308/8687/products/57_4247e50b-1ea2-4c3d-ae45-93bd71f4567e_1024x1024@2x.jpg)
Now, after spending time fishing two 2wt rods, I’m convinced that’s the best weight rod for streams that rarely stretch wider than 12 or so feet.īut which 2wt is the best? I was able to spend some one-on-one time with the Winston Boron III LS and the Orvis Superfine Carbon rods on recent fishing trips, and I believe these are the best 2wt rods currently on the market. It only makes sense to go into these situations with the best rod. I love the solitude, bountiful fish, and technically challenging aspects small stream fishing presents. I don’t care that the trout are often tiny, or that I sometimes spend more time using a bow-and-arrow cast than anything else. I’m a self-proclaimed lover of small streams.