The Thomas & Thomas Paradigm is the ultimate presentation rod for the modern-day trout angler. These rods are lightweight, deep flexing, and, typical of T&T, feature the highest quality components. If your general fishing experience involves light tippet, long leaders, and tiny flies, you have come to the right place. But this isn’t your father's dry fly rod, and you can expect better all-around performance than similarly billed rods from yesteryear.
Many associate Georgia with the Masters, World of Coke, peaches, college football, the Atlanta Metro Area's traffic, and the World's Busiest Airport. Some great fly fishing opportunities lie beneath the backdrop of skyscrapers, suburban sprawl, and industrial farming. Most of the fly fishing the Peach State offers is within a short striking distance of a major metro area with over six million people.
A good fly rod doesn't just cast well but is equally effective in real-world fishing scenarios. In theory, it seems like a simple concept, but rod designers have often struggled to find the right balance with fast-action rods. Sage designed the R8 Core series to tackle the shortcomings of high-performance fly rods, such as roll casting, loop control, technical mends, and delicate presentations.
Winston designed these rods to be 'do-it-all' freshwater fly rods. In fact, they call them the 'Swiss Army Knife of fly rods'. To make such a versatile freshwater rod series, Winston rolled out a unique, progressive SuperSilica resin system that keeps these rods lightweight, powerful, and dynamic. That being said, Winston has also found a way to stay true to their brand by making these rods medium/medium-fast action and delicate when you need them to be. Read on for a model-by-model review of the whole series.
The Saltwater Air is a quick-recovering, high-performance saltwater fly rod series built with a few important features. Winston uses SuperSilica lightweight resin systems and their famous Boron III technology to craft incredibly light rods that are durable and solidly strong. Winston claims they built these rods with a fast mid-section (a departure from traditional Winston rods) and stiff butt sections for increased lifting power on the largest fish in saltwater. Read on for a detailed review of every rod model in the series.
Winston built the Pure series for delicate presentations and trout-focused angling. The series quickly won 'Best New Freshwater Rod' at IFTD in 2018 and its diversity of rod models and was a large reason why. From short 2wt rods through longer 5wt distance sticks, this is a series with a model for almost any dry fly angler. Built with some of the finest componentry in fly fishing, the Pure is built for anglers who prefer to fish with a light touch. Read on for detailed reviews of each and every rod model in the series.
Winston’s new Alpha+ series is designed for the largest fish on earth. The rod’s extra-fast action helps deliver big flies and fight large fish. A fast-action tip and insanely strong butt section contribute to the rod’s ability to both propel large flies through heavy wind and lift big fish from their murky lies. The Alpha+ encourages incredible line speed and easy distance casting without carrying a lot of line in the air. These rods are beastly and, as Winston says, you’re going to need a bigger net. Read on for a detailed review of every model in the series.
Fly fishing for Panfish is a great way for beginner anglers to get into the sport. These fish are easy to fool and fun to catch on smaller setups. If you're wondering which fly rod is best for Panfish, we've covered that in a previous post. Now that you have a fly rod picked out, it's time to choose the fly line that will help you catch more fish on the water. Choosing a fly line for Panfish isn't technical; there are many line options that will work well. Let's start with the basics.
Choosing the right gear is important in any sport, but especially in fly fishing. As a novice angler, sometimes gear can be confusing, overwhelming, and difficult to navigate. If you're looking for essential fly fishing gear for beginners, we have a comprehensive guide. Once you have your rod and reel picked out, you're going to need a fly line. This post is designed to give you the tools to choose the fly line that will work best for you.
Targeting Carp with a fly rod is as entertaining as it is difficult. Using the right gear increases your chances of success. And, if you've read any of our other species-centered blog posts, you probably have your fly rod and fly reel picked out. If not, check out our posts about fly rods and fly reels for Carp. To round out our posts about how to choose the right gear for Carp, this post will provide information and insights into choosing the right fly line.
