vapor 6wt. review

winston 6wt. vapor rod

i'm not one to give reviews of products, due to the fact i don't have the luxury to try many products, but this deserves exception.

i was looking for a 6wt. fast action rod for smallmouth fishing rivers in my float tube or canoe mostly. i wanted something quick enough to cast to pockets as i slowly floated down the river. i noticed there aren't a large selection of different lengths and flexes for 6 wts. as compared to 5's or 7's. i am partial to American made products as well as American companies. (i had my heart set on a winston anyhow). i selected the winston 6wt. vapor rod, 4pc. 9'. i would have liked a 9' 1/2" but that wasn't goimg to happen.

i used this rod a months ago on the shanandoah river for smallies and it performed greatly to my saisfaction! to cast poppers with my med/fast action 5wt. for smallies or med. 7wt. for largemouth, i would have to use a lob cast to get the popper 'out there'. this hampered my casting to get underneath low limbs and also restricted distance. with the soft flexable tip of the fast action vapor rod i do not have this problem. i can cast normally and with better acuracy and more distance. casting buggers and large flies, such as wulff, trude and humpy patterns, it does just as well.

most recently i used the vapor rod down on the clarion river. trout were rising next to shore in the high but clear water. i tied on a 6x tippet to my 9' leader and casted foam beetles and spider patterns. the tight loops got me to where the fish were with good distance and delicate lay downs. i picked up nice size browns and brookies without scaring the wary fish.

winston suggests to overline your rod 1 size heavier for bass fishing. the fish shop manag. suggested a gpx line, which is a 1/2" wt. heavier than a normal wt. line. i stuck with a gpx 6wt. floating line and i have no plans on overlining. the rod and line work well together.

well, that's the review. hope it may help any of you who are looking for a great 6wt. smallie rod to cast poppers, big flies and woolly buggers. oh, and foam beetles for river trout!

_________________________~doubletaper