AIR TH

The 5-weight Air TH 5 is a casting dream. Winston rod designers have found just the right combination of weightlessness and power emanating from deep within the cork.

This rod is a must for any steelheader in Northern California, Southern Oregon, or other locales with smaller Summer run fish. It's buttery smooth when casting traditional flies on a Scandi line and can handle small weighted tips and a bead head fly if you're trying to get down to them later in the season. The flex and feel on this rod is perfect and there's plenty of fighting power to control fish in that 5-7lb range. When you get this thing out on the river, you'll be impressed with how responsive it is and how easily it shoots line. If you haven't cast lighter Spey rods yet, this is the one to get! This rod isn't just for swinging flies either, it doubles as a great indicator rod on bigger western rivers and can put in work for Lahontan Cutthroat out at Pyramid Lake. It goes without saying, as with all Winston rods, the details, finishing, and cork are all impeccable. I already want a second one of these rods and it'll be a mainstay in my quiver for years to come!

I used the Air TH 13'3" 8 wt. spey rod as my all around rod for a full summer of guiding salmon in Alaska and it was a great workhorse for me. The 13'3" length gives you the ability to reach across the widest parts of the river and still execute casts in tight areas with brush where you can't wade too deep. I paired it up with Scientific Anglers 570 grain skagit head and their 42 pound flat mono running line. It had no problem turning over 10' of T-18 to dredge the higher water for Chinook's, and great versatility with T-10/14 as the water dropped for big Coho's on the far bank. This rod is a great option for all of my salmon fishing and doubles for big coastal steelhead.