The main things about taking care it that's different from a graphite rod is to make sure you never put it away wet, and don't twist the rod to separate the ferrules. (Pull straight.) You might also occasionally play a fish with the rod upside down (i.e. with the reel up) to help prevent a "set" in the tip. I'm not sure how that plays out with a penta, though since they're not symmetrical. Other than that, it's the usual: watch out for car doors, ice in the guides, etc.

Use whatever leader set up you would use with the Winston. I fish mostly spring creeks and tailwater with cane; I usually start out with 9' tapered leader, add three feet of 5x, and go down from there as needed. You may not need to go that long.

You can find a ton of information on the Classic Fly Rod Forum http://classicflyrodforum.com.