I’m looking for an 8’ to 8’6", 3-wt, 3 to 4 pc rod with a medium-fast to fast action. I’m thinking about buying the Winston 3wt, 4pc rod in the Ascent series. At $179.00 it sounds like a fairly good deal.
The only comparables I can find are the Redington RS3 @ $199, the TFO Lefty Kreh Pro Series @ $139, the Sage Launch @ $195, and Cabelas LST @ $155.
Any opinions on the Winston or the others? Thanks - Rick.
I would highly recommend the Sage Launch series fly rod. It actually, in my opinion, casts better than the more expensive FLi series.
go to the sponsor’s page and check our Global Dorber. They have some rods that just might suit you.
Go with the Launch. You can’t go wrong with Sage. The others you mentioned are all made in Asia. The Sage is built in the good ol’ USA.
I have cast the Dorber Li’l Sreamer, the e-Rod2 and the e-Rod3. They do offer an ecconomical fly rod, but I still prefer the Sage Launch. If you can… cast before you buy!
Winston Acent would be a inexpensive way to put that WINSTON name in your gear, but it is an ASIAN rod. I do think you need to put (whatever) rod in hand, with line and try it! Do not buy a rod by NAME only. That could be all it ends up…A NAME.
If there is a way you can check out a DORBER, do it, but don’t buy it cause everyone say’s it is a great rod, same with LAUNCH. Just because a rod is a sponcer here doesn’t mean it will fit right with you.
I “recommend” the Sage Launch because it cast well and is a quality rod in the price range that he was evaluating. I could care less if Sage is a sponsor of this site or any other site.
I am with you on Launch being the choice, but RAW69 needs to (as they say) shake the sticks and see which one works for him. Nothing against Launch. I am sure they are all good rods but to each person is only one. Of course as mention many times on this FORUM a good caster can cast anything. 
In answer to RAW69: which one? all or maybe none. 8)
raw69,
I’ve cast three of them. The Sage Launch, the Winston Ascent, and the TFO Pro. Personally, I didn’t like the Ascent. It felt heavy in hand, and non responsive to my casting stroke. Perhaps I didn’t let the rod do the work, but that’s just me. The only thing that kept me from buying the Sage was price. I only had $220 to spend so I went with the TFO Pro and bought a line as well. Actually, I couldn’t tell the difference between the Sage and the TFO. The Sage may be finished a bit better, but the fish don’t care.
God Bless,
I bought a 9’ 4wt Launch this year and love it. To me it’s a steal for just under $200 - not sure how they are keeping the price so reasonable on a USA made rod.
There was a post saying to the effect that someone didn’t care if a certain company was a sponsor or not. These things trouble me. I do understand the viewpoint of the poster, but need to say also that it is these sponsors who pay the bills here. FAOL try’s to bring the information necessary to build flyfishers and our sponsors support us for that reason. We are ‘growing’ their customers. So when someone says he doesn’t care about a sponsor, he is saying that he places no value on what they do.
We try also to bring you company’s that have good products. Not that we have tried or even necessarily recommend all the things they may have but, within reason, we try to. So, if a company is a sponsor, at least in our opinion, they carry good products and I would hope that you would at least be willing to try to support them when you purchase something. After all, they are supporting you. If you want to see FAOL go away just buy from all the others and we will be gone. Our sponsors do read this site on a regular basis, this post included, and I am grateful for their support.
J.C.,
You are obviously talking about my post. What I was trying to emphasize (and maybe over emphasized) was that my opinion was not based on whether or not Sage was a sponsor of FAOL. However, when I do select a new fly rod, I have to admit, whether or not they are a FAOL sponsor does not cross my mind.
Ok, thanks. 
When I shop for a product and finally find one I like For the reasons JC stated, I do try to remember to check to see if it is carried by one of the sponsers. However I am an impulse buyer. Lots of the time my good intentions get caught up in the moment. :?
I have a launch 590 that I really love, it is way better than the junk I was trying to cast with.
I have only cast about 5 different rods altogether so am not very versed in deciding what is good and what isn’t.
At the fish-in Dana let me cast his rod. I think it was a Winston. I absolutly loved it. I forgot to get the exact name and type of rod off of him before I left for home so if you read this Dana can you help me out with the correct data?
I have to ask, why does everyone think that WINSTON is, how you say, the CAT’S MEYOW. Is it a statis thing. I do hear that Dobber make killer rods and back in another post, a few couldn’t tell the difference between a custom and a WALLY WORLD. I am getting to the point I prefer those smaller companies items better. Now Corporate Pressure.
I had a good friend from Hawaii send me a smaller co. rod (which isn’t a sponser so we will leave it at that). The rod is an 8’ 3wt med/fast with single foot guides and a small stipping guide (which I questioned at first. I tried all three different tapers of 3 wt (except level line) and all three 4wt for kicks. This rod is so line friendly, it blew me away. My ol man want’s to sell his Winston and Scott Eclipse now and get a couple, so, just remember, some of these independend rod makers like Dorber, Rainshadow etc. make sweet unbelievably smooth rods worth the look.
I think she means this; http://www.dorber.com/
Thank you, I did. Should never try to watch TV and post, like walking and chewing gum. Thanks again
My pleasure. They are a great bunch of darn hardworking guys. We have supported them from the start and they have been a sponsor that long too. Very high value stuff for the buck.
Raw69 is looking for an 8’ to 8’6", 3 wt, 3 to 4 piece rod. Dorber doesn’t have a rod to meet his specs and his price range.
Raw69,
Like I said in my first post… cast first, if you can, before you buy. Take recommendations for what they are worth and buy what YOU want!
Fly Goddess , please re-read the post you quoted.
In it I show no loyalty at all to Winston, just to whatever rod it was that Dana Kindly let me cast. Heck it might be a Dorber or a Sage or a Wally world special I don’t really know . I really could cast better with that particular rod. It felt really good to me.
What I meant was ;
If I have a choice between buying a product from store XYZ or from one of the sponsors on here I will pick the sponsor over store XYZ . Winston has nothing to do with my post except that the rod in question might be a Winston.