Well I able to start casting the Winston BIIMX 8wt in the past 2 weeks during lunch breaks.  This rod has some power and cast like a rocket.  When Winston decided to make the leap into the fast rod market, they took a giant leap from the BIIx series for sure.  I think some long time Winston users will be kinda shocked, because it might at first feel like a broomstick if you just pick it up and give it a wiggle and swing test.  But loaded with a good fly reel and some matching line, it really shines.  The rod is very light, and I think it feels like a 6wt rod, now thats getting light.

My setup was a Nautilus FW 7 with RIO 8wt clouser floating spooled on it, with a leader and yarn.  This rod works really good at mid to long distance casting, in fact it feels to easy to get distance....I could not believe I was pushing out 50-60 feet no problem with just simple flick.  Winston rods have always been known not to like power loading on your forward cast.  The BIImx is no exception.  You need to let the rod do the work for you and not give that extra power in your forward stroke.  Casting Winston rods is about cadence, technique and a slower rythm style of casting.  I think it's because their rods are so finely tuned, that it doesn't have a huge margin of error, you either on or not.

The rod is top notch in everyway, quality materials, nice looking reel seats, the best cork and just a great looking rod.  For me this is going to be my big streamer rod, sinking tip lines and full sinking lines dredging the deeps for big largemouth and smallmouth and of course throwing streamers for northern pike.  It should have a lot backbone to lift fly line and fly out of water, especially when it comes to using sub-surface flies and sinking lines.  With floating lines, thats going to be a breeze.

I haven't used it yet for fishing quite yet.  But this is what I'm going to expect from this rod from casting it a bunch already.  It will be a good rod to shoot weighted flies and heavy fly lines a good distance.  Has enough backbone to really set a hook and to pull fish out of cover or to control a big fish.  Accuracy might be a issue, especially if you target say like bonefish or reds, where you need to be very accurate.  But if your fishing in the blue ocean over a big school of false ablies, you'll want some muscle.  But as always, casting experience lends a great deal in accuracy and distance as well.  I've been practicing my double haul with this rod and helps me make it look easy.

I'll be reporting back on this rod midway through summer as well after I get some fish under my belt.  But I already know that I will enjoy pulling big 20"+ smallies from Cheq bay this year on it.  Can't wait!

Until next time, tight lines!