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Winston's salt and freshwater Boron II-MX series. The MX stands for maximum, as in maximum power, distance, and fish fighting capabilities. The 4-, 5-, and 6-weights are slightly stiffer and faster than their Boron IIx counterparts; the 7- through 12-weights are true "cannons" that can handle sinking lines, big flies, and adverse wind conditions. While all eleven models feature faster actions and are capable of making long distance, 100+ foot casts, they will amaze you with their responsiveness and light weight. The rods come with a cork fighting butt and our new double locking reel seat. Whether you're chucking 6'' long "grocery" flies or battling fly rod–humbling winds, a Boron II-MX will get the job done. |
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4-WeightLight, yet powerful, the 9' 4-weight is an ideal trout rod for aggressive nymphing and casting big dries. Read ReviewsSelect size in chart for details on each weight. |
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Standard Handle:Cigar on 9'4-, 5-, and 6-wt. Full Wells with Cork fighting butt on 9'6" 5-wt. thru 9' 10-wt.; 9' 12-wt. features a 12" grip and 2 1/2" Cork fighting butt.
Sections:4
Standard Reel Seat:Featherlight Nickel Anodized Aluminum.
Options:4 to 6 weeks; contact your Winston dealer for specific information.
Handle:Choice of Winston Full Wells on 4- and 5-weight. $60
fly rod reviews
9' - 4-weight
Last April I fished a Fly Fishing Masters tournament in N.C. I misread the rules and showed up with only my BII MX 9' 4wt. Even though I didn't win the casting competition,the little 4wt held its own with other 6 and 7 wts in the distance casting. My average distance casts were over 75 feet with the 4wt using a 4WFF fly line. I didn't think that was too bad for a 4wt. Had plenty of power,combined with the rods light weight,was a definite benefit.Capt. Ed Humphries, Winston Pro Staff
9' - 5-weight
"On the waters in the Jackson Hole area, we may experience three different seasons over the course of the day. Start with streamers on 0x, tie on a large foam creature with 3x by mid morning, and sometimes wander into a side channel where 6x and size 20 Olives are the only way to catch fish. My clients need a rod that can handle it all in ever-changing conditions and that is why I hand them the Winston 9' 5-wt. BII-MX and tell them to leave their rods in the case. The Winston BII-MX 9' 5-wt. can do all of that, from turning over big streamers in the wind to protecting fine tippets when that 20+ incher eats your fly. My clients are happy knowing that they can get it done with one rod, and when they are happy, I know my Winston and I have done our jobs."
Rob Parkins, Winston Pro Staff
9'6" - 5-weight
"The day I received my Winston BII-MX nine-and-a-half-foot, five-weight rod was the day before I left on one of my overnight floats on the Green River. I first pulled it out of the tube at home for an initial inspection of the rod. The rod tube looked fresh and shiny. The sock looked as if it held the rod securely and safe. The wrappings and guide feet were sealed perfectly. The guides lined up beautifully. The handle surprised me by being shorter than other manufacturers', but the cork was of excellent quality. The reel seat looked as if it would do the job with no trouble at all. I fit the sections together to give it a wiggle. Amazingly light in the hand, was my first thought. Then the visions of all the places I could throw a bug with this new stick came floating through my head. All in all, the craftsmanship was totally tight. I found a reel that would balance with the rod, and packed it all away for the following morning that seemed too far off.
"The first day was an adjustment period and the fishing wasn't great, but I started falling for the rod. It was a good length for pontoon angling and was a good match for fishing far off on a big river. Mending was easily accomplished and casting the big dries seemed effortless. The next morning early, I was in my pontoon boat and drifting my size #2 dry fly along the rocky shoreline with the BII-MX when suddenly a snout appeared and stole my fly. After a grueling ten minute fight, I finally beached the fish of my season. It measured a whopping 30 inches! Needless to say, I was instantly hooked on that lucky Winston rod.
"In short, when I need a rod to fish medium-size dries to medium-size streamers, wading medium-large rivers from shore or boat, in any conditions but hailstorms, the BII-MX 9'6'' 5-weight rod is the one I grab with confidence. It just is my lucky stick, and hasn't let me down."
Charlie Card, Winston Pro Staff, Dutch John, Utah
9' - 6-weight
"Folks who are passionate about an endeavor are typically particular about the tools that they use to pursue that endeavor. Fly-fishers are no exception to that rule! For me the Boron II-MX, 9' for 6-weight. will always be close at hand. I am impressed with its ability to make that long cast with a heavy fly or control sinking line while running a large streamer. The BII-MX's ability to lift heavy nymphs in deep water is remarkable!
"While fishing in my home waters in western North Carolina and in the streams of southwest Montana, wind is seldom an obstacle. The BII-MX will handle the wind on days when some people are sitting by the fireplace.
"All in all the BII-MX is a terrific rod that is light, quick, casts like a rifle, and is beautiful as well. I won't leave home without it!"
Lou Barlow, Instructor/Guide, Davidson River Outfitters
"This rod is the ideal float fishing rod. I can literally toss this rod in the driftboat and fish ANY river in Montana with this rod, and this rod only. The rod's action allows pin-point accuracy with Sofa Pillows down to tricos. But what I love most about this rod is it can fish streamers with full sinking line, dries with 15-foot leaders, and deep double-nymph rigs AND its casting stroke is the same with all of them--that makes fishing all day easier on the arm, and the back of the head when I have clients in my boat. It feels like a 5-weight in the hand, but turns over big bugs and streamers with ease, and because it's a Winston, when you get a fish on it is all that much more fun."
Pat Straub, Winston Pro Staff
I am still in the NWT and I have had a great fishing trip at a place called Kasba Lodge. Of course I took my collection of Winston rods to fish with and several days ago we were fishing with light tackle (6 wt. BII-mx) with small flies for arctic grayling. I had just cast a small wet fly into about a foot of water when the fly caught what I though was bottom. However...quickly the drag on the reel squealed and the fish took the line well into the backing. After about 20 minutes and a real fight, my 6 wt. rod won the battle and we boated a 16 lb. lake trout. The 6 wt. BII-mx rod not only cast beautifully with sinking leaders into the wind, but handled the big trout with ease.
M.A. (Mack) Martin Jr. , Winston Pro Staff
9' - 7-weight
"Upon returning home in September from the summer in Montana, I received my new Winston 9' 7-wt. II-MX to replace my old 9' 7-wt. XTR. A couple of days later, we had a full moon, with flood tides, just right to hit the flats and look for tailing redfish. I loaded my canoe in the truck and headed to my favorite flat. As I staked out the canoe and was beginning to string up my new 7-wt. II-MX, a tail popped up about 25 feet away. Anxiously, I made a couple of casts to the "tailer" without a strike. On the third cast, the redfish hit my fly and started off through the spartina grass across the flat. The II-MX had the power to turn him with very little effort. After about a seven minute fight, I boated a nice 7lb. South Carolina Redfish."The II-MX 9' 7-wt., really proved itself on that trip. The fast action and light weight of the rod make it a great choice for shallow water wading or canoe/kayak fishing. No regets about switching from the old Winston XTR that I had used for a number of years to he new II-MX 9' 7-wt."
Ed Humphries, Winston Pro Staff
9'6" - 7-weight
"The 9-foot-6 inch, 7-weight is possibly the best fly rod I have cast/fished. It was only five casts old before I got a 10-pound steelhead."Brian O'Keefe, Winston Field Advisor, Catch Magazine
9' - 7-weight
I had a client wade fishing for redfish in the marsh near Charleston,S.C. He was a novice fly fisherman,but I gave him my BII MX 9' 7wt to use. After about thirty minutes, a nice red showed us his big ole spottail. My client made a couple of casts to the fish and on the third try the fly hit about 2' in front of the fish. One strip and the fight was on. After about 10 minutes of chasing the fish in the marsh,we netted boy big red. My client couldn't believe the power the 7wt had. He still talks about the castability,even for a novice fly fisherman.Capt. Ed Humphries, Winston Pro Staff
9' - 9-weight
"Turning over heavy, wet northern pike flies in the wind requires the right fly line and rod to get that job done. The Winston 9-ft. BII-MX does a great job of this and easily handles 50 feet of aerialized line in the process. Handles the big northerns as well!"Mack Martin, Winston Pro Staff, Atlanta Fly Fishing School, FFF Master Certified Casting Instructor
"On a recent trip to Belize we were nailed with nasty weather--rain and wind. All that yuck meant a few things: murky water, gusts every day, and a grumpy guide. With the BII-MX 9-foot, 9-weight, the wind wasn't a problem as the rod was able to shoot fly line into the mouth of the nasty north wind. The murky water became a non-issue as we could cast sinking lines with ease, whizzing dumbbell-eye Clouser minnows at lightning speeds. As for the guide's attitude, well, that even changed because we were able to beat the elements with our BII-MX rods. The double-locking reel seat was a huge plus for quick changeover of reels and rinsing at the end of the day. But, if we had too much Belikin and forgot to rinse our gear, knowing the reel seat is anodized aluminum was great for peace of mind from rust and corrosion, not to mention its low weight in the butt section."
Pat Straub, Winston Pro Staff
9' - 10-weight
"The Winston Boron II-MX 9-foot, 10-weight is my favourite rod when fishing for large pike because casting, setting the hook, and playing big fish is fantastic with this rod!"Peter Elberse, Elberse International, Authorized Winston Dealer
9' - 12-weight
"When I'm heading big-tarpon fishing, my stick of choice is the 9-foot 12-weight Boron II-MX. It provides everything a pro tarpon fly fisherman and guide demands: great looks and durability, loads like a cannon, shoots like a sniper, and fights big fish with the power of a tank and the finesse of a ninja."Capt. Pier Milito, Winston Pro Staff
"This past November I fished in Guatemala for powerful Pacific Sailfish and I got lucky enough to fish for Tarpon in a "off the beaten path" destination last month, and the Winston MX 12 weight tamed these acrobatic fish quickly and easily. I really liked the powerful lifting and stopping action of the rod when the Sailfish tried to head for the depths of the Ocean or the Tarpon towards mangroves. The extra long cork handle allows for various hand placements during the longer fights associated with big game fish. This prevents fatigue and enables us to apply the proper pressure through various rod angels. This allows us to land fish quickly, which is vital for increasing your catch numbers, as well as for conservation purposes. The action of the 12 weight MX is powerful to say the least! Whether you are throwing heavy sinking lines, intermediate tapers, or aggressive weight forward floating lines the fast action of the MX series will support all lines and lay down your fly with pin point accuracy. It is important to practice casting the various lines (with flies) before your trip, as this rod behaves differently with each line. All rods do this, so you must alter your casting stroke to get the most from MX when fishing different lines. I did find the crossover easier with the 12 weight MX when compared to rods I have fished in the past. Often times you need totally different rods to fish radically different lines. Well, not the MX series!"
Ian Davis, Saltwater Program Director / Yellow Dog Fly Fishing Adventures
