I would like to try to duplicate a couple of Winston fly rods, I do not care for Winston cost per blank but I also like the action of the rod. I have looked at the ccs data, some help but I need some specific recommendations, brand and model number, based upon experience. I want to make the best decision.

Rods to duplicate:
Winston LT in 3 weight, and 4 weight either 8 ft or 81/2 foot
Winston IIX in 8-9 ft 3 weight and 4 weight
Winston IIX in 9ft 5 weight.

I like the softer tips for light leaders, I use a lot of 6 and 7x . I also need some power to over come the common wind problem on many of the Idaho streams and rivers and the ability to toss a size 12 Stimulator on occasion. So soft tip and power is a must.

I plan to build a 5 weight and either a 3 or 4 weight, depending on the rod. I do want to accurately match the line to the pole.

My prior rod building experiance was all with the original Press Powell rods no longer available , but still not the action of the Winston.

I appreciate your help and guidance.

You make it kind of hard to help you, you say you like the Winstons than say you want a blank that doesn't particularly discribe the rods you want. Soft tip and power butt is not how I would discribe the Winston rods you mentioned above. I suggest you go to all the local flyshops with your reels and lines spend the day test casting, than buy the blank for the rods you liked that are in your price range.
It's impossible to overcome physics, wind, light lines, good luck with anybody's rod. Good technique overcomes rod design everytime.

LT is soft but has more power than the WT
BIIX is a medium fast rod and has a softer tip section in comparison to Sage SLTs and many of the other brands but with a stiff butt section and power that can be applied when needed. I know, I have tried it many times in both calm and wind conditions and have seen it demonstrated in those same condition by qualified fly casters.

Casting various fly rods, and then buying a blank, maybe in other parts of the country but not here. The three main shops sell Sage and Scott or Sage and Winston and an independent that sells Orvis and of course the big box stores that sell a couple of made up brands or small start up shops that sell the Lefty Kreg or Cortland stuff and not much else. None sell rods made from Dan Craft, the Rain shadow stuff or anyone else that has a good blank building reputation at reasonable price and selection. None here sell blanks period.

The better fly shops all cater to the person with money that has to have the top named product regardless of his fly-fishing capabilities. When I was regularly building fly rods for family, friends, and myself, I used Press Powell's blanks. Powell blanks at the time were good blanks and I could get them, again no one here sold them made up, no rods to try, all untried and untested and I put up with whatever the end product gave me, generally pleased with the outcome. I still use a 9ft 6 weight that I built in the mid 90’s prior to the demise of Press Powell, and I have no intention of retiring it, it has it’s place. I do not want to build my last fly rods in the dark, at age 64, the next rod(s) I build will be for me, rods that are more to my desires and reasonable expectations than those built not knowing the outcome. These will be the rods that I finish out with in this life. If I have to lay out the bucks for Winston blanks to get what I want, then I guess I will do it. I will simply sell my wife into servitude and build on Winston.

Thanks

If you'll arm yourself with the Common Cents System, you can very likely get very close to any Winson in somebody's else's blanks. Remember, those line weight ratings used by the manufacturers' aren't based on any sort of power or action standard - they're purely subjective. The Common Cents System gives you objective and relative measurements for power, action and frequency. With those three, length and physical weight, you can matching things up pretty darn close, or at least tell in what aspect some inherent property will be different.

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