Winston BIIX 13'3"

[Trevor]

Curious about this rod. I've dug through the old posts for suitable line matches, basic info, etc... but found little regarding the rods action. I like a pretty wide variety of rods, but really prefer ones that bend into the cork, even if the rod would generally be considered fast overall. I've had a few that felt like a piece of broomstick with rod sticking out of it. We didn't get along. I was hoping someone could give me a sense of what this rod casts like. For reference & comparisons, I'm familiar with:

Meiz 11'7", MKS 7/8
Dredger 7/8 & 8/9, Metolious
Sage 5120, 6126-3, 6126 Z-Axis, 7136-4, 7136 Z-Axis, 8124, 9140
Loop 8124 Yellow, 8120 Grey

Thanks

[Glenburn Drift]

I was just casting this rod yesterday at the GGACC. I have primarily used this rod with scandinavian type lines: guideline, Rio AFS 7/8, Vision and Airflo scandi Compact 450g heads. The rod with these lines is a very special deal, gravity is somehow suspended for the moment and effortless casting is the result. The scandi casting is very much with the upper half of the rod. Yesterday I tried the Airflo Skagit Compact 540g head on it for the first time and it felt like a different rod with a deep kind of sexy flex all the way down into the cork. What I am saying is that it was amazing, the transformation of this rod from a great scandi rod into a great skagit rod by just changing the heads.

[Trevor]

I should have noted that I'm basically a skagit caster, though I do still single here and there. How is the rod in hand? They claim to be very light, but I seem to recall a mention of them being tip heavy.

[SSPey]

For the taper it has, I think this rod has very good feel into the hands when casting. Even though it flexes mostly in the upper half of the blank, with a light tip tapering to a strong/fast butt, they did build in some deeper flex. Of the rods you listed, I'd liken it most to the 6126-4 and 11'7" taper profiles.

the rod is very light, not tip heavy. However, it balances reels similar to other rods in that class due to the uplock seat and relatively short upper grip.

[FleshFly]

Sweet rod, I have one, and came highly reccomended by a few steelhead bums in BC. Nice light, smooth casting rod. Delta Air Flo casts like a dream, and I enjoy it much better than the skagits. Prior to this I had a loop yellow, 8WT, and primarily casted just using skagit, or scandi lines. Found it much easier, and made much more enjoyable fluid casts with the Delta Air Flow. A real dream.

[Wingdam]

I just picked one up this season and I went through all the same questions. I’ve been using it so far with a 510 Skagit compact and find it casts all my normal tips from 15’ of T-4 to 12’ of T-14 along with 4” beaded monstrosities just fine. It has a light tip that requires a higher lift with the bigger flies but plenty of power in the midsection on down. I matched mine up with a Ross BG 5 I had and find this combo to be perfect weight wise. This rod is not tip heavy at all and feels very light in hand. I also picked up a 450 Scandi compact and tried it out a couple times practice casting…incredible! While I purchased this rod mostly as a summer stick, it handles winter duty well and is a very easy rod to time and cast.

[Trevor]

Thanks for the replies. It sounds like I need to cast one.

[Dale J Townsend]

This rod taught me a lot about casting.

[Trevor]

Interesting. The Meiz 11'7" did the same for me.

[Doug Wiseman]

I like a rod that you can feel load right into the cork but still has power also.
Of the many different brands of rod I've tried none fit that description better than CND.I own two and want a third the north fork specialist ,probably almost as light as the biix and I'd bet it would do the job better, for a little less money.

You've cast so many rods get your hands on a CND you'll love the action I'm sure

[Etacata]

great rod, i use it as my lighter winter rod/heavy summer.

wingdam summed it up great in how it feels.

the rod rod in my quiver i would not be without!

chris

[Steve Egge]

I aquired it this summer and have been very happy with it.
For Skagit work ... I choose the 540gr airflow compact Skagit ... I like it to load well.

Steve