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Post 08 Jun 2019, 11:53 • #1 
New Member
Joined: 06/03/19
Posts: 7
Location: US-IN
Hello,
Bought my first fiberglass fly rod, a Winston Retro 6 1/2 ' 3 wt . Rod feels great and wanted to ask what would be best reel and fly line to match this rod ... looking forward to any advice , can't wait to get it on the stream !!
Thank you,
John, aka Rube Wood


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Post 08 Jun 2019, 12:39 • #2 
Guide
Joined: 02/27/12
Posts: 233
Location: US-AR
I would go with a 406 line is 3wt DT. That is a great rod!!


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Post 08 Jun 2019, 13:14 • #3 
New Member
Joined: 06/03/19
Posts: 7
Location: US-IN
Thank you Mike !! To be honest thus is the first I heard of them but the reviews sound great ! Yes , heard that this rod is can't wait to use it
... any reel recommendation ?
Thank you again !


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Post 08 Jun 2019, 13:25 • #4 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/10/07
Posts: 1632
Location: The Netherlands
Try 406 DT3.
Reels? Many options. My favorite would be:
Hardy Featherweight
Orvis CFO 123


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Post 08 Jun 2019, 13:46 • #5 
Guide
Joined: 02/10/17
Posts: 249
Location: Townsend, Tennessee
The 406 line is a good recommendation. As for reels, if you want a brand new one, the Orvis Battenkill I would be great and the Pflueger Medalist 3/4 is another one. For vintage reels, there are many. The Medalist 1492 is great if you don't mind reeling with your right hand.
Joe


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Post 08 Jun 2019, 20:52 • #6 
Guide
Joined: 05/02/12
Posts: 100
Location: US-CT
+1 on the 406 line. A Hardy Duchess would be a fine pairing with that rod.

tt


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Post 09 Jun 2019, 09:37 • #7 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 12/05/06
Posts: 2086
Location: US-PA
I own that rod and it is one of my favorites, so much so I had Winston build me a matching mid & tip as an insurance policy even though I am the original owner with the warranty. Coincidentally, it was also MY first fiberglass fly rod so if you fall in love, you are doomed! ;)

Lines - It can cast a range of tapers but stick to true-to-weight lines so nothing but a 100 grain 3 wt line. I am a fan of the Sci-Angler Mastery DT but I am sure you would be fine with a 406 or Peach.

Reels - It is a LIGHT rod, lighter than the Scott FS 6634 and to honest, if you ended up with the cork cap & ring version that was for sale on eBay recently, you might have an even lighter rod than mine with the standard Cocobola downlocking seat. The only reel I have ever found that static balances the rod at the winding check is a Hardy built CFO II at 2.0 oz., anything over 2.0 oz. is a tad heavy but that is to be expected with a short, non-bamboo rod.

I have used a few reels on the rod other than the CFO:

    A Hardy Flyweight @ 2.70 oz.
    The most recent version (and now discontinued) Abel built Orvis CFO I @ 3.20 oz.
    Right now, a Hardy Duchess 1/2/3 (HREDUCG010) @ 3.10 oz.

If a Hardy is in your budget, you couldn’t go wrong with a Flyweight or a Duchess. If Hardy isn’t your thing, try and keep it as close to 2.0 oz. as possible.

The 6’6” 3wt Retro is my go to small stream rod when a 6’6” rod isn’t too short. It excels at short to medium distances however, when you get the stroke down, 60 feet is a breeze. Small fish feel like giants and if you manage a bruiser (I once landed a 20” brown on mine) and give it the butt, it will bring them in quickly. To tantalize you a little bit; if you fall in love with yours, the 7’0” 3wt Retro and the 7’0” 4wt Retro are like clones in action only a tad longer and in the case of the 4wt, a tad stronger.

The ONLY negative I can mention has to do with the downlocking Cocobola reelseat versions. On every Retro I own (and I own every rod in the series except the 5'5" 3wt), the cap loosened so if yours has that type of reelseat, check the cap!!

If it is loose, re gluing it and using a little more epoxy is the solution.

I think it is a delightful rod and one that I will take to my grave. I hope you enjoy yours half as much I as I do mine.


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Post 09 Jun 2019, 16:33 • #8 
New Member
Joined: 06/03/19
Posts: 7
Location: US-IN
Thank you ALL for the recommendations and help , this is very neat to receive all very good information, being new to fiberglass really helps, I hope someday I can share as you have all done. Bamboozle, this rod has a full wells with NS Slide Band and Cap with a cork reel seat which I love, fI'll wells not so much but it fits :) !!! Will enjoy very much in searching for all that you have recommended! !!! As I said can't wait to fish it and will post photos of first catch !!!
Again thank you! !!!
John , aka Rube Wood


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