Winston Air 2 Max 9WT 9'
In Stock • Bozeman, MT
ACTION: Very Fast.
GRIP : 7″ full wells grip on 6-10wts. 8″ full wells grip on 11-12wts. Premium Flor Grade Cork.
REEL SEAT: Silver lightweight anodized aluminum. Barrell engraved with Green Script logo. Double uplocking aluminum rings. 1 ½” Fighting Butt on 6-10wts, 2 ½” Fighting Butt on 11-12wts.
STRIPPING GUIDES: Cerecoil hard titanium construction with high flexibility and Ceramic insert.
SNAKE GUIDES: Recoil saltwater snake guides with hard titanium finish and high flexibility.
SECTIONS: 4
STORAGE: Premium Graphite Tube and Logo Rod Sock.
Description
MAX Accuracy. MAX Power. MAX Line Speed. MAX Performance.
Utilizing award-winning materials in conjunction with our fastest and most powerful graphite tapers to date, the new AIR 2 Max series optimizes performance in saltwater, warmwater, and large freshwater fishing applications across the globe. Each model has been meticulously tuned for accuracy, lifting strength, and line speed, boasting the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any rod we’ve ever made. The AIR 2 Max series are powerful without effecting castability or lightness in-hand. Our proprietary AIR 2 and Boron materials create unprecedented feel, power, tracking, recovery, and lightweight performance – truly redefining fast-action performance for any saltwater and big-game application worldwide.
Technology
The AIR 2 Max features our award-winning AIR 2 and Boron materials, showcasing our highest strength-to-weight ratio and fastest recovery action to date in a fly rod. These materials allow for unprecedented lifting strength, exact tracking, crisp recovery, and lightweight performance – perfect for any saltwater or big-game application anywhere in the world.
Components
The AIR 2 Max utilizes unique Cerecoil hard-titanium stripping guides. They are extremely flexible when stuffed into boat gunnels or tight spots. and use a ceramic insert that is incredibly slick, generating extremely high line speeds. This means achieving more distance with less effort, fewer backcasts, incredible line shooting, and unmatched durability.
To compliment the stripping guides, AIR 2 Max rods use Recoil hard-titanium saltwater snake guides, that are saltwater safe, stronger, lighter, and extremely flexible. These snake guides shoot line effortlessly, for fast shots with big flies.
The AIR 2 Max features a new universal flor-grade grip with low swells and short flares to provide anglers of various hand shapes and grip styles a variety of grip options. This aids in overall feel, line control and comfort when fighting the world’s largest fish.
Winston Air 2 Max
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Q: What specific fishing scenarios did you design this rod for, and where do you feel it truly excels in performance? A: The focus of the 909 Max was to be an incredibly versatile saltwater rod. While in the R&D phase, we had iterations in Key West competing in the Del Brown, fighting the windy winter of the Louisiana Bayou searching for bull reds, and up in the Northeast casting 900gr sinking lines for stripers. This rod was built to buck a head wind, beautifully present a crab pattern, or tussle with an angry striper. Long story short, it can do anything you want it to.
Q: What fly line would you recommend pairing with this rod? A: RIO Elite Flats Pro
| empty | Short | Medium | Long | FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caster 1 | 6.4 | 7 | 7.2 | 20.6 |
| Caster 2 | 6.5 | 7.2 | 7.9 | 21.6 |
| Caster 3 | 8.1 | 8.2 | 8.3 | 24.6 |
| Combined | 21 | 22.4 | 23.4 | 66.8 |
- really enjoyed this rod. I like the hardware, cork, fighting butt, and it’s light. The Air 2 Max is bending more than the others. I don’t really have to think too much about what I am doing when casting it.
- Always pretty rods with handsome hardware. About the best cork quality I’ve seen. A little clunky very close, but improves with 15’ of line out. Takes a fair amount of line to load, but if you slow your stroke, it feels great. Effortless to get distance and very straight. This baby wants to go!
- Not as smooth of transition at 30’, still accurate – a bit jumpy in the hand. Starting to feel the rod come alive at 40’-50’ (medium), but still wobbly. I feel like it is jumpy through the progression of the rod loading. It got better overall the further out it went at the longer target.
The Winston Air 2 Max 9wt is a beautifully finished rod with excellent hardware, high quality cork, and a well designed fighting butt. It feels light in hand and carries the classic Winston aesthetic and craftsmanship. The blank bends more deeply than many of the other rods in the group, giving it a distinct feel throughout the casting stroke.
At very short distances the rod can feel a bit clunky and slightly jumpy in hand, though it remains accurate. Once about 15 feet of line is in the air the rod begins to settle down and cast more smoothly. It requires a bit more line outside the tip to load fully, and slowing the casting stroke helps the rod perform more comfortably.
As the distance increases the rod begins to come alive. Around the 40 to 50 foot range it starts to feel more responsive, and the performance continues to improve the further the cast is pushed. When carrying more line the rod delivers strong distance with very straight tracking, showing that it prefers to be opened up and allowed to run.
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