Hello everyone. I am looking to buy a new rod to upgrade from my current 4/5 wt cortland. I bought it as my first fly rod, and have come a long way since then. I just love my 7wt Sage rplxi, and so I am definitely going with Sage, in spite of all the hubbub on another thread about warranty issues.
I am debating between an SLT and an XP, in either a 4wt or a 5wt. I know a lot of you guys use 3wt rods, so maybe I would or should consider one, but I'm kinda leaning towards a 4wt right now. What is so special about the 3wt? Most of my fishing with this rod will be in the Sierras and the Marble and Trinity mountains, and some local lakes as well, but I also fish trout in some coastal creeks at home where there are adult steelies. I usually use my 7wt for adult steelhead and bass, so really I am looking for a trout/halfpounder/??? rod.
I did try out (cast) the new Z-axis in a 4wt, and it gave me a woody, but the price tag quickly deflated my fantasy. I can pick up an SLT or an XP for $300-$400 new with warranty card, which is more in line with my budget.
Basically i'm looking for some advice from the experienced folks on this board on what to buy. Also, which of these is more like a Z-axis? I feel like I am kinda in between the casting styles Sage describes for the XP and SLT.
I have a Sage 4wt 9' SLT and it is perfect. With smooth medium action, it is a super-light joy to fish. At $300 it is a no-brainer as far as I'm concerned. When I first got the rod, a friend of mine who used to be a casting teacher and I tested the rod. While I was getting around 80' on my casts he was out another 5 to 10 feet, right into the backing. Is a Z-axis going to cast much further than this?
I also have a Sage 5wt 9' LL that is awesome too. I've sent that rod back 2 times for grooved guides and got back a whole new top piece each time. As you can see I am a big fan of medium action rods at least for trout. I do have RPLs for the steelhead, salmon and shad on my home water: the Russian River.
One of my favorite rods, however, is a cheapo W.W. Grigg HMX 5-6wt rod I bought at Sportmart years ago when my wife was shopping for shoes. I wandered over to the fishing department and flexed the rod a few times and was really impressed. For $70 it rivals the Sages for lightness, casting distance and comfort. Obviously, these kinds of lucky discoveries are few and far between.
Finally, if you are also looking for reels, let me suggest the Okuma brand, specifically the Vashon and SLV lines. I bought a Vashon 3/4 for the Sage rod and was so impressed with the hand-machined workmanship, light weight, and multidisc cork drag for $65 (eBay) that I got a 5/6 for my Grigg 6wt. Then I thought I'd try the cast alu SLV 4/5 to see if it was any good at $40. IMO, the SLV is THE best deal on fly reels as it has the same drag mechanism as the Vashon for a lot less money. It is also a large-arbor design which makes it easier to recover line on a big fish. I've got a bunch of Ross, Tioga and Orvis reels (even a Hardy) that aren't as good. If I haven't interested you in an Okuma, want to buy a Ross reel?
what works for you may not work for others..what I mean is this...I do not have a fast, strong casting motion.Iam slow and smooth..rods like the SLT work great for my style.they are soft at the top and slow action...faster rods like the z axis and xp are not a good match for me and my style..there are other things to take into consideration..but dont make it so complicated...go with your gut instict...
Cast lots of rods and don't spend too much money. If you have 600 bones to drop more power to you. I don't own a single rod over 300 bucks. I don't know where you guys are finding SLT's for 300? Don't those rods go 4-500? Anyways you're best investment is time on the water. Have fun shopping, I just got a Redington CPS 8wt. New rods are addictive.
That's gotta be the only way it's 300 bucks. Looking at the catalog and they average 615$. I think this came up on here a couple months ago. Yeah that means I missed another rod sale god damnit! I'm still kicking myself in the butt for not picking up an XP when the Zaxis was taking it's place last year. Oh well I can wait two seasons for the Zaxis to be replaced by the "whatever" next best rod.
Since you have already made your decision on a brand I'll just say that I too really like medium action rods, Fast action dose not fit my style. Slow and smooth just like mx19 stated. The meduim action rod also makes for a much better experince when fighting a fish. I've actually never casted a sage rod, Seems thats what most poeple tend to go with, When it came time for me to drop some big money on a rod i personally wanted to go with something a little less mainstream. What kinda reel you gonna match that rod with, What kinda line ? Look around at some places to purchase your rod, I got a free flyline of my choice (Rio GRande a $60. value) and of course free backing. Good luck, It's always so much fun to get a new rod and reel.
Hey guys, thanks for all the input. right now there are quite a few Sage SLT's on ebay, new with warranty cards, for 300-400 bucks, and I have a friend who is selling his 5wt 4pc XP for 300 bucks. I don't want the xp, i've decided, so if anyone is interested in that rod I can pass along his contact info. Interestingly, nobody has mentioned anything about a 3wt rod. The guy at American Fly Shop in Sac tells me he fishes adult steelies on a 3wt, and that if you just point the rod at them and strip, they will come right to you! I am doubtful, as I have experienced the power of the beast on 8-lb casting gear, and it was impressive. Not to say he is fibbing, but anyway...
Right now I am leaning towards the 4wt SLT.
Clay, thanx for the tip on Okumas... I will check that out. I have a Galvan Rush I will use on the new rod, but an Okuma might be a good match for the old 4/5wt Cortland.
I'm stuck on this damn boat, and can't wait to go fish!
A 3wt could be fun, but I would stick with a 4 or 5-weight since they provide a little more punch for those gusty mornings and late evenings along Putah. I also concur with the comments on a medium action rod for Putah. Fast action rods are a pain to roll cast. If you plan to use this rod primarily for Putah, I would make sure you like how it rolls casts and loads for water hauls.
As far as fishing a 3wt for steelhead...in my opinion anglers should always use gear of sufficient strength to quickly land large game fish. Otherwise, the fish could get over-played and die of lactic acid toxicity or get snagged by predator.
I have a Sage Launch 3 wt that I really enjoy. I bought it mainly to use on Sierra streams where the fish aren't very large. I also use it on Putah when I fish dries, since I haven't caught anything very large on those. For nymphs and streamers on Putah I use my 5 wt.
I, too, like the feel of medium action rods. They are so much more fun when fighting fish. I love fishing my 3wt. I fish it on Putah when the flows are down and there is no wind. When the flows jump up it is way too hard to land a big fish on a 3wt. Casting is a chore when I use my 5wt in the wind, so the 3wt is definitely out of the question when windy conditions exist. I don't know about using a 3wt for adult steelhead, but you'd be surprised how quickly you can land a big fish on a 3wt. The bend in the rod protects light tippets, so you can horse the big boys in.
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"Nothing makes a fish bigger than almost being caught."
Maybe I'm ignorant, but I've never had cause for complaint and I've never paid more than a few hundred bucks for a rod.
I've got 4-5 TFOs from 3-7 weight and I have to say I'm happy with them. I could cast a log though and be happy as long as I was catching fish.
I couldn't tell you if my rods were fast, slow or medium and I have no problems casting featherweight dries, or heavy weighted nymph rigs.
I can say this.
Buy the best reels you can afford - a good reel makes all the difference to me. Large arbor is good as is a good drag system.
Oh, and don't shirk on wading boots. Jcombs and I were out and that poor kid nearly killed himself 10 times because his footwear was not up to snuff. He's since upgraded!
i agree with jl on this one TFO's are a great rod and the price you cant beat. and again all depends on what you can spend. but large arbor ross reel and a nice 5 or 6 wt tfo to start out would be the ticket for someone new and not looking to break a few windows.
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Fishing isnt about catching fish, its not about who caught the most, or who caught the biggest, its about the experience that you have on the water, and the life long bonds you make with others on the journey to becoming a better person inside.
I agree with jl as well, put your money in the reel. My favorite rod is an old rod my grandfather gave me a few years back, and I recently put the money into a reel and its only made it better
i will add my 2 cents again, definitly put you money into the reel, and also the line, there is cheap line, good line and great line, i suggest not gettin the cheap stuff. having the right type of line does make a huge difference, personal experience on this one. bought some cheap stuff just to get started then moved up to the decent line. big difference. easier to cast, mend, slidding through guides, there floating, just everything about it was better.
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Fishing isnt about catching fish, its not about who caught the most, or who caught the biggest, its about the experience that you have on the water, and the life long bonds you make with others on the journey to becoming a better person inside.
Honestly, I use cheap line. You should see the line on my 5wt. It's horrible. I've been using it for about 3 years. It still casts, and it slides through the guides as long as it's clean. I don't know how it floats anymore, though.
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"Nothing makes a fish bigger than almost being caught."
I'll start by saying the most important peice of gear you will purchase is the rod, second the flyline, and third the reel. Thats just my opinion. I'll tell ya one thing that i beleive most people overlook, That is learning all about the life cycle of a trout, I have spent endless hours reading every tidbit of info. that i can find about rainbow trout. I beleive you must understand a trout's behavoir to have consistant success. So pick up a book, kickback and read ! You will become a better fisherman. I find it very interesting that i can read literature written a hundred years ago about trout fly fishing and it is still the same game today that it was then. anything written by AJ McClane, Lee Wolf, Or Issac Walton is very good. You gotta think like a trout, Then again trout don't think, they react. Anyways, thats just something i thought i'd throw out there. As some of you may be able to tell, I am a fishing fanatic, It is something that has totally consumed my life ...It's my drug of choice.
i have to admit that fish is a drug but FLY FISHING is a drug that you cant get off. its a passion that i hope to pass down to my KIDS and them theirs. the only person that fly fished in my family was my uncle, who was my second dad to me. i never seen him do it, but i heard stories about him. i do follow in my fathers footsteps but i closely mimic my uncle. i am 100% my fathers son and 100% my uncles son as well. he taught me everything. and knowing that he fly fished, hunted, outdoorsman, makes me appreciate it that much more, cuz when i am out there doing my thing, i know he is up there watching down laughing when i fall in the water, when i catch a tree, high fiven my when i catch a biggen and just watchin over me and keepin me safe. so not only is fishing a passion and a drug but is something that i need in my life to remind me of all the good times, and will be doing it even if i am uncapable too. ill figure out a way
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Fishing isnt about catching fish, its not about who caught the most, or who caught the biggest, its about the experience that you have on the water, and the life long bonds you make with others on the journey to becoming a better person inside.
Thats pretty cool Brian. My grandfather was a real steelhead fanatic, As a child we'd take many many trips up to the Klamath, I was to young to really do much fishing but i remember some of those steelhead they would catch, Man they were big. But sadly as he got older and lost his eye sight he no longer could fish. So I'd always go and visit him, and as soon as i started talkin trout man I tell ya those eyes sure did light up. I kinda did the fishing for the both of us, I'd go, then I'd sit and go over every detail of a trip with him, It was a highlight of his day, I could see it. So now when i fish, I know my grandfather is watchin over me man.
i feel ya bro. just knowing that they are they watching our every move, i kinda feel like he is actually there sometimes, people may think i am crazy, but i can just feel it. i dont know if you noticed it or eric, but if you ever see me fishing, i normally have a plan face, but every once in a while you will see me have a big ol grin on my face. i wont have a fish on, and i might not even have my line in the water. well there is a reason for it and that reason is my uncle. me and him had that connection and every once in a while i will sense it when i am fishing and thats where that grin comes out. and lately i have been needing to get out there with all the crap going on right now in my life and feel that connection with that water, nature and him again. i so cant wait for tomorrow. even if i dont catch any fish. i guarantee you at one time in the day i will have the cheese eatin grin on my face. and you will know why.
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Fishing isnt about catching fish, its not about who caught the most, or who caught the biggest, its about the experience that you have on the water, and the life long bonds you make with others on the journey to becoming a better person inside.
Someone might have already said it but the SLT and XP are both discontinued models...but there are still lots of SLT's around that can be found at great prices. ebay is a great place to look for bargains. I like the action of the SLT better than the XP (I have both) for stream fishing but the XP works better for fishing lakes like Pyramid or Eagle where you need to have longer casts in the wind.
As far as Sage warranty goes it can't be beat. I've never had any complaints with their service.
tk i was also at the clean up. i know i met you but cant put the tk with a face. i think there was only 2 people there with 2 young daughter, i was laughin and talkin with one of them. his daughter got the simms hat with not top and we both was laughing cuz they need the top or their head will get burnt. then he got one at the end of the raffle. was that you.
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Fishing isnt about catching fish, its not about who caught the most, or who caught the biggest, its about the experience that you have on the water, and the life long bonds you make with others on the journey to becoming a better person inside.
I just love my 7wt Sage rplxi, and so I am definitely going with Sage, in spite of all the hubbub on another thread about warranty issues. 
...It's my drug of choice. 