Sage Fly
need to buy a fly new rod and reel?
which one would you recomend hardy or sage ? price dont matter need to get it right an what model would it be?
Robert,
My nickname isn't Sagefisher by accident, I fish with Sage fly rods. I am a little prejudiced towards Sage, but then they make an excellent array of fly rods. They are all handmade made here in the United States.
There are a number of good fly rods out there. Sage is one of the best. Winston is also one of the best, but it's low end rods are now made overseas. Thomas & Thomas was just purchased by an English company so I don't know what they are going to do with their rods. Hardy is an English company and I am not familiar with their products.
Personally, I say buy Sage, you can't go wrong. The lifetime warranty is great, but then a number of other companies have had to start lifetime warranties as well, to try to keep up with the top of the line rods.
As for which Sage, that does depend on how much you want to spend and more importantly, your level of casting skill.
Sage breaks their fly rods down into three groups: Premium Fly Rods; Specialty Fly Rods; and Value Fly Rods.
The Specialty Fly Rod is the saltwater rated Xi2. This is a great saltwater fly rod, they make them from 4 weights to 16 weights. They are made for serious saltwater fishing.
The Premium Fly Rod is the area you may want to take a look at. They have a wider selection of rod actions and sizes.
In this area you have the very technical and extremely ultra fast action TCR fly rod. Unless you are a master caster I wouldn't consider this rod.
The new Z-Axis fly rod is their fast action rod, which replaced the XP series (I love the XP rods). The Z-Axis casts very well and is an excellent fly rod. Remember it is a fast action rod, great for nymphing and casting large streamers. I use an 11 foot 6 weight Z-Axis for nymphing and I love it. If you are going to be doing a lot of casting of small dries with really light tippet, I would not get this rod, but rather I think the SLT would be better.
If you are going to do a lot of dry fly fishing, especially smaller dry flies, then you may want to get a medium-fast action rod. This rod will handle the larger streamers and heavy dries yet allow you the ability to cast small dries using a 7X tippet.
The SLT series is an excellent medium-fast rod and great for virtually any fresh water fishing. That would be my choice for a dry fly rod.
They do make a TXL rod, a medium-fast action in a short rod (7' to 7' 10") in 000 to 4 weight sizes. Great for smaller fish and brushy creeks or streams. This is more of a specialty rod and not to be used for your usual lake or larger river fishing. You would not use this rod for casting large streamers or huge dry flies or heavy nymphing rigs.
If you did want to save a little money, you could go for a Sage value rods.
The Launch series is their lowest priced rod. It is a medium-fast rod and casts decently.
The FLi series costs a little more and is a fast action rod.
A consideration to be made, is what are your fishing needs? Are you going to be doing a lot of small stream fishing, or just larger creeks and rivers and lakes? Are you going to be doing a lot of small dry fly fishing or casting mostly large streamers and heavy nymphing outfits?
If you bought a 9 foot 5 weight Launch rod for dry flies and a 9 foot 6 weight FLi for streamers, you would have two rods for two different needs, or even buy an additional Launch rod in the 7 foot 3 weight for small streams, you would be spending just about as much as you would for their high end rods. That is a great way for a beginner to have a nice selection of rods.
However, if you have been fly fishing for a while and cast decently, then I would go for the higher end rod. You will appreciate the way they cast and handle the fly line.
For large streamers and heavy nymphing rigs, I would suggest a Z-Axis. It may be a fast action rod, but it is very sensitive and you can really feel the fish while fighting it.
For a lot of dry fly fishing, I would suggest the SLT in a 5 or 6 weight 9 foot rod.
Have fun selecting a rod. Have even more fun fishing with it.
For more on Sage rods, go to:
http://www.sageflyfish.com/default.asp?p=6
Larry
The Annual Fly Fishing Retailer Show
As one of the most important events in the sport of fly fishing, the annual Fly Fishing Retailer show has become a tourist attraction in and of itself. The 2007 show will take place September 16 through 18 in Denver, Colorado, at the Colorado Convention Center. What can you expect if you plan to attend this show?
At Fly Fishing Retailer, you will get meaningful interaction with other avid fly fishers as well as experts. If you have questions about fly fishing, just ask. There are many, many people on hand who are more than happy to answer any queries you have about this wonderful sport.
They offer tons of seminars on a variety of subjects. You can learn about fly tying, teaching others how to fly fish, what type of tackle to bring with you, and so much more. There is a casting pond where the experts can give you advice about your casting techniques and help you improve your casts for maximum efficiency.
Orvis sponsors a saltwater fly fishing cup where competitors vie for the $7,500 grand prize. All equipment is supplied by Orvis, and it is held on one of the casting ponds that are set up in the convention center. You cast for distance as well as accuracy.
Besides the seminars and activities, you will also find numerous companies exhibiting their fly fishing equipment. You will see some of the newest products from these companies and will also have the opportunity to purchase any of the equipment you are interested in.
There are over two hundred exhibitors set to be at the 2007 show including Sage, Orvis, Federation of Fly Fishers, Trout Unlimited, and many more. You'll be able to see their products, ask questions, and even try out the gear before you buy it.
You will also get a lot of information about conservation efforts in various areas. It's important to many fly fishermen to preserve the waters that they fish. Without conservation and respect for the land, the fish wouldn't be plentiful and the sport would die. Experts will tell you the best preservation efforts to take about yourself as well as part of a group.
You will also find some famous authors who have written very popular books on the sport of fly fishing. You can mingle with them, ask them questions, and gain knowledge through their expertise on this great sport.
When you attend Fly Fishing Retailer, you will find more information than you ever thought possible. You will be introduced to many fly fishing products and gain insight into the sport that you love.
About the Author
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Sage Fly
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