Sage Reccomendations

D3smartie · 02-17-2006, 10:19 AM

I am getting 2 new sage rods here shortly, and was hoping to get some input as to what two i should get... Price is not an issue.

I know they will be from either the XP, Xi2, SLT or spey lines, but am not sure which rods exactly. I have some 8 weights, so i probably dont need one of those, but I am thinking i "need" the 6126-3 which makes for an awesome summer steelhead or small salmon rod, but i dont know...
what do you guys think?

lilnorthfork · 02-17-2006, 10:27 AM

I absolutely love my VPSLight 7'9" for 3wt... though I am not sure how it would handle a steelie. :grin:
lnf

mandinga · 02-17-2006, 11:21 AM

they are all good...I love the Xi2's because of the action....and they are gorgeous.

D3smartie · 02-17-2006, 12:21 PM

lil- I have the 8'6 3wt VPS LL... awesome little rod.

john montana · 02-17-2006, 05:39 PM

SLT...nice casting rods. it really depends on your casting style though. i would not fish an XP if it was given to me, but a lot of people swear by them. i think they feel way too stiff. they all cast different, don't buy anything without trying them out first.

D3smartie · 02-17-2006, 05:40 PM

i have 4 SLTs... 3 890-4s and 1 790-4.... they are awesome rods. Dont know if the 6 has enough "umph" for the salt which i would want a 6 for...
too many choices :smile:

02-17-2006, 05:42 PM

The Sage I recommend????
...... is a Winston :grin:
Actually the Sage VPS Light series is outstanding

D3smartie · 02-17-2006, 07:06 PM

if i got the deal that i am getting now on a winston i would get one of their 4-6 wt rods, but their bigger rods arent as good as the Sage rods IMO.

OutTrolling (ot) · 02-18-2006, 03:42 PM

Quote:

The Sage I recommend????
...... is a Winston :grin:
Actually the Sage VPS Light series is outstanding

I was also going to bring up the Winston, Stew. Was checking out some in Tigard at a place I probably can't mention. Holy Moly!! Are they really as good as their prices indicate they should be. When a low level entry cheapo starts at nearly two hundred bucks and goes up, and then up, and up and then "really" goes up, it makes one wonder are they that good. Just wondering your opinion on their quality. I guess they must be awesome. I used to have a Cortland (it actually blew out of the boat on my way to a launch)which was pretty nice but in comparison to the Winston prices. Wow. Just curious and not meaning to take over the post.

santiamflyguy · 02-18-2006, 08:00 PM

Look on eBay for an old LL. Really the last decent rod Sage made :shocked: :shocked: :shocked:

02-18-2006, 09:48 PM

To answer your question about Winston prices and whether they are worth it. To me yes they are

I have the Boron IIx 9'6" for an 8 weight.
I have given up all other methods of fishing and fly fish only so I want the best equipment I can get

That philosophy might not work for some people or perhaps they cannot afford higher end rods.For me though I am going to get the best I can and since it something that I plan to keep forever I want the best

When I bought my Winston I looked hard at something comparable in Sage. I cast them both and came away with the opinion that the Winston was what I was looking for.
The resell value, if I ever did sell it, on places like eBay is higher too.
For my dollar, yes I believe it is worth it.
If I were looking at a single hand steelhead rod today I would look at the Burkheimer CF895-4

NCL · 02-19-2006, 05:51 AM

I have to agree with Stew regarding the Winston Boron IIx rod. I have one in 5 weight, it is very light and casts like a cannon. It is not a cheap rod but I think it was worth every penny. With that being said I also have the Scott E2 which I think is a very nice rod for the price.

Slow and Low · 02-19-2006, 05:03 PM

the 6126 is too light for salmon and steelhead. just my opinion. i fish a 7136 and anything over 6-7 pounds is a workout. I also fish a 9140. You should cast whatever spey you are looking at with the heaviest tip and a bunny leach before buying. Haven't cast the new fast stuff yet.

I fish a 3 wt LL, 6 wt VPS, 6 wt DS, 8 wt 10' fli. Like them all. Have fished the xp and can't say i noticed a difference from the fli (except the weight). I know you said you have 8 wts but the xp casts great but has no backbone for the fish. The launch series is junk.

D3smartie · 02-19-2006, 05:09 PM

you maybe talking O.P. and western WA steelies and salmon, because the 6126 is a sweet summersteelhead rod for the ronde or john day which is where i am thinking i would use it. dries, grease line, Light tips and no dredging. I wouldnt use anything under an 8 for the O.P. i dont think.

02-19-2006, 05:35 PM

I cannot understand why Sage discontinued the RPL models. I didn't care for the XP at all.

D3smartie · 02-19-2006, 05:38 PM

IMO they are more sensitive than the RPL...

02-19-2006, 05:40 PM

I didn't care for the fast action but remember my trout rods are all bamboo so I'm used to something a bit slow

D3smartie · 02-19-2006, 05:50 PM

Stew: do you fish any bigger bamboo rods? we have a 8 or 9wt bamboo that we will fish on the east coast sometimes for salmon. Man that thing is heavy to cast all day. i love a good light bamboo rod, but the weight of the bigger salmon rods is just too much for me...

have you fished the SLT? if so what do you think of it?

02-19-2006, 08:47 PM

I don't think I've cast an SLT but I may have. I have a custom made 4 piece Graphite III that is a fantastic rod!
9 ft. for a 3 weight!
I may have a 9 ft. for 7 weight built for me later this year

gottafish · 02-21-2006, 04:18 AM

doesn't walmart own Sage?? LOL

Slow and Low · 02-21-2006, 09:37 AM

Quote:

you maybe talking O.P. and western WA steelies and salmon, because the 6126 is a sweet summersteelhead rod for the ronde or john day which is where i am thinking i would use it. dries, grease line, Light tips and no dredging. I wouldnt use anything under an 8 for the O.P. i dont think.

I suppose for those two river since they aren't moving much. I will tell you we landed a 37" native on the gr in November that ripped it up on an 8 weight. We figured it was a stray but the fish and game guy said there were lots of big fish in the later run. Seems like the little ones come in first since we caught all the fish low on the washington end. Same thing the year before. Probably could have been landed on a 6 weight but would have died. Still think your better off with a 7136 or the 7141 which I havent cast. Just my .02

Slow and Low · 02-21-2006, 09:40 AM

Also, I use a 9140 for winter and spend all summer and fall on the deschutes where I use a 7136 and wish it were a 8136. But I guess if your not dredging (which I am)and you don't mind running, it would be funner.

D3smartie · 02-21-2006, 09:43 AM

yeah i would figure a 37" native would be a stray, but the bigger fish used to be in the GR so it could have been a GR nate.
We hooked one fish on the GR this year we figured to go around 14 or 15 pounds... had him to the shore once but the hook bent out so i couldnt be sure how big he was...
i am going to cast both of them and see what i think. The 7136 would deffinately be more versatile but getting up to an 8wt is heavier then i want to go.
thanks for the input