Looking to add another rod...

[jimmy3711]

Hey All,

I am looking to add another rod and could use some feedback from your experience.

Currently I have a Sage One 9' 5wt with a Ross Evolution LT. I am wanting to add something in a lighter line weight. I am not sure whether to go 3wt or 4wt and 8'6" or 7'9". I would like to have something for using while hiking back into the mountain streams around the Salt Lake Valley and surrounding areas for trout.

I am leaning towards the 7'9" as the 8'6" is only 6" shorter than my 5wt and that may be an advantage with close cover.

Anything experience you can throw my way would be greatly appreciated!

 

[GrtLksMarlin]

Though granted you can never have "too many" rods, flies, reels, etc., I'd suggest (at least for myself) skipping at least one size. IOW a 3wt. and the thinking of going to a 7'9" sounds like a good one......I assume you're wanting something that makes the experience different. So dependant upon the rod you get that jump I'd believe would at least be noticable.

Though I love my 5wt., doing as you're suggesting and going to a shorter 3wt. achieved exactly the same thing for me.

B.E.F.

 

[troutnut4]

I think a 3wt. is a good choice as well. I made the choice to buy a VXP 479 as my first lighter weight rod and found that that was a mistake for me. I am a big Sage fan but this rod was a med. - fast action and I don't use it. Lawn cast it a couple of times and decided to go to a 3wt. ZXL 7'-6". Love the rod for small streams. That VXP will sit in the closet till someone buys it. Lately I have been using Kabuto and Steffen glass rods in the 7'-6" to 7'- 9" length and they are exactly what I was looking for, slow and graceful. For larger water I use an RPL or a Hardy Zenith.:frogdance

 

[troutn]

Jimmy, I also have the same Sage 5 wt rod and one of my other favorites is in the Sage family-Sage 3 wt 7'9" TXL. If you are not looking to spend as much, then TFO has some comparable rods in the finesse product line. I use my 3 wt for bluegill and micro hatches like Tricos and love the 3 wt. It will also throw some smaller wooly buggers!
Good Luck!

 

[plecain]

You might go even lighter.

I love my Sage ZXL 8' 2 wt.

Smaller still is the St Croix Imperial 6' 2 wt.

 

[jimmy3711]

Thanks for the information so far.

Any reason to consider an 8'6" 4wt for more versatility? Or 3wt 8'6"? Would a 4wt 7'9" still be able to be gentle on the smaller waters?

I am kind looking towards the Sage Circa series.

 

[Mnflyfish]

Going from a 5wt to a 4 wt, I don't think you will notice a big difference. If you jump to a 3wt I think you will have the different feel you may be looking for. As far as length, it depends on what your fishing for. If you do a lot of nymphing, maybe the longer rod would be good for reaching out there, but would be too long for tree covered smaller streams. So that all has to be taken into consideration. IMHO a 3wt in 7'6" - 7'9" is a good setup for a light action stick.


Sent from my iPhone

 

[furnacefella]

I am going to disagree.

I think you are on the right track considering a very nice medium action 4wt. and I like the 7'9" or 8'6" choice as well. In fact, you could purchase another 5wt. in 8'6" and get a completely different rod than your Sage One.

For me it is more about action than weight or length that makes a rod desirable under different circumstances. More precisely the line I want to throw and the fly I want to deliver. I would rather have a slight overlap than a gap in my arsenal.

A nice med 4wt in 8'6" is a perfect dry fly rod when tiny May flies and Cadis are on the menu which is most of the spring and summer here. Although not ideal on tiny streams it will get the job done and even handle some small weighted nymphs and streamers.

When the big drakes, hoppers, streamers or even thingamabobbers are the way to go a nice fast 9' 5wt. like the One has you covered. If the wind is up or the river is larger again you are covered.

I have a 9' Z-Axis and although it is a 6wt there is nothing your 5wt One couldn't handle that my Z can. My second favorite is my 8'6" ZXL that handles all of my stream work and tiny dry fly fishing. This combination will handle 99% of trout fishing most everywhere.

I have other rods, but they are only nice to have. These two are must haves IMO.

Another thing I have noticed is you don't have to spend very much money to fill your quiver outside of the 4-6wt range once you have a couple of top end rods like you are considering.

The Redington CT and TFO finesse are as good as any in small sizes unless you are a die hard ultra lite fisherman. The glass rods are also inexpensive compared to top end gear.

The BVK or fast Redingtons will work just as good for the few times most of us venture out for the larger stuff. I have also noticed there is always a good selection of larger stiff rods on the used market. Unless you are a die hard big water guy, a couple of hundred dollars will get most of us by.

Anyway, that long winded response is just my take on the situation. I would get an 8'6" 4wt Zenith if I were you but the Circa seems nice as well. Obviously many think differently.

 

[dean_mt]

Furnacefella, or can I just call you HVAC? I like your thoughts on rod weight and length. And also you'd advice on paying big money for very light (< 4 wt) rods is quite wise.

...

 

[thewalker1013]

I would not necessarily skip the 4 wt either. I have a Sage 4711 LL and it's crazily different from my 5 wt XP or 5 wt z axis. While I have a 2wt LL for the smallest creeks, etc. I find that my 4711 LL is light en. For small streams yet has enough to tackle larger fish if I need it to.

Having said that, let me tell you what I use my sticks for, that may help...

590 Z Axis - hopper/dropper rigs, dry/dropper rigs, heavy nymph rigs, big dries, really whatever I need it to. best rod to take when I can only take one
590 XP - mostly my streamer rod now, throw almost all of the big trout junk (even some big articulated stuff, though it ain't that pretty) with this one since I got the Z Axis. unless in really big water, with really big (and I mean huge) streamers, then I go up and use my TFO BVK 7 wt. Would probably like to have a 691 XP instead for my streamer rod/light salt rod/small bass rod, always looking
590 SP - mostly dries or dry/droppers when fishing for larger fish, but this one may be one the block right now
4711 LL -small rivers, creeks with potentially good sized trout. Mostly dries (with and without smaller, not-too-heavy droppers), and small, light-weighted nymph rigs
279 LL- small creeks for small fish, really a joy with tiny dries

Just got a 10' 4 wt. Hardy Zenith as my new dedicated nympher

If you look at the difference in what I use my stiffer 5 was for vs. My LL 4 wt., you'll see a huge difference in what they can handle (rather, what they excel at and what I'll "let" them handle... I have never thrown a weighted streamer of any kind with the 4711, and hope I never have to)

 

[fishiowa]

I think you are on the right track considering a very nice medium action 4wt. and I like the 7'9" or 8'6" choice as well. In fact, you could purchase another 5wt. in 8'6" and get a completely different rod than your Sage One.

For me it is more about action than weight or length that makes a rod desirable under different circumstances. More precisely the line I want to throw and the fly I want to deliver. I would rather have a slight overlap rather than a gap in my arsenal.

Exactly what I was thinking when I read the original post. For example, I have a 486 ONE and a 479 Circa and they are totally different rods for different circumstances. I do not view them as interchangeable even though they are both 4 weights with only 9" difference in length. Since your ONE is a 590 the difference would be even more noticeable.
If you drop from a 590 ONE to a medium action 3 weight I think you will want something in between.

 

[fireroad]

I'll preference my answer by saying that I am a huge fan of 7'9" to 8'3" 3 wts, with the later length being my preference. In my mind an 8ft ish 3wt is the perfect compliment to a 9ft 5wt as it gets you into tighter spots, is superb with drys and still has enough to light nymph.

That being said, your 590 One is really more a 6wt than a 5. As other folks have mentioned a 3 would be a huge jump compared to the One and may feel more like a toy than a tool. If it was me I would look towards an 8ft 4wt. Without hesitation my first choice, based on your intended use use, would be the Scott G2 844-4. True medium fast, classic action with enough reserve to make it a great high alpine lake rod. Super light weight and a phenomenal dry fly rod to boot. Other rods to look at would be:

High end:
The new Winston B3LS in 480-4
Sage Circa 479-4
Burkheimer 483-4

Budget:
Reddington CT 480-4
St Croix Imperial 480-4
St Croix Avid 479-4

 

[markfrid]

I'm with Furnacefella, too. Nice med 4-wt would be awesome. Not a fan of the under-4's. The Winston WT in 8'6" #4 is my baby. One of those "pry it out of my cold, dead fingers" rods. Super-sweet, very versatile.

Mark

 

[moucheur2003]

The Redington CT and TFO finesse are as good as any in small sizes unless you are a die hard ultra lite fisherman.

I have the TFO Finesse in 7' 9" 4 wt and it is an absolute delight for smaller streams. I think it is exactly what it sounds like Jimmy is looking for. Easy on the wallet, too.

 

[james w 3 3]

When hiking back into the small mountains streams of the Sierras (the same scenario you are describing) I went with an Echo Carbon 2wt 7'2".

Brushy mess, no problem.
Crystal clear shallow pool, no problem.
Skittish fish in really thin water, no problem.
Fits in a daypack, no problem.

Fishes true to weight, so I lined it with a true to weight line, and even in some wind it casts very nicely. After all, you're not throwing a fly 40' on a stream 10' wide. Nor will you run across many big fish, although mine has handled a rainbow of 16" (that was a surprise!).

Just something to consider . . .

 

[irons]

Personally i think that a 3 wt is the best size rod for dry flies, especially small flies 16 and under. I have a scott G2 8'8" 3 wt. and love it.

 

[deanb10s]

They have the Cabelas MTX on sale for $249, reg. $399. I have a 3wt and a 6wt, and they are very nice rods. I fish them just as often as my Scott and Sage rods.


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[irons]

Never fished them but TFO makes a finesse series that may be worth looking at.

 

[dean_mt]

In most circumstances, rod size should be determined by the fish you are targeting. For example I would not want a 3wt rod for fishing dry flies on the Missouri River, or Clark Fork, or many other rivers when the fish being targeted are 16" + rainbows that love small dry flies. It would be difficult to land fish in a reasonable amount of time for a safe release, I think it would be inappropriate.



...

 

[jimmy3711]

Wow! Thank you to all for your information. After much deliberation, I've decided to go for the Circa 479-4.

Now I just need to figure out a reel for it and get out and use it!