And on and on and on!!!!!

[englishprof]

http://www.tridentflyfishing.com/sage-method-fly-rod.html?utm_source=Web+Subscribers&utm_campaign=b32fe3dca9-Loomis_6_9&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ab5123293e-b32fe3dca9-43195529

Every year Sage, Winston, Hardy, Orvis and some others make the "best rod ever built!!!!! Please.

 

[englishprof]

Just read the specifications for the "Method". Cracks me up. Action is not listed as "fast". It's termed "very fast". Ha!!!!!

 

[djs12354]

If they don't come out with newer, faster, bigger, lighter, smoother, more incredible merchandise what will we spend our money on?

 

[echuck66]

If you're an English Professor, then you might have played a part in training these writers... LOL

In the marketing world at least, adjectives are king!

 

[krayfish]

I believe that rod is replacing the tcx so describing it as very fast is probably being modest. I'd guess that less than 20% of anglers actually fish a place where that rod would be practical...... and only a small percentage of those anglers could actually cast it properly. With that said, sage will sell a ton of them. I believe that is commonly known as good marketing.

Sage, Winston, Loomis....blah, blah. Do they make the best products on the market? Most would agree that they do. Can you find a great casting Asian made rod for a fraction of the price? Sure can but you will usually find higher quality components and better workmanship from the big players in the industry. It happens with cars, cell phones, televisions, etc.

Is there a huge difference in technology between a Sage GFL and a Method or One? You better believe it. Is there a huge difference in performance? Yes and no. Every person will have their own take on it. I think my RPL+ from the mid 90's casts as good as my z-axis and the technology gap is much larger than the performance gap.

As long as people keep buying the stuff, they'll keep making it AND creating plenty of hype when they roll out the new products.

 

[Tiogadog]

As the great urban poet Flavor Flav once said, "Don't believe the hype."

None of these new rods will make a mediocre caster into a great caster. That said, I do like the fact that every year brings a new crop of rods. That way, plenty of discontinued rods will be available at a decent markdown.

Question: How many of us actually pay full retail for a new rod? I can not remember the last time I did. i always wait for the discontinued discount.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

If they don't come out with newer, faster, bigger, lighter, smoother, more incredible merchandise what will we spend our money on?

Vintage gear, which in most cases is better anyways. Right now I'm addicted to older orvis graphites, phillipsons fiberglass and fenwick's.

Just got a 5'6" 5 wt Phillipson 1 PC fiberglass that I'm absolutely in love with. A slow caster like me says they can have the fast stuff!

 

[poopdeck]

I have never met a rod that I could not cast. I may be the only one who will ever admit this but I can't tell the difference between casting any rod compared to any other rod out there. To be clear I have never cast with a 800.00 dollar rod or even a 200.00 rod so I guess I'm just comparing 50.00 dollar rods to 100.00 rods in which case I usually see no discernible difference. I think most people can't tell a difference either but they just regurgle the hype. Who wants to be considered a fly fishing heathen?

That's just me and I am in no way implying that people can't but I consider myself horribly average.

 

[johnstevens5462]

I have never met a rod that I could not cast.

You may have met your match with the Sage Method when casting the rod's rated line.

To load this rod using the rod's rated line you need to generate incredible line speed and your double haul technique needs to be perfect. This rod is not designed to be fished at distances under sixty feet. It is designed for picking up the thirty foot WF head and in one or two false casts using double hauls generating incredible line speed and shooting it out sixty plus feet. Most people cannot do this, myself included, and that is why most end up overlining the rod, which compensates and loads the rod at a slower line speed.

I personally do not see any use for this type of ultra fast rod in trout fishing even on bigger waters. It may have some use in salt water but I prefer using a fast action 10wt rod with a normal casting rhythm and slower line speed than an ultra fast 8wt rod and need to generate super high line speeds in order to achieve the same distance.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

salvelinusfontinalis wrote:

If they don't come out with newer, faster, bigger, lighter, smoother, more incredible merchandise what will we spend our money on?

Vintage gear, which in most cases is better anyways. Right now I'm addicted to older orvis graphites, phillipsons fiberglass and fenwick's.

Just got a 5'6" 5 wt Phillipson 1 PC fiberglass that I'm absolutely in love with. A slow caster like me says they can have the fast stuff!

Told you! The first time we fished together, I offered to let you use my Phillipson because all you had with you was a 9' (not a problem for you, I know!) and we were goin' into the brush! Sweet little rods. And, well, you know how I feel about Fenwicks.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

Yes, yes you did.

I just have a thing about using others fly rods. Never feels comfortable. If fact I've only done it once that I can remember, it was squaretails Scott rod that I used on trout run. I didn't feel comfortable at the time either but it faded as we fished.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

I only ever did it once as well, with Shakey. One of his cane rods. Loved it! There's a curve though, especially w/ comfort.

 

[redietz]

I personally do not see any use for this type of ultra fast rod in trout fishing even on bigger waters.

I'm certainly no fan of fast rods, but to give the devil his due, they're certainly useful out west if you're throwing hoppers fifty feet into the bank into a stiff wind. I've seen no use for them at all in the kind of waters I fish in the east.

 

[pcray1231]

I have never met a rod that I could not cast.

True. gfen let me yard cast one at a jam that came close. I could cast it after a bit but serious adjustment needed. Other than that, yeah, I can cast them all. But not all as far, or as accurately, etc. as others.

As far as distance, my cast seems to fall apart at a certain distance, but that distance does indeed vary with the rod. That said, the one that casts furthest doesn't always feel best at more reasonable fishing distances. And some rods can really throw a ton of line provided there's no weight on the end, but be heavily effected when you add it. Others don't change nearly as much with added weight.

I may be the only one who will ever admit this but I can't tell the difference between casting any rod compared to any other rod out there.

Yeah, that's not anywhere near true for me. Every rod feels very different for me, and this was true even when I was just starting. Where it gets tricky is coming to some sort of ranking for "better". Different doesn't mean better or worse. And one could be better at one thing and worse at another. In the end, all of those differences probably aren't going to make much difference in how many fish I actually catch. Oh, sure, a fish here and there. But 98% of the fish I catch I could probably catch with just about any rod. And those I can't catch, a different rod ain't gonna help, the problem is ME.

I just have a thing about using others fly rods. Never feels comfortable.

I've used ones that felt comfortable, but it's the exception. My most common fishing buddy likes soft actions, the opposite of me. And using his never feel comfortable. I do recall one, though. I fished with a buddy on BFC and we switched rods, he had a Sage something or other that was just fantastic. I thought about buying the same, but didn't, cause I didn't "need" it, and now I don't even know what "it" was. I will have to ask him.

 

[OldLefty]

I believe that, of all the rods I've encountered, there hasn't been one I couldn't cast. Some, however, will cast easier than others. Some will out perform others. Too, there have been some rods I'd rather not carry on stream.

There are some very expensive rods which cast well and there are some low - to - moderately priced rods which cast well.

Let's keep in mind that casting proficiency and some other factors quite specific to the individual caster enter into the equation here at some point.

 

[mattofcarlisle]

I had the pleasure of working in a flyshop several years ago for about a year. In that time, I cast every rod we had on the wall. There were a few $600 rods that I would never fish, but we sold a bunch of. One gentleman bought what I though was the best 8'6" 5 wt I'd ever cast - then 2 months later wanted to return it because he hated it. I think it boils down to casting style/experience and preference.

 

[lestrout]

matt - and was that fine 8'6" 5wt a Winston pre-IM6?

 

[mattofcarlisle]

Les - it was a Winston, but not pre-IM6 (though I would gladly give up 3 of my rods for one). The rod just felt sweet - it nearly cast itself. When I was able to get one myself, I chose the 4wt thinking it would be similar - we never had one of those in stock. It's close, but not the same.