Ah. The new lighter, faster, more accurate Sage

I am sure they are good rods, but Sage kind of lost their enamor for me. I am not sure why, but I haven't bought a Sage rod for years. When I was younger that was all I used. These days I find Scott, Hardy, and Douglas are the rods I grab for most of my fishing. Although I do still take a couple of my Sage saltwater rods on flats trips when I'm lucky enough to book one.
 
I do not know about others, but a higher priced rods are just out of the question.

Can I afford it ---> absolutely.
Will a fast action rod suit my style ---> no.
Will a slightly less weight rod make a difference ---> no.
Will a new rod be as sensitive as an older rod ---> no.
Will a newer rod be more prone to damage than an older rod ---> yes.
Are the warranties better on a new rod than older rods ---> only for a limited timeframe.
Will the warranties change (for the worse) on a new rod vs. an older rod - most likely.

Marketing is just trying to sell us on newer is better. IMHO BS!

Why buy a new rod when one can buy 3-4 used rods you love?

Being 'old school' is a blessing. It took a lot of schooling (and experience) to be 'old school'. I am proud of that!
Fly fishing has been around for centuries. Yet we use patterns from those times and techniques for fishing to this day. Old school is a good thing!
 
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Question: My feeling is that Sage and Loomis led the charge for the ultrafast rod trend that many have bemoaned. Do you folks think this is more or less accurate?

Not to say that either company didn't/doesn't make more moderate action rods or that ultrafast = bad.
 
someguy23 said:
Question: My feeling is that Sage and Loomis led the charge for the ultrafast rod trend that many have bemoaned. Do you folks think this is more or less accurate?
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It depends on the angler casting, but accuracy is not harmed by using a Scott, Loomis, Sage fly rod. Cast an Asquith rod, they are the best of the best.

PS - The best fast action fly rod models are really meant for saltwater sight fishing, and are certainly not needed for freshwater trout fishing.
 
someguy23 said:
Question: My feeling is that Sage and Loomis led the charge for the ultrafast rod trend that many have bemoaned. Do you folks think this is more or less accurate?

Not to say that either company didn't/doesn't make more moderate action rods or that ultrafast = bad.
Click to expand...

Gary Loomis was at the forefront of graphite rods in the 80's. IM6 rods were produced starting in ~1983 and are moderate action for sure. My favorite rod, too. In ~1987 Loomis produced the IMX rod. The first high modulus rod/higher strain rate rod that, IMHO, started the faster action rod race continuing even today.


New materials, e.g. boron, and resins continue the trend for faster and lighter rods.
 
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someguy23 said:
Question: My feeling is that Sage and Loomis led the charge for the ultrafast rod trend that many have bemoaned. Do you folks think this is more or less accurate?

Not to say that either company didn't/doesn't make more moderate action rods or that ultrafast = bad.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I think that's about right. Fenwick produced the first graphite fly rods in 1973, followed by Fisher, who made blanks initially that were re-branded for Orvis, Winston, and Thomas & Thomas - if I recall correctly. I think Lamiglass made their own early on, and then when Loomis broke away he made them right away. Sage was making graphite out of the gate in 1979/80. So I think it's reasonable to say that Sage and Loomis led the "arms race" for fast actions as the other rod makers tooled up and began making graphite rods and the hilarity of bad products they initially produced. There's a learning curve to working with graphite after learning to make fiberglass rods.
 
Salmo_g said:
Yeah, I think that's about right. Fenwick produced the first graphite fly rods in 1973, followed by Fisher, who made blanks initially that were re-branded for Orvis, Winston, and Thomas & Thomas - if I recall correctly. I think Lamiglass made their own early on, and then when Loomis broke away he made them right away. Sage was making graphite out of the gate in 1979/80. So I think it's reasonable to say that Sage and Loomis led the "arms race" for fast actions as the other rod makers tooled up and began making graphite rods and the hilarity of bad products they initially produced. There's a learning curve to working with graphite after learning to make fiberglass rods.
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This is an interesting idea -- Is (or was) graphite inherently fast and thus the best graphite rod makers were making making very fast rods in your view? I suppose it depends on what we mean by best, but the case of something like the Scott G or Winston TMF would indicate that at least by the mid 90s (correct me if I'm wrong), good moderate rods were being made.

I like the idea that Loomis and Sage were using the tech well and that produced fast rods, but I also think it at some point became a conscious design philosophy. Sage and Loomis became identified as specialists in ultrafast rods, that's what their customers liked and looked to them for.
 
someguy23 said:
Question: My feeling is that Sage and Loomis led the charge for the ultrafast rod trend that many have bemoaned. Do you folks think this is more or less accurate?

Not to say that either company didn't/doesn't make more moderate action rods or that ultrafast = bad.
Click to expand...
I think a more accurate statement would point to the principal designers of the "ultrafast" era - Jerry Siem and Steve Rajeff.

After all, Jerry designed the TCR, which was a GREAT casting rod that also doubled as a skiff pushpole...
 
someguy23 said:
This is an interesting idea -- Is (or was) graphite inherently fast and thus the best graphite rod makers were making making very fast rods in your view? I suppose it depends on what we mean by best, but the case of something like the Scott G or Winston TMF would indicate that at least by the mid 90s (correct me if I'm wrong), good moderate rods were being made.

I like the idea that Loomis and Sage were using the tech well and that produced fast rods, but I also think it at some point became a conscious design philosophy. Sage and Loomis became identified as specialists in ultrafast rods, that's what their customers liked and looked to them for.
Click to expand...

Maybe it was corporate marketing that determined what the customers wanted and would be able to purchase....
 
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