The best ALL-AROUND freshwater 5wt? Scott or Sage?

Not a 5 wt but I have the Radian 4wt and it's a good rod but I'm not really in love with it. I also have the Sage Mod but in a 6 wt and love that puppy, best streamer rod I ever had. I bought it off Beartown on the other forum and can recommend him, straight up dude.
 
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This is silly. There is no "best".

I find that the older I get the less it matters. I normally can cast every entire line on every rod I use. brand or $ doesn't matter.

I'd argue length vs brand... I use trout spey's for all my trout rods because they can do everything a short rod can plus; it generates higher line speed with less effort so it has more kinetic energy, the line is 2' higher off the water so it has more potential energy, i can pick up more slack if the fish runs to me, and also
spey casting has higher line speeds and more kinetic energy.
 
Since everyone is giving unqualified opinions I'll weigh in with a global comment. I like sage and Scott rods. In general the modern sage line is too fast for my taste and more of a casting rod than a fishing rod than iterations of their past. Scott seems to have always been a fishing rod first and caster second. Both are great sticks and the fit and finish are above par. My advice is cast them and do this blind. Pick what suits you.
 
Jeremy said:
This is silly. There is no "best".

I find that the older I get the less it matters. I normally can cast every entire line on every rod I use. brand or $ doesn't matter.

I'd argue length vs brand... I use trout spey's for all my trout rods because they can do everything a short rod can plus; it generates higher line speed with less effort so it has more kinetic energy, the line is 2' higher off the water so it has more potential energy, i can pick up more slack if the fish runs to me, and also
spey casting has higher line speeds and more kinetic energy.
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This guy gets the long rod mentality. Love it.
 
The answer is....it depends.
There's several brands missing from this discussion. Hardy, T&T, Winston, Burkheimer, Orvis, Loomis, Echo, Etc. Find the rod you love, that's the best 5wt. YMMV.
 
Fast Action Freddie said:
So if a Radian fits the bill as a fast-action/power rod (+ all-around?), what would you all say is the Ultimate 5wt for presentation (accuracy, fly/line presentation drift, dry flies, spring creeks, smaller streams, shorter casts) -- Scott G-Series? G.Loomis NRX? ... I'm ready to venture out beyond 30+ years of only Sage ..
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I love my Scott’s but my “OG” 905 gets passed up for a Dennis Stone 8’4wt bamboo.. By far one of the sweetest dry fly rods I’ve ever thrown. Personally, Galvan’s on a Scott, Hardy on Bamboo.. You only live once..
 
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Fast Action Freddie said:
too bad no Centric - wonder how it would stack up against the others for presentation.

why are these guys so high on G. Loomis NRX+ and Douglas Sky? any comparisons people here can make between these and the Scotts.
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The Douglas Sky rods hold their own with the Scotts. They are very smooth casting rods with lots of power. To me the action is very similar to the Hardy Zenith. I have Scott Radians, Hardy Zeniths and Douglas Skys, and they are all great rods. I don't think you can go wrong with any of them. Scotts are made in the USA, the other two are made in Korea, that may be a deciding factor for some, but it also impacts the price (Scotts being $300 higher).
 
I think it's been said here but I'll repeat it. Keep in mind that Sage will loose it's warranty the day Sage moves on to a new model and you'll be on the hook for repair costs. Scott still offers a full warranty to the original purchaser...... and Scott is making a better rod these days IMO.
 
I would take one of the premium Echo rods over Sage, Scott, Hardy or any other brand.

No one in the industry has more experience and expertise than Tim Rajeff.
 
jaredoconnor said:
I would take one of the premium Echo rods over Sage, Scott, Hardy or any other brand.

No one in the industry has more experience and expertise than Tim Rajeff.
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Depending on how you define 'experience and expertise', Gary Loomis could/should be included in that statement...
 
RCF said:
Depending on how you define 'experience and expertise', Gary Loomis could/should be included in that statement...
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I'm not super familiar with Loomis rods. They always seemed to be the same old stuff, just "25% more better than last years flagship". Consider the Rajeff rods, below. I don't know anything about the two hand game, but I assume he has made similar innovations in that area.

- Shadow II/X
- OHS
- Stillwater
- Musky
- Streamer X
- Gecko
- B.A.G.

Most rod companies only have one or two rods that are as unique as these. That's why Rajeff is the master; he is years ahead of everyone else.
 
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