Help with Sage 6'3" 3 Weight Rod.

[SteveW]

Good Morning,

I am consider shorter rod from Sage that is 6'3" inches in a 3 weight for the small creeks in Missouri and Arkansas. Maximum distance that I cast is roughly 45-50 feet with a size 14 Wooly Bugger with a 3/32 bead. Is this too much for the length.


Steve

[Jerry]

I have a 6' 3 wt Lamiglas glass rod that I can cast 50' easily. That is less than 40' of line (plus the length of the rod and leader). Where would you be fishing that a cast of that length is required on a "small creek"?
Some light line rods handle a bit of weight better than others.

[SteveW]

Jerry,
I fish Roaring River, Crane Creek, and Capps Creek in Missouri along with the upper Kings River and War Eagle in Arkansas. Most cast are 25 - 30 feet, but occasionally on the Beaver tailwater or Taneycomo, I need 50 feet.


steve

[Jerry]

I have fished RR, Crane and Capps. The short 3 wt would be a good choice for Crane especially up and a little down stream from town.
When I fished Capps with Biot Midge I used a 8' 4 wt. dunno why its just what I had with me at the time. Almost any thing will do at RR.

A note:
I never miss an opportunity to sing the praises of the Orvis Far and Fine 7'9" 5 wt. The line is heavy enough to load the rod at short distances and throw some weight yet this rod will load with just the leader. When fishing small, crooked and brushy streams the rod is able to do magical things for me. I can make side arm casts under streamside brush and curve casts. The fly usually lands where I'm looking.

[akalooker]

SteveW,

If the particular Sage 6' 3" rod model you're referring to is the Sage 363-3 SLT, I owned that very rod.

I used it "TWICE" to fish very small streams here in Arizona, and was so disappointed in its performance that after the second trip, I immediately sold it. My experience with this rod is that it has absolutely no backbone whatsoever. Throwing a size 14 beadhead wooly bugger is definitely out of the question with this rod, PERIOD!

Throwing a size 14 dry fly is about the max this rod will handle effectively! It will handle a single beadhead nymph if you so desire, in a size 16 or 18, but throwing a combination of a dry dropper is out of the question.

I landed small fish in the 4" to 8" range and the rod would handle them fine. But hook a fish of 10" to 12" and the rod bends all the way into the handle and starts to shake violently, leaving you with absolutely no control over those fish. When the fish decided to, they just sat on the stream bottom and threw a fin at me!

Oh by the way, to answer your original question; trying to throw 50' casts on this rod is dang near impossible and expecting waaaaay too much from this rod, and if there's the slightest breeze, forgetaboutit!!!

This rod was designed for very short casts of 10' to 15', close quarter work. Much more than that and it's worthless!

I was so excited to get this rod when it first came out, I can't even tell you. On the opposite end, after using it the disappointment was equally as passionate.

A 7'er 3 or 4wt. is now my go to small stream rod when using graphite.

Just sharing my .02's worth.

Terry

[SteveW]

Jerry,
Thanks for the reply. Maybe we can hook up in the future and chase some tight lines. I really wanted an orvis superfine and was going to be the rod I purchased when I upgraded to a top shelf rod, but orvis changed the design and to some extent the action of the the rod for 07. I am not sure about the sliding band reel seat. I have looked into the T3 two weight that is 7'9". Makes a pretty combo with the battenkill large arbor.

Akalooker,
Thanks for the honest review, that is exactly the rod I was looking at. I was afraid that it was going to be overmatched and wanted an opnion for someone that had one.


steve

[cross creek]

You actually should look at the new Orvis Superfines. They have a 6ft 2wt (not likely to handle your needs for weighted flies and distance), two 6ft6in models (3 and 4wt), a 7ft 4wt, two 7ft6in models (3 and 4wt), a 7ft9in 5wt, and two 8ft models (4 and 5wt). These rods have actions ranging from full to tip flex--one or more of them should suit your needs. The little one ounce 6 footer has the tiny little double ring seat, but the rest all have a really nice Bellinger (or it looks just like it) seat that is spalted maple with a cork core, nickel silver up-sliding ring. This seat design is very secure (the weight of the reel pushing down helps to tighten the ring. One thing I should mention--despite the previous thread on rod wt designations, a few of these rods handle the next size up line better than rated size. For instance, I find the 602 is happier with a 3wt line, or even a 4wt if casting really short, and the 763 is really sweet with a 4wt, but doesn't really load a 3wt until a lot of line is out. The 795 action is really close to the old Far and Fine, only in 4pc. The rest are new tapers, so can't be directly compared to old Superfines. Other rods you might consider that will do you well--Sage TXL 3 and 4wt, either the 7ft or 7ft10in and Scott Fibertouch 7ft 3wt and 7ft6in 4wt, both silky smooth and will fill your needs.
-CC

[Thomas]

Steve,i also owned the sage slt 6'3" and its older brother the spl in 6'3" 3 weight,other than color
they felt the same.I agree with akalooker,soft rod for small fish,short casting distance.If i may offer you some choices if you look for a shorter high end rod,sages txl are faster action rods than that slt model you are
looking at,another top choice T&T lps in 6 1/2' length and they will install a uplocking reelseat instead
of sliding rings,winstons wt in 6'6"or 7' is another fine choice you would keep.I am fond of my loomis'
but they stopped making the shorter models in glx a few years ago.Not had any experience with
orvis rods,there isn't alot of higher end(500.00+)rods in that shorter 6 1/2' length,of yea one more
t.l.johnson a offshoot of t&t