Today I test casted both the 590-4 and 690-4 Sage Z-Axis. I was surprised as to the amount of difference I felt while casting these two rods. The 6 wt, for lack of a better word, had a stiffer feel. Makes sense since it a heavier line rating. I mainly fish lakes, streams and rivers in the Sierras for trout using dry flies. What I would like to understand are the features (advantages) of a 6 wt that a 5 wt does not have.
6wt’s will cast bigger flies than 5wt’s.
JC,
If I were to fish using hook sizes in the range of 12-20 that falls within the range of both of these rods wts, why would you choice one wt over another?
The lighter the line, the softer the presentation of small flies. The heavier the line the larger flies it will cast.
JC,
Thanks! When I think about it it should have been obvious. :oops:
another thing to consider is the size of the fish
you might want a rod with more back bone .
Maybe another thing to consider is wind.
Buy em both, no decision needed other than which one to use on any given day 
To be just a little serious…do you think he should stagger his purchases by two’s ?
Size of fish should only be a small part of your decision. The size of flies and type of water you are fishing should matter most. Small clear streams with dry flies should not warrant a 6wt. When you say that you fish for trout on lakes, does the dry flies still apply here? The reason I ask is a 6wt fly line makes a lot more disturbance on the water than the 5wt will. If the trout are spooky, you will be casting to empty water.
Duck,
… do you think he should stagger his purchases by two’s ?
Yup.
We all know there’s no such thing as one fly rod that will do all things, so in the end, you’ll be much like the rest of us … own several of them! (LOL)
A few years back, in the heyday of fiberglass, the common recomendation for a “starter” rod for someone first getting their feet wet (for trout & pan fish), was a 6wt. Now with the graphite, I think that’s shifted more to a 5wt. And I really like a five, has sensitivity and the nack for laying down a smooth dry fly cast, yet enough backbone to handle a respectable sized fish.
Dale
TyroneFly, I would think the 6wt would be more versatile/useful than the 5 wt, simply put to point out an advantage.
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
You know I hear people say that. I also hear the arguments of people trying to decided if the even or odd rods are better for alternating.
I have bought consecutive rods. I have 4 through 7 with a few multiple copies due to son and wife fishing. However I do think my next one will be a nine and not an eight so I will skip one there. I have 5 and 7’s and also like the 6 that I have.
wayne
I’ve got 4 through 8 now but I believe that a line weight can do a serviceable job for one below and one above if you adjust your casting and make good use of hauls.
I don’t like bringing more than one rod because of the hassle and you can get your car broken into. Therefore, I bring the weight that would handle all the fishing I plan to do for the day: fishing style, the condition (wind, sun), species present, type of water. Having each line weight lets me fine tune my rod choice such that there are times where a 6wt is a better choice than a 5wt or vice verse.
I take two usually. The one I Want to fish and a spare in case something stupid happens and I break one. Never say never and I dont want that sending me home.
I am glad I have consecutive weights. I use the weights for the following:
4 wt - Trout nymphing, dry flies etc. Most of our Trout fishing in Arkansas is this style.
5 wt - Trout - Take if I am going to a larger section of river where longer casts might be in order. WIll take if stremers are needed. Since it’s a faster rod, I also take it to practice since it’s a bit otuchy to cast for me.
6 wt - Trout from boat in high water. My main smallmouth bass rod. Tried it for carp. Wont make that mistake again. Taking 7 wt next time.
7 wt - General bass, white bass etc. Took Trout fishing once when shad were going through the dam, since it was simply a white streamer day.
9 wt - Future and next purchase. Will be main LMB rod for throwing deer hair bugs and the big things LMB like. Here I have decided to skip the 8 wt and go to the 9. I want this rod to double for saltwater use also, so a quality reel ad lots of backing will go on this one.
wayne
fishy…I’m not sure I understand???
Aren’t you talking about over and underlining? Seems to me it’s not the line that makes it possible to handle the conditions but the power of the rod???
I wasn’t talking about over and underlining the rod, and yes you’re right: its the power in the rod that matters. Or rather, its the rods ability to transfer power from yourself to the line that matters.
The rods/lines are rated with 30’ of line in the air and the typical stroke of the target market for that rod. But that doesn’t mean that you only use one stroke with that rod.
If you use more “tip & wrist” then you can present with some delicacy, as if you were using a lighter weight rod/line. As an extreme example, I’ve used an 8wt to cast a #16 GRHE to steelhead in 3ft of crystal clear conditions during late spring. Bottom line, its the caster and not the rod/line that delivers the presentation.
Conversely, you can “triple” haul and use all of your rod with an “authorative” stroke to cast flys that are normally associated with a heavier rod/line. In energy terms, line speed is a substitute for weight. The last haul I do is before the loop turns over the leader. It adds a little kick to ensure a nice turn over of everything.
So, I bring a 5wt line/rod when I need what is typically associated with a 4-6wt line/rod and a 6wt line/rod for 5-7wt jobs. The decision can be based on something as simple as a calm day vs. 15km wind.
Now on this same topic. I have a real struggle with using tippet smaller than a 5. 7 or 8 tippet is very difficult for me to not break it off when the fish hits it. I have noticed that with a smaller rod it’s easier, but it could just be me. 5 wgt. rod 5-6 tippet, smaller rod (3 wgt) 7-8 tippet.
Having cast the 6 wt and 5 wt several times now, I am leaning towards the 6 wt mainly because of the advantage I will get when the winds kick up.