Sage "Z-Axis" fly rods at close out prices right now

[luckydude]

You're right, though I'm not quite as lame as you might think. I'm good to about 40 feet and after then it all goes south. How people cast 100 feet is beyond me.

I am water/single hauling (I think). When I pick up the line and on each backcast, I pull in some line to load the rod more, pretty much have to do that at 40 feet or it doesn't work. Isn't that single hauling or do I have that all wrong?

[Terry Imai]

LuckyDude,

IMO, almost 99% on the BB are trying to help the newbies. It's tough when you don't have a mentor to be at your side to work out the details. In the other posts (regarding water and double hauls); the main gist was being an effective caster. If you watch most flycasters (over 80%) work a piece of water, you'll see them make five-eight false casts when paying out enough fly line to the load point (ie sweet spot). All of this false casting will put down the fish.

Learning a water haul along with double haul allows you the opportunity to pick up your flyline; make a change of direction (back to the upstream); and throw in a double haul. Bottom line is if you learn these casting tips, you will only need to make at most one false cast to shoot out to your maximum distance.

There are a few people that poopaw learning a water and double haul for lighter rods but I believe you can use these casting tips for all types of casting conditions.

[luckydude]

Hmm. Reading this:

http://www.takemefishing.org/fishing...s/haul-casting

makes me think what they describe as a double haul is exactly what I've been doing for years. As you start your back cast you strip in some line to load the rod more. As I get to the 40 feet of line out range if I don't do that it won't work at all.

So I'm a little confused as to what the trick is to get up to the 50-100 feet level, is that possible with a 5wt WF line?

[luckydude]

Crap, I'm wrong, I do the haul on the back cast only, haven't figured out how to do it on the forward cast. So maybe that's it.

I need to just go fish, this shit is too hard

[Terry Imai]

Because fly fishing is such a technical activity, you do get into the "forrest because of the trees" mindset. If you cannot get someone to provide some private lesson (#1 option by a huge amount), Mel Kreiger (sp?) did a video called "The Essence of Casting" which is probably the best video on casting.

Every spring, I take a few lessons with Jeff Putnum to work out the winter bad habits because fly fishing is dependent upon our own ability to cast.

Best regards...

[goby]

Because fly fishing is such a technical activity, you do get into the "forrest because of the trees" mindset. If you cannot get someone to provide some private lesson (#1 option by a huge amount), Mel Kreiger (sp?) did a video called "The Essence of Casting" which is probably the best video on casting.

Every spring, I take a few lessons with Jeff Putnum to work out the winter bad habits because fly fishing is dependent upon our own ability to cast.

Best regards...

And Doug Swisher's tapes from the 80's are amazing.

[sawsdoc]

[QUOTE=Tony Buzolich;105482]A couple of years ago we were fly fishing for Mako's out of San Diego with Dave Trimble using 12w. and 14w. rods. During a slack period Dave got out a 5 weight and said let's catch some mackeral for more bait. After having some fun doing this a blue shark came in and took the fly on the 5w. I was using. This turned out to be GREAT fun and I

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

If you ever wanted a really nice new high quality fly rod with a lifetime warranty, this is your chance.

[luckydude]

Well this is a bummer. I was out comparing my 20 year old Loomis 6wt against the 590-4 Z-axis I bought from Kiene's.

First, the Sage casts lighter, but for me, not further. I was surprised, that Loomis (which I used to fish with 5wt) really likes the 6wt WF line (that another member suggested I get when I got the Zaxis; good suggestion, I like that line). I was surprised that the Loomis held up so well, I guess I'm keeping that rod.

Second, I was threading up the Sage, grabbed the line, and pulled, and snap goes the tip. I'm pretty surprised, are these rods known to be delicate or did I just get a weak one? I haven't even fished this rod yet, it's only been cast in my pasture.

Finally, do I send this to Sage or Bill's? And do I need the recent (no idea where that is, I'll look though).

[JAWallace]

I would talk to Bill first. He can help you with the warranty work.

I had the same thing with a Sage that was either 9'6" or 10' and after having it fixed twice Sage finally admitted it was a problem. I traded it for a 9' and of my 6-8 Sage rods that's the only one that's ever presented a problem. Well--until I broke Bill's #8 in Alaska I learned never to grab the rod above the cork and Bill was real nice about it too.