I bought my first ever Sage, a 5wt XP, from these forums last year. A short time later I picked up a nice Loomis Eastfork reel with a couple of #6 WT lines, both floaters, one a Rio. Both lines cast nicely with the rod but I have found that it casts even better with my #7wt Snowbee floater!

I don't own any 5wt lines so I haven't been able to try the rod with its designed-for weight! I haven't had any incentive since it's been working well for me with the 7 line! Can't help thinking that maybe it's just the Snowbee line I prefer and that I should really get one of those in the proper weight!

I'd be keen to hear advice from anyone else using this Sage rod or similar.

In my quite limited experience you need a casting lesson...... as do I
Fast action rods require perfect timing or they just wont load. overlining a 5 with a 7 line just slows the tip recovery down. If you throw in a perectly timed haul your tip might never recover

Rod

Have the rod and it works just fine with a 5WF, even a tad better with a 6 with wind resistant flies. But with that light a rod, up-lining by two is really pushing it's design limits.

I wouldn't go there.

fae

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Okay guys, thanks for that. Wouldn't argue with the casting lesson point either, in fact I'd love some lessons to help undo my 40 years of self taught bad habits! Must do some research on where to get lessons in NI.

No need to do any research,just type in your location in the search box,job done The Game Angling Instructors' Association

Neil

Emailed a few guys and had a couple of replies. One gives his lessons at a river and I'd prefer Stillwater as that's where I do most of my fishing. Of the other offers the most suitable looking one is quoting £30 for an hour or £50 for a two hour lesson. I don't mind spending the money if I get value from it. Bearing in mind that I am far from a beginner (although perhaps it would be a better pupil if I was!) do experienced people here feel an hour would suffice to correct my bad habits or would I actually get double the benefit from a two hour lesson?

I'm far from a beginner and had a break from fishing a few yrs ago and found a two hr lesson invaluable.I still try and get a lesson in each yr just to knock the cobwebs off,I think for a extra £20 it's worth it

Neil

You could always use the extra hr to brush up on other casts such as roll and hauling

I have a 9ft 5wt and a 10ft 5wt XP and both cast great with 5wt lines. SA GPX or Rio Gold or Rio Selective Trout or Cortland 444. They all work well, with the best being the first listed and so on.

Cheers Diarmid.

Thanks again guys.

Hate to disagree, but....I found my Xp 10ft 5wt works much better with a 6wt line.....this was discussed on this forum a year or so ago and it seemed to be a general agreement. Someone suggested that the rod is designed for DT line, which may seem a bit heavier.

Anyway, I always use a 6wt on it now.

Regards Peter