My name is Daniel and I've been on this section quite a few times and got some great advice. 

This time I was wanting some advice with a rod selection and I was wondering if you could help me. 

This morning i took my Sage vantage out and it had broken. It's ok, it has a life time warranty. The tipp had snapped off at the eye. I'm not sure how it happened tbh. I took the rod out of its case and found it just like that. Very very odd. Maybe I put it in too harshly or something but I can't fathom it.

Any how I have been meaning to upgrade for a long time now and I am after a really good quality rod. 

I have played with the Sage One, Scott S4 and I'm looking at the Scott M series. 

Has any one who has either of the three comment on their quality and what they think about the rod? 

Thank you for your time

Dan

I have a Scott A4 ... I'm happy with it, does what I ask of it. That said, I haven't been using it as much this year, have been finding more joy in spin fishing.

Now having said that the Scot rods I have tried are very nice. They do have a reputation in the USA as a good brand, but they do also tend to use fairly cheep cork on the handles. This is not a big deel to most, but some people get upset when they lay down a grand on a top end product and it comes with inferior fittings! I am not saying do not get the Scott, but I am saying have a close look at the cork, how much filling does it have?

I think you will be happy with both the above and I am sure the shop will let you put a line on them and have a test cast with them, (if they don't I would not buy from that shop) so you can go for the one that feels right to you.

All the best.

Mike

In that respect I think that the Scott has it over the Sage (For me)

Regarding the blank technology and the overall quality (eyes, blank, cork grip, finish) I am not so sure. It would be great to compare the two blanks side by side and see how they both perform. 

Fishsnatcher - what made you like the Sage more that the Scott? 

 

What was it about the sage that you did not like that is making you think of changing brands?

 

I have been down this path several times myself & at the end of the day eventually found out the fault lay with myself rather than the rods.

 

I could go out & buy the best violin in the world but I doubt anyone would want to listen to me play it, let alone pay to do so. In my experience it is much the same situation with various reputable brands of rods

inasmuch as how do you determine if any percieved shortcomings are the result the equipment or the technique of the user .... maybe sound judgement in that regard might come with years of experience however even the regognised "gurus" are often divided in their opinion.

 

No disrespect intended Danny, but my understanding is that you are a relative newcomer to the world of flyfishing therefore perhaps trying to change brands at this stage in the hope finding a "silver bullet" may well turn into an exercise of futility until such time as you are in a position to know what it is you are after & why?

 

Asking the opinions of other members on here is also rather futile as we will all have biases & predujices which may or may not be valid personally but all the moreso if applied to yourself.

 

Seem to remember you purchased your Sage from Rod & Reel so the first step is to get it back into them asap ( or earlier ) for warranty repair & discuss any concerns you may have with Peter. In the meantme if you care to pm me it is possible we could arrange a casting session ( this weekend would be OK ) for you to try out a selection of rods including the sage vantage you have.

 

NB no way do I hold myself to be anything other than a very average caster, however I can usually recognise the faults others are making probably because I am also as guilty of doing so.

As an aside I know that Rene at Manic tackle is a very good bloke and he will sort you out if you did have a problem.

Having pros and people who represent the brand give advice is something that I take as gold. 

I can definitely see where you are coming from Bazza and thank you for putting it in such a nice and modest way. I am new to the sport of freshwater fly fishing but I have done a little casting and what not at sea. The problems that I see for me are the getting the right techniques down and having a good platform to base my techniques on. I will endeavour to do this with Peter Scott or Yoshi at RodandReel sometime at a later date. 

I too agree with what Clark Reid said about the gear.

 "A quality rod doesn't fix faults... but they will help overcome many." which is why i am trying for the top brands now. I am looking for this rod to last me quite some time. Thank you Clark and Bazza for your offers. Unfortunately I am in Auckland now with University starting tomorrow so I can't see the rods in Pyes Pa but thank you very much for your offer, and thank you Bazza for your generous offer and for putting everything in a way that i can easily understand it. 

 

I must second this!

 

I had an issue with another product from Manic Tackle and it was sorted out quick smart.

Rene went out of his way to fix it, so in all honesty, credit where credit is due!

 

You have to support a bloke that believes in his product.

 

Top effort

 

Rainbow

I prefer medium-fast action to straight and hard fast but other than that, what are something I should look out for? I went in to Rod and Reel again today and had a look at the Scott M. In one word the rod is ART. 

 

I used a Sage early last year and the thing that impressed me the most about it was the power in the tip, lifting the line off the water loaded the tip nicely as it should, but a gentle flick would shoot the line amazingly well. Changed my views on what to look for in a Rod and also made me appreciate would I could get from a high end rod.

 

But still seeing my friend cast my own rod so much better than I could made me realise that the Rod really wasn't the issue.

Where abouts do you fish that the 6 weight is too much? 

I was wanting an all rounder North Island rod so I thought that a 6 weight would be ideal. 

Looking at fishing the Ngongotaha, Ohinemuri, Rangitaiki, and even trying the Tongaririo as my main go to rivers.  Obviously each river, stream or pool is different but the first three would arguably prefer a 5 weight, but because of the Tongariro and any small ocean fish I might want to have a cast at I'm liking the 6. Also larger fly size and wind factors in my 6 weight decision. 

Does that sound about right? 

Sounds like sound logic to me.

He sums it up perfectly there.

She'll do FOR NOW  Next will be the sage one in 4weight. 

Again thank you to everyone who helped me out. All the truly advice helped and I'm very grateful that I got such a wide response from novices to pros. A special thank you to Clark Reid, Snap T and Old Timer. 

I can't get my ****ty phone camera to do the rod justice but here are some pics any how. 

Cheers

Dan

sweet looking case too!!!

Just you wait mate, I'll be posting some good reports in the future with this beauty.

 

Hope you have many hours good fishing with this little beauty.

 

Just watch those tungsten bead heads on the forward stroke