The Albemarle Angler

the new Sage ONE fly rod

We now have the sage one fly rod in stock. Some of you may have read my review of this great new rod from sage. The sage one will replace the zaxis. Of the rods I’ve cast, the 7 wt is my personal favorite.

The Sage One has been one of the most anticipated rods of 2012.  I was excited to test the rod myself considering all the hype surrounding its release and the many industry awards it has already received.  A recent visit from the Sage rep provided me with the opportunity to cast the 9ft 5wt freshwater model and my first impressions were favorable.  The black blank and wood reel seat were understated but classy and the rod felt incredibly light in hand.  Another detail that stood out was the grip.  Unlike most rods which feature a reverse half wells, all Freshwater rods have a full wells grip making it very comfortable to cast, especially for those with medium to large hands.  Saltwater models will feature the typical full wells with a fighting butt.

At practical trout fishing distances (20-50ft) I found the 5wt to be incredibly smooth, accurate, and crisp.  Such attributes are a result of Sage’s new Konnetic Technology.  This is not just a marketing term, but can truly be felt in casting the rod.  The tip had good torsional stability yet still felt very sensitive.  On the water this should result in enhanced accuracy, better line feel, and increased tippet protection.   The One will be available in weights 3-10, good for everything from brook trout to permit and stripers.  We should have some of these exceptional rods by mid-September so stop by and give them a try.  You won’t be disappointed.

hardy-proaxis-fly-rods

We now have the new Hardy Zenith and Proaxis fly rods in stock. These are amazing fishing rods that are winning accolades in the fly fishing community. The Hardy Zenith is the freshwater offering which won the Yellowstone Shootout recently over rods like the Helios and Zaxis. The Hardy Proaxis is the saltwater version of the same rod with the new Recoil guide system. It was designed by Andy Mill for big game fly fishing. Below is Hardy’s write up on the Zenith and Proaxis fly rods:
“The Proaxis ranges of 1 and 4 section fly rods have been designed and developed by Hardy in conjunction with some of the worlds finest saltwater guides and anglers.

Our development team, led by five times Tarpon Gold Cup Grand Champion, Andy Mill, have pushed Hardy’s new Sintrix technology to the absolute limit – and the end result is staggering in both performance and durability.

These fast-action rods are loaded with cutting edge features, like lightweight saltwater-safe hardware, titanium recoil guides and, of course, Hardy’s revolutionary Sintrix material. Proaxis rods are lighter, stronger, more impact resistant and capable of withstanding much higher loads than standard graphite fly rods.

So, with less chance of damage, you can cast further, fish longer and fight harder when pursuing big saltwater species.

With all the benefits of the 1-Section rods, the 4-Section Proaxis have been designed and developed to offer the ultimate rod for the professional saltwater fly angler – but in an easy to transport, four section format.”

Let’s start by saying that I typically review only rods that really impress me and this review is no exception: the new TFO Clouser rod is phenomenal especially when you consider the $250 price tag and typical TFO lifetime warranty. When i first took the rod out of the case I noticed that while we had the typical blue blank, it was a color of blue I hadn’t seen before which i like. It also includes the “fly” graphic above the grip. In addition, the burled cork rings on the grip are a nice touch. The rods all come in a 4 piece configuration.
I consider TFO rods as a whole to be the best value in fly rods today. Mind you, they’re not the best rods out there but for the money they are tough to beat. This rod is no exception and is by far my favorite saltwater caster. I had despised the old TICR-x—it’s a broomstick fit for a witch. The Axiom is a great rod and I was happy to see it come along a couple of years ago but the Clouser sets a new standard in castability: I feel it comes in head and shoulders over the Axiom. While the Clouser doesn’t feel as light as a very high end rod such as the Orvis Helios or Sage Xi3, it has a great balance and substantial feel without being heavy. What really sets this rod apart from others is its castability: it is effortless to cast. You can feel the tip load easily, loop is easy to control and it has plenty of reserve power. With minimal effort you can cast 80ft and it will chuck the whole fly line with power to spare. Sure there are other rods which have this power but they seem to me a bit more difficult to control. The Clouser is pinpoint accurate and positive. The rod was actually designed to throw weighted flies and sinking lines and this it will accomplish well but that doesn’t mean its not a terrific tool for your standard floating line. The only rod in this price range that comes close to this is the Grey’s Platinum XD saltwater (which is a close second). Finally, the only odd thing about this rod is its limited configuration: it only comes in one length. 8 feet 9 inches but it covers line weights 5-10. It’s a home run from TFO and Bob Clouser at a price that you can afford. As Bob Clouser says about this rod, “Light in the hand and super sensitive…..I like to say, “I can feel them breathing on the fly as they inhale it”.