Saltwater Fly Rod Selection Advice with Jerry Siem of Sage

Saltwater Fly Rod Design, Performance, and the XI3

Guide Craig Brewer (left) and Jerry Siem (right) admire a healthy Everglades Snook.

Sandy Moret: I am absolutely unable to spend any time or have dialog with Jerry Siem without learning something about the heart of fly rods and their use. In the few years Jerry has been a part of our school and watching him on the water, my casting style, line speed and loop control have improved dramatically. Old dogs can learn new tricks!

FKO: What is your background Jerry and how long have you been with Sage rods?

JS: I began fly fishing in the early 60’s and guiding in Idaho and Montana in 1972. I fished in the Florida Keys for the first time in 1976 when the tarpon off of Key West would race each other to eat the fly. I’m entering my 17th season with Sage after a stint with Winston when Tom Morgan owned the company.

FKO: Is there an ideal taper for a saltwater fly rod and what casting characteristics should anglers pay attention too while selecting a rod for saltwater use?

JS: Perhaps more in saltwater than other type of fly fishing the rod needs to become an extension of the arm, allowing the angler to present a fly in close proximity or distant quickly if needed or with power. If you’re out there for the day and conditions deteriorate, a rod needs sufficient backbone to generate the necessary line speed for penetration with accuracy and distance. If there’s an argument for a good saltwater fly rod being an action other then fast, I’d like to hear it. Sage rods are built for the demands of serious saltwater fly anglers and are tested with lines, flies, and fish in mind appropriate with each given rod weight

FKO: We hear questions about whether “fast” refers to the rod or tip. Can you explain concept behind that?

JS: Fast action in the most basic of terms to me describes the unloading of the bent shaft quickly. Performance is the unloading of the loaded rod and a rod that unloads quickly is doing so fast, faster than a “slow” action, which initially bends easier (faster to some) but when allowed to unload, does so more slowly than a fast rod. Loading a rod is a bit misunderstood by some who visually or by feel are looking for a rod to flex in a big arc and this isn’t necessary to place load on the rod….once the shaft begins to bend the rod is under load and it is up to the designer to interpret at what degree this bending takes place. I have worked with experienced saltwater anglers around the world to understand the sport as it is taking place today and build fast action saltwater fly rods that perform with lines and flies and casting skills contemporary with the sport. The leading anglers in the sport of saltwater fly fishing are skilled casters with a preference for fast action fly rods. Successful saltwater fly anglers anywhere will understand this: a tight loop thrown a few feet off the water’s surface with high line speed that can punch through the wind and deliver the fly to the target isn’t super easy to do, attempting that with anything other than a fast action rod is just a waste of money.

FKO: What portion of the rod is the most critical as it relates to performance?

JS: The most importance aspect of a fly rod’s performance is the blank design, which is the structure tasked with performance delivery. Components add weight and detract from performance, which is why a saltwater rod design needs to be developed which performs as needed with oversized guides and tip tops, for example. I believe the second aspect critical to performance is a blank design that loads and unloads smoothly as this contributes greatly in communicating, via tactile feedback to the angler, nuances of the cast which aid in fishing and casting. Saltwater fly fishing isn’t about false casting, it’s about swift and accurate casting, the angler who works well with their gear will likely catch more fish.

FKO: We get asked all the time. Why does one rod cost $700 when other rods are available for $300.

JS: Today’s high end rods exhibit leadership in design and quality. They are designed and built specifically for fly fishing applications with the best materials available. There is consistency from model to model and in line size to line size. Blank design is not compromised for economic efficiency and hand lay ups of patterns allow extensive and intricate design work. Cheaper rods tend to be mass produced for blank and rod building cost efficiencies and do not pass along the consistency in product and angling experience. The saltwater fly rod is the conduit between angler and fish. Performance, consistency and confidence are created at the high end. In the end, you get what you pay for.

FKO: Is graphite still the best material available for rod building and do you think that will be changing any time soon?

JS: Graphite and one resin system or another will be around for quite some time. There is no combination at this time that offers performance strengths with such little weight. Carbon/Graphite materials are being used in many structures globally and research continues to move in this direction. I don’t see anything changing soon here.

FKO: What does the term modulus mean and what result on a rod does low modulus and high modulus have?

JS: Modulus is a measurement of stiffness. If you look at older saltwater fly rods you’ll find they had a larger diameter and were heavier. The large diameter hinders casting through the wind and the additional weight impairs the rod’s ability to rapidly dampen the shock waves being sent down the fly line. New designs are narrower in profile and lighter weight than the old rods and thus result in higher performance for anglers.

FKO: We’ve used the new XI3 rods and they cast beautifully, tell us what you and Sage hoped to accomplish with the design of the XI3.

JS: Thank you for giving them a try! We like the performance advantage of the new XI3’s. The outstanding attribute we pass along is a feeling of the rods strength and smoothness, suggesting a confidence that Sage has used its design and manufacturing capabilities to create a rod that encompasses the answers to the questions and challenges of the saltwater fly angler. If you can get on with the fishing and forget about the tackle, you’ll fish more confidently and spend more time concentrating on getting the fly to the fish. Sage understands fly fishing and casting, our goal is to give you the choice of having the best. We believe you deserve it.

FKO: Is there a particular species of fish you’d enjoy devoting more time too?

JS: I like the ones that make my fly line disappear out in the distance. Those big bones in Islamorada offer a level of challenge that matches casting skills and presentation techniques and that’s a big draw for me. Sight fishing in skinny water is about as good as it gets. My favorite rod for this is the 990-4 XI3. I choose the 9wt. as I feel it holds its trajectory truer in the wind, and I DO like fishing in the wind.

Jerry Siem has been with Sage Manufacturing for 17 years and is widely regarded as the finest resource available regarding the construction, performance and functionality of modern fly rods for both fresh and saltwater. He is a masthead instructor of the Florida Keys Fly Fishing School.