Leland on the Sage Z-Axis 5110-4 Switch Rod
Why are the best looking seams always just out of reach? When it comes to distance, there is nothing better than
Sage 5110-4 Z-Axis Switch Fly Rod. The 11 feet of reach gives an angler the length to be completely stealthy when high-sticking, or the ability to roll cast or overhead cast to the opposite bank. Leave no boulder uncovered. With the Sage 5110-4 Switch Fly Rod, you now have a whole new way to fish large tailwater trout rivers or small to medium size steelhead waters. Match this rod to a RIO Skagit Short Head for fantastic swinging capabilities, or a longer belly single-hand line line like the 8 weight RIO Steelhead and Salmon for the ultimate in dead-drift presentations. Light, versatile and fun to cast, the Sage 5110-4 Switch Fly Rod allows you to take control in every situation. The leaves are turning color and those Fall-run Steelhead are headed up river, so no time to lose.
Leland on Specifications
Through the near magic of the
G5 Technology, Sage continues its
tradition of fast action fly rods that have quick loading tips and
generate
extreme line speeds. This 5 weight Z-Axis four-piece fly rod
has an up locking anodized aluminum reel seat. By replacing the glass
inner hoop fibers with graphite fibers, Sage has made a stronger yet
thinner walled blank, meaning a
faster taper for a lighter rod. In
fact, the 5110-4 weighs in at only 5 1/16 ounces. All this plus it fits
into an aluminum tube measuring 36 3/4 inches long.
Specifications:
- Line Size: 5
- Rod Length: 11’0”
- Sections: 4
- Weight: 5 1/16 oz.
- Handle: Two-Handed Assist/Spey
- Reel Seat: Uplock Anodized Aluminum
- Action: Fast
Leland on the Sage Z-Axis Series
The Z-AXIS Fly Rod! Mr. Wizard is back and talk about
pressure! You know the design team at Sage was sweating some serious
bullets when they looked to replace the XP. For more than six years the
XP fly rod series has been the industry standard by which fast action
fly rods are measured and now it has been replaced. Enter the Z-Axis.
We know you’re going to be completely awed by this Sage fly rod series!
These rods are lighter and although they generate the fastest line
speed of any fly rod, are easier to cast (if that is possible) than the
XP models. The added advantage of the extreme line speed is accuracy
and control of your fly. If you want to talk trackability . . .
Even though we now expect in-the-hand lightness from today’s fly
rods, we never thought the Z-Axis weightlessness could be achieved
without giving up strength. Oh how we were wrong! To bore you with a
little technical talk,
by replacing the glass hoop fibers (the
fiberglass center) with lighter, stronger graphite fibers, Sage found
that during the baking process the graphite fibers bind together. These
now bonded fibers give rise to a
stronger fly rod blank and the
lighter
graphite fibers, well you know, the lightness! Sure we are simplifying
the whole process but we know when you first pick up one of these rods
you will have the same reaction, WOW. You are going hear more clichés
than you can shake a stick at (we couldn’t resist just one) about this
rod series but just remember,
if you want the lightest, most accurate
fly rod on market, then reach for the Z-Axis. As Sage says it in one
word “Magic” … and we couldn’t agree more.
Leland on Sage Fly Rods
Sage has been as committed to performance and
innovation as any rod manufacturer in the world. Their dedication to
research and development has produced some of the finest fly rods ever
conceived. Models like the SP and RPLXi helped put Sage in a class
reserved for only the best manufacturers. And many argue models like
the XP and SLT have sent more than a few companies scurrying to catch
up.
Sage, under the guise of company
founder Don Green, has been pushing the envelope with state of the art
materials from the moment the company opened it's doors in 1980. Sage
was the first company to incorporate the use of IM6 (Graphite II)
graphite in their rods. Through out the years Sage's use of graphite
evolved, from graphite II and then to graphite III, and finally
graphite IV. Today, all their high-end rods contain Graphite IIIe, a
blend of both graphite III and IV. To date, graphite IIIe has the highest strength to weight ratio on the market.
From the outset, the company's goal has been to create rods that
generate high line speeds. As thousands of Sage owners will attest, the
design of their rods enables the fisherman to have extraordinary line
control. Casting a Sage means placing your fly where you want it, not
where you hope it goes.
In 1994 Sage brought in Jerry Siem to take over rod development and design.
Siem, a Minnesota native, has been responsible for the development of
the SLT and XP. These rods quickly found themselves on rivers, streams,
and flats all over the world. They are characterized as exceptional
casting rods that allow both the novice and the expert to enjoy them
tremendously. With the advent of the TCR in 2003
and now the Xi2 in 2004, Jerry has raised the bar for what is known as
"fast action rods". Sage has nine separate rod lines, encompassing the
spectrum of applications.
Located on Bainbridge Island, Washington.
Sage was once a company composed of less than ten people, and has now
grown to over 130 employees. All of the rods in the Sage line are
manufactured under the same roof. On average, it takes thirty-five days
and over one hundred separate hand steps to produce a single rod. All
Sage rods come with an unconditional lifetime warranty.
Sage on the Sage Z-Axis Spey Rods
Z-Axis (Fast Action): Sage Z-Axis Spey rods are a
new introduction to the spey world. Gone are the heavy overburdening
rods of old. Featuring a
fast action yet incredibly smooth action and
significantly reduced weight, these rods are designed for maximum
performance with modern lines and casting techniques.
Sage on the Sage Z-Axis Series
"Magic! Replacing what is quite possibly the most popular fast
action fly rod in the world takes a lot of . . . well, research and
development. It also takes something so good you can confidently move
forward without a backward glance. In short, it takes a fly rod with
nearly magical properties.
Introducing the incredible new Z-Axis Series F a s t A c t i o n R o d s
So, how did we do it? How did we create a rod that’s
significantly lighter, stronger and easier to cast for anglers of all
skill levels? The answer, much to the marketing guys’ dismay, isn’t a
simple buzzword or an easily described new material. In fact, the
latest version of our Generation 5 (G5) Technology is defined by
improvements across the entire rod-building process.
To start with, our exclusive analysis software helped us to
better evaluate the performance requirements of every inch of rod
blank, allowing us to eliminate all unnecessary material. At the same
time, we made significant advances in our Aligned Fiber Technology,
which, most significantly, replaces traditional glass hoop fibers with
lighter, more responsive graphite. This, of course, required us to
develop new construction techniques to align and compress these rods
for maximum strength.
To take advantage of these developments, Jerry Siem went back to the
drawing board (and out on the water) to create improved taper designs
for each Z-Axis rod. The G5 process gave him an opportunity to reach
previously unattainable levels of line feel, response and performance.
It also allowed him to design rods that better fit the modern casting
style, with the tip strength to bail you out on a missed stroke and the
power to more easily punch flies into the wind. The result? An entirely
new level of fishability.
But don’t just take our word for it. By all means, visit your
nearest fly shop and take the Z-Axis for a test spin. We think you’ll
find it’s the lightest, longest-casting, most accurate fast action fly
rod you’ve ever tried. It might not be magic, but it’s pretty darn
close."
Sage on Sage Fly Rods
"Some say Sage rods are legendary for their magical properties,
their propensity for placing flies just above the ripple. We don't know
about magic, but we do know that every Sage rod is made by hand and we
make rods for anglers of every stripe . . . At Sage, every piece of angling
equipment we make is designed, tested and hand built with one goal in
mind: Maximum fishability. It's a term we came up with a few years back
to describe the kind of performance that helps you cast better, fish
more effectively and have more fun. In short, every Sage rod, reel and
line is specifically designed to help you make the most of your
precious time on the water."
Sage on Fly Fishing
Kids at Play Remember when you got so excited you couldn’t
sleep the night before fishing? Or how your hands shook with
anticipation trying to rig up? Or the hopes held in a morning’s
thrilling first cast?
Of course, after a lifetime of fishing,
it’s awfully easy to become jaded. Tales of huge fish in exotic
destinations are a long way from the kid who, fearing he’d sleep past
dawn, lay on his back in the tent, holding tennis shoes above his face.
In the unlikely event he should actually drift off, the shoes would
bounce off his head to wake him. And that was just to catch first light
at the local bluegill pond.
In the soul of every angler lives the kind of fun we felt as
kids. It’s what keeps our love for fishing alive. A psychologist might
say we’re harboring some kind of Peter Pan complex, but for us, it’s
what fly fishing is really all about. It might also explain why people
are always asking anglers when they plan to “grow up.”
We feel the same kind of excitement about introducing our new
Z-Axis rods. We knew it wouldn’t be easy to replace our much-loved XP
line, but after spending the last three years in deep R&D, we are
positively giddy about these rods. When the people who work here start
fighting over who gets to fish the prototypes, well, you know you’re on
to something.
We’d also like to introduce you to J.D. Love and Brian Horsley,
who provide the kind of on-the-water-every-day input that’s essential
to creating rods with maximum fishability. J.D. and Brian are “serious”
anglers, but even after decades of guiding, both retain a kid’s
excitement about fishing. Our kind of people. Whether you last felt the
anticipation that leads to sleepless nights and shaking hands a week
ago or a lifetime ago, may you experience it again in the upcoming
season. When are we going to grow up . . . Hopefully never. See you out
there."
