# Sage xi3 9wt line recommendations



## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

I recently picked up a xi3 9wt and was looking for input from any of you that have fished this rod. I'm not lookimg for overall line recommendations as I have my preferences, but more specific to what pairs well with this exact rod. Initially leaning to a wulff 9wt btt. Any other suggestions?


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## backbone (Jan 4, 2016)

I had one and I feel it needed a 10wt line.
Once you get most of the head out with a 9wt line, its a cannon!
I think with a 10wt line short casts will be easier. I was throwing an SA saltwater all arounder.
good luck!


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

My other thought was the SA grand slam Bruce chard line, it's also overweight


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

backbone said:


> I had one and I feel it needed a 10wt line.
> Once you get most of the head out with a 9wt line, its a cannon!
> I think with a 10wt line short casts will be easier. I was throwing an SA saltwater all arounder.
> good luck!


This is a great reference point, the sa saltwater is a 37 ft head 260 gr line. 

The wulf btt is 30 ft 289 gr


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## CurtisWright (May 9, 2012)

10WT BTT for the average 50' cast. 50+' then the 9WT. All the Xi3's feel about a half a WT above what they say. 9WT is really a 9.5WT ect...

I have the 6WT and the 10WT. I have 6 on my 6 and 11 on my 10.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

CurtisWright said:


> 10WT BTT for the average 50' cast. 50+' then the 9WT. All the Xi3's feel about a half a WT above what they say. 9WT is really a 9.5WT ect...
> 
> I have the 6WT and the 10WT. I have 6 on my 6 and 11 on my 10.


Thanks for the info, going to start with a 9wt btt and go from there. The 9wt btt is fairly close in weight to a lot of 10wt lines.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Casted a handful of lines on it last night that I have lying around. This rod is going to make windy days easy to deal with. Calling this thing a cannon was an understatement.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Initial thoughts on the 9wt btt pairing. Ok for short cast, loads the rod quick. Past 50 ft the rod feels mushy. My cortland liquid crystal 9wt doesn't load quite as quick but let's you carry a lot more line in the air. 80 ft cast are fairly easy with that line.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

el9surf said:


> Initial thoughts on the 9wt btt pairing. Ok for short cast, loads the rod quick. Past 50 ft the rod feels mushy. My cortland liquid crystal 9wt doesn't load quite as quick but let's you carry a lot more line in the air. 80 ft cast are fairly easy with that line.


Cortland has that same LQ in a "Guide" model. I haven't seen any shops carry it but it can be ordered direct or through your fly shop. So they add a 1/2 line weight to help load the rod better for closer range, for stiffer rods and for people who like a little or need more feel in a faster rod. I was going to mention it when Curtis said something about the rod feeling a half a rod size bigger. So the LQ 9wt Guide is actually a 9 1/2wt line. I've thrown it and you can feel what it's meant to do.

Ted


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Thanks Ted I was already headed down that road, talked directly to Cortland about the guide taper line specs on Friday. I think I'm going to throw the flats taper liquid crystal for a bit, it felt pretty good on this rod. I will be using it in the keys in may for smaller poon and will need distance more than I need it to load quickly.


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