# 6WT Rods



## slewis (Sep 8, 2015)

Am looking to pick up a new 6wt rod for toying with red fish. I'm used to faster rods, and will be using a CCFX2 6/8 for reel.
Any suggestions?


----------



## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Sage one 691-4 You don't need to look any further.


----------



## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

Sage One or Method are very good. I think the One swing weight is the lightest, but I have not cast the NRX 6 or Asquith 7.


----------



## BM_Barrelcooker (May 4, 2011)

I have Helios 2 in 6wt. It's a lot of fun on redfish but I've realized that the 8 wt is much better for bigger flies and lots of casting. 
But I love the 6 when they are shallow and visible. 
Make sure to get a good line.


----------



## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

Sage ONE 6wt is my primary go to rod for reds here.


----------



## jamie (Jan 22, 2016)

love the method


----------



## bryson (Jun 22, 2015)

Lots of votes for the Sage rods here, but the only lighter rod I have much experience with is the BVK. I won a 5wt in a contest, and have been really impressed. I have an old Sage DS 5/6 (moderate action) and can't believe how much extra power the 5wt BVK has when the wind picks up a little bit.

I know that's about as "apples to oranges" as it gets, so it's definitely not intended to imply that the Sage rods won't fit the bill, just that the BVK might. The price point is a little different, too.


----------



## vantagefish (Jul 16, 2014)

What el9 said. Get the one, never look back. There were recently on closeout. You should still be able to find one for about 500.


----------



## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

The 6 wt bvk is also an exceptional rod for the price and would be my vote if I wanted to spend less.


----------



## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

My backup 6wt is a Redington Predator. I like it for throwing gurglers and heavier flies.

The Sage ONE with a bonefish taper is just freakin' stellar for throwing small flies at sighted fish...


----------



## EasternGlow (Nov 6, 2015)

I have a 6 wt BVK that I'd like to get rid of for cheap.


----------



## Duncan (Dec 26, 2006)

EasternGlow said:


> I have a 6 wt BVK that I'd like to get rid of for cheap.


How much and will you ship?


----------



## SC Bill (Jul 22, 2017)

Ron Hickman is building me a 8' 6WT one piece fast action rod for my 1999 Abel .5 reel for chasing Red in and around Cape Romain.


----------



## slewis (Sep 8, 2015)

Thanks for the input. I currently fish an 8WT Sage One, and its not a bad rod. What about the older Sage Salt model? Did that come in a 6? 

Anyone have experience with the Meridian 6, or the Allen Icon II?


----------



## Canoeman (Jul 23, 2008)

I've thrown a bunch of them and the Sage TCX is still tops for me.


----------



## lsunoe (Dec 5, 2016)

Canoeman said:


> I've thrown a bunch of them and the Sage TCX is still tops for me.


I love my TCX 8wt


----------



## K3anderson (Jan 23, 2013)

Sage One blank in 6W is awesome. BVK, not so much.


----------



## redfish504 (Feb 5, 2017)

UnitedFly said:


> Thanks for the input. I currently fish an 8WT Sage One, and its not a bad rod. What about the older Sage Salt model? Did that come in a 6?
> 
> Anyone have experience with the Meridian 6, or the Allen Icon II?


I have a Scott Meridian in 6 weight. It's awesome. It has a lot of backbone for a 6 and feels super light weight.


----------



## grass bass (Aug 29, 2017)

I have a Method, Salt and Meridian in 6. Like em fast for most things, point and shoot, and the Method is rod #1. The Scott is usually strung with an SA Sonar Titan I/3/5, and that's a sweet rig, swings light and holds up to fish that catch you a little undergunned. The Salt's are fine -- I also have a 9 -- but I like the Xi3's better and I'm curious to see if the Salt HD is Xi3 meets Method or X-ified Salt.


----------



## slewis (Sep 8, 2015)

So it seems like the Method or One are the clear winners. For those who throw the One 6wt, how does it compare to the One 8wt?


----------



## redfish504 (Feb 5, 2017)

I'm sure you know this, but... It's worthwhile going to a shop or shops to cast these to see which rod you like best. People have different preferences. All of the mentioned rods are good, but different.


----------



## slewis (Sep 8, 2015)

Yeah I know, but may be difficult to find a One at a shop in my area. Going to have to make some calls!


----------



## redfish504 (Feb 5, 2017)

Good luck! Let us know what you end up getting


----------



## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

I had a Meridian 6 and Sage One 6. I liked the Sage a little more because of swing weight.


----------



## Pierson (Mar 16, 2016)

UnitedFly said:


> So it seems like the Method or One are the clear winners. For those who throw the One 6wt, how does it compare to the One 8wt?


The One in 8wt and 6wt are literally my two primary rods. They obviously are very similar but there is something about the 6 that seems a little easier to cast. It is more well rounded than the 8, being better in close where the 8 can struggle a little. Both have great long range. The 8 seems to like a very specific stroke so my performance goes down as I get tired. The 6 is more forgiving in that the stroke doesn't have to be so perfectly timed. I am very picky and went through several 8 wts before I landed on the One. But the first time I threw the 6 I immediately stopped looking for anything else. It is super light and doesnt have a ton of lifting power so it is a super fun fight for any size fish. To sum it up, if you even kinda liked the One in an 8wt, you will for sure like the 6.


----------



## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

sjrobin said:


> I had a Meridian 6 and Sage One 6. I liked the Sage a little more because of swing weight.


I'm considering the Meridian...any other noticeable differences?


----------



## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

I sold the Meridian 6 on this site after buying the Sage One and comparing on the skiff with the same line. I am with Pierson, there is something special about the Sage One 6. I had cast nearly all of the other 6 wt models except the Sage One when I bought the Meridian, which to me is a close second. I still have Meridians in short 8 and 2pc 10. Ted is correct and not the only fly caster that prefers a certain weight in a fly rod model line.


----------



## Shiloh (Mar 12, 2014)

The old Sage TCX still one of the fastest action rods out there. It was called by Sage the Hot Rod of fly fishing when it first came out.
BC


----------



## lsunoe (Dec 5, 2016)

Shiloh said:


> The old Sage TCX still one of the fastest action rods out there. It was called by Sage the Hot Rod of fly fishing when it first came out.
> BC


I have the oppurtunity to buy a like new TCX 9'6 7wt. Might jump on it


----------



## reallyshallow (May 19, 2010)

UnitedFly said:


> Am looking to pick up a new 6wt rod for toying with red fish. I'm used to faster rods, and will be using a CCFX2 6/8 for reel.
> Any suggestions?


Hardy Zephrus


----------



## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

6wts is a unique animal and probably my favorite rod to fish with. It's tough to get it right and it's tough to tell an "ok" rod from a great rod since most people are coming down off an 8wt, so everything in a 6wt feels fantastic since the swing weight is so light.

There are some nice stuff out there these days.

Here are some new different rods out there to try in a 6wt. I spent some quality time with all 4 of these companies below. These rods below are the rods that stood out to me the most out of their entire line-up, knowing some of the other rods they make. Keep in mind that I prefer very fast rods that are light on the swing with the lighter weights from 5-9wts., since I am normally casting distances as oppose to short quick cast. Though the rod still has to be able to cast short distances when a fish pops up in front of the boat. So within that fast and extra fast range, I still like "feel" in the rod and it not be overly stiff or too buggy whipish. Accuracy is also a must with a rod like a 6wt since this is my preferred rod to be stealthy with and that being said, it has to be a rod I can finesse both the fly line in the air, and also a hooked fish within a reasonable amount of time to get it in.

That being said and knowing that the OP (United Fly) has a Sage One 8wt already (he's a friend), the following is for not only him, but others viewing this thread and contemplating getting a 6wt.

*Hardy Zephyrus* *SWS* - This is one of my new Favs and still is! So far, my experience has only been with an 8wt and up. The 9wt I have is a real gem to throw and always looking for an occasion to bust it out and string it up. It loves the Intermediate line I keep on it, which is mostly what I use with 9 & 10wts. The Saltwater 6wt retails for $669. Not a bad price when considering other high end rods, which this one certainly is.

http://www.hardyfishing.com/hardy-r...ix/hardy-zephrus-sws-rod/1373358.html#start=3

*Douglas Sky* - Douglas is the new kid on the block, relative to the other big labels. 1st heard about this rod from George Anderson, who mentioned that he was very impressed with the rod, when we were fishing one day out in the Glades. I also found out Jim Murphy was one of the orchestra conductors that help with the design of the rod and brought in a rod designer friend that did the rod rightous (Jim helped design one of my long time fav rods, back in the day). But I didn't look into them until 2 yrs later, which was this past summer.

The Douglas Sky at iCast- This rod makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I literally spent hours with this rod at the casting pond (and sacrificed all my time with Sage and Scott to do so) and I'm going to be spending a lot of quality time with this line of rods getting to know them on a personal level. Super fast, very light swing weight and very powerful. If sjrobin or Danny Moody ever picks one up, I have a feeling they'll dump their quivers. Ha! It's been a long time since a rod has made me feel this way. 
Bottom line and in my personal opinion, for $695 retail, the Douglas Sky, side-by-side is a superior rod to the Loomis Asquith, which is a $1000+ rod. I'm sure I'll receive a lot of flack for that statement, but don't believe me, do that comparison for yourself.

http://douglasoutdoors.com/fly-rods/sky-rod-series/

*G.Loomis new IMX Pro*. Yep, that's right, they brought back one of my old favs, the IMX and completely redesigned it. Tho I'm a fan of the CC GLX as well, this new rod is light, fast and crisp with some nice feel to it. Nice light swing and finesse rod. They only go up to an 8wt tho and is considered an all-water rod. On their site, they are calling it a freshwater rod. But Steve Rajeff tells me it's definitely an all-water rod (in-between a salt and freshwater rod) and he wants to see higher line weight models released. It's a noticeably nice throwing rod for the money. Priced in the mid point range of $495, it should be a good one to check out.

http://www.gloomis.com/content/g-loomis/us/en/home/fly-fish/rods/freshwater/IMX_PRO_FLY.html

*TFO Axiom II* - I spend some time with Nick Curcione (one of the great fly fishing legions on the Pacific coast) at iCast as he was playing around with the new TFO Axiom II rod at a casting pond. We chit chatted for quite a while about the thought process of this new rod. I was very impressed with the improvement with "feel" over the older Axiom (which is a cannon, but stiff). The old Axiom was deadly accurate but almost need to be over-lined, it was so stiff. The new Axiom II is definitely more user friendly and feels more on the level of the Loomis IMX Pro, except with a tad more ass to it. Rod flows beautifully from rod tip to butt section with an even bend to the rod. Fast? Yes fast, but user friendly. Good price point too. They just launched it on their website just a few days ago and some fly shop owners I've spoke with have not seen it yet. It's a great price point starting at $339 and should be a big hit like the BVK or Mangrove (2 totally different feel and flex in those rods). I don't think they will be in BPS, only fly shops that carry TFO. Bottom line, for the money, it's a sweet fast rod.

https://tforods.com/axiom-ii-fly-rods/

*Redington Vice* - On a budget, The Redington Vice was a snappy lil fast rod that felt better than some rods twice the price. At $199, it was an impressive value for what it offers. There is a review that actually compares it to a Sage X and there was only a slight edge going to the X. True story. Fast, light, light on the swing, very affordable. Pairs nicely with their new Rise reel or the Behemoth.

https://www.redington.com/fly-fishing-rods/vice






Ted Haas


----------



## Steve_Mevers (Feb 8, 2013)

Anyone use the Rio summer Redfish Taper on a 6wt? I just picked some up on closeout and have not used it yet.


----------



## jamie (Jan 22, 2016)

Love it on my method for reds in TX.


----------



## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Steve_Mevers said:


> Anyone use the Rio summer Redfish Taper on a 6wt? I just picked some up on closeout and have not used it yet.


Nope. But I have with SA's new Mastery Series Redfish with their new AST+ coating and I really like that line in 6-8wt. I'm always a little cautious about redfish lines having short heads and also being to heavy to over load the rod. Also some heads just get way too fat and the line crashes down like an 8wt when you have a 6wt strung up on a 6wt rod. So what's the point on even using a 6wt to be stealthy? So this SA line has next to no memory, short head, but decent tapers and not boxy looking, not overly fat and not overly heavy. Also for me, SA lines last a long time if taken care of.


----------



## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

I'm really curious about those Douglas Sky rods, had read reviews of them a few months ago...any shops remotely near the Tampa area that carry them?


----------



## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

crboggs said:


> I'm really curious about those Douglas Sky rods, had read reviews of them a few months ago...any shops remotely near the Tampa area that carry them?


Their website claims the 6wt comes with a full wells grip and fighting butt but all retailers show it with a Western Grip? I'm hoping you can get it with the full wells?

*ITEM No.* *ROD* *LENGTH* *LINE* *PIECE* *HANDLE* *MSRP*
20521 SKY S6904 9’0” #6 4 C $695.00


----------



## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Net 30 said:


> Their website claims the 6wt comes with a full wells grip and fighting butt but all retailers show it with a Western Grip? I'm hoping you can get it with the full wells?
> 
> *ITEM No.* *ROD* *LENGTH* *LINE* *PIECE* *HANDLE* *MSRP*
> 20521 SKY S6904 9’0” #6 4 C $695.00
> ...


I ask the General Marketing mgr about that and he said it also comes in the full wells with the fighting butt, but it has to be ordered that way.


----------



## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

crboggs said:


> I'm really curious about those Douglas Sky rods, had read reviews of them a few months ago...any shops remotely near the Tampa area that carry them?


Not yet, but I'm opening up a discussion with them about that to see what their plans are for fly shops in Florida.


----------



## Net 30 (Mar 24, 2012)

Backwater said:


> I ask the General Marketing mgr about that and he said it also comes in the full wells with the fighting butt, but it has to be ordered that way.


You da' man...thanks!


----------



## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

The new Loomis one piece IMX Pro should be in shops late September / October in 7 and 8 wt. If I like it it may be my next rod. I will try the Douglas 6 wt if available down here.


----------



## Dpreston (Oct 16, 2015)

Hardy Zephyrus SWS 6wt is phenominal. 

http://www.hardyfishing.com/hardy-rods-fly-rods-hardy-sintrix/hardy-zephrus-sws-rod/1373358.html


----------



## PhilG (Oct 19, 2008)

UnitedFly said:


> Am looking to pick up a new 6wt rod for toying with red fish. I'm used to faster rods, and will be using a CCFX2 6/8 for reel.
> Any suggestions?


----------



## PhilG (Oct 19, 2008)

i have a Scott 6 Tidal it's a cannon I fisb a rio summer redfish and a TFO 6 on it with a 9 to
12' leader it loves them both. Try it.
Philip


----------



## Caleb.Esparza (Jan 31, 2016)

I've recently owned both a Sage Salt, and a method 6wt and they were both pretty neat rods. Sold the Salt because I also have a 5wt Salt that's pretty special and I primarily throw a 7wt so I couldn't justify keeping the 6wt.

The Method was a straight laser beam and I was very impressed with it during the brief time I owned it. Same thought process as above lead to me selling it to fund an Epic 888 build which has become my current muse. Both rods were sold to members here and as far as I know they still own/enjoy them..


----------



## Shadowcast (Feb 26, 2008)

UnitedFly said:


> Thanks for the input. I currently fish an 8WT Sage One, and its not a bad rod. What about the older Sage Salt model? Did that come in a 6?
> 
> Anyone have experience with the Meridian 6, or the Allen Icon II?


PM sent on the Allen.


----------

