In this instructional Fly Tying Video, Tony Torrence demonstrates how to tie the Frenchie Nymph in the jig format. While the Frenchie is just another Pheasant Tail Nymph variation, it has become a popular fly on a lot of Eastern Oregon streams and rivers because it’s so effective. The jig style really shines when fished on a hopper-dropper rig, but also as you main fly in a two fly indicator rig.
As I stood in the lot casting one of our last ever 9′ 5wt Sage Ones last month the Sage logo glinted gold in the afternoon sun and my palms ached for the loss of this beautiful tool. Luckily though, a discontinued product normally signals the introduction of the new (and hopefully improved) generation.
Anyone who has cast a rod knows that it takes skill to maneuver a line over head and then out to touch a specific spot. And anyone who has cast a Sage One understands that this rod makes that feat a lot simpler than others. The One was the fast action, lightweight, line shooting machine I dreamt of when I was first learning to fish. And it was the type of self-casting candy you had to earn with years of practicing the motions with other rods on your own. The Sage X maintains that casting caliber.
At a glance, the X isn’t much different from its predecessor. From afar, in fact, it is the same One we fell in love with. Its sleek blackish green design dresses a tight flex, fast action, line casting cannon. The cork handle is light (if not lighter in hand than the One) and the performance is just as straightforward as its predecessor–aim, fire, and let the action do the work. As Angling Editor Kirk Deeter puts it, the main difference with the X is that it loads closer to the cork, making its use “a more intimate casting experience“. And so Sage took the bones of a great rod, applied minimalist improvement on action and feel and gave us a next generation rod with the same superior performance.
If you want to get into specific improvements, here are a few:
1. Faster line speed and greater accuracy due to decreased torsional (rotational/side to side) movement in the blank.
2. The fact that Sage’s rod builders reduced the “wiggle” in the blank of the X enables anglers to achieve a more such precise presentation with each cast.
3. With a rod taper focused on accessing the lower rod sections, the action is brought closer to hand, enabling the angler to shoot line at high speeds with any X rod length.
The Sage X comes in the full array of length and weight match options, compatible with many lines. The table below is a great cheat sheet for anyone looking to outfit their new Sage X.
Sage Rod/Rio Line Recommendations Chart
Sage X Rod
Performance Preference: line speed and tight loop emphasis
Load Preference: active rod load as desired by caster
3-5wt
RIO Gold/InTouch, Perception, Trout LT/InTouch
RIO Grand/InTouch, Extreme Indicator, Outbound, Single Hand Spey
6-8wt
RIO Gold/InTouch, Grand/InTouch, General Purpose Saltwater
RIO InTouch Single Hand Spey, Coastal Quickshooter, Bonefish Quickshooter
9-10wt
RIO General Purpose Saltwater, Striper 300gr, Bonefish Quickshooter
RIO Big Nasty, Redfish (Summer/Winter), Coastal Quickshooter XP
For more Spey and Switch rod specific information, visit our Sage X Spey and Sage X Switch pages for line, reel and sink tip recommendations.
Below are some videos we made with spey guru and long time Sage Sales Rep, George Cook, on the X’s performance and function. Check them out for the inside scoop on what makes the X such a
Spey Talk with George Cook:
Casting the Sage X 6120-4 Spey:
12′ 4pc 6wt Spey paired with Rio Skagit Max 450 grain fly line
Switch Rod Recommendations & Casting the Sage X 7110-4:
11′ 4pc 7wt Switch paired with the Rio Skagit Max Short 500 grain fly line
Spey Rod Recommendations & Casting the Sage X 6120-4:
12′ 4pc 6wt Spey paired with the Rio Scandi 390 grain fly line
Still want to know more? Give us a call, shoot us an email or come on by the shop to cast the Sage X for yourself! We’d love to tell you all about it.
Yup, this will be a new book by the right honorable me, to follow on the successful book Intruder Essentials that was published last year.
What’s New in This Book?
1. An expanded “Intruder Primer” section that covers the basics related to tying and fishing these flies.
2. A discussion of materials of special interest to Intruder tyers, including Ostrich, Guinea, & Marabou.
3. A discussion of composite dubbing loops using a wide range of natural and synthetic materials.
4. A description of six different Intruder Styles featured in this book: 1) Articulated Tube Intruders, 2) Articulated Shank Intruders; 3) Half-Intruders tied on 20mm OPST Shanks with Marble Fox Wings; 4) Mohawk Half-Intruders tied on 20mm OPST shanks with rabbit Strip wings;5) Intruders tied on 45mm OPST shanks; 6) Tube Intruders; 6) Micro Intruders tied on tubes with and without cones; 7) flies tied on Greg Senyo’s Micro Shanks; and 8) Intruder style flies tied on traditional hooks.
5. Step-by-step instructions for tying an Intruder, a Half-Intruder, and two Micro Intruders.
6. Photos and recipes for 41 new Intruder-style flies, covering eight distinct styles noted above.
Advanced Intruder Strategies expands the reach of the tyer/angler by providing more detail regarding materials, composite dubbing loops, and a series of non-traditional Intruder styles. In doing so, I’m trying to expand the visual imagery of flies that we can call Intruders—if we choose—and show just how far afield any angler/tyer may stray in the quest for the perfect steelhead or salmon fly.
Greg Senyo wrote the foreword for this book, and I quote his closing remarks about Advanced Intruder Strategies:
“Tie until your fingers hurt, and smile as you do, because all of this (book) is a labor of Jay’s love of fly tying and fishing . . . . . . . .”
Greg Senyo; August, 2016
Thanks for the kind words Greg.
I’m guessing that the book will be available in the next few weeks, all things cooperating, and will retail for $24.95.
Join Tom Larimer, National Sales Manager for G.Loomis Fly Fishing, for an evening of summer steelhead knowledge. As an 19-year veteran guide, Tom has developed unique techniques, strategies, flies and tackle for the steelhead of his home waters in Oregon and Washington. He’ll also share his experience of fishing the summer steelhead rivers of British Columbia. You’ll walk away with a wealth of knowledge and a new perspective on chasing summer steel.
We are confident this FREE presentation will be very popular and we ask that you RSVP. Please call or email so we can save you a seat.
August 12th 6pm at the shop:
The Caddis Fly Angling Shop
168 West 6th
Eugene, Oregon 97401
Phone 541 342 7005
email caddiseug@yahoo.com
On Saturday August 13th, Tom Larimer and other G.Loomis representatives will conduct a casting demo at Alton Baker Park from 10am to 12pm. This presentation will focus on the new single and two handed rod introductions from Loomis. More on this to come this week.
Tony demonstrates how to use the coolest popper body on the planet. Surface Seducer Double Barrel Popper bodies from the Flymen Group are phenomenal! Light weight, soft poppers that cast and fish great!
On Saturday August 13th, Tom Larimer and other G.Loomis representatives will conduct a casting demo at Alton Baker Park from 10am to 12pm. This presentation will focus on the new single and two handed rod introductions from Loomis. The Asquith rod from Loomis is the most recent introduction into their extensive rod line up.
You will have a chance to cast both the single and two handed models, try different line configurations and get a sneak peak at some of the new lines Tom has been developing for Airflo.
Join Tom Larimer, National Sales Manager for G.Loomis Fly Fishing, for an evening of summer steelhead knowledge. As an 19-year veteran guide, Tom has developed unique techniques, strategies, flies and tackle for the steelhead of his home waters in Oregon and Washington. He’ll also share his experience of fishing the summer steelhead rivers of British Columbia. You’ll walk away with a wealth of knowledge and a new perspective on chasing summer steel.
We are confident this FREE presentation will be very popular and we ask that you RSVP. Please call or email so we can save you a seat.
August 12th 6pm at the shop:
The Caddis Fly Angling Shop
168 West 6th
Eugene, Oregon 97401
Phone 541 342 7005
email caddiseug@yahoo.com
On Saturday August 13th, Tom Larimer and other G.Loomis representatives will conduct a casting demo at Alton Baker Park from 10am to 12pm. This presentation will focus on the new single and two handed rod introductions from Loomis. More on this to come this week.
Dory fly fishing can be a family adventure off Pacific City.
The fly fishing for black rockfish and an occasional coho (not many of the silvers yet this season) has been good, and the crab pots are usually full these days. Capt John Harrell reports that the sea bass are occasionally difficult to tempt, but that the flies are tending to produce better than conventional gear in 20 to 40 feet of water off the beach near Kape Kiwanda.
Jack Harrell and I are developing a few experimental flies that we hope will turn the trick on days when the bass seem to be reluctant, but most days are seeing good catches for expert and beginner anglers fly fishing offshore.
Trips can be booked for individuals and groups by calling 503-812-9716.
This is a fishing venture that is fun for everyone and that usually sends several great meals home too.
I didn’t think my first fish on the new SAGE X would be a bass! They too eat size 16 callibeatis nymphs.
After paddling and floating down Odell Creek the kids were ready for a snack.
I hadn’t camped at Davis for years, the lake was low but water temperatures in Odell Creek and the lake “channel” remained cool.
Despite the algae bloom trout were in really good shape. There were midges in the early morning, callibaetis and caddis from 8am. A small Jigged Thin Mint was my best fly.
SALEM, Ore.—As a precautionary measure, ODFW will not propose any coastal freshwater fisheries on wild Coho this fall due to concerns over poor ocean survival and adequate spawning escapement to coastal rivers this year.
The Fish and Wildlife Commission was scheduled to consider a limited fishery in the Coos, Coquille and Umpqua rivers and Tenmile Lake at its meeting in Salem this Friday, but ODFW has decided to not move forward with the proposal.
“ODFW had already decided earlier this year to not propose coastal freshwater fisheries on wild Coho on the north and central coast,” said ODFW Ocean Salmon Technical Resources Manager Christine Mallette. “Today’s decision to also not propose any coastal freshwater fisheries in the SW Zone is responsive to concerns that the wild Coho run may be lower than anticipated.”
Wild Coho seasons in Siltcoos and Tahkenitch lakes as well as federally authorized ocean fisheries are not impacted by this decision.
Ocean Salmon and Columbia River Program
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
2011 Tillamook Bay Wild Coho.
Post Script: Not surprised at this situation. One of my friends is a commercial salmon troller who fishes anywhere from Port Orford to the Washington coast. He put in quite a few days this chinook season and remarked to me on several occasions that the rarity of his encounters with coho (when lowering and retrieving his gear from the depths that he fishes for kings) was “scary.” He has usually encountered silvers quite regularly, but only rarely did this season. He told me that he was concerned that ODFW’s coho prediction might have been on the” optimistic side” this year.
We all hope the runs will not be as poor as they were during the depths of the 1990s, but only time will tell now. By March 2017, we will have a solid idea what the wild run in 16/17 is like.
Me? If my commerial fisher friends are worried, I’m worried too.
Jay Nicholas demonstrates how to tie a version of a classic salmon and steelhead Boss fly. The pattern is simple and “old school” but works very well in summer, fall, and winter in rivers and estuaries.
This is what we call a beach rig, a rusty but trusty old jeep.
Joe likes these bass just fine!
Now here’s s triple for Joe, Ed, and Josh! Did I have one too? Can’t remember……
I was hoping for albacore but no – a little Mackerel was my best for the day.
Four anglers, 7 rods, a full day, and one tuna. I napped dreamed of better days on the ocean. The boat sent me home with the solitary albacore for Chris’ family, a 20 pound fish.
Jack Harrell (center) met my dear old friends Mark and Ken from ODFW days past.
Guido caught a two tailed springer this season.
Yeah, it is nice to have spares . . . . . . .
A few sea runs are being caught, this an honest 13″
I’m working on a new book, this title will be on Sea-run cutthroat flyfishing and flies. Here is a “bee” fly from the draft.
My best to you all. May your days be good and the fish willing to take your flies/bait/lures.
From the Native Fish Society: In 2008, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) committed to identify wild stock gene banks (WSGB) in Puget Sound to protect threatened wild steelhead from hatchery steelhead. In summer 2015 WDFW asked for public comment on which Puget Sound watersheds to protect, and the response overwhelmingly identified the Skagit, Snoqualmie, Puyallup/Carbon, and the Elwha watersheds. 869 individuals out of 959 respondents (91%) strongly supported the Skagit watershed as a WSGB.
Eight years since WDFW’s commitment, still not a single Puget Sound WSGB has been designated. Meanwhile, we have fewer than 3% of the historical abundance of Puget Sound steelhead and 12 of 20 Puget Sound steelhead populations are at high risk of extinction. If this trend isn’t reversed, Puget Sound steelhead will undoubtedly be listed as endangered under the ESA.
Please join us in sending an email to WDFW and the Wildlife Commission that oversees the Department. Tell them Puget Sound’s Wild Steelhead Can’t Wait. The Department of Fish and Wildlife is OVERDUE to designate the entire Skagit as a wild steelhead gene bank.
Simply fill in your pertinent contact info, click the “Submit” button, and your message will be sent to the recipients listed below. Please send your message by 5p.m. Pacific time on July 29, 2016. Feel free to customize the letter.
Thank you for your continued support of Washington’s wild steelhead!
Jay Nicholas demonstrates how to tie a slender baitfish pattern for use in fresh and saltwater. The bucktail pattern is super old school in it’s style but uses the new Pro Sportfisher Pro Tabbed Eyes to give it a great target for fish to attack. The Tabbed Eyes are tough and easy to use.
A mild three weeks of July is finally giving way to a hot week of weather, but fishing opportunities are still immense in the great state of Oregon.
Locally the McKenzie and Willamette are maintaining cold water temperatures. While the best of our early season hatches have certainly come and gone some good morning and evening opportunities still exist. Pale Morning Duns, Little Yellow Stones and smaller caddis are excellent patterns to fish on the surface during the low light hours. Get deeper when the sun is at it’s highest with Possie Buggers, Copper Johns and Jigged Pheasant Tails. Steelhead fishing remains solid with the Willamette producing most consistently.
More opportunities around the state
Smallmouth Bass – Both the Umpqua and John Day rivers get lower and warmer but the bass fishing remains great. Poppers early in the day and buggers and clousers subsurface catch fish consistently throughout the summer.
Steelhead – The North Umpqua and North Santiam are excellent spots to check out this time of year. The North Umpqua is it’s usual tough self. The North Santiam is a bit of a sleeper with quite a few fish and less pressure in the upper reaches. The mouth of the Deschutes is getting some fish sneaking up the river as well.
Trout – This is a forgotten time on the Deschutes. If you have time to get over and fish the lower river for trout you may find very few folks and plenty of willing fish in the eddies. All of the smaller waters in the Willamette Valley are worth a look, the Middle Fork above Hills Creek Reservoir, the South Fork of the McKenzie above Cougar Reservoir, bring your “attractor” patterns, wet wading gear, a 3wt, and have a blast.
Oregon Coast – Tuna are offshore between 25-45 miles, Black Rock Bass are in close if you haven’t tried this prolific fishery give Pacific City Fly Fishing a call and give it a shot.
High Lakes – Crane Prairie Reservoir is on and off with some beautiful fish being take on chironomids and slender leech patterns. East Lake is in the midst of it’s prolific callibaetis emergence and we have heard some good reports about Davis Lake as well.
The days are already getting shorter and it will be fall before you know it. Get out there and enjoy some summer fishing!
