[King Salmon]

I have an old brown 9140-4 blank that I have had for years, still not built yet. When I bought it was held in very regard. Every year or so Sage's Marketing Department forces the factory to develop a new rod series that is always better than the previuus year. Their hype is so good that a lot of us decide to upgrade what was a year or two ago the finest fly rod ever imagined.

How many out there are still using the old brown 9140-4 and enjoying it?

 

[t_richerzhagen]

Now My Wife Has It

I have used this rod for a number of years. Now my wife has it. I use the 7136 a lot for summer and early fall fishing. For heavy wind and tips I use the 10150.

 

[fredaevans]

KS, the 914 Brownie was my first real

spey rod. Still love that baby for low water dry line work in the winter. Not sure if it's actually true, but a Sage rep told me years ago I have rod # 4 off the production line.
fae

 

[t_richerzhagen]

Winter Dry Line Work?

Fred,

Most of us are jealous that you can use low water dry line in the winter. Sounds like a great place to fish!!!

 

[sinktip]

King Salmon,

I agree with you on the marketing angle and the push for the next best thing. I still think the Sage SP line was one of the finest single handed lines out there but they discontinued it to get people to buy new rods. Now it has been introduced

Yes the 9140 was considered the best rod out there when it first came out. And truth be known, it probably was at that time. It was also my first spey rod and since I didn't know any better, I made it work.

Double handed rods have come a long way though and the 9140-4 has been left in the proverbial dust. I would say this is the reason for its falling from favor and not marketing gimics. Just my $00.02.

sinktip

 

[fredaevans]

Were so well protected here in the Rogue Valley that

Fred,

Most of us are jealous that you can use low water dry line in the winter. Sounds like a great place to fish!!!

it takes one heck of a storm to even penitrate the mountain ranges (3) that surround the valley. As of last night the Corp. of Eng. was still only dumping 804 cfs out of the dam (river mile 155; Medford's about RM 130) at 42 degree water temp. Rivers still low and clear and warming up a tad (2 degrees in about 4 days). This will improve fishing conditions (low flow or no) considerably.

Winter steelhead count past Gold Rae dam (just north of Medford) as of 2-28 was 9,840 winter fish and an additional 3,100 very late summer runs since 1-1-03.

Due to the above it takes a heck of a lot to knock out the river, even for a few days. When that happens we just head up to the top end below the dam which is always running clear.
fae

 

[inland]

9140-4 brownie been left in the dust? Wow, guess I had better take it and cracker the POS up over my knee tonight. Better yet, I had better not be caught out there actually fishing such an outdated, obsolete, run down has been.

I guess I will just have to 'gut it out' the next time I get out your way and 'make do' with the old rod. :hehe:

FWIW- use a midspey 7/8 for floating line work up to 110+ feet and use a windcutter 7/8/9, both floater and with tips (129's work just fine), to about the same distance. Seems to me that if 95% of the fish are caught within 70' of the angler, perpendicular to the shore, that should more than cover it. Even with a dinosaur.

William

 

[fredaevans]

And a fine 'old gal'she still is.

Comfortable rod to cast for an entire day. I've got a Wolf TTT line on mine (line wt is zero in my brain right now) and not the best combo. Haven't taken the time to pop one of the xlt's on her yet but wil 'strap on' the 7/8 demo GrandSpey Simon was so gracious to lend for the weekend. Suspect this could be a very good combo/rod.

My first real fun memory in 'teaching' someone how to spey cast was the 10 old fellow on the Russian River in the mid -80's. (Remember, at this point, most folks had never even heard about spey rods, let alone actually see one at work).

Anyway, I was casting away downstream from Dry Creek and a fellow and his son stopped to watch. (ps: didn't hook didly all day) Anyway the conversation covered what kind of rod, easy to cast, etc. Fellow told me his son was really getting into fly fishing so offered to teach the boy how to do some simple casts.

About 10 minutes into the 'production' the kid hooks an 8#'er. Hooping and hollering ensued big time (remember the rod is darned neer twice as long as the boy was in heighth). Dad leans over and asked me 'how much is a rod like that going to cost me?" Told him (with son chasing up and down the beach with a fish on) far less than the value of what's going on out there right now in the river.

Boy landed the fish; wonder if Dad got him a rod?
fae

 

[King Salmon]

Ok, enough said. I've aged it long enough; I'm gonna build the old brown 9140.

BTW, I think this is pretty much identical to Sage's VPS 9140 recently introduced. Has anyone had a chance to do a close up comparrison of the two, including casting?

 

[sinktip]

Inland,

I guess one guy's POS is another's girlfriend.

FWIW- use a midspey 7/8 for floating line work up to 110+ feet and use a windcutter 7/8/9, both floater and with tips (129's work just fine),

So is your girlfriend a 7 weight or a 9 weight?

st

 

[doublespey]

Build It!!!

I don't want to get back on my "9140 Defender" podium, but follow Inland's line suggestions and I think you'll find that the 9140-4 is a fine spey rod.

Many who used this rod when it first came out overlined it (the Rio Windcutter 9-10-11 was "standard issue" in many flyshops) and ended up dismissing the the rod as Too Soft.

But that's what happens when you overline ANY rod. The 9140-4 is IMHO really an 8wt, and the Rio Midspey 7/8 and Windcutter 7-8-9 are both fine lines for it.

My .02,

DS

 

[kush]

Doublespey - does the term noodle-rod ring a bell? :devil:

 

[inland]

ST,

I would call this stick more along the lines of an 8. It casts the same lines as my Burk 7137 and is very interesting to throw them side by side. But my harem collection is larger than Fred's, even if I did send one his way, and I mix it up regularly by switching 'girlfriends' several times a day.

From the other thread- the 300# marlin comment was meant purely in jest. I don't have anything against the fast actioned rods- they cast beautifully, I just don't care to fish them.

When you get a full year under your belt, remember you admitted this a couple of months ago, of being able to properly execute a single spey (Without having to snap-t or perri poke) then your opinions on what constitutes a good girlfriend will carry more grains. :devil: :devil: :devil:

 

[sinktip]

Inland,

I am happy to see with the recession and all that there is still at least one in the rocky mountain region that can afford multiple girlfriends. And that is not even to mention that expensive reel you show off on your avatar. That alone could invoke a serious case of reel envy. Tell me, are the fish as impressed as the fishermen?

As for the single spey and the perry poke. Hey what can I say? The single is a work in progress but with each trip out it comes closer together. As for the Perry Poke, I have watched Ed Ward demo it but I see no need to add that to my quiver of casts. There are a ton of better casters out there than me and I have no problem with that. I'm a fisherman and I would rather be fishing than practicing casting. As long as I can deliver the fly where and how I need, I am easy to please.

By the way, sorry if I insulted your girlfriend. I had her some years ago and she was just a bit sloppy for my liking so I passed her on. Glad to see someone can look past her flaws. :devil:

st

 

[inland]

Mr. Tip,

(Disclaimer- This is all in FUN, so DON'T get bent)

Hey, when you come from a region known for Polygamy, you just do as one would in Rome. Multiple girlfriends, wives, rods- it's all the same. :hehe:

Don't worry, you did not insult my girlfriend. She has a thick skin and can take quite a bit of punishment. She understands that you did not know how to properly handle her. :devil:

My avatar picture is a culmination of 5 years worth of blood and sweat. That photo was taken by Chris Bogart (Maker- Shenandoah Rods) showing the reel I built for him in trade for the rod he built for me. Thanks for noticing that it IS a nice reel!

William

 

[sinktip]

Inland,

Don't worry, I have thick skin as well and was just enjoying the give and take. As for the multiple wives reference, I will leave that one alone

Yes it is a very nice reel. Much to nice to ever fit on my old lovers POS reel seat. I hope you save it for the more deserving in your vast harem. As for not knowing how to handle her, maybe so. Possibly I was just too much for her. I like my "girlfriends" to be feisty and less soft in the butt.

st:devil:

Some guys like that though so I am happy you ended up together.

st