My Review on Sage's ESN Fly Rod for European Nymphing...

[Todd Oishi]

Over 7 years ago I made my first of many trips to Europe in order to study the nymphing techniques that were being used by the competitive fly fishers in that part of the world. Ever since than I've been a serious and dedicated student of these techniques. As a part of the ongoing learning process, I’ve been experimenting with fly rods in order to identify the rod design and features that best suits my style of nymphing. I eventually came up with a design on my own that I’ve been using and have great success with (don’t bother asking – it’s a bit of a Frankenstein story), but when I heard that Sage had developed a new fly rod that was designed specifically for the European nymphing techniques, I was very intrigued and couldn’t wait to get my hands on one!

After a few emails and phone conversations with a friend of mine at the Sage factory in Washington State and my local Sage rep (I’m a member of his Prostaff), my rep personally delivered a 10 foot, 3-weight ESN for me to test and provide a review. Everything that I had read about this rod and been told, indicated that it was rated as a medium-action rod, which in my mind is well suited for the Euro nymphing techniques, as I’ve found that a softer tip section affords me the option to use lighter tippets (important for wary fish, as well as clear and shallow water conditions) and is invaluable for increasing my landing ratio when targeting the smaller fish that “ounce for ounce” tend to shake, jump and fight much harder and more determined that larger fish - and as any veteran, competitive angler will tell you; the ability to successfully land and score the smaller-sized fish can be the difference between success and failure.

A few of the fly fishers that I had previously spoken with had told me that they didn’t like the way that the ESN fly rod felt when they gave it a shake in their local fly shop, but in my experience, the only true or accurate method for evaluating a Euro nymphing fly rod is to take it to the river and give it a proper test under a full load and in the locations and situations that it’s intended for.

I’m always amazed and find it a bit humorous how some anglers assume that by waiving a fly rod around in the air (that isn’t even setup or properly loaded) that they are able to determine its value for this style of nymphing and comment on how poorly or ill-suited it is for European nymphing techniques. If only life and fly fishing were that simple…

Anyways, back to my review… After arriving at the river and putting the ESN fly rod to the test, I noticed right away that it was a fair bit lighter than some of the other Euro nymphing rods that I had been using in the past. The reduction in weight not only helped to reduce the fatigue that is often experienced while holding your arm above shoulder for a prolonged period of time, but also enhanced my ability to detect strikes and bumps as the nymphs were led and pulled through the water. I’ve learnt over time that mental fatigue combined with tired muscles and aching joints can have a negative impact on your ability to detect the subtler takes and greatly decreases your overall reaction time – this rod certainly helps to address concerns regarding this ongoing issue!

I was equally impressed by how accurate the ESN fly rod was for lobbing heavier nymphs on short leaders and lighter nymphs on longer leaders and how well it handled larger fish. Its 10 foot length makes it ideal for extending the reach and presentation while Czech nymphing and for maintaining control over the drift, as well as the amount of leader that remains on the surface of the water while French nymphing. That being said; I sincerely feel that there is a need (and market) for a slightly longer 11 foot version of this rod – perhaps it’ll be an option and available at some time further down the road…

Beyond being a wonderful rod for European nymphing, I also found that it makes an excellent rod for dry fly fishing, and in a pinch, I was pleasantly surprised to discouver that it performs quite well for tossing streamers. Overall, the ESN fly rod is an extremely versatile fly rod that can serve many purposes on any river or stream, but true to its name, it is a truly a superb fly rod for the European nymphing techniques and has definitely become my “go to” fly rod for both my recreational and competitive angling!

Cheers,
Todd

[Chris Puchniak]

Nice review!

I really look forward to trying one of these, and it's encouraging to hear about the light weight, as I too have found the arm a little fatigued at the end of a day of nymphing.

Being someone who uses an 11-foot rod myself when nymphing, I would really like to see them offer something in the that length as well.  Hopefully there will be enough demand.

Thanks for sharing with us.  As you say, it's great to see evaluations when someone has field tested the rod quite seriously before offering an opinion.

[Aaron Laing]

Hey Todd. You'll have to lend me yours so I can have more than a wiggle at the local shop LOL! Better yet, get me one at a massive discount so I can afford to field test it.

Nice review. Arron Varga was also very impressed with it in Slovenia. He has lots of big fish shots with it featured prominently over on FB. Clearly it can handle big fish as well as small.

Aaron

[Jim Frazier]

does the fly rod catch the fish or does the user ? Everybody likes something different thats what makes the world go round !!! I have to admit i don't like the looks of my euro rod but thats all i don't like about it , but i never really look at it unless i am taking it apart or puting it together eaither way i am usually excited (to fish or to have fished )

[Alain Barthelemy]

Todd,

Thank you so much for this review!  Why did you choose the 10-3 and not the 10-2?  Do you consider the 10-2 to be solely a long leader (French nymphing) tool?

Thanks.

Alain

[Sean Crocker]

 Hey Todd, Great review. I also have the 3wt ESN and have enjoyed it each time ive used it. Its light and very sensitive. Soo far very happy.

[Kalvin Kaloz]

 Todd,

Thanks for the review and I feel that you are SPOT on!!! IMO the rod was great for Euro style but as you added; when I went to fishing a 16' 6x dry leader with 2 CDC dries with accuracy and landed 15 to 20 some grayling and browns 4-9" and did not bounce a one the rod went from great to awesome!

Alain, after seeing fish this rod landed in Slovenia and fishing it for a week in CZ Rep I think the 3 is the perfect all round rod...light enough that you are not sacrificing sensitivity, soft enough in the tip that you are able to protect thin tippets and has enough ass in the butt section that you could land a 25"+ Rainbow on the Soca (ask Varga)

The 2 is a better light fly/up stream rod if you know you are on smaller fish.

Not to steal any thunder Todd, I would change ALL the cosmetics. Sage built the best Euro rod IMO if they wanted to make it the best Comp rod; loose ALL the flash… add a fighting butt, mate black down locking reel seat, use the rubberized cork for the whole handle, make all the guides/tip top 1-2 sizes bigger and use Mate black single foot snake guides, if it did not change the action loose the gloss coat, and finish it with just drab olive wraps… (Ideas from Arron Varga and I) PLUS ADD an 11 Footer!!!

[Jim Frazier]

kalvin what line are you using ?

[Kalvin Kaloz]

Jim,

For the most part I fish ALL RIO Lines... I think they are the BEST on the market. To answer your question a 3wt Rio gold and a 4wt Rio DT (just because that is what I had on the reel). For most Euro Nymphing applications fly line has lil to do with it. however as I indicated above this rod performs extremely well with both dries and wets so I will always have it rigged with a quality line such as RIO DT, LT or gold

[Jim Frazier]

Kalvin does a fly line with a lighter head create less of a belly in the leader giving you a more direct connection to the flys ? Going on your assumption that fly line has little to do with it.

[Kalvin Kaloz]

Jim, unless I am "truly" CZ Nymphing I rarely have fly line out of tip let alone off the reel...that is what I meant by fly line has lil to do with it. That is also where the rods excel that soft tip does 2 things really well; load with lil force with Long leaders and light flies AND protect fine tippets

[Sean Crocker]

Hey Todd the back ground in your picture looks familiar.  Possibly the Blue River in the canyon.

[Mark Hanes]

I think I need to get ahold of this rod.  I am thinking the 10' 2wt is the rod I might have to test drive!

[Todd Oishi]

Why did you choose the 10-3 and not the 10-2?  Do you consider the 10-2 to be solely a long leader (French nymphing) tool?

I found that the 10-3 was better suited for the larger fish and type of water that I targeted. That being said; I used my 2-weight Frankenstein Euro nymphing rod for the other situations...

[Todd Oishi]

kalvin what line are you using ?

Not sure about Kalvin, but I used a 2-weight Double Taper floating line, as I find it to be a perfect match for the various styles of nymphing and dry fly fishing that I use. Very little fly line is used for the most part, but a 2-weight works quite well on this fly rod, so I needn't swap spools when I fell the need to adapt to changing conditions.

I should also mention that it also handled Rio's Deep3 sinking line quite well when working streamers in deeper water.

[Todd Oishi]

Hey Todd the back ground in your picture looks familiar.  Possibly the Blue River in the canyon.

You know it Sean!!! I loved that particular stretch of the Blue River and plan to return to fish it again some day. Nice fish and some great water for a variety of techniques and patterns.

Cheers,
Todd

P.S. Here's a shot I took while practicing for the America Cup on the Blue River:

[Arron Varga]

Great review Todd.

Just add on how light these rods are I converted from ounces to grams to make it easier to comapre to European rods.

ESN 2100 is 79 grams
ESN 3100 is 81 grams
ESN 4100 is 83 grams
ESN 5100 is 85 grams.

During the worlds I fished both the 2100 and 3100.  I used the 2wt on the Rienza and it handled Browns and Raibows up to 45cm but it was small water.  I also used the 2wt in the Czech Republic on the Vltava and again it handled everything I could throw at it or hook. 

The 2wt is a multi-tasking rod - dont think just french nymphing -  that was great for all of the Euro-nymphing styles, dry fly and swinging wets but definitely more suited to smaller waters and fish.

As Todd suggested I would recommend a DT line, especially for the 2wt.

In Slovenia I primarily used the 3wt and on one particualr day I did a trip down the Soca hooking rainbows up to 10lbs.  I never landed the 10lbers as the rod was under gunned for fish in that class but I did put fish in the 5-8lb class in my net and I did not baby them...if a fish is not in my net within 3 minutes then it is getting snapped off.

I have never been a fan of sage rods until these ESN rods prefering rods from Europe or even the Echos.

[Alain Barthelemy]

I am also awaiting Lance Egan's review next month (Nov. 22) in Fly Fisherman magazine:
http://www.flyfisherman.com/2011/09/12/testing-the-latest-nymph-sticks/

In the meantime, I have been told the Sage ESN 10' 3wt acts a lot like the old Sage Z-Axis 10' 4wt, and my fishing style is more suited to the ESN 10' 2wt.  I recently sold my 10-4 Z.

---

Who else thinks Sage purposely named the rod "ESN," since it is so close to "ESPN?"  Everyone is trying to cater fly-fishing gear to younger anglers (same demographic that watches SportsCenter).  Marketing genius?

[Randy Hanner Sr.]

I thought it was more because CZN was used already by Cabelas

[Kalvin Kaloz]

Alain,

I have and love the 10 4 Z, I would say the 10 3 ESN may have the butt of the 4 Z but the mid on the ESN is softer and the tip is much softer that the 4... Just my opion but I have and fish both.

Not saying this to question you the 2 is my next purchase. HAHA!