Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Spawn Sack]

Anyone fish this rod? I'm contemplating getting one built up. Curious what people who fish this think of it.

I have a Sage 2106 CT which I LOVE, it's my go to salmon/steelhead rod. However I find it a bit underpowered when the water level is up or fishing faster runs. Under these conditions I go for my old (brown blank) Shimano Convergence, 10"6, 12-25 line rating.

This rod is great but a bit heavy, and what the heck I just want to buy a new cool rod. Why not?

I've heard the Rainshadow 1263 is close in power to a Sage 3106. If this is true then I think the blank would be a good match for what I'm looking for. I don't need a new rod to be 100% as powerful as the Shimano, but close to it would be nice. It certainly needs to have a fair bit more "jam" than the Sage 2106CT.

I see on the spec sheet for RS that the 1263 has a line rating of 8-12. Hmmmm.....my 2106 CT has a line rating of 8-17. I'm a bit worried that the 1263 will be similar in power to the 2106 and I'll wish I had gone with a beefier RS blank like the 1265. Buuuuutttt, the main goal in getting this new rod is to have something beefy like the old Convergence, but noticeably lighter.

The Convergence is a heavy rod and does not feel/balance well with a smaller baitcaster. One needs to put a 400 size on it for the rod to feel well balanced. A smaller reel makes the rod feel tip heavy and it's undesirable to fish with.

Why not just buy a Sage 3106? Well, I just want to try something different and I have heard nothing but good about the R/S blanks.

Ideally the new rod will be as light as possible and be able to pair up nicely with a smaller baitcaster like a Currado 300, but have enough power/jam to fish higher water and handle springs + chum with minimal trouble.

[lapa]

Just buy GLoomis SAR 1265C.Very light and can handle any fish from pinks to springs. And it cost half of 3106b

[typhoon]

The Rainshadow XST blanks are higher modulus than the Sage blanks so they are lighter at the same strength.
Rainshadow does make a lower modulus blank that I wouldn't bother with (IST).

I haven't compared a Sage and Rainshadow XST side by side but I understand that the Rainshadow blank is faster action.
XST1263F is my go-to casting rod. I use a low profile reel on it and it balances nicely. I think the Curado 300 would be the perfect size reel for this blank.

It is powerful enough to handle large Chum or mid-sized Springs in med-fast water.
It is also light enough and the tip is sensitive enough for tossing spoons to Pinks or Coho if that's what you want.
It does not handle springs in fast water particularly well and it is also undergunned for foul hooked Chum in med-fast water. There is an XST1264F blank if you want more power.
http://www.fishingwithrod.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=35054.0

edit: My buddy has a Loomis 1264 and it is significantly more powerful than either of these rods. A 1265 would be overkill for much of our waters.

[Spawn Sack]

Just buy GLoomis SAR 1265C.Very light and can handle any fish from pinks to springs. And it cost half of 3106b

I would consider a Loomis rod. I just like the rainshadows and think it would be cool to have a custom rod built up.

I see on Loomis' site that the IMX 1264 comes in 8-12, or 10-17 line rating.

[Spawn Sack]

The Rainshadow XST blanks are higher modulus than the Sage blanks so they are lighter at the same strength.
Rainshadow does make a lower modulus blank that I wouldn't bother with (IST).

I haven't compared a Sage and Rainshadow XST side by side but I understand that the Rainshadow blank is faster action.
XST1263F is my go-to casting rod. I use a low profile reel on it and it balances nicely. I think the Curado 300 would be the perfect size reel for this blank.

It is powerful enough to handle large Chum or mid-sized Springs in med-fast water.
It is also light enough and the tip is sensitive enough for tossing spoons to Pinks or Coho if that's what you want.
It does not handle springs in fast water particularly well and it is also undergunned for foul hooked Chum in med-fast water. There is an XST1264F blank if you want more power.
http://www.fishingwithrod.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=35054.0

edit: My buddy has a Loomis 1264 and it is significantly more powerful than either of these rods. A 1265 would be overkill for much of our waters.

Thanks for that.

Does your buddy have the 8-12, or 10-17 Loomis 1264?

Odd, for some reason I cant find the Rainshadow 1264 on their site.

Do you think the 1264 Rainshadow would still fish/balance well with a lighter baitcaster like the Currado 300? I prefer fishing these reel to bigger ones like Abu 6500 size or Shimano 400 size. Who knows what ever I get I may even want built up as a pin rod instead. Just getting into that scene. So far I like it.

EDIT: Never mind, I found the RS 1264. It's 10-17 (med-heavy) line rating, compared to 6-12 (medium) on the 1263.

I think I'd be more inclined to go with the RS 1264. I'd be a bit disappointed if the 1263 had comparable jam to my sage 2106CT. I definitely want something with a bit more backbone that the 2106. Not a ton more as I still want to keep the rod light and fish a light reel on it.

[GENERAL-SHERMAN]

I fish the rainshadow xst1263 ... great rod . Like a 3106 lb sage somewhat but with a slightly faster action a better Hookset and possibly more backbone. I never looked back after selling off my Sage lb rods for top dollar. I am fishing it on a pin but I'm sure it would make a beauty baitcast setup as well. The rod is good for all species of salmon and steelhead. It's way heavier than a 2106 for sure. And like others have said they are a higher modulus graphite and are significantly lighter in the hand than similar rods in the sage lineup. Sounds like it would fit the bill for what you are looking for.

[Spawn Sack]

I fish the rainshadow xst1263 ... great rod . Like a 3106 lb sage somewhat but with a slightly faster action a better Hookset and possibly more backbone. I never looked back after selling off my Sage lb rods for top dollar. I am fishing it on a pin but I'm sure it would make a beauty baitcast setup as well. The rod is good for all species of salmon and steelhead. It's way heavier than a 2106 for sure. And like others have said they are a higher modulus graphite and are significantly lighter in the hand than similar rods in the sage lineup. Sounds like it would fit the bill for what you are looking for.

Awesome, thank you sir! The xst1263 sounds perfect for what I'm looking for. The 6-12 line rating is a bit deceiving (sounds a lot less beefy that it is). That is exactly what I want, something similar to a 3106.
Not sure if I'd get it done up as a CP or baitcast rod. I've only recently started using a CP reel+rod. I like it a lot, but I have some pretty sweet baitcasters and like fishing them a lot too. Will have to land many more fish on the CP and down the road decide what I want the 1263 to end up like. Thanks again!

[typhoon]

Awesome, thank you sir! The xst1263 sounds perfect for what I'm looking for. The 6-12 line rating is a bit deceiving (sounds a lot less beefy that it is). That is exactly what I want, something similar to a 3106.
Not sure if I'd get it done up as a CP or baitcast rod. I've only recently started using a CP reel+rod. I like it a lot, but I have some pretty sweet baitcasters and like fishing them a lot too. Will have to land many more fish on the CP and down the road decide what I want the 1263 to end up like. Thanks again!

You might find the 1263 is too fast action for a centerpin application.
The XST1383 is much better suited since it is slower action and flexes deeper into the blank.
XST1263: ERN= 12.6, AA= 77. Roughly the same power as an 11WT fly rod but really fast action.
XST1383: ERN= 10.0 AA= 66.

So even though they are listed as having similar specs the two blanks behave quite differently.
Note that Bent Rod's Iron Horse centerpin rod uses the XST1383 blank (and look really nice).

[GENERAL-SHERMAN]

You might find the 1263 is too fast action for a centerpin application.
The XST1383 is much better suited since it is slower action and flexes deeper into the blank.
XST1263: ERN= 12.6, AA= 77. Roughly the same power as an 11WT fly rod but really fast action.
XST1383: ERN= 10.0 AA= 66.

So even though they are listed as having similar specs the two blanks behave quite differently.
Note that Bent Rod's Iron Horse centerpin rod uses the XST1383 blank (and look really nice).

I prefer the 1263 over the 1383 action wise and for the length of the rod .  I have never had problems casting but I do fish 30 gram and larger floats almost exclusively for salmon and steelhead. I don't like fishing a rod in the 11'6 foot range until later in the season for steelhead. It's a convienience thing walking through brush with a shorter rod. Both are great rods and honestly you can't go wrong. A slower rod may be nicer for a beginner as typhoon stated. But the question is why would you buy a bent rod centrepin when u could build the same rod if you shopped around with good guides your own custom cork arrangement and your own comfort  spacing for reel to butt distance and not be a generic follower. It would cost the same or possibly a bit less.

[dennisK]

Love my 1263 but it is a faster tip action as others mentioned. Also pretty bullet proof. I've scraped and dropped mine too many times to mention and it keeps on ticking.

[Sr SQ]

You might find the 1263 is too fast action for a centerpin application.
The XST1383 is much better suited since it is slower action and flexes deeper into the blank.
XST1263: ERN= 12.6, AA= 77. Roughly the same power as an 11WT fly rod but really fast action.
XST1383: ERN= 10.0 AA= 66.

So even though they are listed as having similar specs the two blanks behave quite differently.
Note that Bent Rod's Iron Horse centerpin rod uses the XST1383 blank (and look really nice).

I totally agree
I would also like to add to the mix the BP1264
A little slower and a little heavier than the RX8 line but very much comparable to the 3106 sage in action and virtually indestructible as well.
Cant go wrong with Rainshadow
Either will not disappoint.