#Sage

Paul

Jan 11

New Sage ENFORCER Saltwater Fly Reels

(words and images by Sage/Farbank) For 2023, Sage introduces the next generation of flats-specific fly reels in the ENFORCER Reel family. Sage’s all-new ENFORCER Reel family has been built around the performance developed with their big game THERMO Reels–sized down to accommodate a lighter package and the overall needs of the serious saltwater flats angler. Designed with peak performance in mind, the ENFORCER offers everything the flats angler needs in a reel, whether taming

Paul

Jan 11

New Sage SALT R8 Saltwater Fly Rods

(words/images by Sage/Farbank) For 2023, Sage introduces the next evolution in saltwater fly rod technology with the SALT R8. Whether maximizing your limited shots for Tarpon or blocking the right moon cycle for a Permit trip—or just delivering a quick, confident cast through wind at distance—saltwater is a game where patience and urgency are equally critical to maximizing opportunity. Whether on idyllic flats, coastal beaches, or backcountry mangroves, you need faith—in your

Paul

Mar 30, 2022

New Sage R8 CORE Fly Rods

(From Sage/Farbank): Sage Introduces Revolutionary New Graphite Technology & CORE Rod Family BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, Wash. (March 29, 2022) – Sage has always been at the forefront of material advancement in the fly rod space, and in 2022 Sage is positioned to do it again, this time with Revolution 8 Technology. “R8” Technology is the culmination of over forty years of perfecting fly rod performance and 8 breakthroughs in material compositions. Since the introduction of Sage’s Grap

Paul

Feb 28, 2022

7 Unique Fly Rods Past and Present

G. Loomis 20 Weight Heavy-duty rods like the Colton Leviathan XS 17+, Cam Sigler 14 weight, G. Loomis CrossCurrent 15 weight, and Temple Fork Bluewater SG 13–15 and 16+ give fly anglers the ability to confidently target the largest saltwater species. Can rods go even heavier? Apparently, the answer is yes, as G. Loomis appears to have crafted a handful of 20-weight fly rods years back! I had no idea these rods even existed until stumbling upon a theflyfishingforum.com post wh

Paul

Feb 13, 2022

New Sage THERMO Big Game Fly Reels

(Words and images by Sage) BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, Wash. (January 25, 2022) – It’s disorienting—there is no land, only sea and sky, and everywhere marlin blitz and tuna dive and mahi swarm weed patches. There are no beaches or mangroves to stop them, only you, a reel, and a piece of tippet that you can only pray will hold. “When entering the world of big game flats fishing and bluewater behemoths, heavy-duty is the name of the game. That lifetime tarpon, monster trevally, or massi

Paul

Dec 12, 2021

3 Cool Old Fly Rods to Search For

Have you ever sat back and thought about some of the fly rods you've had in the past? Even though I have fly fished for nearly three decades, if you gave me a few minutes to really think about it, I'm pretty sure I could name every fly rod that I've ever owned! The sign of a real tackle junkie I guess... When anyone thinks about those rods from years gone by, there's likely to be a few that really stand out. Perhaps they felt especially awesome or were just there with you on

Paul

Feb 15, 2021

Sage SONIC 4 Weight Fly Rod Review

Intro/Specs/Craftsmanship Just like with conventional rods, fly rods can be crafted with specific purposes in mind. Examples of these would include rods with oversized guides and beefed-up actions for saltwater usage, or rods that are soft and delicate geared towards targeting trout on smaller waters with dry flies. These sticks can be great and all, but many anglers simply want a rod that's made for more generalized usage. This is where the Sage SONIC comes into play. SONIC

Paul

Jan 6, 2020

Sage PAYLOAD 6+ Weight Fly Rod Review

Intro/Specs/Craftmanship When some anglers think of fly fishing, they usually envision casting small flies to trout in a mountainous river out west. Of course, there's much more to it than that. Lines can get heavy and patterns can grow to sizable proportions. Once you enter this more "extreme" side of fly fishing, a specialized fly rod will make handling things a whole lot easier. Enter the new Sage PAYLOAD series. As the name suggests, each rod is designed to tackle heavier

Paul

Aug 25, 2019

Sage TROUT LL 5 Weight Fly Rod Review

Intro/Specs/Craftsmanship Moderate-action fly rods may fall short in the popularity department when put up against their fast-action counterparts, but that doesn't mean they can't fill important niches in anglers' arsenals. When delicacy and accuracy are far more important than power and distance, a moderate action can provide a distinct advantage. Dry fly anglers fishing smaller waters are one such group that cherish softer rods for gingerly placing diminutive patterns ahea

Paul

Aug 4, 2019

Sage TROUT 4/5/6 Fly Reel Review

Intro/Specs/Craftsmanship Retro is and has always been cool, but it seems like there's been more of a resurgence in recent years. Cars, clothing, and yes, even fishing gear are just some of the products designed with an old-school flavor. I certainly appreciate classy-looking things, but I also appreciate modern performance. Hey, why not just blend the two together? Sage did just that with the new TROUT fly reel series. This small family of reels might look like they were pro

Special Edition Sage X 9 foot 5 Weight Fly Rod Review

Paul

Jul 21, 2019

Special Edition Sage X 9 foot 5 Weight Fly Rod Review

Intro/Specs/Craftsmanship Sage X fly rods are not exactly brand new, having filled the void leftover by the departure of the popular ONE series in 2016. With such big shoes to fill, it appears the X hasn't disappointed Sage fans in the least. Despite these rods being out for around three years now and receiving some serious praise, I had yet to fish one. While reviewing an X had always been in the back of my mind, it wasn't until I received word of a new Special Edition X ser

Paul

Jul 3, 2019

New Fly Rods for 2020 From Sage

Words and photos courtesy of Sage Fly Fishing Trout LL Sage nods to tradition yet improves performance with the introduction of the TROUT LL fly rod family. Through blank taper optimization and specialized length offerings, the TROUT LL is perfected for wade fishing, closer casts, small flies, and light tippets. “KonneticHD technology allows us to design this rod to have a supple tip to maximize tippet protection yet have a smooth, easy-loading mid-section to increase feel an

Paul

Feb 18, 2019

Sage CLICK 0/1/2 Fly Reel Review

Intro/Specs/Craftsmanship There's nothing finer than fishing with a fly rod that feels super lightweight. A rod like this simply amplifies the experience and is a pure joy to fish with. When you do find one of those magical lightweight sticks, pairing it up with a quality featherweight reel is a great way to compliment it. In terms of saving weight, one of the best reel types you can buy is one with a click-pawl drag system. There are no cork or carbon fiber materials here; n

Paul

Jan 7, 2019

Sage DART Fly Rod Review

Intro/Specs/Craftsmanship A healthy amount of the angling done during my teenage years was spent trout fishing with ultralight spinning tackle. Living in the San Francisco Bay Area, I didn't have easy access to beautiful high-country waters, but rather a handful of stocked urban lakes filled with trout that were often pretty dang big! Using mostly 4lb test line on rods as short as 3 feet (not a typo!), I caught an untold number of trout up into the 9lb range—and was really go

Paul

Nov 19, 2018

Sage SPECTRUM C 5/6 Fly Reel Review

Intro/Specs/Craftsmanship At IFTD 2017, Sage launched their SPECTRUM series of reels. With three different models including the MAX, LT, and standard SPECTRUM (reviewed here), these reels offer varied levels of refinement and cover different price points ranging from $249 all the way up to $500. Well, this year Sage has introduced a fourth addition to the family, the SPECTRUM C series, that come in well under $200 for all models. Did Sage cut major corners to achieve such aff

Paul

Oct 29, 2018

Sage IGNITER 5 Weight Fly Rod Review

Intro/Specs/Craftsmanship My Sage METHOD 7-weight has been a trusty companion for several years now. Extremely fast and quite stiff, yes, but it serves a niche purpose when a more powerful presentation is needed. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and when I started seeing METHOD rods going on sale a few months back, I knew the end was near. Thankfully, a popular lineup is usually not just simply discarded permanently, but replaced by something that's typical

Paul

Aug 20, 2018

Sage MOTIVE 12 Weight Fly Rod Review

Intro/Specs/Craftsmanship I don't use 12-weight setups more than maybe a couple times per year (if that), so I tend to shop for rods and reels of this size that are priced more moderately. There's some good choices coming in below what I'd call "premium" pricing, but the Sage MOTIVE seemed especially attractive. Priced well below the top-tier SALT HD fly rods, I picked one up a couple years back–even though I had never even held one before! Earlier this summer, my buddy Dave

Paul

Mar 8, 2018

Sage SPECTRUM 5/6 Fly Reel Review

Intro/Specs/Craftsmanship Comprised of the SPECTRUM, SPECTRUM LT, and the top-tier SPECTRUM MAX, Sage's three new reel families deliver good looks and the promise of high performance. While I would've been happy to review any model, I was especially pleased to receive a 5/6 tester from the standard SPECTRUM series. Why? I've been particularly interested in testing some lower-cost tackle lately, so this reel was a perfect fit being from the most cost-effective series of the th

Paul

Jan 8, 2018

Sage FOUNDATION 5 Weight Fly Rod Review

Intro/Specs/Craftsmanship Fishing with a high-end rod is typically pretty awesome, but I've always felt a different kind of satisfaction from fishing those rods that deliver excellent performance and quality at more affordable prices. First shown off at IFTD 2017, Sage's latest entry into what I'd call the "modest" price point category comes in the form of the new FOUNDATION fly rods. A couple months after the show, Sage was kind enough to ship me a 5-weight FOUNDATION outfit

Paul

Dec 18, 2017

Sage 2250 5/6 Fly Reel Review

Intro/Specs/Craftsmanship Similar to fly rods, fly reels don't have to be expensive to catch fish. There's no denying that fishing with a high-end reel is especially pleasing from both an aesthetic and performance point of view, but in many cases a much more affordable reel will get the job done just fine. In addition, you can't ignore the fact that not everyone has $600+ laying around to blow on an ultra-precision reel. To accommodate fly anglers with varying needs and budge

DEMYSTIFLY

Demystifying the Gear and Art of Fly Fishing