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3. Sage rods...old and new

Anyone have any thoughts on the Sage rods through the years? I had a nice talk with a guy who raves about the older models like the generation II and III rods. Were they just a little slower? I have casted a couple of the newer models, like the ONE and the TCR, the super fast versions of modern plastic. How do you guys feel about the new "trick" rods of today? CJ

I have two Sage Lightline series rods. One is a 9' #4 2 piece factory rod and the other is a 8' 9" #3 blank that I built with a blackened nickel silver cap & ring with a rosewood spacer. Both rods are lovely and yes slower than today's rods. I have not fished either in over ten years but have been offered almost twice, per rod, that they cost new. I keep saying I'll use one of the other but just never do. Here is a pic of the 9' #4.

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I own three of the older model Sages...All wrapped by a fishing friend of mine. He put two RPL's together for me as "Montana Rods" prior to a trip there in 1995.

One is an 8' 4wt RPL, and the other is a 9' 5wt RPL...Rocket launchers! The 5wt has my name hidden on the blank and to see it you need to turn the rod to the right light...:) He said he did it so I wouldn't ever sell it.

He sold me a 9' 5wt LL or Light Line series that probably has been fished by me the most of any rod I own. It has power when needed and finesse...He sold it to me years back, after building it for himself, for the cost of the blanks etc...I paid $200 for it...It is a great "boat" rod and great feel to it for nymphing...

I have meant to try the newer rods but haven't gotten around to it. A couple years back I purchased a Winston 9' 4wt BIIIx, one of only two rods I own that are shop bought...Can't count the two I've won. :)

Back in 1991 my friend built me a 8.6' IMX Loomis that I still own...I need to break it back out this upcoming season.

Spence

Thanks guys, that's the kind of hands on stuff I am looking for. The newest rods I see for sale always seem to be geared towards "fast" and "long casting" which to me is fine, but I prefer a little less than fast. Whenever I am trying rods, even at shops where I know the guys, I always am reminded of a car lot. You have the pushy salesman telling you what you want to hear, how this model is the newest and best, and how could you ever fish with anything else!

Thanks again for the input, CJ

Well, I have a few Sage LL's a couple 4's and a 3. I had an extra tip built for my 8'6" LL I'll never sell it. Or any of them. The only Sage rod that comes close to the LL's in my opinion is the ZXL which for some reason they discontinued. I like that rod a lot I have it in a 9' #4. I have sp's,SPL's, XP, and Z-axis rods as well and they all have their place. The XP is a cannon, the z axis is nice and can dump an entire line as well and they are my bigger water rods, but I like the slower rods for most of the fishing I do around here. The SPL is too wimpy (like the new circa rods) and the SP is kind of a middle of the road, somewhat slower than the XP and makes a nice wet fly rod for bigger water. The ZXL comes close but in my opinion those LL's are simply wonderful rods for east coast dry fly fishing and yet have enough in them to throw a streamer when you want. Just look on eBay and see the prices they are fetching. You would think Sage would take notice...
Here's a Cumberland Valley Spring Creek brown with my 8'6" #4 LL. They may have to pry that rod out of my cold dead hands. :)

By the way Matt and Spence if you ever want to sell those LL's let me know ;)

Eric...Somehow it don't seem right, a waste of a good fishing tool, but Matt and I may be buried with those rods...:)

My friend that wrapped mine...Even he wants his rod back...Every time he and I have been on the water and I am fishing it, he asks to cast it, and shakes his head..."What was I thinking?"

Spence

I should also say that the newer Sage One rod is even a tad bit stiffer than the z-axis and is nice but certainly not a forgiving rod, and they took it a step further with the TCX which is a super fast rod, which I suppose has its place, but on the small-stream dominated north east, its an expert caster's far away windy day, big fly rod. I have not cast the Method, VXP, Approach or the Response. If you want to get into the saltwater rods let me know. I have opinions on those as well. ;)

I've left both, in my will, to a younger fly fisher who has the skill to fully enjoy those rods.

Nice! I was joking about selling them to me. Believe me I know what those rods can do. I wouldn't ever sell mine

I might of sold them to you. I never use either one of them. Don't know why, I guess it is because I have so many Gatti rods, I do like the ability to snap the water off of the line and fly and put the fly back down with one false cast. I'm not one to be false casting repeatedly. I should use the 8' 9" #3 more often in the summer by my cabin when the Tricos are out and about.

Beautiful fish! Has to be at least 22", maybe 23".

Thanks uncle Matt! :)

Spence

He said younger ;)

Yeah, Thanks Matt, I fished for that fish for two years. I would occasionally get him to look at a fly but never eat. Until one day...I caught this brook trout the same day

Wow, Eric! Beautifully colored brookie, and fat too! Quite the day of fishing. You had to be overwhelmed with a sense of accomplishment after catching a fish you fished for 2 years to catch.

Hi Eric,

Just an absolutely gorgeous brookie. While the brown is nice and big I catch them with some regularity wheras the brookie would be the fish of a lifetime for me. The brookie is about 14"? Were those fish caught in a certain stream somewhat south west of Carlisle?

yes. The brook trout was a little over 15". My biggest from there is 18.5". I have not seen a fish like that there in a few years.

Yeh I was pretty excited. As a side note I also caught 4 rainbows over 20" that day. But that part is not that uncommon.

That's impressive, the fact that 4 rainbows over 20" isn't uncommon, that you caught a huge brown on that day as well, and a 15" brookie, plus the fact that you have caught an 18.5" brookie. We lack wild rainbow populations in my area, but have tons of browns and brookies. Why do you think the size structure is so good on this stream? Is that standard on the streams you fish? Our spring creeks are very productive as well, but fish over 20" are not common on any streams. Is it the milder winters?