sage fly rod reviews

Sage has long been known for building fast-action fly rods with broad versatility and power. But with the release of the Classic R8, they’ve added a thoughtful chapter to their ongoing exploration of moderate-action, dry fly-focused tapers. This series represents a refinement of Sage’s more presentation-oriented offerings – rods built for anglers who value touch, loop control, and a slower, more deliberate casting rhythm. Across the lineup, the Classic R8 rods flex deeper and offer more feedback than the Trout LL, with a slightly quicker recovery than the Circa. While the series is clearly designed with dry fly purists in mind, each model has its own strengths, quirks, and ideal use cases. In this review, we break down each rod individually to help you understand where it shines, which lines pair best, and how it stacks up against its siblings in the lineup.

Sage has re-worked their flagship series, the Sage ONE, into a more moderate action, caster-friendly rod, the Sage X. Sage designed the X for the every-man trout angler. The X is a departure from the Sage norm of fast-action rods and caters to a wider audience than rods like the Sage Igniter or the Sage ONE. The Sage X two-handed series, or the Spey series, follows the design of the one-handed Sage X rods with some significant departures. Read on to find out how the Sage X Spey Series provides industry-leading power and castability.

When Sage changes their flagship rod, it’s a big deal in the fly fishing industry. Sage is one of the largest and most innovative rod makers, so everyone is really excited to see what Jerry is going to come up with next. And then of course there are the haters, like my fishing buddy, who, when I mentioned that I had a new Sage X fly rod said, “Meh, it looks like a dressed up Sage ONE.” I can tell you unequivocally that it’s not another Sage ONE. Read on to see what this rod’s all about.

Next up in our 2016 Sage Fly Rod review series is perhaps the rod that’s gotten the most attention: The Sage MOD. The MOD is billed as fly fishing’s version of a 7-Iron – a rod that works great for short-to-middle distances. For critics of the ONE, this might be the rod they have been waiting for – a Sage trout rod that works well in close. Read on to find out if this is the rod for you.