Sage TROUT SPEY HD Fly Rod Review

In an industry where Trout Spey is becoming increasingly popular, it makes sense that one of the largest rod manufacturers has created a Trout Spey series that combines contemporary fly rod technology and heightened engineering. Sage's new TROUT SPEY HD rod offers five rod models from 1wt-4wt and from 10' 3" to 11' 3" to cater to every style of two-handed trout angling. The TROUT SPEY HD features a stable tip and smooth power transfer to create a rod that manages current Trout Spey lines effortlessly. The new TROUT SPEY HD replaces Sage's ONE Trout Spey rod models and is sure to turn heads in the Trout Spey sphere.
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Outfit

Sage Trout Spey HD 11' 3wt Fly Rod Sage Spectrum Fly Reel Scientific Anglers Skagit Lite 240gr Airflo Skagit Scout 300gr

Fit & Finish

This rod has a conifer blank color with Dijon primary thread wraps and tan trim wraps. The reel seat has a Vera wood insert and a downlocking component for larger Trout Spey reels. The handle is a full-wells cork handle with composite accent rings and a composite cork fighting butt. The Spey grip is functional and stylish. Sage has also included torzite-style stripping guides to reduce friction and allow the angler to shoot more line on the water. The rod is rounded out by hard-chromed snake guides and tip-top.

Weight

The Trout Spey HD weighs in at 4.44 ounces with a swing weight of 141 gm2. While the swing weight is almost 10 gm2 heavier than the ONE Trout Spey, the rod feels light in hand thanks to the downlocking reel seat. The design of the Trout Spey HD is efficient and reduces the effect of the heavier swing weight on the water.

Distance

This is a really powerful Trout Spey rod. Seriously, this rod is arguably one of the most powerful Trout Spey rods on the market. That being said, not everyone is going to find the distance capabilities of the Trout Spey HD attainable.
We found this rod to be somewhat finicky and overall less forgiving than the ONE. The timing window is definitely smaller and the rod is certainly unforgiving. If you get your timing right you can definitely shoot a bunch of line with the Trout Spey HD but it's not a rod for the novice caster. If you prioritize castability, go with the ONE Trout Spey rod. If you're an experienced angler and have a good feel for timing and are able to make adjustments on the water, this rod is THE best rod on the market.

Accuracy

Similarly, accuracy can be spot on with the Trout Spey HD if you know what you're doing. The rod is listed as fast action and, as such, takes a little getting used to at short distances. The Scientific Anglers Skagit Lite 240gr was a great option at close distances, especially if you're an angler who likes to cast off the tip of the rod. We found this line was a bit light for longer distances but accurate and lively at short distances.
At medium and longer distances, especially if you prefer to load the rod deeper into the middle/butt section, we found the rod to be most accurate with the Skagit Scout 300gr. When we moved up in line size, the rod performed beautifully and gave the angler more versatility. We weren't blowing our anchors as much and felt that this line choice was best for a mix of high performance and castability.
And, finally, as we talked about in the Distance section, the rod was really accurate at longer distances. Although the timing window shrank a bit as distance increased, an experienced Trout Spey angler will find this rod to be beautifully powerful and surgically accurate past 45-feet.

Flex & Feel

The rod's flex is most easily categorized by its fast action design. All this talk about timing windows and castability points to the conclusion that this rod is designed as a tip flex rod. After talking to the folks from Sage at IFTD, they designed it with super power capabilities and a tip flex design intentionally. This rod wasn't designed to flex deep into the butt section at close range like the Winston Boron II TH-MS MicroSpey rod. And the rod is more powerful because of the intenionally designed fast action taper.
That means, however, that the rod doesn't provide a ton of feedback at close and middle distances. The angler really has to be in tune with his/her timing and casting stroke to harness this rod's full performance because the rod doesn't necessarily let you know when you're too quick or too short. That said, the rod's flex and feel at longer distances is impressive especially when coupled with the heavier line from Airflo.

Warranty

Sage's lifetime warranty.

Price

The Trout Spey HD retails for $900.

Conclusion

The TROUT SPEY HD rounds out Sage's new rod offerings for August 2019. This rod is sure to be a top contender in the Trout Spey sphere and we're excited to get our hands on one to provide a more in-depth review. This rod will also be featured in a Trout Spey Shootout on our blog.
Overall, we were very impressed with the new Trout Spey rod from Sage. In fact, for experienced Trout Spey anglers, there isn't a better rod on the market. The rod's ability to make accurate casts at all distances, its power and distance capabilities, and its stellar fit & finish make it an experienced angler's best friend. That said, if you're a novice Trout Spey angler, perhaps the Sage ONE Trout Spey would be a better option.

Pros

Power and Distance Capabilities Accuracy and Fit & Finish

Cons

Unforgiving and Small Timing Window

Questions?

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