Sage has been a leader in the fly fishing industry for a number of years, and for good reason - they're at the leading edge of fly rod & reel technology and design. They didn't disappoint this year with their unveiling of innovative new products either, with a full line of new reels, as well as a new entry level rod and a fantastic new rod designed to handle the rigors of saltwater fly fishing!
Sage Foundation
The first rod in the new lineup is the new Sage Foundation, which redefines the term 'entry-level'. While this might be the lease expensive rod that Sage offers, don't let that fool you into thinking this is a sub par rod - this is a serious fishing tool that happens to come in at a fantastic price! The Foundation is a fast-action fly rod that's designed to be able to fish in a wide variety of conditions and be a versatile rod that can fish dry flies, streamers, and indicator rigs with ease. While this is a fast action rod, it has enough 'give' in the upper section to be friendly to a beginning fly caster. The responsive action of the Sage Foundation allows you to make the cast you need with the power in the middle and bottom sections, even if the wind isn't in your favor and you need to punch it five extra feet to get to a rising fish. This rod is built with quality components, and features a comfortable snub-nosed cork grip and a stealthy black finish. This definitely isn't your average starter fly rod, but it's boasts a price that's competitive with most other entry-level fly rods. If you're looking for a fantastic fly rod at a great value, look no further than the Sage Foundation!
Sage Salt HD Saltwater Fly Rod
Saltwater fly fishing is demanding stuff, and good equipment can make the difference between making the cast and catching the fish, or falling ten feet short. The new Sage Salt HD piggybacks off of the success of the Sage X and it's KonneticHD technology, and it's taking saltwater fly rods to the next level. Saltwater fishing can be incredibly diverse, which means that you have to have a variety of models to cover every situation. The Salt HD comes in a full range of line weights, from a little 6 weight that's right at home fishing smaller bonefish to a monster 16 weight that will tame the biggest, baddest fish around. The Salt HD is a very fast action rod that's designed to make quick, accurate casts in the short window of opportunity that you get with fast moving saltwater fish species. Each rod in the lineup is built for a purpose, and is designed to excel in the windy conditions that are prevalent in the salt. The lighter line weight rods feature a full wells cork handle and fighting butt, and the heavier 13-16 weight rods feature a longer front handle with an extended fighting butt for increased leverage. If you're serious about taking your saltwater fishing to the next level, the Sage Salt HD will take you there.
Sage Spectrum Fly Reels
Sage has changed things up a bit for their reel offerings this year with the new Spectrum series of fly reels. Coming in three models, a full range of sizes, and four colors, there's a reel for every situation and personal preference!
The
Spectrum Max is designed for saltwater and big game applications, and is built to withstand the toughest conditions out there. The new one-turn drag system has 20 numbered spots, and 40 detents that you can adjust the drag to. This new system keeps the tension the same, and will make your reel's drag more reliable, accurate, and long lived. The Spectrum Max comes in sizes from 5/6 through 11/12, and is available in Silver, Stealth, Cobalt, and Squid Ink colors.
The
Spectrum LT is designed to be ultra light, and is a fantastic reel for trout applications as well as light two handed applications. The reel has more porting and machinework than the Max, which makes it lighter and a better match for trout-weight fly rods. The large arbor allows for fast line pickup as well. The Spectrum LT features the same one-turn drag system as the Max, which makes for an ultra reliable drag that protects light tippets. The LT comes in size from 3/4 through 9/10, and is offered in Silver, Stealth, Lime, and Black Spruce.
The
Spectrum reel series is the workhorse of the Spectrum family. These are versatile reels that feature a larger hub size that gives the reel more stability, as well as keeping the large arbor for increased line pickup. Offered in a range of sizes from 3/4 through 9/10, there's a Spectrum reel for nearly every application. Comes in Platinum, Black, Lime, and Blaze.
The new lineup from Sage this year promises to be a great one, with a wide variety of options and price ranges. We'll have all of the new products in the shop in the coming week, so come down and check them out!
Ryan
