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Sage rod

6/1/2008 4:09:58 PM

packfancjh

44 posts

Sage rod
(N/A)

Has anyone tried the new bass rods from Sage? I'm looking at picking one up in a couple weeks but was looking for some feedback first.

tight lines!

6/13/2008 8:44:09 AM

TheFlyMaster

530 posts

www.mnflyfishing.com

Re: Sage rod
(United States)

Like any high end rod, please go to a good fly shop that will let you test drive one. If possible in real world conditions like fishing from a boat, canoe or float. I haven't tried the Sage, but have tried test casting the Scott bass rods. Just like the Sage, it's coming just under 8' at 7' 11 inches. Legal for major bass tournaments. It's definately a short game rod. Made for flicking into and around cover, just like bass guys do with their bait casters. So if like fly fishing under overhanging trees, docks, shallow water structure, this rod would definetaly work.

These rods remind me of the short 5-6 foot trout rods guys use for brushy, small stream fishing. With the goal of not having a long swing arc and a lot better accuracy in small tight places. Now with these warmwater rods, you have some muscle to pull the fish out of the cover.

I almost pulled the trigger on a Scott 8wt, but not quite sure yet. I'm going to take out a buddy of mine that just bought one and give a good test run. I've been running this around my head for a long time, but can't think of a huge advantage over a standard 9' rod. But like anything, it all depends on how you fish and where you do most of your fishing. If I fished from a belly boat, pontoon, or even a canoe and fishing bank structure (trees, docks, etc) most of the time, I might look into getting one. But at $600 plus, it's hard for me to justify when I fish out of a powered boat.

If you do get one, let us know how it works for you.

Captain Ouitdee Carson - Arrowhead Fly Angler
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6/14/2008 6:23:06 PM

packfancjh

44 posts

Re: Sage rod
(N/A)

That's the nice thing about the Sage rod, it's only $350.00 and includes a fly line.

tight lines!

8/24/2008 11:36:48 AM

foo foo

6 posts

Re: Sage rod
(United States)

Did either of you guys, or anyone else for that matter, end up buying the Sage Bass rod or the Scott Warmwater series? Over the summer I have been out on the Cannon a few times for smallies and I could definitely see the advantage to using a shorter and more accurate rod but how would they handle bigger water like the St. Croix, Mississippi or lake fishing? I suppose the answer would be to have two rods of differing lengths to cover the range of bass fishing but if your budget doesn't allow it how versital can these shorter rods be? I haven't tried any of the shorter warmwater specific rods on the market right now but my interest had been peaked after my last trip to the Cannon. After doing some research I found that a lot of midwest flyrodders who target bass prefer shorter rods and are usually using glass blanks. Most of these folks are siting small streams and rivers as their usuall haunts but there hasn't been much discussion on lake fishing for bass or what the ideal length really ought to be for general bass fishing. Some of Tim Holschlag's articles suggest you go longer than 9' and overline your rod, presumably to make better short casts. Any opinions from the forum. Later, Matt

8/27/2008 3:41:15 PM

TheFlyMaster

530 posts

www.mnflyfishing.com

Re: Sage rod
(United States) Modified By TheFlyMaster on 8/27/2008 4:42:27 PM)

I think it has to do alot with the type of water you fish. The shorter the rod, the more line you'll have out, for very short quick accurate cast. If your in a boat floating down a river where you'll be doing a lot of quick short casts, then I say a shorter would work better. You can always move the boat closer to the area your trying to fish. If your trying to poke your fly under brush and overhanging trees, then definately a short rod working close would work great (it's the same concept as fishing small bush/tree lined trout streams, shorter is better). I don't take my clients to anything that technical or do I try fishing areas like that. There are much easier areas to fish where I'm at. I personally use all 9 foot rods. I got my Scott S4 and my Winston BIIMX. The Winston is my goto rod for throwing big subsurface flies using sink tip line. The Scott S4 works great for floating line and top water flies. But they are both interchangeble. The Winston has a little bit more kick when the wind picks up.

The smallest smallmouth water I fish is the Cloquet River up by neck of the woods. 9 foot rods works great to cover more water, especially when you cant really negotiate your boat to the other side of the river. 9' foot rods would work better for wading IMO, as well when your in a kayak, float boat or sitting down in general. I use my G3 which is got a high platform for casting. Standing up and having a 9' rod makes casting all day much easier, plus you can see what your casting too.

I did try the Scott WW series 8wt. I did it while in my G3 fishing for largemouth. The lake had docks and shoreline structure. The rod worked great for fishing close to docks. I could do the same thing with my 9 footer, just had to adjust my cast slightly. As for shoreline structure, the 9' was just easier to push line out.

I use my fly rods during our local bass club tourney's and do well. We don't follow the pro rules, which is no rods longer then 8', thats why the new WW rods are 7'11", just under the legal cap. It would benefit bass tournament anglers to have one on their boat, just in case a more life like fly is the ticket to win. I've done it more then once on my local tournaments for smallmouth. My flies were kicking arse, when the usual plastics and hardware weren't doing squat.

To me the short bass rods are just too specific of a need. Unless you just want one to have one, then I would just get a 9'...you'll be happier in the long run.

8/28/2008 1:19:00 AM

foo foo

6 posts

Re: Sage rod
(N/A)

Thanks for the insight FlyMaster. I'm pretty comfortable with a 9' rod and my accuracy continues to improve with practice, the only issue I have on these small streams is getting tangles on my backcast. If I practiced my roll cast more I suppose that would solve most of my problems. I don't know if it's the extra weight of the larger bass flys or just my lack of skill but my accuracy suffers quite a bit when roll casting.

I watched a video on YouTube about the advantage the Sage Bass rods give in delivering an underhand cast to gently lay the fly on the water but I'm not sure that is really an issue. When I fish for bass with conventional tackle the big splash from a cast never seems to bother the fish, in fact it seems to provoke a strike at times. Any thoughts on presenting flys for bass?

I think what's really at issue is that I just want a new rod to play with. Anyway, thanks for the help. Later, Matt

9/3/2008 12:03:12 PM

TheFlyMaster

530 posts

www.mnflyfishing.com

Re: Sage rod
(United States)

I fish mainly for smallmouth and largies. I've usually never worry about how soft my fly is landing, were talking bass flies, not trout sipping flies. There have a few times where a nice gently laid down fly would do the trick (shallow water highly spooked fish) or when you can sight fish. Plopping a fly right on the fish could startle and spook a fish. But most of my cast are blind cast when fishing for largies and I'm going for the aggressive fish. For inactive fish, then a gently laid down fly might be appropriate. So I guess it depends....let the fish tell you what they want. I have no problem getting a fly to gently land with my 9 footer. But at shorter distances, a 8 footer would probably make it easier though.

When you got the fly fishing bug, it never stops at one rod :)

One good thing about the shorter rod is that it will fit in most rod locker storage areas in a boat :)

Tight lines and give us an update if you do get one.

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