Category: Sage

FTC Disclosure, Sage, Spey casting

A METHOD To The Steelhead Madness

by Lisa RLeave a Comment on A METHOD To The Steelhead Madness

I had the chance to try out the new Sage METHOD 7126-4 spey rod during my last steelhead trip to Idaho.

The color catches your eye immediately  when you first pull the rod out of the bold red and black case. Most fly rods I have seen are a black, brown, green or blue color… The red was a bit of a shock. Pretty bad ass looking, in my opinion.

I had read other fly-fishers reviews of this rod– most of which came to the similar conclusion that the METHOD was “very fast-action”.

 I own the Sage TCX “Deathstar” in the same line and weight of 7126-4, which is a fast-action rod in itself, and is what we both describe as a stout rod that is light-weight and when timed correctly, a skagit or scandi line launches with ease.
I started out by putting a 525 gr skagit line on, with a T-11 sink tip, and I was able to throw out some nice casts even with the wind blowing in my face. The key with these fast-action rods, is timing. If you’re used to a slower or wider stroke, you want to feel like you are tightening everything up with the METHOD, otherwise it will feel like you are trying to cast yarn into a wind gust, or you at least won’t get a precise turnover with your fly. Once you have that sharp, tight casting stroke with the timing right, you’ll notice the METHOD feels like you could launch 150 ft of line no problem. (Not that I was doing that, but the way the line casts out with ease, it makes it feel easy.)
I also cast it with a 550 gr Scandi line with a floating line, and that setup worked even better than the skagit set up for casting dry flies or standard fall flies.I used my favorite Ross CLA-6 reel with it, and that size was perfect for the rod. I also use the same reel on my TCX, as well as my 8wt. DEcho spey rod. (See my other review on the CLA Here.)

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to actually fight a fish on the METHOD during this trip, as the fishing was pretty slow and the rivers not in ideal shape. I would have loved to feel that rod with a bend in if, but hey, it wouldn’t be true steelhead fishing without some torture thrown in there.
In summary, I feel the METHOD Spey rod is one that’s best suited for the intermediate to experienced caster, but if you are able to learn how to spey cast initially with this type of rod, you’ll be able to cast just about anything. It is also a versatile rod that will have you covered for all seasons of steelhead and salmon fishing.
For more info and where to purchase:
FTC Disclosure, Sage

"Sage ONE" Spey Rod Review

by Lisa RLeave a Comment on "Sage ONE" Spey Rod Review

I had the pleasure of casting the Sage ONE 7126-4 spey rod for a week while I was fishing the Olympic Peninsula.

Luckily, I got more than just a few casts in with it:

spey casting/woman fly-fishing/steelhead/swinging flies
 
 
steelhead/flyfishing/women fly-fishing

Needless to say, I was able to give it the best gear test imaginable. 

The Sage ONE Series is excellent for long days of casting heavy lines and weighted flies for winter steelhead.

As described by the company itself: 

Our lightest, most responsive two-handed rods yet.

The new Two-Handed ONE spey rods place all the remarkable benefits of Konnetic technology in both of your hands. Its lighter weight and decidedly thinner profile are welcome assets over a long day of fishing, reducing casting fatigue and minimizing wind resistance for tireless casts. Thanks to the shaft’s significantly enhanced torsional stability, the rod recovers extremely quickly as it moves through the cast, optimizing load carry and line speed for long, smooth, flawless casts every time. The shaft’s decreased lateral movement and vibrations keep you more connected to your line, cast, mends and swing. 

Check it out 

With the 7126-4, I was able to cast tight loops with a Skagit Flight 500 gr. line, 12 ft. of T-14, and large weighted flies, without the normal fatigue that occurs after a full day of “a thousand casts” for these tough winter fish.

Making “off-shoulder”, double-spey, snap-t, under tree limbs or around-a-rock casts– it easily loaded line and when the timing was right, the cast launched superbly. 

The low down on why I would buy this rod in a heart-beat:

  • The sleek design (gotta love that Black Ice color)
  • The capability to easily cast long, heavy lines/winter gear
  • Its light-weight feel and tough handling when fighting a big fish
  • Solid rod tube that isn’t bad to look at in your living room
  • The lifetime warranty Info Here  

Ultimately, would I recommend this rod series to anyone? YES. No question about it. 

See for yourself:

Sage ONE Series

~Lisa