Another Sage? Tune in as Jared teaches you the steps to tie the Hollow Fleye Squid with tips, techniques, and advice for tying this Hollow Fleye-style Squid pattern. The lower a rod’s swing weight, the easier it is to cast and the more balanced it feels in hand. Best Overall: Sage Spectrum Fly Fishing Reel Buy from Amazon Buy from Backcountry.com The Sage Spectrum Fly Fishing Reel is available in a range of sizes to suit 3/4-weight to 9/10-weight line. If you're wondering why our line recommendations look different than the manufacturer line recommendations, read our article on Skagit vs Scandi Grain Weight here. The drag on the Sage is not as strong as on the Hardy but it is plenty strong enough. The Hydrogen has a lot to offer any angler and, at an insanely affordable price, won the ‘Best Buy’ award in the shootout. For this category, we were focused not just on how the rods cast a Scandi line, but specifically how they performed the Single Spey and the snake roll casts, which we believe are the most relevant casts for a floating line. Solid smoothness and reliable feedback provide the angler with the best all-around Trout Spey experience the industry has to offer. Home > Reels > Sage Spey Reel : Alternative Views: Our Price: $ 475.00. While loads of research has been done on Trout Spey since 2014, the design of the Boron III TH-MS was clearly ahead of its time. Classic aesthetics with modern performance. If your after that big sale (closeouts) on fly fishing gear from brands like Sage, Simms, Winston, Abel, Loomis, Lamson, Bauer, Echo, Redington, Rio, SA and more, then you are on the right page. I fish a 210 scandi on my 3wt Hydrogen. Thanks for the info, but I am a little surprised, i have some rods a hydrogen wt2, the winston microspey in 4wt, guideline in Europe weight 6/7 that is like the 4wt of winston, and you gave a very heavy loading in scandi. For the Design, Fit and Finish category we considered everything from guides, cork quality, reel seat design, and rod blank technology. Beyond that, however, the reel also has a large arbor for high retrieval rates, an SCS drag system for fish-stopping power, and user-friendly ergonomics. Try the Fenwick Aetos switch 5/6 with a 300 grain SA Skagit Lite and MOW lite tip. Whatever else was asked of them, they delivered. Paired with a 12-foot 6-inch 7 weight (7126-4) Sage IGNITER Spey rod, the combo looked killer on the water and naturally felt perfect in hand and suited my casting style. The 2210 I had spooled up and paired with a 9 weight battled several permit through long, feverish backing runs. We spend a lot of time testing gear and writing shootouts to give you all of the tools to make your next trip a success. Therefore, we felt that it was an important measurement to include in the shootout. How is it different from the ONE? Easy. I get more distance with a Sage One 4 wt. Well done. Disclosure: Sage is in a professional relationship with The Venturing Angler. Bottom Line: The now discontinued Sage ONE Trout Spey represented (in our opinion) the best all-around Trout Spey on the market. Get email updates and stay connected to The Venturing Angler! Like all anglers, time on the water is valued and often infrequent, and for many, getting to steelhead and salmon water requires some travel. We’ve come to expect nothing less from Thomas & Thomas. These are actual pictures of every rod laid on top of each other for as accurate a deflection board as we've ever seen or produced. The ONE single-handed series from Sage was arguably too fast, but the ONE Trout Spey settles into a more manageable fast-action design. The DNA lost points in the weight rankings and Skagit rankings. This is important as time and efficiency are everything for a steelheader. We couldn't get an accurate representation of each rod by tracing them on a whiteboard so we enlisted the help of our photographer and changed the way captured the flex of each rod. My first full cage solution was recommended to me by Pat Weiss. It was a walking and wading weekend, and the Spey reel quickly picks up (and lets out) line and made me more … In this category, we rewarded rods that had extra power and solid accuracy when cast at longer distances. MB Evoke Reels are great for Spey fishing and have enough stopping power for both steelhead and Chinooks. The rod's shorter length means it's a great rod for wet flies and shorter casts. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. Thanks for taking the time to read this! Like an Alfa Spider, Greys faded out of the mainstream and into the fond memory of enthusiasts. It also features full line guards to assure thin running lines do not migrate between the spool and frame during dynamic casting motions. The rod's softer mid-section and increased length made the IMX-Pro both forgiving and powerful, a rare combo. The 2200 and 3200 series, both of which are based on Sage's very popular (and more expensive) 4200 series, handled whatever tasks were thrown at them. The Boron III TH-MS, released in 2014, is the oldest rod in the shootout. Sage and the other big names make amazing single handers, which is their specialty, but I feel as if they lack in the two hand department. I've got most of a Fall season chasing chrome on my Abel Spey reel, so I thought a review was warranted. But reels of six ounces or more are usually too heavy to balance out a trout-sized fly rod or to be comfortable casters. If you're looking for a Scandi rod, this certainly isn't it, but most of the rods in the shootout aren't either. Put simply, it’s more specialized. There are two size options — 6-8, 7-9 — and the price of these reels is $475 and $500. The Sage SPEY reel is available now in Bronze and Stealth/Silver colors. This wasn’t our favorite rod in the group, but it held its own against rods with a much higher price tag. For a reel we were sent a Evoke 10, large enough to handle line weights 9-10, or Spey lines. Distance is an important measurement in Trout Spey, especially when fishing some of the larger western rivers where longer casts are required. I tried a 330 grain scandi lite on it and it was way too heavy. For an in-depth look at which tips were used and what we liked about them, check out our separate article on Trout Spey Lines and Tips. If you’re looking to outfit your small stream or large stream trout rod with a reel, the Sage Trout is a stellar option for the beginner and experienced angler … The Skagit at 250 is really on the heavy side and it flops out quite rapidly and indelicately with the lightest of touches even with a light floating tip. Since the time of the test coincided with prime steelhead season we requested a 7116-4 Spey Rod. Regards. My angel got me the Sage HD 3 wt as a present (yes, I am spoiled beyond belief by Gorgeous). The deflection board was a bit of a struggle with these longer rods (some up to 12’ in length). We tested a variety of Scandi Lines, Skagit Lines, and tips during this shootout. 2020 marks the return of Greys to the United States. Thank you for all of your blogs. We spend a lot of time testing gear and writing shootouts to give you all of the tools to make your next trip a success. Bottom Line:  The Hydrogen puts up top-notch performance, particularly when partnered with a Skagit setup, at an affordable price. If you’re throwing bulky rigs or heavy-ish lines, the Pulse is a great option, but we're sure there are 4wts out there that will serve you better. Scandi (10 Points) – Scandi is the second most popular style of Spey casting. Classic aesthetics with modern performance. The large (and wide) arbor made it easy to pick up and move. If you haven’t watched our Trout Spey and Spey videos on YouTube featuring expert Spey caster Tom Larimer, they're worth watching, especially if you’re still confused about Spey. And don’t forget the aesthetics of the gear that is unique and important to Spey anglers. Recognizing these factors, Sage stepped up this year with the new Sage SPEY reel. The TROUT introduces a reel designed for the angler looking for a reel that addresses the nuances of Spey fishing. But what about two-handed casting for trout? Trident Fly Fishing is a full service fly shop. Sage’s new Trout Spey HD truly represents the benefits and advancements found within Sage’s Konnetic HD technology. These rods are versatile, caster-friendly, forgiving, and affordable. While some regard a trout reel as no more than a line-holder, such a perspective undermines the reality of what many anglers need in gear. Like an Apple product it inspires through simplicity. Trout Spey allows anglers to cover more water, minimize backcasting room, and reduce fatigue during long days on the water. Discover Sage's legendary performance fly rods. The Pulse has simple componentry and a classic cork handle for improved comfort on the water. Heavier to better balance longer rods and increased capacity to hold larger Spey lines, the SPEY features full line guards to assure thin running lines do not migrate between the spool and frame during dynamic casting motions. Spey casting allows the angler to utilize two hands to cast a fly line without an overhead backcast. The Hydrogen is high performing but is also accommodating which makes it a great rod choice for novice Trout Spey anglers. Trout Spey has recently gained popularity in contemporary fly fishing. To learn more about the Sage SPEY reel, please click here. Oh, and to make things even more tricky, productive time on the water is dependent on a range of factors from water levels to the timing of fish migrations. The Hydrogen is listed for a Scandi grain window of 200-225 but you suggest a 300 SA Scandi Lite. Earlier this year we were given the opportunity to test Sage’s new Method fly rod and Evoke reel. While it boasted the lightest swing weight in the test, the Dually, unfortunately, had the worst overall casting performance. This reel was added to my quiver out of a desire to go a little retro with a classic click-and-pawl reel. Namely, they are MUCH shorter. 300 for the Scandi? We also tested every rod with Scandi lines but found the group collectively performed worse with Scandi setups overall. And they need to be to load shorter, softer rods efficiently. This rod is without a doubt the nicest short, snappy rod in the shootout with plenty of power and the best overall Skagit performance rating. Sage’s SPEY reels are heavier with minimal porting to balance longer rods and has an increased capacity to accommodate larger lines thanks to the concave large arbor. If you’re looking for the best Scandi rod in the shootout, this is it. And beyond its looks, the SPEY reel has reliable Sage performance that anglers can count on when they finally hook into chrome. Explore Sage's performance fly fishing reels. Gear Review: Sage Mod Spey Two-Handed Rod. The IMX-Pro is the longest rod in the shootout at nearly 12 feet. At the Golden Gate Angling & Casting Club in San Francisco, many-a-steelheader passes the time casting hour after hour and day after day until the fall rains come in and the steelhead arrive shortly after. Of course, it's built in the USA and designed by some of the best in the business. Because it's a longer rod, we found it was a better Scandi rod than Skagit rod. The Demon got edged by the ONE and Trout Spey HD because it was one of the worst when partnered with a Scandi setup. The Hydrogen fell in the middle of the pack in terms of length, swing weight, action, and performance. The Winston is my honey. Sage is a juggernaut in contemporary fly fishing, so the fact that the ONE Trout Spey AND the new Trout Spey HD ended up at the top of the pack in the shootout is no surprise. The steelheaders in these parts count the days like an archery elk hunter waiting for September. Bottom Line:  Spend an extra $100 and get the much better Redington Hydrogen. Solid smoothness and reliable feedback provide the angler with the best all-around Trout Spey … The large (and wide) arbor made it easy to pick up and move. I find them helpful. Distance (10 Points) – Distance is pretty self-explanatory. That being said, the rod is well-balanced and really caster-friendly. The ONE single-handed series from Sage was arguably too fast, but the ONE Trout Spey settles into a more manageable fast-action design. After choosing the right Skagit setup, each rod’s strengths and weaknesses became apparent when casting on the river. I now use the Hardy Fortuna which is an unbelievable tool. ....did you manage to sell off all your old stock of Sage One without having to discount that old stock, by giving it first position.? This 12’ 6” 7-Weight Spey is a great general purpose Spey rod. Another contributing factor to the ONE's top finish was its versatility on the water: this rod received one of the highest Skagit rankings and a solid Scandi ranking which, when combined with its solid Fit & Finish and Swing Weight score, propelled it to the top of the pack. Our Price: $285.00 . Better the second time around. Redington Hydrogen 11' 3" 3wt Trout Spey Rod, G. Loomis IMX-Pro 11' 11" 3wt Short Spey Rod, Orvis Clearwater 11' 4" 3wt Trout Spey Rod, Redington Dually 10' 6" 3wt Trout Spey Rod, Thomas & Thomas DNA 11' 6" 3wt Trout Spey Rod, Winston Boron III TH-MS 10' 6" 3wt Micro Spey Rod, Extremely versatile with top performance where it counts, Affordable price-point means the Hydrogen is the 'Best Buy', Solidly middle-of-the-pack in every category, Lightweight design with solid componentry at a great price-point, Versatile rod with decent performance in most categories, Lightest swing weight and cheapest price in the shootout, Didn’t perform particularly well in any performance-based category, Plenty of power and solid performance at distance, A well-designed rod with a great fit and finish, Solid performance at long distances and plenty of power, Heavy swing weight and sub-par Skagit performance, One of the best Scandi rods in the shootout. Sage is already the top of the line when it comes to fly fishing reels, so it’s acceptable to think of the top of the range reel from Sage as the crème de la crème of fly reels. I reach for it first and can't suppress a smile while fishing it every chance I get. Low overall rod weight is important when casting all day, especially in Trout Spey, but the rod’s balance point is also really important. In terms of mid-priced rods in the shootout, this is one of the most powerful. The 4113 was one of our favorite premium rods that we demoed. The Sage SPEY reel did in fact look and fish great. How heavy does a rod feel when it’s in motion? The higher density composite results in a rod that is lighter, more sensitive, and more responsive than the One. Sage rods have received an extraordinary amount of praise over the years for a range of reasons. The Rod. Trident Fly Fishing is a full-service fly shop. No surprise, it’s a Sage. For those of us who have been at this long enough, you'll remember when Greys left us some 6 (or so) years ago to become a European only brand. Tons of research continues to be done on Trout Spey lines because of Trout Spey’s recent rise in popularity, and we found that the Scandi side of things is still in need of improvement. If you’re looking for a forgiving rod, check out the Echo. Nicely done, Sage. Review: Sage IGNITER fly rod. This fly is intricately tied with a variety of techniques that are easy to learn and fun to use in a variety of other streamer patterns. If it had finished a little higher in the swing weight and Scandi categories this rod would've won the shootout. Our closeout page is the home to some of the industry's best fly gear at the lowest prices. Are you sure you didn’t have the 4? But how does it cast? Among the rods that have have created the greatest amount of fanfare, it has often been the fast action rods that generate the biggest buzz. However, because these rods and lines are, largely, not designed for Scandi casting, we awarded fewer points to the Scandi category than we did to the Skagit category. Like many places, in California, the “off-season” can be brutal. The SPEY introduces a reel designed for the angler looking for a reel that addresses the nuances of Spey fishing. Classic aesthetics with modern performance. Drawing inspiration from the historic Sage 500 series reels, the Modern Classics collection introduces reels designed for the angler longing for a nod to the past. George Cook explains the features of this reel after using one on a fishing trip for King Salmon in Alaska. Spey is popular on larger western rivers for Steelhead and on classic Atlantic Salmon rivers in eastern Canada. What weight of tip (length and grains) was added to the Skagit lines for the Skagit casting tests? 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