With anglers looking to 2020 releases on the latest and greatest from gear companies, Sage Fly Fish is throwing three new rod families into the ring.
Available in August 2019, Sage builds out three different aspects of angling to give consumers more options to net fish. Covering everything from your light and airy dry fly rod to new options for speycasting and tough yet nuanced big fish picks, these three new series offer something for everyone.
Here’s the breakdown.
Trout LL ($800)
The Trout LL rod series is designed to give anglers an optimized experience for wade fishing, light tippets, close casts, and small flies. Blank taper optimization and specialized length offerings aim to make this an ideal dry fly rod. The TROUT LL is available from 3- through 6-weights in lengths ranging from 7’9” to 9’. Think backcountry streams, knee-deep summer evenings, and a rod for the kind of water you keep all to yourself.
Trout Spey HD ($900)
In response to the increase of spey technique in the angling world, Sage introduces the Trout Spey HD. Speycasting allows the angler to avoid the back cast and focus on the water ahead. And the design of this rod creates a lighter class of spey rod for the trout enthusiast.
Sage is introducing five models from 10’3″ to 11’3″ and weights from 1 to 4. And soon, enthusiasts of the brand will have new options for covering as much water as possible, in the method they prefer.
Payload ($550)
The Payload family takes a bit of a different direction. Covering the heavier side of fly fishing, this series aims to chuck heavy lines and big flies. The varied rod builds, however, give anglers tough yet forgiving options for taxing situations on the water.
Weights start at 6 and go to 11. Yet, the 10- and 11-weight models each bear specific builds to aid anglers in both casting and retrieval. The 10-weight model features a 3-inch rear grip for figure-eighting. The 11-weight includes a rear grip and extended handle for “baseball bat”-style casting, while also allowing the angler to gain extra leverage when fighting large fish from a boat. And with slightly shorter rod lengths and softer butts, the angler can expect a more fluid casting experience — even in big-fish territory.
