Sage Spey Rods! Long standing as one of the finest fly rod manufacturers, Sage Fly Rod Co has been at the forefront of the two-handed or spey rod revolution. This comes from not only from their deep roots in the Pacific Northwest but also for their love and devotion to the silver bullet, the Steelhead. In their constant pursuit of steelies, the Sage design team is always in search of better designed spey rods that assist anglers that share their passion, spey casting. Sage has not forgotten where the spey tradition originated nor have they segregated themselves from other species that require special rods and/or casting techniques. In fact Sage manufacturers 5 separate spey rods models. Each of which had the full attention of the Sage design team during development, as if they would develop a fly or spey rod any other way. If you are a beginner or just not sure spey casting is for you, look into the FLi Series. The VT2 spey rods are designed to bridge the gap between the sweet casting Traditional Series and the fast action (European Style) Z-Axis Series. Then for the experts that feel they need for distance there is the TCR Series. Sage has spey rod for all.
Sage has been as committed to performance and innovation as any rod manufacturer in the world. Their dedication to research and development has produced some of the finest fly rods ever conceived. Models like the SP and RPLXi helped put Sage in a class reserved for only the best manufacturers. And many argue models like the XP and SLT have sent more than a few companies scurrying to catch up.
Sage, under the guise of company founder Don Green, has been pushing the envelope with state of the art materials from the moment the company opened it's doors in 1980. Sage was the first company to incorporate the use of IM6 (Graphite II) graphite in their rods. Through out the years Sage's use of graphite evolved, from graphite II and then to graphite III, and finally graphite IV. Today, all their high-end rods contain Graphite IIIe, a blend of both graphite III and IV. To date, graphite IIIe has the highest strength to weight ratio on the market. From the outset, the company's goal has been to create rods that generate high line speeds. As thousands of Sage owners will attest, the design of their rods enables the fisherman to have extraordinary line control. Casting a Sage means placing your fly where you want it, not where you hope it goes.
In 1994 Sage brought in Jerry Siem to take over rod development and design. Siem, a Minnesota native, has been responsible for the development of the SLT and XP. These rods quickly found themselves on rivers, streams, and flats all over the world. They are characterized as exceptional casting rods that allow both the novice and the expert to enjoy them tremendously. With the advent of the TCR in 2003 and now the Xi2 in 2004, Jerry has raised the bar for what is known as "fast action rods". Sage has nine separate rod lines, encompassing the spectrum of applications.
Located on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Sage was once a company composed of less than ten people, and has now grown to over 130 employees. All of the rods in the Sage line are manufactured under the same roof. On average, it takes thirty-five days and over one hundred separate hand steps to produce a single rod. All Sage rods come with an unconditional lifetime warranty.
"As a company with deep roots in the Pacific Northwest, we've been at the forefront of the two-handed revolution since the beginning. Now, with interest in two-handed rods growing around the world, we're proud to offer a wide selection of innovative two-handed fly rods."
"In the old days, it was a pretty simple. In fact, not too long ago, most fly anglers had a single, do-everything rod. It was most likely fiberglass, say a seven-weight, around eight feet long and weighed in at approximately 27 pounds. And that was it. Trout, bass, steelhead, salmon, bonefish . . . you just had to make do with the old workhorse. Fly fishing gained the reputation for being difficult because in those days, well, it was.
Now, nothing could be more different. Along with constantly evolving materials and construction techniques, the graphite age has brought us a dizzying array of lighter, longer and easier-to-cast fly rods. Suddenly, it seems as though there's a fly rod for every species, every condition and every subtle difference in casting style and preference. And believe it or not, this is good news for fly anglers. Why? Simply put, technology and modern design have made fly fishing easier. Much easier.
Of course, with so many choices, choosing the right fly rod has never been more difficult. At Sage, we believe each angler has a specific set of needs--from personal casting style and angling techniques to fish size, fly size and, yes, even your bank account size. The right rod for you is the one that allows you to cast better, fish more effectively and enjoy yourself more. For example, if your natural casting motion tends to be quick and precise, our faster action rods like the TCR or the XP will fit you perfectly. If, on the other hand, you prefer a more relaxed casting stroke, the SLT is the rod for you. We've even created a new series of rods that are specifically designed to make learning to cast easier for everyone.
We also offer rods for special applications to help you make the most of your precious time on the water. Two-handed rods in fast and medium-fast actions, ultra-light high-performance rods, saltwater-specific rods--how do you know which one's right for you? Visit our Web site for more information; then spend a few hours at the fly shop, talk to your dealer and try the rods you're interested in. Then make your decision based on one simple factor: Choose the rod that makes your fishing the most fun.
