Sage

The Sage Dart Hits A Bullseye

October 6, 2018 by Leigh Leave a Comment

I’m always excited to see a package on the doorstep with a return address from Sage and RIO. It usually has some of the latest products inside and an offer to test them.

I was pleasantly surprised to open this box and find a new Sage Dart 3wt rod, Sage Click reel and RIO Creek fly line. Ever since I saw the Dart I’ve been wanting to give it a try, and the timing couldn’t be better.

I live in New England. The recent rains have pushed some of the larger rivers to relatively high water levels, and small streams have been looking more attractive.

The Sage Dart is a great choice for small streams. I am testing the 3-piece 7’6″ 3wt.

If you’ve read any of my prior reviews, you know that I typically test the product outside the intended use. This review is no exception. While I used it for small stream trout, it was also tested on my local bass pond.

To complement the Dart, I received a Sage Click reel along with RIO Creek line, which is specifically made for small streams. Sage reels are always light and dependable, and I’ve been using RIO lines for some time.

The first day of testing began on the Farmington River. Almost immediately I caught a juvenile smallmouth on a nymph. It was good to feel a fish on the line, but the winds picked up and I wanted to use this rod for what it was intended for – dry flies and small streams. We packed up and I started thinking about where to go next.

Five minutes from my house is a small stream that runs thru town. It is stocked lightly in the spring, but by late summer holds few remaining trout and it is mostly dominated by panfish. It was a longshot, but turned out to be the right decision.

I tied on a small caddis dry and started catching panfish. Nothing of size, but it gave me the opportunity to cast to different targets. I’m pleasantly surprised by the distance and accuracy you get from the 7’6″ 3wt Dart. For such a light rod, it shot much more line than I expected. The RIO Creek line delivered the fly softly to the surface and did not spook the other fish.

On one cast I had an interested follower that looked like it might be a trout, but it quickly turned away.

I dropped down to a size 2o midge, and this brown appeared. As is typical, he refused the fly 3 times before turning and crushing it on the surface.

The second outing I took the Dart to a local bass pond.

It was a beautiful fall day and I decided to tie on a size 10 baby complex twist bugger from Fly Fish Food.

I cast from the dock into the glassy water. Within minutes I had this perch on the line.

Followed by this juvenile largemouth bass.

Even though the Dart is a 3wt, it provided enough backbone to cast a size 10 streamer 60 ft, and pull in this bass with no issue. Again, I really like the smoothness and distance of cast with the RIO line.

What I like about this combo:

Casting is effortless – it is a very light rod and I was happily surprised by the distance you can get with the Dart
The Click reel felt like it was made for this combo, smooth and light
RIO Creek small stream line was perfect for small streams – loaded well at close range but has enough body for casts beyond 50 feet

The bottom line: If you’re a small stream enthusiast, give the Sage Dart a test. It is an excellent dry fly rod, and worked well with small nymphs and streamers.

If you’d like to check out other review on these products, see below:

Sage Dart Fly Rod Review

HATCH Magazine Review

Link to the RIO Creek line video.

Note: I received a Sage Dart rod, Sage Click reel and RIO Creek line to test, but no compensation for this review. The opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Enjoy!

Backbone Media’s Spring 2014 Showroom in NYC

October 9, 2013 by Leigh Leave a Comment

Last week I was lucky enough to be invited to Backbone Media’s 2014 showroom event in NYC. It was a great chance to check out the latest gear from Redington, Sage and other industry-leading outdoor brands. Backbone Media also organized a group of speakers to present insights into the latest trends and developments in the active lifestyle market.

Some of the new Sage Rod and Reel offerings.

I was impressed with the way that the market is expanding. In addition to advances in technology, there were new product offerings for women and youth as well.

Some of the new Redington Waders. The pair on the right is a new offering for women.

If you’re interested in learning more, here are some recent announcements:

From Redington:

Siren wading boots and waders for women: https://pitch.pe/1aSELXL

Wading boots for men, women and youth: https://pitch.pe/14Y0uHH

Super Dry waders with Cocona© treated interior fabric: https://new.pitchengine.com/pitches/a50c9a49-9e03-4f60-894f-026f52db0636

Dually switch and spey rod: https://pitch.pe/10SZCFf

Vapen fly rod: https://pitch.pe/13dd5pr

Butter Stick fiberglass fly rod: https://pitch.pe/13di6ON

And from Sage:

METHOD fly rod with Konnetic technology: https://pitch.pe/11ibld4

EVOKE large arbor reel: https://pitch.pe/11icD81

MOTIVE saltwater fly rod: https://pitch.pe/11ie0nl

3200/2200 large arbor fly reels: https://pitch.pe/11ifJca

Ballistic Rod Tubes: https://pitch.pe/12pZWwX

One last thing – Although I was not allowed to take pictures, there is a major lifestyle retailer entering the flyfishing market with some interesting and innovative gear and apparel offerings. More to come later. Enjoy!

Product Review: Sage CIRCA Rod and Click III Reel on a Trout Stream

June 21, 2013 by Leigh 1 Comment

For the past few weeks I’ve had the Sage CIRCA 379-4 fly rod, Sage Click III fly reel and RIO Trout LT WF3F line sitting in my closet waiting to be used on a trout stream. Due to the heavy amount of rain that we’ve received, the rivers have been too blown out for any small stream trout fishing.

My only test of this combo was on a local pond filled with bass and bream. To see my review of that trip, click here. It did a fine job, but to really give it a fair test it needed to be used on a trout stream.

Luckily, the water levels returned to normal, so I took the rig to the Pootatuck River. The Pootatuck has both stocked and wild trout. It fishes like a small stream – well canopied, 20′ to 30′ wide and water less than knee height. It has small pockets and runs – perfect for a 3wt. I chose a section between two high canyon walls with cool temps and plenty of moving water.

My first attempts with a caddis dry were met by eager fingerlings, but none could manage to take the fly. Moving upstream to a nice run below a waterfall yielded this feisty brown.

The Sage CIRCA performed as expected, once again delivering the promised slower action without sacrificing accuracy. I was limited on the ability to backcast, but had no problem getting line out. When a trout did bend the rod, there was no question of its ability to hold the fish.

Twice I had a 12″ rainbow on the line. Unfortunately he broke off on the first try and escaped just short of being landed the second time, a risk you take when going barbless. Even with a fish of this size, the rod bent fully without feeling stiff or weak.

Since I didn’t have a lot of room to strip line, I brought the brown in on the reel. The Click III reel was smooth while retrieving line and did not hesitate or vibrate when I decided to let the brown run before bringing him in.

I also had a better chance to evaluate the RIO Trout LT WF3F line. It is easy to work with on stillwater and also impressive on a small stream. The long front taper allows for the softer presentation needed for dries, and the line is supple enough to mend and form in small areas.

I still think the best part of this combo is how light and responsive it is. And as I said in my earlier post, although they probably had trout in mind when they designed the CIRCA rod, it is an excellent for bream as well.

If you’re looking for a rod, reel and line for small stream trout (and some panfish) the Sage CIRCA fly rod, Click III reel and RIO trout LT line will not disappoint. Enjoy!

Note: I receive no compensation for these reviews.

A Trout Rod for Bream

June 12, 2013 by Leigh 2 Comments

After two days of solid rain, and more to come, most of the rivers in the area blown out. The USGS gauge height charts look like rocket trajectories, not yet returning to earth. I decided that this was no reason to let a perfectly good rod and reel sit idly in the closet, so I loaded the Sage Circa rod and Click III reel in the truck and took them to the local pond for some casting practice and light bream action.

By 7 pm, the air was just below 70 degrees with a light breeze to keep the mosquitoes at bay. The sun had fallen behind the trees, but offered enough light for sight casting. Best of all, fish were rising as I walked over the hill and down the dirt path to the pond.

I strung up quickly and tied on a small green popper with rubber legs. It was the only fly I needed for the rest of the evening.

Started casting from the bank, moving progressively towards the center of the pond. Almost every cast delivered a bream. These were not juveniles. Most were larger than my hand, with deep post-spawn colors. Landed well over a dozen in the 90-minute trip.

The rod and reel performed solidly. The Sage Circa rod delivers the promised slower action, but does not sacrifice accuracy, distance or presentation. I was able to easily reach fish 40′ or more from the bank and also execute a roll cast when surrounded by brush. At times I had to cast underneath low hanging branches, with not much opportunity for a backcast.

I used a small popper, but given that the surface of the pond was like glass, it was important that the presentation be noticed but light enough not to spook the fish. The Circa delivered. The large bream put a nice bend in the rod, but I never doubted its ability to bring them in.

The Click III reel is also a key component. It has the look of a large arbor but offers excellent balance for the rod, with a 3 and 1/4″ spool, and weighing only 2 and 1/2 oz. The retrieve is smooth and the few times that I played the fish from the reel, it had no problems. Can’t wait to try it out on a brown or a rainbow.

That said, what I like best is that the rod and reel combo is so light and responsive. It really took little effort to load and deliver line. I think Sage has developed a fine product. And although they probably had trout in mind for marketing purposes, it is an excellent bream rod as well.

I’m hoping that the rains will hold off long enough to allow some Father’s Day trout action. Hope you’re able to get out as well. Enjoy!

Please note: I receive no compensation for these reviews.

Product Review: Sage and Rio – 3wt Fun

June 8, 2013 by Leigh 3 Comments

For the next few weeks I’ll be testing the new Sage Circa 379-4, a 7′ 9″ 3wt. It’s paired with a Sage Click III fly reel and Rio Trout LT WF3F line. A nice combo which should be good for some small stream and farm pond action.

I’ll be using it for trout, bass and whatever else I can find. Based on a lawn casting session earlier today, it is light and responsive. Let’s see how it does with a strong tug on the other end of the line.

Look for more posts featuring this set up. Enjoy!