I'm a little bit rock n roll
I'm a little bit Memphis & Nashville
With a little bit of motown in my soul
I don't know it's good or bad
Donnie and Marie Osmond
Yep, sometimes life is a dichotomy of preferences. Occasionally you want a farm to table culinary masterpiece of elements put together like a swiss watch, or sometimes you just want a big greasy burger. Our sports gear reflects the same bipolar attitude, on beautiful mountain days after a fresh dump of powder, you need your fat waisted skis that float like milk foam on top of a latte or when we have concrete, you need your skis that turn with the slightest bit of pressure change. I was thinking of the same split minded thinking when asked to compare the Sage One to the new Method series. Bottom line, which one is better?
The Sage Method 9119-4 or 9 weight, 11 foot 9 inch, 4 piece is definitely the rock n roll, head banger of the two. The Method series replaces the TCX series whose most famous member was the 7126-4 or the “Death Star”. The TCX was a fantastic series of rods. However, the TCX was an unforgiving blank that when you hit it right went for miles, but be off a little bit with your timing and you would be rethinking if you ever really knew how to cast. The Method series remains an extremely fast and powerful rod that throws loops so tight they almost break the laws of physics yet having a more forgiving nature. I had a chance to try out this rod in Alaska swinging for kings and in Russia, swinging for Atlantic salmon. It matches well with
shooting heads in the mid 500 range both Skagit and Scandi. The Ross CLA #6 or the new Sage Evoke 7/8 balanced the rod well which weighs less than half a pound. But the Sage Evoke blaze reel seems destined to be paired with the dark red Method blank. Though this series seems to be more forgiving, the Method is definitely not a rod for beginners. In the right hands, it’s the perfect rod for windy conditions or when throwing what amounts to an entire chicken on the end of a hook. I love fishing and fighting fish on these short spey rods but they do have less leverage when pulling a heavy fly out of deep water.
Going back to the original question of which is better Sage One or Sage Method. I love both but they have an entirely different feel. The Sage One is like a smooth George Jone ballad that’s easy on the ears. Whereas, the Sage Method leans towards Metallica or AC/DC. One isn’t necessarily better than the other
but they both appeal to different halves of our psyche. The Sage One is much more forgiving with a nice gradual progression of flexion through the blank, “easy like Sunday morning”. The Method will lay out line so fast that you’ll have to adjust the drag on your reel. The contrasts in rods is likely the reason why very few spey fisherman only own one rod. Guarantee this fall, on many a day, you can call me Method Man.
shooting heads in the mid 500 range both Skagit and Scandi. The Ross CLA #6 or the new Sage Evoke 7/8 balanced the rod well which weighs less than half a pound. But the Sage Evoke blaze reel seems destined to be paired with the dark red Method blank. Though this series seems to be more forgiving, the Method is definitely not a rod for beginners. In the right hands, it’s the perfect rod for windy conditions or when throwing what amounts to an entire chicken on the end of a hook. I love fishing and fighting fish on these short spey rods but they do have less leverage when pulling a heavy fly out of deep water.
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| Sage One Spey |
but they both appeal to different halves of our psyche. The Sage One is much more forgiving with a nice gradual progression of flexion through the blank, “easy like Sunday morning”. The Method will lay out line so fast that you’ll have to adjust the drag on your reel. The contrasts in rods is likely the reason why very few spey fisherman only own one rod. Guarantee this fall, on many a day, you can call me Method Man.
Charlie Chambers
Gorge Fly Shop Contributor
"Fly Fish the World with Us"
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