Gorge Fly Shop Blog: Sage Payload Fly Rod Review

Over many years I've had an infatuation with the breed of short, "big fly" fly rods. I enjoy fishing hoppers, poppers, articulated streamers and any other form of bug that pushes boundaries of fly rod definitions, policies and permissions. It may not be pure but it sure is fun!

With the 2020 introduction of the new Sage Payload once again my big fly, warm water, green fish conundrum starts into a new mossy mess swirling inside my skull.

I've fished about every short rod known to man that's come around in the past ten years including Sage Bass Series (both 1 and 2), Redington Predators, Thomas and Thomas Exocett SS, G.Loomis Shorestalker's and even the lesser known St.Croix Mojo's.

All have exceptional qualities and my personal favorites remain in use today. One characteristic not usually mentioned on the individual qualities list is "lightweight in hand."

Late summer 2019 the evening topwater bite is in full on fish rage! Boat equipped with 5 fly rods dedicated to this topwater mayhem. I started one late afternoon with a CK Excalibur cork beetle on my T&T.

Smallmouths were ganged up. Once you found one you found half a dozen. Competition was fierce. After a brief hookup I needed a comeback fly.

I reached for the new Sage Payload Seven Eighty Nine. The lightness of this stick was instantly noticed in hand.

Equipped with a modest Ol' Mr. Wiggly size 2 fly in yellow, Payload and I went to work. Along with light in hand I also found swing weight of this rod to be incredibly light. Wiggly landed right on target with absolute precision. The Konnectic Technology of Payload is clearly gleaming in the feel and function of this rod.

In a trout sipping fashion Wiggly disappeared from the surface. I set hook but line did not come tight. I reached, hauled and picked up the entire 60 foot cast and laid it right back on target with little effort.

Instantly the water swirled and that yellow bug disappeared once again. "Hesitate", my internal voice repeated 10 times in the coming second. Let him get hold on that bug before you set hook on him.

Strip, Tight, Fish on!

Payload showed some grace in handling this fierce, chunky smallie. Great deep bend in the rod with plenty of butt power to move him away from the obstacles.

After a few more fish to hand it was time to tie on some big bugs. Diving Frogs and Surface Seducer's, both need a strong rod not only to drive the fly to target but have pickup power for quick recast.

Once again Payload proved worthy of its name.

Many more bruisers came to hand on this first outing. With the light fading and anticipation of the next surface explosion my camera took a back seat to the action. Dusk fell to dark while I switched senses from eyes to ears listening intently for that next surface disturbance hoping to set hook a predator coming up from the deep.

While motoring to a dark port on gps I glanced back to check once again that I had secured my new found best friend. I look forward to a long relationship and a boatload of memories with my new "beast tamer, big fly" Sage Seven Eighty Nine.
Greg