# What new Sage 7wt?



## RJTaylor (Oct 4, 2017)

Looking for a new 7wt, and have been out of the game long enough to be confused. I'm looking for a rod that will favor a very aggressive casting stroke, to be used throwing long casts, on open sand flats. 90% will be from the bow, with the other 10% wading. I'll most likely be spooled up with Rio bonefish, as I have a few spools sitting in the closet.


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## Pierson (Mar 16, 2016)

What is your budget? Sage is making great fast action rods from $450-$950


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## RJTaylor (Oct 4, 2017)

No set budget, but lets say in the middle range of their high end rods. Is there anything that compares to the old TCR? I had the 6 and 9wt, and really liked both of them.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

RJTaylor said:


> No set budget, but lets say in the middle range of their high end rods. Is there anything that compares to the old TCR? I had the 6 and 9wt, and really liked both of them.


I know the TCR's very well and they are a gem to throw and fish. I have a 6wt TCR.

I would say the closest thing to a TCR from recent to current Sage models are the Sage One series, which you can find in that "mid" price range in the higher line of rods. They were recently discontinued. There is some good close-out deals on them on ebay currently.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sage-One-4...hash=item56a36bc7bd:m:mKB8U37xu0Z1TQWX2duCtag

Ted


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## 994 (Apr 14, 2008)

Occasional wading? Open flats? 9'6" One. There's actually one on eBay right now.


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

Sage One or the new Salt HD. Can't go wrong with an Xi3 or Salt either. I have or have fished all of them but the new HD.


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## lsunoe (Dec 5, 2016)

I have the new HD in 10wt and it's a sweet stick, but it is a meat stick. Not sure if I'd want it for anything lower than a 10wt.


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## Rick hambric (Jun 24, 2017)

Method 7 is the only sage I really like.


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## RJTaylor (Oct 4, 2017)

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I'll see what the local shop will let me try out, or hit up my buddy on the guide program, after hunting season.


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

lsunoe said:


> I have the new HD in 10wt and it's a sweet stick, but it is a meat stick. Not sure if I'd want it for anything lower than a 10wt.


Don't be too quick on that assumption. 10 wts are generally, across all brands, where their rods start to get beefier. A 7wt may well feel like an entirely different animal. Maybe not too but just because a 10 feels like a meat stick doesn't mean a 7 will at all.


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## Caleb.Esparza (Jan 31, 2016)

Hardy Zephrus is the best 7wt  in all seriousness I'm not a sage guy buy any stretch of the word, but I'm very partial to my Salt 5wt and every Sage One I've ever thrown felt like a gem.


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## Rick hambric (Jun 24, 2017)

Or you can try a Thomas and Thomas Exocett 7wt. Incredible sticks. Also they flow very well both rio and sa bonefish


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

ifsteve said:


> Don't be too quick on that assumption. 10 wts are generally, across all brands, where their rods start to get beefier. A 7wt may well feel like an entirely different animal. Maybe not too but just because a 10 feels like a meat stick doesn't mean a 7 will at all.



Case in point the sage salt 8 wt vs 7 wt. The 7 is an amazing lively little rod, while the 8 felt like a dead broom stick in my hands. I won't ever discard an entire line of rods based on feel due to my experience with one line weight.


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## crboggs (Mar 30, 2015)

Caleb.Esparza said:


> Hardy Zephrus is the best 7wt  in all seriousness I'm not a sage guy buy any stretch of the word, but I'm very partial to my Salt 5wt and every Sage One I've ever thrown felt like a gem.


Got a chance to fish a 6wt Zephrus once...was very excited to cast it...ended up hating it.

But I'd give a 7wt Zephrus a chance. Could feel completely different.


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## jamie (Jan 22, 2016)

sage method 7 wt is my favorite rod in the quiver its a spectacular flats rod. Great for texas reds and bones in belize oh yeah it's also a fantastic streamer rod for chasing big bull trout... perfectly balanced with a hatch fanatic 5+


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

jamie said:


> sage method 7 wt is my favorite rod in the quiver its a spectacular flats rod. Great for texas reds and bones in belize oh yeah it's also a fantastic streamer rod for chasing big bull trout... perfectly balanced with a hatch fanatic 5+


RJ, like Jamie mentioned, the Method is at the top of Sage's extra fast rod rack and with that comes a bright and shiny price tag. It's the actual line of rods that is about 2 gens past the TCR and are lighter and faster with each gen. With that, it tends to be less forgiving, so your casting needs to be spot-on. The One is in the XP/Xi line of rods, but several gens past those. The One tends to be a little more forgiving but is slightly heavier on the swing than the Method. But oddly enough, the One tends to flow about the same as the TCR, except it has a slight edge with rod butt power. The Methods tend to lean more towards a finesse rod when fighting fish.

That's just my take on it.


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## grass bass (Aug 29, 2017)

In the 8's, the Salt HD is a beefier rod than the Method. Casting them side by side on the grass, you feel this right off. On the water, less so. I recently spent a weekend fishing them both, tho with very different lines, an SA Sonar Titan Intermediate on the Salt HD and a SA Sonar Titan Int/3/5 on the Method. Very similar rods. The way I'm going to fish them -- aggressive stroke, lotta bombing -- they'll basically be interchangeable. 

I do have several of Methods 6 and up, but not the 7. I'll probably go for the Salt HD there, to pair with an Xi3. If only because the uplocking nuts are absolutely a joy to use. Seriously.


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## RJTaylor (Oct 4, 2017)

Backwater said:


> RJ, like Jamie mentioned, the Method is at the top of Sage's extra fast rod rack and with that comes a bright and shiny price tag. It's the actual line of rods that is about 2 gens past the TCR and are lighter and faster with each gen. With that, it tends to be less forgiving, so your casting needs to be spot-on. The One is in the XP/Xi line of rods, but several gens past those. The One tends to be a little more forgiving but is slightly heavier on the swing than the Method. But oddly enough, the One tends to flow about the same as the TCR, except it has a slight edge with rod butt power. The Methods tend to lean more towards a finesse rod when fighting fish.
> 
> That's just my take on it.


I guess the Method is what I'm looking for then.

Thanks again.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

grass bass said:


> In the 8's, the Salt HD is a beefier rod than the Method. Casting them side by side on the grass, you feel this right off. On the water, less so. I recently spent a weekend fishing them both, tho with very different lines, an SA Sonar Titan Intermediate on the Salt HD and a SA Sonar Titan Int/3/5 on the Method. Very similar rods. The way I'm going to fish them -- aggressive stroke, lotta bombing -- they'll basically be interchangeable.
> 
> I do have several of Methods 6 and up, but not the 7. I'll probably go for the Salt HD there, to pair with an Xi3. If only because the uplocking nuts are absolutely a joy to use. Seriously.


Yeah I never mentioned the Salt or the Salt HD (big improvement over the Salt), since they are not in the same genre of rods, it term of action and feel, according to what he's use to in the TCR rods he once had, which the gen progression when from a TCR, then the TCX (another nice extra fast action) and then the Method. The Salt line was just a different animal that came out of the RPLXi line of rods (beefier butt section for lifting, slightly softer tip section for quick loading and throwing big bugs).

Also, one thing to note, the Salt HD will handle that Sonar Titan Intermediate line way better than a Method. I'd just stick with nice floaters with the Method, including the SA Mastery series Expert Distance (the Method loves that line for sure), the SA Mastery Saltwater, Redfish or Bonefish (or course, there's the new SA Amplitude... Big $$) , the Cortland Liquid Crystal Flats taper or of course the Wulff BTT. 

RJ, take note! 

Btw Grass Bass, welcome to the Fly Fishing forum of microskiff and we appreciate your input!


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## jamie (Jan 22, 2016)

agreed on the salt being a totally different animal then the method. Haven't cast the salt HD.
I owned a 6wt salt, one and method at the same time. Salt is long gone couldn't keep up with the other 2. Love the one for a heavy trout rod but the method just cranks on the flats. I often cary both the 6&7 on the skiff - 6 for light weight flies and 7 when I'm throwing something chunkier. in August i sub the 6 for an 8 meridian to play the fish faster. But you've got to cast them yourself and your milage may vary. I love the salt 9 wt but never enjoyed the 8 and 6 was just ok.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

jamie said:


> agreed on the salt being a totally different animal then the method. Haven't cast the salt HD.
> I owned a 6wt salt, one and method at the same time. Salt is long gone couldn't keep up with the other 2. Love the one for a heavy trout rod but the method just cranks on the flats. I often cary both the 6&7 on the skiff - 6 for light weight flies and 7 when I'm throwing something chunkier. in August i sub the 6 for an 8 meridian to play the fish faster. But you've got to cast them yourself and your milage may vary. I love the salt 9 wt but never enjoyed the 8 and 6 was just ok.


I tried the Salt HD against the Salt. The HD was lighter and faster in the lighter rods. I'm with you on the Salts in a 9 or 10wt, but didn't like the feel of the lighter Salts (buggy whipish).


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