Sage Arrow Intro and Reviews
Lineage and concept | Model-by-model reviews
Article and reviews by John Duncan
As time rolls on, Sage smartly repurposes technology. The side talk on Sage Arrow is that the rods are built with Konnetic HD graphite, the same material package as the famous Sage X series. While the materials do give these rods a modern, high value feel, the tapers are unique, not borrowed. A rod maker can’t simply sell yesterday’s $1,000 fly rod for $725, but as Peter Knox continues to sharpen his trade, he enhances the quality and value proposition of every rod in the Sage lineup.
Sage Arrows are such convincing fly rods. They cast, feel and look like a Sage. They are built to last with durable, user-friendly components and blanks designed not to break. They are medium fast to fast in action, about a 7 out of 10 in stiffness, impressive casters that are ideal for a wide range of techniques. These are high percentage rods that cast all of our favorite fly lines magnificently and will exceed the expectations of almost any angler.
A Sage Arrow delivers what every angler needs: confidence.
Model-by-model reviews
Arrow 376-4
Well, we begin with one of the only rods in the series that I don’t like. The Arrow 376-4 is light and playful, but bouncy and inaccurate. It feels like the tip and butt section are parts of two different fly rods that disagree with each other. The best move is to fish this rod with a Rio Creek fly line, which has a really heavy head and will turn the Arrow 376-4 into a slower action rod, but one that casts confidently off the butt section rather than awkwardly off the tip. Admittedly, this is a creek specialty rod and at distances under 20 feet casting prowess matters less.
Arrow 486-4
One of the finest rods in the series, the Arrow 486-4 feels like the fabulous X 486-4, but perhaps even sweeter. It has a slightly heavier tip than that famous rod, but the effect on the action is divine. Light, lively and still fine in the tip, the Arrow 486-4 has a truly optimal flex profile for its length and line weight. I cast it with a Rio Gold XP, which was awesome, but I could tell that it would throw a Rio Gold or SA Trout GP with equal ease. It’s a perfect dry fly rod with plenty of control for light and moderate dry-dropper rigs, with the point fly up to about a size #10. It will fish leaders up to 14 feet but really excels on small and mid-sized rivers with a bushy dry fly on a 10’ leader.
Arrow 490-4
The Arrow 490-4 is an excellent rod for fishing delicate dry flies. Fish this rod with a heavy-ish line such as the Rio Elite Gold XP to load it deeply for smooth casting. I noticed some tip bounce on short casts, but on 40’ shots with most of the line head out, it grooves nicely. The light tip on this rod makes me hesitant to recommend it for nymphing, but the Arrow 490-4 would make a nice dry fly rod for tailwaters, spring creeks and other scenarios that require mid-to-long casts and potentially leaders of 10’-14’ in length. This rod will excel in protecting delicate tippets and generally feels like it is designed for precise techniques, small flies and gentle waters.
Arrow 590-4
Sage really nailed the flagship model. The Arrow 590-4 is outstanding in all techniques, casting distances, feel and adaptability. The flex profile is progressive and intuitive. Everyone will cast this rod well on the first try because it does exactly what is supposed to do and commutes refined feedback to the palm of your hand. It feels solid and dependable from tip to butt. It will fish any nymph rig or light streamer with confidence yet feels touchy and precise with a dry fly. I cast it with a Rio Gold XP, which tapped an addictive springy feel in the blank, but I could tell that it would fish great with any standard weight forward line, including the Rio Gold, SA Infinity or SA Trout GP.
Arrow 596-4 FB
A superb fly rod and clear descendent of the X 597-4, the Arrow 596-4 is one of the best rods in the series, as the 597 was in the X series. Sage just makes terrific 9 ½ foot fly rods. Most plus-length trout rods have a distinct flex point, loading to a hinge on every cast, regardless of distance or power. That’s because it’s a unique design challenge to build a long rod (or a really short rod) with a progressive taper. Sage consistently rises to the task with its 9’6” rods and this one is outstanding. It swings light enough to fish small dry flies at great distance yet responds to a powerful casting stroke resiliently. Roll casting and line mending capability is next level.
This is an incredible rod for nymphing big rivers, whether heavy water or glassy, because you can throw a stack mend across several seam lines, piling precise loops of slack just upstream or downstream from your strike indicator. Most 9 ½’ trout rods are tiring to fish all day, but not this one because it does so much work for the angler. Fish it with a Rio Gold XP or SA Infinity taper to bring the very best qualities out of this outstanding fishing tool.
Arrow 5100-4 FB
As much as I like the Arrow 596-4, I have reservations about the 10’ 5-weight. It will probably catch every fish in the river, but doesn’t feel as refined, stable and balanced as the other long 5 and 6-weights in this series. It’s perfectly capable for high stick nymphing and fishing slow sinking lines on stillwaters, but I would personally choose the Arrow 596-4, 696-4 FB or 6100-4 FB for my personal quiver. Fish this rod with a long headed line, such as the Rio Technical Trout or Scientific Anglers Infinity taper for best results.
Arrow 690-4
When casting this rod, I feel a powerful tip driving the line head, leaders and flies. This is a terrific all-purpose 6-weight with plenty of power for streamers and large nymphs. It’s great with a hopper, stonefly, terrestrial or any dry-dropper rig, too. I would describe the casting as “automatic, yet adaptable.” The Arrow 690-4 radiates line speed, power and control. The Rio Gold XP is an ideal match, but the SA Infinity would be my choice for dry flies or longer casts (like salmonfly fishing in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison). It will handle any common sink tip, too, including the SA Titan lines and Rio Predator, although for those who like to fish the Rio Outbound, I would step up to the ultra-fast action Power R8.
Arrow 690-4 FB
Built on the same blank as the regular Arrow 690-4, this model is equipped with an anodized aluminum reel seat and small fighting butt for saltwater use. Freshwater anglers and guides find value in the fighting butt, too, because it props the fly reel above the sand when leaned upright against a driftboat, vehicle or tree.
My comments on the casting and fishing qualities mirror the regular Arrow 690-4: When casting this rod, I feel a powerful tip driving the line head, leaders and flies. This is a terrific all-purpose 6-weight with plenty of power for streamers and large nymphs. It’s great with a hopper, stonefly, terrestrial or any dry-dropper rig, too. I would describe the casting as “automatic, yet adaptable.” The Arrow 690-4 FB radiates line speed, power and control. The Rio Gold XP is an ideal match, but the SA Infinity would be my choice for dry flies or longer casts (like salmonfly fishing in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison). It will handle any common sink tip, too, including the SA Titan lines and Rio Predator, although for those who like to fish the Rio Outbound, I would step up to the ultra-fast action Power R8.
Arrow 696-4 FB
I love this rod right alongside the 596-4. Many 9 ½’ 6-weights are stiff, heavy and hard to fish all day. Not this one. The Arrow 696-4 FB has an ideal action for its purpose: fast but not stiff, powerful but not heavy. It loads deeply and recovers with an impressive snap, a rod that really engages the line and casts it with an optimized sense of connection and efficiency. I generally fish long-headed lines on rods over 9’ in length. My first choice for this rod would be the SA Infinity, followed closely by the Rio Gold Max. It’s terrific with a sink tip and versatile enough for streamer lines, too, especially the Rio Predator series which has exceptionally smooth transitions in its taper. The number one purpose for this rod will be big water nymphing. Surgical with the roll cast and mend, this is your rod for fishing tandem stonefly nymphs on the Gunnison and other heavy western rivers.
Arrow 6100-4 FB
I prefer this rod to the Arrow 5100-4. It has superior balance and feel, along with a more progressive action that casts well both short and long. For me a 10’ 6-weight is a lot of rod for trout fishing, but this model has important applications both at the heavy end of the trout spectrum and light end of steelheading. It is superb with a sinking line, the extra length offering a material advantage for lifting sunk lines to start the next cast. Single handed steelheaders, whether swinging or nymphing, will enjoy the outstanding mending, reaching and fly steering ability of the 10’ rod, too, not to mention roll casting when wading deep water. I cast this rod with a Rio Gold XP, which it handled confidently, but an SA Infinity taper would be my first choice for a floating line.
Arrow 790-4
I cast this rod with a couple of really fun lines: the Rio Warmwater Predator and Rio Elite Bonefish, both of which it handled beautifully. There are lighter 7-weights on the market, but in the mid-price bracket, I can think of no other rod that more perfectly embodies the ideal for a freshwater/saltwater crossover #7. This will be a go-to rod for Alaska and Kamchatka, heavy trout streamers in the Lower 48 and Patagonia, carp, bonefish, redfish and every bass that swims.
Arrow 796-4
The Arrow 796-4 feels like the fastest action rod in the series. We’re glad Sage erred on the side of stiffness, because with that action comes a light, crisp power, the feeling of efficiency and command. This is an excellent choice for single handed steelhead or bass from a canoe or skiff, where the extra length helps a sitting angler. It will be terrific with full sink and sink tip lines, whether for trout, salmon or steelhead. Fish this rod with any 7-weight line – it can cast them all – from the Rio Gold to the SA Anadro, SA Infinity or any sinking line you can imagine. The Arrow 796-4 will be a dominating rod for the whole trout and small salmon spectrum in Alaska.
Arrow 7100-4
This is an excellent single handed steelhead rod with a traditional medium-fast action, so it performs all of the desired techniques equally, including overhead casting, roll casting, line mending and single handed Spey casting. It’s a heavier rod than the Power R8 7100-4, but that’s expected in a rod that flexes deeper and does more work at short and medium distance. This rod will meet or exceed the expectations of steelhead anglers. Sage nailed the taper. Most mid-priced 10’ fly rods have a distinct hinge in the flex profile, but the Arrow 7100-4 is progressive and smooth, springy and full of life for every technique on the water. Fish it with a long-bellied swinging line like the SA Infinity WF7 or a nymphing line such as the SA Anadro or Rio Gold Max. It casts all of these lines very well. The Arrow 7100-4 has plenty of backbone for lifting sink tips, too, and its even-flexing action casts these denser lines with blazing line speed.
Arrow 890-4
Like the Arrow 790-4, the Arrow 890-4 offers plenty of power for the flats without being too stiff for fishing nymphs and sinking lines in Alaska. This is a really useful and well made fly rod, a perfect all-purpose 8-weight that makes the transition from fresh to salt seamlessly. It’s easy to cast, progressive, smooth, solid and strong. While not as light as a Sage Salt R8, it throws with easy bottom end power, a rod that feels lighter on the water than in the parking lot. The Arrow 890-4 casts a Rio Elite Bonefish and Rio Elite Gold XP with equal ease. It is not line sensitive in the least, a rod that travels well and comes out of the tube ready to fish, no matter where you are and what you are trying to catch.