Sage 690-4 Trout LL

Reviews

1. Rated 4 out of 5

   The 690-4 Trout LL is a pleasing caster with outstanding loop control. I would fish this rod all day with a dry fly or nymphs under an indicator, but would reach for something stiffer at streamer time. The 690-4 Trout LL does all the little things that an ultra-fast 6-weight doesn’t: line mending, roll casting, tippet protection. I like a faster rod for streamer fishing because a high flex point holds my line above the willows on a long back cast. On the other hand, I could cast this rod 1,000 times without tiring. It does a lot of work for the angler.

   Be a little careful with line choices. Titan Tapers, Streamer Tips and other aggressive WF lines may horse around the tip and mid section more than desired. A Rio Gold, Rio Technical Trout, Rio Perception or SA Trout Taper is a great choice for a floater and a Rio 15′ Sink Tip works great as well.

   John Duncan (Telluride Angler)

2. Rated 4 out of 5

   The Trout LL 690-4 is the workhorse of the Trout LL lineup and should be a strong consideration for float fisherman and guides fishing Chubbies with a dropper. This rod has easy power and throws a very predictable and parallel loop that isn’t too tight to tail or too open into the wind. The lower end of the rod is easily accessible to the caster and provides instant feedback regarding rod load. At 30 feet the rod is uncompromising, and the casts fall right where you’re looking. When you need to reach out further, do so with confidence and watch the rod drive the dead level loop with confident ease. This is the rod in the Trout LL lineup that a heavy-handed caster can step on without folding the rod and the best rod in the lineup for those that like to fish a slightly more exaggerated weight forward fly line. The Rio Gold and the SA Trout were both excellent on this rod and I’d have a hard time choosing between the two. The action of this rod falls somewhere in between the X 690 and the MOD 690. Not as fast and powerful as the X, and slightly more refined and polished than the MOD, the Trout LL 690 is a perfect all-around trout rod for anglers fishing larger western rivers with big dry flies or dry dropper rigs.

   Richard Post

3. Rated 4 out of 5

   The 690 Trout LL is a very fun rod. Like many other people out there, I absolutely loved the 690 MOD, it was powerful and smooth. The new LL is slightly more powerful, smoother casting, and most importantly, much lighter in hand. This is an incredibly stable rod considering it’s slightly slower than a lot of the premier 6wt rods on the market these days. I found it very easy to manipulate loop shape in close and at distance. One of my favorite things about slower 6wt rods is how easy it is to feel them load, the new LL allowed for stellar feel and great touch. All in all, this would make for a great slower action 6 for anyone that is like me and prefers the action of a dry fly rod vs a nymphing rod. I cast this with both the Rio Gold and the Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth. Both lines were great, however I tend to prefer the slightly more gradual taper of the Trout vs the Gold.

   Parker Thompson (Telluride Angler)

4. Rated 5 out of 5

   In the spirit of full disclosure, I do own this fly rod and love it. As much as I liked casting it on the lawn, getting it on the water was the real treat. Since I already owned a fast action 6 wt, I wanted a rod that was a bit slower. This fit the bill and has been super fun on bigger water and where wind becomes a factor. Ideal for dry/dropper situations where your dry tends to be a bigger, foamy critter. Works great for nymph rigs as well. The action makes for super smooth roll casting and mending. I’m not averse to throwing streamers with this rod as well. Maybe not the triple articulated variety, but your average sized streamer will do just fine. I’ve fished both the Rio Gold and the SA Amplitude Smooth Trout on this rod and both perform quite well. I tend to favor the SA Trout for most situations, but I may toss the reel with the Gold on for streamer fishing. This is just a great all around 6 wt for those trying to get away from those ultra fast models. A 6 wt. with feel is how I’d describe it.

   Jason Moshonas (Telluride Angler)