Sage 691-4 Igniter

Reviews

1. Rated 5 out of 5

   This may be the most versatile IGNITER in the series. The IGNITER 691-4 is equally at home wading a flat for bonefish or tossing streamers and sinking lines from the bow of a drift boat. With a Bonefish WF6F, the rod was a pure joy to cast. Like the rest in the series, the loops coming off the tip are immaculate: great feedback with the bonefish line, ultimate control and a surprisingly light touch. This is a top contender for a highly specialized light touch bonefish rod. I threw some heavy-headed streamer lines as well in the 7 and 8 weight line class. The IGNITER 691 did not bat an eye at the heavier lines and seemed to ask for more. The grain weight window for this rod is phenomenal. This adds to the versatility of the rod by allowing the angler to fish a vast array of grain weights, tapers and flies of different sizes and weights. Unlike the rest of the rods in the IGNITER line-up, the 691-4 liked the Rio Gold the least and you needed about 30 feet of line outside of the tip to provide the proper amount of rod load. With that length of Gold out of the tip, the 691-4 was everything you wanted it to be. If you select this rod and opt to fish a floating line for your general trout needs, go with the Perception WF6F. Ideally, the trout niche this rod fills is “streamer rod” with a new Big Nasty Sink tip in the 3D or 4D configuration. The IGNITER 691-4 is very similar to the ONE 691-4 (one of my all-time favorite Sage rods) but with noticeably more tip stability and a preference for a true-to-weight bonefish line. Another exceptionally impressive offering from the Sage team.

   Richard Post (Telluride Angler)

2. Rated 5 out of 5

   I have only used this rod to throw streamers. Days fished 25. It will handle two pretty good-sized streamers. I fish it with SONAR SINK 25 COLD 200 grain. It handles the line and one or two large streamers no problem. This rod has plenty of power, this rod is a cannon. It can handle a four-inch bunny leach with a cone head no problem but not two of those. It can handle two Rio Tractor streamers or one Rio Tractor and one Rio Tractor Trailer, but I don’t think you would want to two Rio Tractor Trailer on the rod. I also own a Scott Sector 906 it is not quite as powerful but almost and has a little sweeter feel to it. The Scott Sector does not have a hook keep on the rod which does annoy me. The Igniter is a great streamer rod better than the Meridian and Sage X 691 six weight rods I have owned in the past. The Igniter is just as powerful as those two rods but lighter and has more feel.
   I am convinced that if you really like to throw streamers you have to have a streamer rod it just makes it more fun, easier on your body and arm. Whenever a friend gets to use one of my streamer rods and has not used one in the past, they marvel at how much better they can cast and how much easier it is. I prefer a 6wt rod because it can handle big 26” plus and still makes catching fish in the 10 to 16 inch rang fish fun. I only like using a 7wt or 8wt rod for streamers if you are only going to throw really big stuff.

   Jack