Sage 790-4 Igniter

Reviews

1. Rated 5 out of 5

   If you’re looking for a 9-foot 7-weight and not considering a Sage rod, you are making a mistake. Sage’s latest 790s are so, so good and the IGNITER 790 is no exception. I cast the rod with a Rio Flats Pro WF7F and it was just too good. Effortless distance, dead to rights accuracy, all encompassing control and flat out confident in the hand. I probably spent less time with this rod than any of the other IGNITERs for the simple reason that there was no warm up time required. From the first cast, the IGNITER 790-4 felt just right and the rod left me completely impressed. This is a serious tool for the expert light saltwater angler and, bottom line, you cannot miss with a Sage 790-4 right now.

   Richard Post (Telluride Angler)

2. Rated 5 out of 5

   It’s taken me a while to work up the courage to write a review with such great casters/reviews already, but I can’t help myself when it comes to this rod! I am a streamer junkie. This rod was built for that purpose; at least in my very streamer-centric view of the world. Here is way. First, I fish streamers the same way bass anglers fish crankbaits, with lots of animation from the tip of the rod. The rod is unique for that purpose (Galloup’s rod blanks have a faster tip), but because it has so much back bone with the softer tip, the rod still does so much work for me, especially when jerk-stripping something with a deceiver-type tail, such as a Peral Necklace, Mini Kill Whitey. Even a Boogie Man, Peanut Envy or Barely Legal make me do a double take watching the fly back to the boat or bank. Second, this rod is the ultimate sink tip lifter. No other rod that I own or have used, picks up 250 grain line like the Igniter. From the font (or especially back) of a drift boat in the Fall on the Madison or Colorado, it is amazing how easy it is to bring a articulated streamer back to the boat, pick up my excess line and make a short roll cast (in one motion) to then load the road and fire the water logged fly to the bank. It is an absolute Howitzer! I would not be able to do this with any of my other rods, singularly because of the ability to lift the line out of the water.

   I will admit, I was very cautious to get this rod at first, but it is like driving a sports car. Once you spend some time with it, you learn how to clutch and shift, and it feels transcendent! I also own the 6 wt with fighting butt, and it is a little more fussy, but shares the same duty for smaller and medium sized streamers. If you spend some time with this rod, and find it’s timing window, it is an absolute machine. When this rod closes out some day, I don’t care how good the new generation is, I am getting another one!!

   Greg N