Sage Largemouth Bass rod and line? Looking for opinions. I know this is mostly a trout forum, but where I live, ya gotta be flexible and do the warm water thing. I am wondering how they cast for one? And, what weight reel you need for that special line? Thanks for helping out with a warm water question!
I doubt anyone is going to give you a hard time for asking about the bass rod but you do know there is a warm water forum here? Don’t you? http://flyanglersonline.com/bb/forumdisplay.php?f=20
I cast one at the local fishing show and it was a blast. Keep in mind that the largemouth is like an 11 wt. I plan on getting one for a pike / musky rod. You can cast huge flies with way less effort, I didn’t get to try it in the wind.
-Jeff
I have a Largemouth rod that I use not only for big flies but for flies that weigh up to about 1/10 oz. I haven’t tried anything heavier but I think it will handle a bit more weight than that. I can’t throw them very far, about 40 ft. is my limit, but I think a more skilled caster could. I like the option of using very heavy flies that will allow me to get deeper, faster that I could otherwise.
As Kerry said…and you might keep in mind that at least IMHO about 75% of the time when folks are opining they are talking warm water…no matter what the forum…as a trout fisherman I need to keep that in mind.
Guys, THANKS! I also checked w/ Sage via phone. I was not aware it was a 10 - 11 wt rod, WOW! That is way more than I think I need to mess with. We are mostly warm water unless we travel but 10 wt is Big Time. A 5 wt is usually sufficient for the 3 to 5 lbs bass we catch. I can see if I needed to fish deep quick or was landing 8+ lbs fish. Oh, well, I will not save that money, just spend it foolishly on another product.
The Largemouth rod is not a 10-11 wt Rod. It is designed to work with a specially designed 330 grain that does weigh the same as an 11 wt line for the first 30 feet. I have the Largemouth and Smallmouth rods. I also have a half dozen real 10 and 11 wt rods to compare with along with nine 8 and 9wt rods. The Sage Largemouth rod is much lighter and has much less backbone and lifting power than any 11 wt or 10wt that I have or have used. It is about 2 oz lighter than my 11wt RPLXi. I would say it is more comparable to an 8-9 wt in how it fishes. In fact, I think its butt strength is about the same as my Sage RPLX or Orvis PM-10 or Winston Ibis 9wts, but it is lighter in the hand casting, more comparable to my Sage RPLX 8wt and Fli 8wt in that respect, if not even a bit lighter. This follows along with what other users of this rod have indicated in discussions I had with them, including some people who were involved with testing the prototypes. An acquaintance asked Jerry Siem from Sage about the rods at a show and my friend said that Jerry compared the Largemouth to an 8/9 rod also. I find the Largermouth and Smallmouth rods a joy to cast all day. By the way, I also find that the Largemouth rod casts just fine with standard WF-9-F Bass line too. I use the Largemouth rod for casting large surface stuff to saltwater critters as well as largemouth bass. I think it would be a great pike rod or striper rod. I think the Smallmouth model which fishes like a 7-8 wt rod is enough for most largemouth bass fishing with typical flies and even most pike fishing unless you are getting into some 40" plus fish. The heavier largemouth rod and accompanying line will carry bigger flies a bit easier though.
On my Sage largemouth rod I currently have a Sage 1880 reel. The Sage 1680 ($99) would be great too. I have also used a Ross Big Game #4, Ross Gunnison #4, and St. Croix Imperial 95 ($50 reel ) with it. On the Sage Smallmouth model I currently have a Redington CD 7/8 mounted but have also used a Teton Tioga 8.
Mostly trout???
We even have a Warmwater forum. We are fly fishing, ain’t any snobs on here for very long. If it might eat a fly… we’re after it! 
The Sage Largemouth rod is fine for squid too, at least the smaller ones. Say less than 15 lbs or so.
I looked at the Sage largemouth rod and thought it was overkill so i went with the smallmouth and its perfect for me i think it depends on the person.I will be casting bunny leeches, poppers, streamers etc.Hope this helps:wink:
JC…where is our “Stillwater” forum…/“Frog Water” forum…them there guys eat a fly too…
Wouldn’t it be great if folks like Denny,Skip, Brian,Philip,…and all the talent on this site would post to it.
Sorry MarkF…a high jack…
The Sage Largemouth rod is ‘the’ production rod for pitching big (2/0-5/0) topwaters into the grass or heavy cover. They are a ideal for throwing BIG streamers (those 9 to 12 inch beasts), and for using HEAVY shooting heads that will let you get real deep real quick. Delta/deep south-places with Hydrilla or Elodia, these are the best you can buy off the rack so far.
It ‘is’ an 11 wt., though…lines are rated on the first 30’, and the first 30’ of the line they give you with the rod weighs in at 330 grains, which is an 11 wt…I don’t get the confusion here? It’s very light and responsive 11, certainly, but I’d not quantify it as a 9 in any measure. The Smallmouth rod is more like a 9, again a very light and responsive 9, but it’s still a 9.
For the fishing I do, clear deep desert lakes with mostly rocky cover, some brush, and very little grass, both are too ‘heavy’ or too short for my fishing. I have a 9’ 9wt. that handles bigger flies and fast sinking lines… (whne fishing deep I want a longer rod so I can move more line faster)…and a 6 1/2 foot 8wt. for ‘big’ topwaters and tight brush fishing (short rod makes those underhand and sidearm skip casts easier).
I ‘like’ the way both rods cast…again, Sage does make light, responsive, rods…and if you need to use a 9 or 11 wt. rod all day, these are certainly the ones to use…but they aren’t for me.
Buddy
you might want to consider the “Smallmouth” or even the “Bluegill” rod offered by Sage.
I have the smallmouth rod, and I love it. The rod is strong enough to handle any warm water fish out there, shoots line like a rocket also. I think the Largemouth is a little overkill unless you are thinking of fishing for tarpon,or large stripers.