SAGE SONIC 904-4 guide fly rod review

Every once in a while a new fly rod comes out that stands out to me. There are many, Many great options out there, so it takes some stand out elements for a new stick to be entered into my arsenal of guide rods.

First and foremost, the rods we provide on our guided trips have very distinct applications in mind so all the rods we fish are filtered through that lense. I wanted to add another powerful 4 weight into the lineup for this Summers trout fishing so I gave the Sonic a serious look over, and ultimately, grabbed one. Now, after a few weeks of fishing it, here’s what i’ve found…

First Impressions

It’s a good looking fly rod, classic Sage. Great cork, nice color and thread wraps.

First casting impressions and Lines for the Sonic

It’s a powerful rod, classic Sage. I loaded it up with an Airflo wf 5 and it’s just about right. I could see stepping down a little to a 4.5 for more general applications or for the angler that casts longer distances with smaller dry flies. I could also see running a straight 4 for advanced casters who do not need a lot grains to get the feedback they need for good casting. With a 5 wt line on there, the rod loads up with a short amount of line out the tip and feels really good in the mid range. The 5wt line engages more of the rod to get more power from the blank but doesn’t crush the action at all.

I love this rods power. It’s got a classic Sage progressive taper, meaning the more you lean on it, the more it bends. You can really control this rod and ask it to play up while still having a really nice light rod in hand. It is fast, it is powerful, it might be a little loo much for some novice casters at first, but line it up a little and it’s really sweet. Line it up slows the rod down a bit too which will suit most anglers out there. You’ll stil get excellent recovery but with all the line speed, accuracy and crispness.

Price and Value

This rod reminds me a whole lot of the Sage ONE. Which is not a bad thing. But at nearly half the price. It features the same Konnetic Technology as the ONE and other Sage Rods I have in the quiver. I’ve found Konnetic Tech rods break less then some others which is huge plus for me. Keeping sticks on the water and out of the penalty box is super important. I think in the last 5 years I’ve only had a Konnetic rod break once.

What I’ve fished on it

Mostly dry dropper and even dry-dropper-dropper. I fished some indo rigs and have even had a chance to use it for a few dry fly sessions when our Native Redbands were sipping BWO duns. The Rod shines in all of these applications. It was super accurate for the dry fly fishing and delivered nice, snappy mends once your flys were on the water. There is plenty of power in the rod to push the boundaries of fly size and I did. I tried some Golden Stone drys with large dropper flys pre hatch and the rod had no issues what so ever. You can almost think of this rod as a 4.5 with regards to what it can do. Love it.

Conclusion

It’s a fantastic fast, powerful 4wt from Sage. I expect this rod is going to see tons of use by my clients and be a favorite this spring and summer on our local waters.

Brandon Worthington presents @ Diablo Valley Fly Fisherman

Brandon Worthington presents “Fishing the seasons in the Mythical State of Jefferson" at Diablo Valley Fly Casters

Diablo Valley Fly Fisherman, Tuesday November 19th

The Gardens at Heather Farm, Camelia Room
1540 Marchbanks Drive, Walnut Creek

Join Brandon Worthington of Worthington Fly Fishing for a multimedia presentation to explore and learn about their seasonal approach to the best fly fishing opportunities in Far Northern California and Southern Oregon. He’ll emphasize strategies, tactics and timing for Summer and Winter Steelhead as well as endemic Redband Rainbows on the Rogue, Klamath, Umpqua and beyond.

Three reasons to fly fish the Fall in Southern Oregon

1) Fish like this

2) Fish like this

3) And fish like this

Spring Fly Fishing in Southern Oregon

Southern Oregon + Northern California Fly Fishing Report

As the rivers in our area continue to fish well for winter steelhead, warmer, brighter days signal that the end of the season is in sight. Between storms and as waters clear, the observant angler can look in shallow tail-outs and see the occasional fish digging redds and dropping eggs.  It's a special dance to witness and one I hope goes well for the fish who are ensuring their legacy and our continued opportunity to fish.

As waters warm through the spring months, wild trout in the Klamath and Rogue become much more active and feed on the bounty of aquatic insects and baitfish.

Both the Rogue and Klamath Rivers see strong hatches of golden stoneflies and salmonflies early in the season. On the Rogue, most fish are small but Cutthroat to 20 inches or more can show themselves from the deep over hanging branches of the upper river in May.  Dry fly fishing in the early mornings and evenings can be non-stop action and trips are a perfect addition to a spring weekend in Ashland, OR.

Meanwhile, on the Klamath River, swarms of stoneflies, caddis, and damsel choke the reeds and air, but the fish seldom feel the need to surface for them. Turbid waters, bouldery chutes and heavy water require skilled subsurface presentations. Serious anglers love this fishery and are often rewarded with high quality Redband Trout. We fish out of framed fishing rafts and the whitewater between fishing ensures a high adventure fishing trip.

Worthington Fly Fishing guides both the Rogue and Klamath rivers in Southern Oregon and takes pride in sharing exceptional guiding and outstanding days on the water. Join us in 2018 to kick off your trout season!

Plan Your Trip

760-424-9682

WorthingtonFlyFishing@gmail.com