Sage Fli vs. Echo and others

[swdklad]

I was at Cabelas yesterday looking for a fly rod as an alternative to ultra light spinning gear. The guy there showed me both a TFO Lefty Kreh Pro in a 4 wt, 4 pc, 8 foot rod as well as a Sage Fli in the same config.

My intention is to fish for panfish and bass in some ponds and streams in South Carolina. He thought the 4 wt could throw all but the larger bass bugs, and I have an 8 wt Zero G that I could use if I got into big fish there.

We went to the parking lot and casted both rods, and I clearly liked the Sage Fli better than the TFO, probably because it is a little faster.

However, I've noticed a lot of people on this forum like the Echo rods. Would an Echo cast more like the TFO or the Sage Fli? Also, I'm torn about getting a 4 or a 5 wt. Any recommendations there?

 

[Fish Bones]

I've not yet cast the Sage Fli so I can't realy make a fair comparison there. However, I can say that I like how the Echo casts much better that the TFO Professional Series. The Echo seams smoother to me. I just like the way they feel.

They're all three fine rods and you'll be safe with which ever you choose.

 

[swdklad]

Thanks for the reply, Steve. What do you think about 4 wt vs. 5 wt for my purposes?

 

[Frank Whiton]

"I was at Cabelas yesterday looking for a fly rod as an alternative to ultra light spinning gear. The guy there showed me both a TFO Lefty Kreh Pro in a 4 wt, 4 pc, 8 foot rod as well as a Sage Fli in the same config."

The Sage Fli is a more expensive rod than the Pro model. You should cast a TFO TiCrX rod to compare to the Fli. The TiCrX is a faster action rod like the Fli. If the X is too fast then look at a TiCr. The Pro model has a medium action. You are lucky to have a shop to try out the rods. See if they have the other TFO rods to check out. If you really like the Fli then go for it. I wish Steve would give us a report on the new Echo with the two tips.

 

[Fish Bones]

There is an excellent Echo 2 review on this forum... Click Here

Now... as far as a 4 or 5wt... that's tough since I don't really know the area and conditions that you'll be fishing. However, I am a big fan of lighter rods so, for me, I'd go with a 4wt... If the bass get too big you can then go to the 8.

 

[Jakeway]

I bought an 8 ft 4 wt this spring expressly for bluegill fishing, and I really like it. However, I've also got a 5/6 weight, a straight 6 wt, and a 7 wt. If I could only have two rods, I'd have the 7 weight and the 5 weight. The 4 wt is noticeably tougher to cast accurately in even moderate breezes. Just this morning the wind was making it tough to cast next to shoreline brush and logs, and I got hung up a few times. I switched to my 8 ft 6 weight, and the bluegills felt just as nice on the line, but it was a lot easier to cast.

Having said that, bluegills and bass are not leader shy, so if you have a quality 4 wt rod, you can probably cast less than 30 feet with a 5 weight and not overload the rod too much, and it will handle breezes better. A spare spool and another line is cheeper than a third rod.

 

[swdklad]

Thanks, everyone! Now I'm considering the Echo2 in the 5wt. I'm just a little worried that the 4 wt might have trouble with some of the bass poppers that I might want to throw. The point about the wind makes me lean toward the 5 wt.

Sounds like the Echo2 is quite a rod, although I'm now paying $130 more for the rod.

 

[Frank Whiton]

There is an excellent Echo 2 review on this forum... Click Here

Thanks Steve, I missed the review.

 

[BigCliff]

A 4wt will make catching mostly panfish much more fun, but a 5 or 6wt definitely would work better for throwing larger flies. Honestly, unless I'm throwing hoppers or other bulky stuff, a 4wt works just fine in the wind. (not true for a 3wt)

On your interest in a fast rod, let me relate it to my views when I first really got into the sport. My first rod was an 8wt, and I did most of my fishing on the TX coast. There was not a rod that was too fast for me. Sage's XP was great, but the Powell Tiburon was even better. I thought that I wanted all my rods to be fast. I cast an XP in 4wt and 5wt, and they felt great too. (just couldn't afford them) Then this guy at the fly shop I was working at let me cast his 9' 4wt Sage LL, which is not even a medium fast rod. I liked it, because it was one of the few "trout" rods that I didn't make tailing loops with using my overly-muscled casting stroke.

6 years later, I still love that rod. (more recent version, called a VPS Light) I can throw 70'+ with it, but it works great for fishing spots 10-20' from me too. I think you'll find that a slower action offers more versatility as you use the rod more and more. If you want to target bass, that 8wt will still be your best option. If you want a rod that makes catching panfish tons of fun and will make a great trout rod too, a medium or medium-fast 4wt is hard to beat.

 

[swdklad]

Thanks, Steve, for your insight. That is very helpful to me.

 

[swdklad]

Steve Robbins: I LOVE that Echo!

Thank you for recommending the Echo and the 4 wt. I was worried that it might be too soft to cast the bass flys and bugs, but that was unfounded. I just received the Echo I that you send me today and took it out to a local pond and had a ball!

I think that Echo casts at least as well as the Sage Fli for half the price. This is a great forum, and I've become a long time Full Creel customer.

...Steve

 

[emerger161]

SWDKLAD...

I'm new to this site, but have experience with 3-5 wt rods. I've used and owned Scott STS's, Sage XP's, Loomis GLX and Winston BII X's. The rods named are expensive and all cast well. Depending on the line your tossing and how big the bugs are on the end of that line mean alot as to how the rod will react. Wind plays a large role in the smaller weight rods too.

Recently, I had the fortune to cast a TFO TiCrX 5 wt at a local fly shop. WOW!!! This baby felt, casted and pitched loops like nobody's business. I tried the Rio Gold line and Rio Nymph line. After that parking lot session, I began selling off some of my high end rods on Ebay to make room for ( and regain some money ) for some TiCrX's and an Axiom. I was at the fly shop last night and tried the 4wt TiCRX because I just had to! Gonna get one of those also.
For the money- a TFO TiCrX @ $224.95 is an awesome price for a rod that behaves like it's super expensive cousins @ $500 and up!
Try one on for size and see how it feels before you spend too much!

Best of luck in your 4wt search!

 

[randyflycaster]

I think the Echo looks better than the TFO. Some anglers dismiss the importance of rod looks, but I don't. Also, I don't think the TFO comes without a case.

I just bought an Echo spey rod and I love it. My only concern: if the rod breaks down the road will Echo still be there to replace it?

Randy

 

[shorthaul]

A few months ago i went to a shop and cast the tfo and an echo II with a 6wt wonderline---i spent about an hour switching back and forth and the felt rods were similar---the tfo was nice but seemed to poop out on a long cast whereas the echo still had some drive at the end of the same length of line and turned over a 9ft leader too---for me, the echo fit my style better and i liked the extra power so i bought it---after an hour of instruction , i got my daughter to throw some 12" high loops with a 7 wt line since she doesnt have the arm strength to overload it. Blitzing white bass on crease flies saturday in the detroit river til your arms get sore!

 

[tlcrep]

I've not yet cast the Sage Fli so I can't realy make a fair comparison there. However, I can say that I like how the Echo casts much better that the TFO Professional Series. The Echo seams smoother to me. I just like the way they feel.

They're all three fine rods and you'll be safe with which ever you choose.

I know the TFO and FLI are made in the Orient (the tfo's blank is made their, and the rod is made their as well), what about the Echo? Is the blank made overseas but then the rod built in the US? Or are both the blank and rod made in the US? As patriotic Americans I think it is our responsibility to buy as much American as possible, those are American jobs!!!!!!

This isnt a jab at TFO, I have met Rick Pope many times and he is one of the nicest people I know, and the Deer Creek Spey rod, for me as an intermediate caster casts better than Sage Z axis rods twice as expensive. It isnt until I cast a $800 CND that I find a rod that casts better than the Deer creek at $350.

But if a rod costs no more than $100 more, I think it is important to support those American Jobs!!!!

 

[FrankB2]

I know the TFO and FLI are made in the Orient.....

My sources assure me that all Sage rods are made in the USA. Having said
that, I didn't like the FLi I briefly owned....

I came across an interview with the VP of Sales at Sage, and he was
discussing "home wrappers": people who wrap Sage blanks at their own homes, and then send them back to Sage. 20 out of 150 employees
are home wrappers: Sage Fly Rods -- Marc Bale interview
There's also an interesting discussion about warranty costs in that interview, and the unfair premium it places on people who
don't break their rods.