A near perfect lightweight fly rod for delicate presentations on small technical waters.
The Sage TXL-F is a choice rod for anglers who seek their quarry in small brooks and spring creeks. For years, this ultralight, moderate-fast action rod has been my preferred tool as the bulk of my fishing is done in the overgrown, tiny cold streams that dot the New England landscape and barely appear as a blue line on a map.
A purist in pairing gear that is appropriate to the task at hand, my Sage TXL-F 3WT is outfitted with the Sage Click Series reel and Rio Gold Weight Forward Floating line. I have found this setup to be perfect in balance, weight, and sensitivity whether I am casting through an emerald foliage tunnel or delicately presenting small flies to voracious brook trout. The rod is smoothly accurate and playing fish of all sizes is an absolute pleasure due to its high sensitivity.
While the Sage TXL-F suits my style of fly fishing, it has two primary downsides: versatility and price point. On versatility, the TXL-F is a ‘niche rod’ which is not a viable ‘all around’ option for anglers who strive to own a single rod that will perform equally in all situations (does one really exist?). Those who hit the small water with the TXL-F and attempt to mix-it up between varying sizes of nymphs, streamers, and dries will quickly become frustrated as casting can be difficult and unwieldy to say the least. Across all fly fishing applications the TXL-F generally disappoints.
I am a faithful fan of this rod and highly recommend as the top of the line rod for those whose game is throwing small flies with feather-soft presentations to eager small stream trout. Hit your local fly shop or eBay (see article) and check a new or used Sage TXL-F outfit for yourself!
For further reading on what I think is the quintessential small water outfit:
Visit the Feather and Fin blog for more great content!
