Pete Tyjas road tests the new light line, Sage "LITTLE ONE", will it be good enough to prise his beloved TXL-F out of his hands? Read on.
There’s a new kid on the block. He has a big brother who has been troubling trout for a few years now. It is the new series of light line rods from Sage from their popular One range nicknamed “The LITTLE ONE”.
All of the rods are 8ft’ 2” and come in line weights 00 to 4. They are for the angler who likes to fish small, overgrown streams with small flies and light tippets.
I’ve been fishing the Sage range of rods since the Light Line range, to the ground breaking SPLCA that had a reel attached to the butt of the rod through to a 2wt TXL-F which this range replaces.
The one thing I have always felt is that light lines are practical fishing rods not just for windless, dry fly days. My SPLCA is a 1wt and I never had problems fishing a duo or dry dropper combo. Sure, it wouldn’t cast a 3.5m tungsten bead head nymph but my TXL-F can handle a 2.5mm nymph without any real dramas and I have watched friends wince when I tie on a streamer and fish a deep pot with it.
So, will the LITTLE ONE fill the gap left by the TXL-F? In my opinion they are some big boots to fill.
Fact File
Rod Range
Length Line Cost
8' 2" 00 WT £749
8' 2" 1 WT £749
8' 2" 2 WT £749
8' 2" 3 WT £749
8' 2" 4 WT £749
The black coloured blank is of the quality you would expect from Sage and this rod features the same Konnetic Technology as its older brother. This means a small rod diameter and light feel in the hand which is what I would want from a small stream rod.
I am trying the 4wt version. I dry cast the rod with the RIO Gold and the RIO LT. To me it makes sense as Sage and RIO are from the same stable (Farbank) and so the chances are the rod will have been tested with these lines prior to going into production. I am sure they try others too but to me, it is a good place to start. I preferred the Gold, it felt just right.
The rod is described as fast, I’d agree as it recovers incredibly quickly but to be honest I was a little worried it would be too stiff. To me, it would be a potential issue as the small streams I fish contain small, wary trout and I need to fish a light tippet. A light tippet and stiff rod when striking super fast fish isn’t always a good combination and can often lead to breakages. I was relieved to see a deeper bending blank that felt fit for purpose.
It is all good and well casting on some grass but what was it like in a real fishing situation?
A good friend and I hit the river late in the fishing season to find out.
There were still some good hatches of caddis but also the chance of a sea trout on the river so I set the rod up with an orange butt CDC and elk caddis and a 2.5mm tungsten bead head nymph tied on duo style to see if we could tempt a sea trout with it.
We took it in turns to fish with and it was as I had hoped, easy to cast, quick to load and would deliver the dry and nymph effortlessly.
We fished a light tippet and setting fish wasn’t a problem. I even did manage a small sea trout of 13 inches or so that I had no difficulties landing despite its best efforts to run up and down the river.
This is a rod that will tick the light line box that isn’t just for high days and holidays. It would easily serve as a work horse rod for a small stream angler and would do the job perfectly.
I do have to admit I am a fan of the brand but was concerned the rod would not fill the gap left by the TXL-F that is a rod I use a lot. I didn't need to worry.
The LITTLE ONE is following in its big brother's footsteps and is keeping the family tradition firmly intact.