Sage DS2

[Petey]

If there was ever a rod made for the cost minded angler or for somebody learning how to fly fish, this is it. I understand that Temple Fork makes a nice rod for the dough as does Cabelas and few other folks. But I have yet to cast a smoother rod for the money. I own two of them. One is a 9' 5wt. 4 pc, the other being a 7'6" 4wt. 2pc. The DS2 is considered a medium fast action rod, though I have casted other rods that claimed to be the same style that were a lot quicker in the handle. I love to fish the 4wt on small streams, because it can float a dry fly or carry a size 10 stone fly nymph with no problem.

This rod doesn't have any pretty rappings, nor flashy reel seat. It is brown with dark brown rappings. It has a wooden up locking reel seet and a standard cork handle. Nothing fancy about this rod, just a work horse that is forgiving.

I fish with and own more expensive rods, but these DS2's are hard to beat. If I was given a limited budget in which to work with and maybe had only a few hundred dollars to invest in an outfit the DS2 would have to be the corner stone of it. A good smooth casting rod can make up for a lot mistakes and make one's angling experience all the better.

A new DS2 goes for between 210-290 dollars depending on the rod you need. All Sage rods come with a life time warranty. I had to use it once and had my rod back in hand in 3.5 weeks. I fell and broke it right at the handle when wet wading around Big Bend on the Hiwassee. So the warranty has been tested

When all is said and done this rod is a Wooly Booger, it is built Ford tough!

Petey

[Riverman]

Petey,
I`ll have to agree with you 100% on the DS2.They are a workhorse and can`t be beat by any rod in there price range. Thats my go to rod when I ain`t slingin Cane.
They are built.... Like A Rock....

[Tentwing]

Sage DS2 has had a metamorphisis of sorts. Waaaaaaaaaay back when in 1996; when I bought mine they were the Sage Discovery Series rod and were the "Light Line Series" taper with no bells and whistles. They could be bought for $145 to $165 according to length and line weight.

Then in 1998 the marketing guru's at Sage decided to make them off of the SP or "Smooth Power Series" taper. They also gave them a sporty new marketing name. They simply called them Sage DS's. There is some debate as to which taper was better the Light Line or the SP. I have owned both and love them.

Then again in the marketing folks later on decided to go to DS2 . I think that occured in 2000 ?
Again I think they did not actually change the taper this time. Due to the fact that they were phasing out the SP Series for some thing "new and Improved", but they gave sole owner ship of the taper to the DS2's.

Very simply put I think that the Sage Light Line was the best graphite taper EVER , and tied for second would be the old Sage SP and the mid 90's Winston Traditional.
My 1996, 9 foot 4 weight Sage Discovery Series ( Light Line Taper) is the only graphite rod that I still use to trout fish with. It's smoothness still impresses an old Bamboo head like me.
All of my other graphite trout rods were either sold or given to friends to keep them from collecting dust. Dont get me wrong they were great rods Orvis', Winstons, T&T's, Sages, and Scott's, but only they Discovery Series Sage was smooth enough to never fall out of favor when I went bamboo CRAZY.

In Conclusion I would like to say that I think the The Sage DS's all of them are easily the BEST quality graphite to money ratio out there.
I will however have to disagree with Petey a little on this one. I think they are an ELK HAIR CADDIS plus, because of the quality to money spent ratio.

Oh well there it is, and two cents worth is all your gettin,....... .................. Tentwing

[Petey]

You know what Tentwing I was thinking Elk Hair Caddis.... but in the end the description I thought fit a Wooly Booger. But I can see where it applies to a Elk Hair Caddis too, because it truely is a sweet rod for the money. I think I am going to go home and cast my 5wt. just for the heck of it later. My neighbors will think I have gone off the deep end again fishing for coffee cans! ;D

Petey

[Tentwing]

Petey;

I'm not sure which would look crazier. You fishing for coffee cans, or me fishing for frizbees.

Tentwing

[Petey]

Frisbee's are a good idea, but I would be afraid I would hook into a 95 pound chocolate lab.

He doesn't have near the interest in a coffee can

Petey