Sage Arrow vs. Sage Sonic

The all new Sage Arrow fly rod has been released and it's the direct replacement for their popular Sonic series. Both are categorized in Sage's mid-tier level of rods, which has become an increasingly popular performance/price level of rods in the fly fishing industry. Built on Sage's KonneticHD technology, which it shares with other rods such as the Dart and ESN, this new offering from Sage is posed to improve on the Sonic's characteristics and performance. Let's see if that's true...

For reference, the Sonic was built off of Sage's Konnetic technology, but the Arrow boasts the newer KonneticHD. The difference between the two being a "higher density (HD) fiber composite." This in theory, with the KonneticHD, produces a more durable rod with more efficient "energy transfer and line/loop control."  

Seeing as it is currently the dead of winter here in Maine, I wanted to find an indoor space that allowed me to test the two rods side-by-side without any below-zero temps or snow effecting the fly line, rod, and testing environment.

Here's the breakdown...

• Rods: Sage Arrow 9' 5wt vs. Sage Sonic 9' 5wt
• Actual Weight: Sage Arrow - 2.7oz // Sage Sonic - 2.8oz
• Target set at 50ft
• Fly Line: RIO Elite Perception WF5F
  

First Impressions

As you can see from the actual physical weight of the two rods (above), they are very close. This was reinforced when picking them up as well - neither was balanced dramatically different than the other either. But, the Sonic did feel slightly tip-heavier. However, when I gave them the ol' wiggle test, there was a clear difference. The Arrow had a significantly different (better) dampening than the Sonic. When I shook the rods, the Arrow would cease to wobble/vibrate much quicker than the Sonic. Specifically when moving the cork up and down (and not necessarily just wiggling the tip), my arm would continue to shake with the Sonic quite a bit longer than with the Arrow. I was curious if this would translate into their individual rod recovery while casting.  

Casting

I set up a target at 50' which I think is a good reference point, especially for freshwater/trout rods. It allows for the entire head of the fly line to be engaged and requires the rod to handle and manage a decent amount of applicable ("trout distance") fly line in the air. I did cast longer distances, but was curious about accuracy at this reference point. As a side note, the line that I used was the RIO Elite Perception. It is a line that I am very familiar with. I have used it on various rods from 10' 4wts to 9' 5wts. It's a good line for Maine trout fishing as most of our rivers/water are smaller and mostly don't require long distance casting. However, please keep in mind that this line is long longer available. As a comparable replacement, I would suggest the RIO Elite Gold XP. 

As I mentioned above, the rods are almost identical in actual (scale) weight. So there wasn't a noticeable difference in hand. However, as soon as I started going back-and-forth with the rods casting, it was clear that the Arrow had a much lighter "swing weight." The Arrow was not only more responsive and had better overall feel, but it also didn't feel as tiring as the Sonic did. Other than the difference in their wiggle tests, this was the other most notable difference in their characteristics. The Arrow was more enjoyable to cast and required less effort at all distances. 

Accuracy was good for each rod. However, based on the swing weight and responsiveness of the Arrow, the Sonic did require more effort to hit the target. I also felt like I had to drive the Sonic harder on the forward cast to create tighter loops.

Overall Takeaway

Up until this shootout I haven't had much experience with the Sonic. I casted it years ago when it was first released. But, that is really the extent of it. I know quite a few people who fish them however and it's been a popular rod in that mid-tier/mid-priced category. In my opinion however, I did find the Arrow to be a distinct upgrade. It was  generally a more enjoyable rod to cast and didn't have that sluggish feel that I felt the 9' 5wt Sonic had. Especially for those casts at "trout distance," the Arrow gave a much more responsive feel and there wasn't nearly as much demand on my shoulder trying to keep up with what I was able to do with the Arrow. I wouldn't call the Sonic significantly "faster" than the Arrow, as I felt like there wasn't a huge difference there in their flex. It was really the flavor of the two rods that made them distinctly different. I feel as though this has been a trend in the fly fishing (fly rod) industry as of late - the pursuit of every fly rod needing to be faster and faster has really hit the tipping point. I think Sage has a done a great job as of late, especially with their R8 series of rods. It was incredibly noticeable comparing the Salt R8 to the older Salt HD. (You can read that article HERE). This test between the Arrow and the Sonic had a similar flavor. The Arrow has a light swing weight, more feel and responsiveness, and could accomplish similar distances and accuracy without as much work.

The Basics

The Arrow is offered in lengths/weights from a 7'6" 3wt to a 9' 8wt including 10' options in the 5-7wt models. 3wt-5wts (without fighting butts) all have walnut inserts and "super grade snub nose half wells cork handles" while all of the Arrows with fighting butts from 5-8wts all have anodized aluminum reel seats and full-wells cork grip.

More info about the Sage Arrow HERE

Written by: Josh Thelin