Sage Click Fly Reel

A simple, click-pawl fly reel for the minimalist angler or fan of Sage reels.

Kirk Deeter

September 13, 2024

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Sage | Click Fly Reel

product description

“The CLICK aesthetic has been elevated through new hole patterns and a refreshed, modern design that speaks to its lightweight and minimalist yet functional characteristics. The proven performance of the adjustable click and pawl drag design of the original is featured in this new CLICK reel series.” – Sage

company ethos

“Craftsmanship is our people. We’re not a big faceless factory, but rather a workplace of craftspeople who design and build the world’s best fly rods and reels using our hands and hearts.” – Sage

Buy Now

Did you realize that Sage is one of the top-sellers of fly reels in the world? It isn’t just about fly rods with Sage. The reels are manufactured in Asia, so they tend to cost a bit less than U.S. made premium competitors, and they typically have good components, reliable drag systems that are easy to adjust and so forth. They’re smartly-engineered, provide a consistent track record of durability and performance and for years, I’ve generally been a fan.

That said, the Click Series fly reels are my least favorite, and I’ve fished all generations in all sizes. It isn’t that Sage did anything wrong with the Click Series–the reels are exactly as advertised: simple click-pawl drags, lightweight frames and easy to palm as you fight fish. They’re also constructed to be fun and utilitarian to fish.

But for all the stripped down “simplicity,” the reels also come in at $330, which is a lot of money to spend for an imported click-pawl. For that price, you can get a U.S. made Galvan Rush Light Fly Reel with a sealed disc drag, or a Lamson Purist II Fly Reel, a click-pawl that basically does everything the Click Series does, but it isn’t an import, or a domestic Ross Colorado LT Fly Reel, which provides a limited edition version (for an upcharge) that supports cutthroat trout habitat and restoration. For the value-conscious angler, there’s also the Orvis Battenkill Click Reel for a fraction of the Click Series cost.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had an absolute blast fishing the Sage Click Series fly reel, and if I had to choose a favorite version, it would be the 0/1/2, which feels virtually weightless (~2.5 ounces) and complements a light, medium-action fly rod, or something fiberglass, or even bamboo.

But for the practical angler, there are a lot of other options to choose from, and many with similar weight comparisons, far superior drags and similar, or better, pricing.

Pros

A smooth, click-pawl drag, with a pretty purring sound.

Aesthetics are clean and well designed.

Durability and ease of left-to-right reel conversion.

Decent pre-set drag tension, appropriate for most trout situations.

Cons

Spool invites tippet snags.

Costs the same, or more, than many domestic disc-drag fly reels.

Made in Asia.

$330 is a lot of money to spend for an imported click-pawl fly reel. But if you’re a Sage fan, and you want to put this on a Sage fly rod, you’ll set your own value expectation. Looking at all the other options on the market in the same price range, we don’t see the Sage Click Series as a bang-for-your-buck overachiever.

Price: $330
Model: Click Series 0/1/2 fly reel
Sizes: Line weights 0-2 (capacity WF2 + 75 yards of 20-pound backing)
Weight: ~2.5 ounces
Colors: Bronze, Champagne, Stealth, Flint
Drag: Adjustable click-pawl design
Construction/Materials: Cold-forged 6061-T6 aluminum
Arbor: Large (3 1/8-inch diameter)
Width: 1.3-inches
Warranty: Sage warranty policy

“It’s prime-time in the North American trout season. Whether you’re a desk-jockey, drift-boat captain, or anything in between, these peak days are what our daydreams are made of...”

Sage warranty policy.

Sage doesn’t offer an “unconditional” lifetime warranty, like some other companies do. They’ll fix what they deem to be a manufacturer defect for free, but that almost never happens. On the other hand, they can rebuild a broken part to match your rod exactly, which is a pretty cool deal. But when your puppy munches your 5-weight, you’re going to pay.

“Every new Sage rod, blank and Sage series reel purchased through an authorized dealer is covered by our original owner warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. This warranty is limited to repair and replacement of the rod, blank, or reel and does not cover direct, indirect, consequential, incidental, or any other type of damage resulting from the use of the product. This warranty does not cover misuse, neglect, normal wear, fire, theft, missing/lost rod sections, intentional breakage, modification or customization of the finished rod, or damage during the assembly of a blank into a finished rod by a non-Far Bank custom rod-builder.”

What others say

“The Sage Click Series is a perfectly adequate response to the challenge of today’s minimalistic fly reel design, where weight, startup inertia and durability are highly valued. Looking back, the Lamson ULA Purist was the grandfather of minimalist reel design, originally inspired by the custom reel work of Dutch master craftsman Ari ‘t Hart, and most, if not all, of today’s lo-fi reels have a long way to climb in reaching that level of utility and design (his work was featured at the MoMA). In this case, the older designs got it right before everyone else.” – Andrew Steketee

Conclusion

Consider buying the Sage Click Series fly reel if you love the Sage brand, or you love Sage reels specifically: the purring sound, ultra-lightweight feel and ability to palm the spool when fighting fish. There’s nothing wrong with this reel in terms of form and function. It’s a minimalist’s dream and one of the best fish-fighting, click-pawl reels you can land on. But there are other fly reel options worth exploring, with far superior drags, until your mind is made up.

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