Friday, March 14, 2014

Sage Evoke Fly Reel

Today, March 14th, is π (Pi) Day.  As we all know, π is an irrational and transcendental number which begins with 3.14159 and continues indefinitely without pattern or repetition.  To date, π has been calculated out to more than one trillion digits beyond the decimal point.

One might inquire as to how this relates in any way to fly fishing.  The answer is simple:  Fly reels tend to behave scientifically much like the post-decimal digits of π - increasing within the angler's collection potentially into the trillions without any particular buying pattern becoming discernible by the fisher person's significant other.

Much as π is no one's fault, the irrational and transcendental nature of fly reel multiplication is simply a mathematical principal for which blame cannot be assigned.

Why, then, might an angler who's cumulative mass of reels might be described by some as "infinite" look to acquire still more reels?

It's because they keep getting better.  Enter the Sage Evoke:

Blog Size Sage Evoke Front

For years I have been a huge fan of the 6000 series for reasons I've outlined in previous reviews.  The reliable, fully-sealed and numbered drag system coupled with the ingenious spool release just makes these fish brakes easy to use under any conditions.

The Evoke takes these features and improves upon them.

Blog Size Sage Evoke Rear

What has always been a great drag knob is now better.  The numbers are now visible through a recessed window, which makes it so they do not rub directly on boat hulls or equipment (potentially fading over time). Tension is ideal and the settings stay readily in place.

Sage has used an open frame design to expose the bottom of the spool and allow for superior palm control under load.  This is a very useful feature for any of the fast movers.

Aesthetically it's a great-looking piece of hardware and offered in 3 finishes.  Pictured is the Stealth/Blaze combination.

Brought forward is the spool release mechanism that really is the easiest all-purpose solution in the industry. Nothing else I have used allows for detachment with essentially a quarter-turn of the release, yet is also highly resistant to unintentional removal.

Are there any shortcomings?  If you need the ability to change retrieve direction, the Evoke may not be for you.  The frame opening for palming the spool is specific to right or left-handed retrieve.  I would like to see the Evoke offered in a 6-weight size but its obvious target market is stuff that pulls harder than your typical freshwater fare.

As your own fly reel collection adheres to the immutable laws of mathematics and begins to be describable only by scientific notation - make sure an Evoke is among the early additions.