Saga: Canoe Fishing Gear and Ultralight Paddles from Enlightened Equipment

Saga is Enlightened Equipment’s line of canoe country gear for paddle anglers: an ultralight carbon fiber pack canoe paddle, short-butt spinning rods built for fishing from a seat, and bright orange tackle accessories. It is designed for people who travel and fish the backcountry by canoe, kayak, or pack canoe.

You know us for quilts, so a fishing rod with our name on the box deserves an explanation. Here is what Saga is, what is in the lineup, and who it is for.

Quick facts

Why is Enlightened Equipment making canoe fishing gear?

Enlightened Equipment is a Minnesota company, and the Boundary Waters Canoe Country is a big part of who we are. Many of our staff spend their own time paddling the Boundary Waters and similar canoe wilderness.

For Tim Marshall, it goes back further than the company. He grew up in the front seat of his dad’s canoe, and canoe travel and fishing have been a passion ever since.

Saga is also not our first run at fishing gear. We sold a line of fishing poles in 2016, and Saga is the return of that idea.

What is Saga?

Saga is a line of canoe country support products: fishing-specific gear, paddles, and the small things that go with them. Some of it we design ourselves and build with trusted manufacturing partners. The rest we source, because for some products the best move is to find the best product out there and offer it.

Either way, the goal is the same: to support the needs of the paddle angler and the community around them.

The Saga Ultralight Pack Canoe Paddle

The Saga Ultralight Pack Canoe Paddle is a handmade carbon fiber paddle that weighs 14 to 16 ounces, depending on length. It is designed for pack canoes and also works with kayaks and solo canoes.

It has been a decade in the making. Tim has paddled early prototypes in his pack canoes for 10 years. He started by pairing the blades from a well-made carbon fiber packraft paddle with carbon fiber shafts, which produced something much lighter than a typical paddle. Saga is our attempt to build that paddle on purpose.

Why use a dedicated paddle for a pack canoe?

Pack canoes are light, nimble boats, usually carbon fiber or Kevlar hybrids, and a big, clunky kayak paddle never felt right in one. This paddle is designed around that boat.

Saga paddle specs and design

• Weight: Each paddle is handmade, so weights vary slightly. Most land between 14 and 16 ounces depending on length. The heaviest we have made is 16.1 ounces.
• Thin shaft: The outside diameter is 0.84 inches, which is comfortable in smaller hands. A thin shaft can invite over-gripping, but if you let the shaft float in your hand instead of using a death grip, it feels great.
• Rebound: The thin shaft has some flex, which gives a slight spring back with every stroke.
• Asymmetric blade: A craftsman in the Minneapolis area makes the blades by hand for us, and the two faces behave differently.
  • Logo side facing you: smooth, and it cuts through the water cleanly.
  • Cupped side: more power, but it flutters if you stay there too long. Tim rolls the paddle for a quick burst, then flips back to the logo side.

Is the Saga paddle durable?

It is built for flat water and holds up to sensible use. Tim has never broken one. Do not use it to pry off rocks or wood, push into rapids, or pull the boat along.

Because the paddles are handmade, expect small pocks, pits, and spots where the resin did not perfectly penetrate the blade. That is normal. This is a paddle to use, not hang on a wall.

Saga spinning rods for canoe, kayak, and pack canoe fishing

Saga spinning rods have a short butt section and lightweight micro guides, designed for anglers who fish seated and wear a PFD. They come in three types that share the same design, and they are an evolution of the rod we sold in 2016.

Why a short butt section?

Seated, you have less room for your arms than you do standing. If you are wearing a PFD (and you should be in any dangerous water conditions), the long butt section of a traditional rod gets in the way. A short butt solves that.

How do micro guides fix the balance of a short rod?

A short rod has a balance problem, and we solved it with the guides. The rods use size 2 running guides on our light and medium-light actions, and size 3 on anything above medium. That does two things:

• Better balance: Lighter guides take weight off the tip, which gives back the balance a shorter butt takes away.
• More guides, more feel: Because the guides are so light, we can fit more of them. More contact between line and blank means more sensitivity. It also helps casting distance, since the line runs straight through many guides instead of looping through a few and slamming into them.

Why spinning rods only?

Canoe country fishing is typically finesse fishing, and our lengths and actions exist to support that. Tim’s own setup is a 7-foot, medium-fast rod with six-pound fluorocarbon and a small TRD craw. He caught hundreds of smallmouth bass on it this year.

How do I choose a length and action?

Choose to suit your technique and your boat. Longer rods make it easier to manage the tip around the front of a long boat, and they let you cast farther.

Saga accessories: orange forceps, tackle boxes, and a carbon fiber net

Browse the Saga category on our site and you will find a few more products.

• Forceps and tackle boxes: These are the same as what you would get at any other fishing store, with one difference: they are bright orange. If you leave one on the bank or drop it in the water, orange gives you the best chance of getting it back, whether you spot it as you paddle away or look down into 15 feet of clear water for it. A black tackle box does not give you that.
• Carbon fiber net: Sized for smallmouth bass and walleye. In a pinch you can land a northern pike in it, but if you are chasing gigantic northerns, this is not the net for you.

Who is Saga for?

Saga is for backcountry canoe country anglers and paddlers. If you fish from a canoe, kayak, or pack canoe and want gear designed around how you travel and fish, this line is for you. Some of it is purpose-designed by us, and some is intentionally sourced from manufacturing partners we respect.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Saga line from Enlightened Equipment?
Saga is a line of canoe country gear for paddle anglers, including an ultralight carbon fiber pack canoe paddle, short-butt spinning rods, and bright orange accessories such as forceps and tackle boxes.

How much does the Saga Ultralight Pack Canoe Paddle weigh?
Most weigh 14 to 16 ounces depending on length. The heaviest made so far is 16.1 ounces.

Can I use the Saga paddle with a kayak or solo canoe?
Yes. It is designed for pack canoes but also works with kayaks and solo canoes.

Is the Saga paddle good for whitewater?
No. It is very light and built for flat water. Do not use it to push into rapids, pry off rocks or wood, or pull the boat along.

Why do the Saga rods have a short butt section?
A seated angler wearing a PFD has little room for a long butt section. The short butt keeps it out of the way, and lightweight micro guides restore the balance.

Does Saga make baitcasting rods?
Not currently. Saga offers spinning rods only, because canoe country fishing is typically finesse fishing.

What rod does Tim use?
A 7-foot, medium-fast Saga spinning rod with six-pound fluorocarbon and a small TRD craw.

Is the Saga net big enough for northern pike?
It is sized for smallmouth bass and walleye. It can land a northern in a pinch, but not a gigantic one.

Why are the forceps and tackle boxes orange?
Orange is easier to spot if you leave it on the bank or drop it in clear water.

Who do I contact with questions?
Email customerservice@enlightenedequipment.com, leave a comment, or message us on any of our social channels.