From the folks at Sage:
With a heavy heart, we share the passing of Don Green, our legendary founder of Sage.
Among many things, Don was a man of immense integrity, a passionate angler, and a modern fly rod design pioneer. Don’s influence on fly rod performance stretches well before Sage, dating back to the 1950s – his innovation using graphite material revolutionized fly rod design forever. Through his accolades, Don remained humble, never seeking the spotlight, driven by the simple goal of making the finest casting rods for anglers worldwide. He empowered those in the field to be the spokespeople for his work. Those he tasked with this responsibility were, and are, some of the finest the fly fishing world has ever seen. This organically created a sense of ownership with Sage, and a belonging to a community and culture that his rods were creating – everybody wanted to be a part of it, it was infectious. Don’s legacy lies in that culture, which lives strong to this day and will continue well into the future.
“Sage is a small company with our stated goal to build high-performance, well-balanced, aesthetically pleasing rods that will give years and years of enjoyment and will perform in a way that will enhance the fishing experience. I can guarantee that Sage will continue to research new materials as they are developed and will continue to search out new ways to build a better fly rod.” – Don Green, 1984.
Don, we are eternally grateful for your contributions to the fly fishing world. We will continue to dedicate ourselves to making your legacy proud.
