And like the Helios, this makes for a helluva boat rod. It doesnt possess the superhuman attributes of the shorter 4wt and, unlike most of the trout rods in the series, needed a heavier line like the SA MPX to bring it to life. This is a finely tuned fly rod. Very light, delicate yet powerful and it swings very lightly. This is too much fly rod for my trout fishing, but stillwater anglers will find a rod of incredible capability. Coming in a range from 3wt to 9wt, with a variety of lengths from 8'6" to 10'0 . . Pay out 40 stack mends like youre feeding pigeons. Check Price at AmazonCheck Price at Zen Tenkara. I think well see the upper-weighted-end of this series both throwing streamers for salmon and pike, and wandering into the salt flats for bonefish and permit. The NRX+ FLY T2S series is touted as having all the performance of a one-piece rod, with the added benefit of portability. The other day our Sage sales representative, Alex Ramirez, gave The Fly Shop team a product demonstration on the new Sage R8 Core single-hand rods. Unless you live on the beach, youre going to need to travel with the thing, and a 9-foot-long tube is a pain to move about with. I cast it with a Rio Gold, SA Infinity Taper and Rio Predator, 3 of my favorite lines for 6-weight fishing. A good fly rod doesn't just cast well but is equally effective in real-world fishing scenarios. A marvel of design, this rod succeeds the 597-4 X with equal casting capability but even greater control, most noticeable when throwing in the wind or horsing a nymph/indicator rig. Thanks-. R8 Core is a rod family focused on maximum versatility and applies new revolutionary material technology through our forward thinking lens of what we're seeing out on the water where one rod needs to show even greater range. The 9 4wt is another interesting model. Lightness and responsiveness are both enhanced, improving the spring and underlying his ability to create rods of different character from the same material. I felt the Douglas was snappier and able to generate more natural line speed despite being medium fast in action. Rachelle Schrute has been writing about hunting, fishing, and conservation for several years, as well as being a wilderness guide in Yellowstone National Park. This rod encourages you to slow down your stroke and smooth out your haul. Distance- Similar to Accuracy, we realize this is subject to the anglers ability. This is a fine Alaska rod or crossover saltwater-freshwater model, which are increasingly rare. The Great Lakes tributary steelheader will find the taper beneficial for rolling out bulky indicator rigs. A true all-water rod with plenty of power to lift sinking lines, the 8wt R8 would make an excellent rod for northeastern schoolie stripers. Youll really feel that tip follow through when roll casting and mending line. This rod feels Incredibly light in hand but has plenty of range and is an excellent option for anglers seeking versatility from their 4wt. Get yours today With Free Shipping: https://www.tridentflyfishing.com/sage-r8-core-fly-rod.htmlBlog Review HERE: https://www.tridentflyfishing.com/blog/sage-. The pick up and lay down with this rod is perfect. The rod also lacked the versatility found in the other models. It can be tied in various colors to match the hatch. Fly fishing equipment reviews, practical advice, factory tours, interviews and instruction. Gear Review: Sage R8 Core Series Fly Rods. Smashing rod for fishing floating flies with a long leader on small and medium sized trout streams. TheSuimenka Zoom($260) from Zen Tenkara is just a cool rod. Constructed with G. Loomis Multi-taper Design, this rod is strong where it needs to be and light where it can be. Choose the line that best suits your fishing techniques. Thanks to excellent leverage and control, heavy fish come quickly to the net. This rod will handle a variety of lines, but I would put a longer bellied line like the Gold or Infinity on here, or the various long bellied nymphing lines. Double hauling in the wind, it knifes long loops that turn over with an audible hiss. Best Use: A proper trout angler's rod; the 486-4 is perfect for smaller rivers and dry flies but offers a hint of versatility generally not seen in this size configuration. All three reviewers were asked to rate each category from 0 to 10 for each rod. And, of course, rod weight can go way up in the saltwater world. Walker is keen on R8 technology. As you likely know by owning both, the physical weight on both rods is identical - 2 13/16 ounces. However, the rods refined subtleness also means better presentation when throwing small flies to spooky bonefish. The team scrapped it and moved forward in a different direction. By signing up for email newsletters, you agree to GearJunkie's, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), The Redington Butter Stick in action; (photo/Redington), With 5 line weights, all at 86 long, G. Loomis introduced a powerhouse series with the. I'm laughing my ass off, on all the Sage far bank threads. As a curiosity, do you happen to have a home kitchen scale which can weigh grams or tenths of ounces? Options were NRX +, Centric and now R8 core in the same configuration. "How does the 9wt compare to the 10wt?" The smaller the fish, the lower the weight. Choosing a fly rod really comes down to three components: where youre fishing, what youre fishing for, and what flies youll tie to the end of the rod. Scott Centric quantity. Real names are not used to protect the innocent. I was much more impressed when I cast the Douglas Sky G 6wt. If you're new to fly fishing, you may be wondering what is fly rod action? -John Duncan, Im going to repeat my review of the 690-4 here because I honestly found these models to be nearly inseparable. A lot of my other rods gathered dust; the Blackout did not. 221 W. Colorado Ave PO Box 685 Telluride, CO 81435. Read more. -John Duncan. A Rio Technical Trout didnt engage the rod much, and I began to lose hope. Single handed Spey casts and powerful roll casts leap from the tip. But the bigger the fish, the more backbone youll need. When you start talking about rods that reach past the 11-foot mark, responsiveness becomes an issue. Not only does it have a groovy look, it fishes really well if you know what youre doing. It responds to both touch and power. We have two lives, and the second begins when we realize we only have one. Essentially, whatever your preferred stretch of water, theres a rod in the Sage R8 Series to fit your needs. Jack, admittedly is not the best caster in the world. The 5wt feels like the fours older sibling and is an excellent option for when the wind picks up or the fly size increases. Two categories: Power and Presentation. This model does not have a fighting butt and I found that a heavier reel provided a better balance and also made the overall outfit feel lighter as well. Best Uses: Dry fly fishing on tailwaters where medium distant casts are needed. The delivery is perfectly balanced at all distances and the slow-motion load and rebound of this rod is delightful. Everyone will talk about these rods because they are noticeably different from their X predecessors. article and model reviews by John Duncan and Richard Post Tech | Model Reviews. Anyone thinking that all they want is to have someone tell them how great their new rod (reel, or whatever) really needs to check their own biases. Guides have praised the noticeable reduction in fatigue after a long day of throwing streamers, as well as noting the power it has relative to its lightweight feel. I also believe this is a much better tool than its predecessor for throwing shooting head style surf lines to stripers. Characteristic of the series, the 590-4 has a tip that is just stiff enough to force some graphite behind even the shortest casts. Double hauling in the wind, it knifes long loops that turn over with an audible hiss. With 5 line weights, all at 86 long, G. Loomis introduced a powerhouse series with the NRX+ FLY T2S ($895). It has a very nice, progressive flex to it. The Sage X 7wt was fantastic, and if Im being honest, Id have to cast them side-by-side to tell the difference. Impressive action, good feel, and good aesthetic. I found it to be equally capable with both freshwater and saltwater fly lines, but a heavy headed freshwater line such as an SA Titan or Rio Predator would probably be my first choice on the water. It may not display this or other websites correctly. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. The only real notable drawback is the decision not to integrate a hook keep. You can feel the sensation of the line lifting from the water incrementally with this rod. I would unconditionally recommend some rods within the R8 Core series. Maybe it is more of an indictment on the industry. -John Duncan, The R8 Core 4100-4 is a stellar fishing tool and a specialist nymph anglers go-to rod in the new R8 lineup. Based in Montana, Rachelle is an avid hunter, angler, wild game cook, and professional outdoor napper. when I read reviews, I read them, and if I sense or feel the review was bought and paid for by the company I will refuse to buy that company product for a year, look at the 2022 tackle show, Winston got 1-rod one the rest sage? It would be interesting to know the weight of the upper 3 sections together of each rod, and the butt section separately. Every year, theres a new list of the best rods out there. The predatory freshwater angler who prefers an 8wt will love the makeup of the rod, too, and should handle reasonably large flies. This allows for a stiff backbone to set against a powerful fish or cut through the wind with speed and power. The R8 Core is a brand new series, but we were lucky enough to cast most models in the series with a variety of fly lines here's what we found. Stillwater anglers looking for maximum distance, those throwing larger flies and fighting larger than average fish should take notice of this rod as well. Sage SALT R8 Fly Rod First Impressions January 26, 2023 . I enjoyed line in the air with this rod, but I loved how it performed with line on the water. Lines: RIO Striper Fly Line, Scientific Anglers Amplitude Bonefish Fly Line. As I heard from a longtime sage rep today only for 'selected pro's' - good bye! A proud hero caster, the R8 596-4 is just as impressive at reasonable fishing distance with a Rio Gold, SA MPX, Airflo Universal Taper, etc. My favorite line for this model is the Rio Perception and my least favorite is the SA Infinity Taper. What the X had going for it was a stiff tip and butt section, which allowed a little more bend down the blank when you really needed to launch some line.