The rod loaded instantly and responded perfectly to a short stroke and sharp haul shooting head style cast. This is my favorite 7 weight in the R8 Core lineup. Raise the tip after the lift and effortlessly lay it into the desired position. I think this rod gives you the best of both worlds, without sacrificing performance. Roll casting is tremendous and the deep load along the blank of the R8 Core rods is very apparent here. Tossing smaller flies at cutties and brookies in alpine lakes would be appropriate too. This shorter 4wt is the perfect rod for small-to-medium-sized rivers where accuracy and delicate presentation are crucial, but line speed and power are needed to punch a small terrestrial through the air. That does not mean that it is not a powerful and highly capable rod, but it is not a blazing loop slinger. According to Sage, in designing the R8 CORE, the rod maker shifted its focus back to feel and rhythm, "rather than dialing up parking lot distance," a statement which will no doubt prove intriguing to many anglers. Sage R8 Fly Rod Price: $1050.00 Line weights: 3wt, 4wt, 5wt, 6wt, 7wt, 8wt, 9wt A brilliant choice to tackle your next fishing trip, the Sage R8 fly rod gives you a terrific tool to catch trout. I cast it with a Rio Gold, SA Infinity Taper and Rio Predator, 3 of my favorite lines for 6-weight fishing. The advancements in fly fishing rods have been wild since the 70s, so theres some skill and finesse required to get this rod to perform. The delivery is perfectly balanced at all distances and the slow-motion load and rebound of this rod is delightful. I dont know many people who actually use them. All three reviewers were asked to rate each category from 0 to 10 for each rod. Read what our member's write and you get who they are and their degrees of bias (which to one extent or another we all have). This delineates the amount of flexion versus stiffness in the rod. The R8 Core replaced the Sage X, which is indeed a fast-action rod. The SA Infinity Taper is a natural fit for this long 6-weight, but anglers who prefer a shooting style line such as the Rio Outbound will marvel at the distance this rod achieves. These are the best new rods of the year. But itll still allow for a modicum of flex for accuracy, offering a meeting point between stiffness and agility. Concentration shifted to improving its resin and carbon technology, bringing forth the development of ARC 2. You get the feeling that the line behind you can almost hold you up it is so stable. You feel more connected to this rod and get the feeling of hitting the gas in a sporty car when you stand on this rod. This rod encourages you to slow down your stroke and smooth out your haul. But I still found myself reaching for it when wading. Then, others are frustrated until they believe that Sage is just running a big con job and using this forum and its members to achieve that. Walker is keen on R8 technology. Comparable models in Salt HD, Igniter and Maverick have greater capability in the wind. Recovery What we mean by recovery is the rods ability to return after a back cast. How we Rated the Rods- This particular review covers the following. This next phase of its carbon construction is 35% lighter than the original ARC tech, which was already crazy light. The Orvis is pretty good too, but is a few years old now and tech has clearly moved on. It casts naturally with tremendous line speed and zero torsional play at all distances. More than anything else, Sage just nailed the taper and material application. This requires a patient stroke, even more so at short distances than long, but the tip snaps back with resilience, delivering excellent line speed with little effort from the caster. It seems sensitive to its line pairing, but I would unconditionally recommend the R8 490-4 with an SA Trout Taper. Everyone will talk about these rods because they are noticeably different from their X predecessors. SKU: N/A Category: Fly Rods. The reactions to this R8 Core release are kind of strange. The development cost for the current top model is what cause them to be so much more expensive than the mid-level rods that are usually one or two prior generations with different wraps and lower cost fittings. I've been using the same two Sage 5wts since the 1990s. Centric 1006-4. Neither light nor heavy for its class, the 690-4 is a convincing piece of equipment from the first impression, a rod that seems optimized for its purpose. - Babe Ruth. Its been out for a few years now, but I dont think this rods been given the credit its earned. Why Ultralight People Need to Chill Already, Kershaw Iridium Review: A Great Flipping Knife Under $100. The growing popularity of spey casting led Sage to reconfigure the G5 to accommodate the most recent advances in spey lines available on the market. I would confidently take the R8 5100-4FB to the Gunnison or the Colorado as a one rod to do it all while wading. It excels in all the subtle techniques including roll casting, line mending, informal Spey casts and tippet protection. I also believe this is a much better tool than its predecessor for throwing shooting head style surf lines to stripers. This category has no bearing on the quality of either rod. -John Duncan, The R8 Core 5100-4FB is an exceptional fly rod and standout among the R8 Core rods. The 586-4 is an extremely lightweight rod that prefers throwing dry flies but can get away with tossing smaller nymph rigs. Rich Post, In my opinion, the 6-weights are standouts in the R8 series. Both rods are 9 foot six weights. Lines: Rio Gold Elite Fly Line, Rio Technical Trout Fly Line. I do not own a 10 foot single hand rod, but I may have to now. Scott Centric C905/4 ? The RIO Striper line fits like a glove, but it threw the SA Amplitude Bonefish nicely. To cap it all, the soft tip bends nicely into a fish and should protect fine tippets. Another Sage rod on the list and another award winner from the 2022 IFTD Show. It makes for a great starter rod, a decent backup, or just a solid pick as an everyday budget fly fishing rod. Very light in hand but no weight inscribed on it. I was under the impression that the R8 line was a softer action than the X line. This Carbon XL has a moderate to moderate-fast action that loads and casts easily for all skill levels. My overall impression was that the R8 Core 4100-4 is a specialized model ideally tuned for fishing all manner of nymph rigs for trout. "How does the 9wt compare to the 10wt?" The pick up and lay down with this rod is perfect. This is not a 1 Trick Pony. Most rods are able to perform in multiple scenarios. In fact, we observe two distinct design strategies within the R8 Core. This rod is a prime example of a company that tried something, realized it didnt work, and changed course. As you likely know by owning both, the physical weight on both rods is identical - 2 13/16 ounces. To be clear, we didnt fish with these rods; we merely cast them. Both are aesthetically pleasing and possess a polished and well-refined buildsomething youd expect from both Sage and Scott, especially from the high-end rod lineup. Best Uses: Striper fishing, permit, pike - this was a favorite. Bozeman Flyworks also offers some simple walk-throughs for those just getting started. Fit & Finish- The first impressions are important. These rods all have the stiff tip, medium-fast action. Choose this model for freshwater or a fresh-salt crossover. This would make a fine all-purpose rod for Alaska or anywhere in bass country, but would not be my choice for heavy streamers (Montana) or fishing in major wind (Argentina, Chile, Northern Rockies). The first subset are rods with a stiff tip that encourage a deeper flex. All rights reserved. Rich Post, When lawn casting this model for the first time, I was transported to the bow of a drift boat, strafing the banks with a grasshopper. How do they balance the rod? JavaScript is disabled. The 6wt is a multi-purpose rod that leans towards indicator or hopper dropper fishing out of a drift boat instead of heavy streamers. Check Price at Trident Fly FishingCheck Price at Farbank. It casts naturally with tremendous line speed and zero torsional play at all distances. article and model reviews by John Duncan and Richard Post Tech | Model Reviews. Like the R8 Core 890-4, the 990-4 is an easy caster with just about any line, but you cant stab cast it like the Igniter or horse the butt section like a Salt HD. Real names are not used to protect the innocent. We recently had the opportunity to cast most of the rods in the Sage R8 Core series. I have benefited a lot from S&S's discourses on rods and fly fishing. A good caster can take just about any rod and make it work for him/her self. The companys direct-to-consumer model means you get a higher quality product at a far lower price point. Fast action freshwater fly rods will always represent the tip of the spear for Sage, which defined the category in the 1980s and 1990s. Gear Review: Sage R8 Core Series Fly Rods - The Fly Shop Our testers found both rods to be excellent fly rods and great additions to any fly anglers quiver. Scott Centric Fly Rod Test - New Scott Centric VS Scott Radian VS Sage Enjoy the rod! Impressive action, good feel, and good aesthetic. How on earth is Sage asking a rod with a price tag of over $1000 and still use run of the mill components and guides? I thought the Rio Elite Gold WF7F was just a shade too light and didnt match the rod as well as I like. -John Duncan. I was able to. Elliott Barnes gives his first impressions on the 9 foot, 5 weight i. The draw of one-piece rods is both weight reduction and improved performance. There is simply something about the tapers of this rod and line that work well together. GearJunkie may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Read more. , this rod is strong where it needs to be and light where it can be. As I heard from a longtime sage rep today only for 'selected pro's' - good bye! The R8 Core Series ($1,050) from Sage was just released on April 5. This style of fly fishing rod is completely different than any other on the list because its an entirely different way of fly fishing. Stillwater anglers will find plenty of spine for lifting full sinking lines from deep water and casting from float tubes or personal pontoon boats. Matt, Bill, and Jack. Fish this rod with long dry fly leaders or as a late summer pocket water stick on rivers like our own San Miguel. The 95 5-weight version of the series came out with a pile of hype, and so far it has measured up. I would be happy to hear from anyone who has done a side by side comparison between the sage and either the loomis or Scott. Lines: Scientific Anglers Amplitude Trout Fly Line, RIO Gold Fly Line, RIO Technical Trout. You should definitely try out the rods you're considering before laying down money that is well beyond pocket change. This fiberglass rod doesnt just have the looks of a throwback its constructed like one, albeit with some modern tech. If you're new to fly fishing, you may be wondering what is fly rod action? Its clean, sleek, and has a balanced feel. If anything, the FB edition feels a tiny bit lighter, the natural result of mounting the grip higher on the blank. In the right hands, this could make a great spring creek rod when conditions call for the longest leaders, lightest tippets, and smallest flies to be delivered to the wariest of trout. Pay out 40 stack mends like youre feeding pigeons. The carp angler who frequently fishes longer, lighter leaders, and smaller flies will love this rod too. The R8 796 cast the Rio Predator line well. JavaScript is disabled. If little mountain streams are where youre headed, you might want to consider a different rod choice. I was much more impressed when I cast the Douglas Sky G 6wt. Although I rarely fish a 10 6-wt, this is one of my favorite rods in the series. 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. Maybe it is more of an indictment on the industry. That, too, was a lovely rod, but the R8 Core has a super broad sweet spot and ultra-springy mid-section that brings the rod to life on casts both short and long. Sign up to receive GearJunkie content direct to your inbox. Scott Centric quantity. Jack, admittedly is not the best caster in the world. I own the sage r8 core 486. There was no kick at the delivery and the rod absorbed those inherent aberrations that ripple through the line when casting short heavy heads. When I casted it when it first came out, I liked it quite a bit more than than the X in that configuration. Nice review. And if you learn a bevy of casts beyond the standard like false casting, roll casting, or slack line casting youll be able to further dial in presentation for any number of setups or weather conditions. 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. Now, the fun part.
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