Sage R8 Core Fly Rod Review (Has Sage Made A Mistake?)

[@michaelg6915]

I own a couple of Sage R8 rods, several Sage X, along with Scott Centric and Winston Pure and Air 2. I feel the R8 is a more all-round rod than X, much more forgiving, and actually quite powerful. More finesse on shorter distances and easier to mend if on a float. Not as powerful as my Centric, but more forgiving. Not as well made as my Winstons. Really nice all-around rod, and will tolerate casting mistakes a little better than say the Scott. After getting used to it, and switching lines around a bit, I think it is better than my X rods.

[@Tridentflyfishing]

Agreed

[@HelgraMike]

Got any for sale?

[@mepaulius]

How does R8 compare to Winston? I am considering getting Air 2, but I am not sure if that is a good idea. To be precise I have #4 8”6’ R8 Core, and I am looking to get Air 2 #5 9”. Thank you for your help and advice 🙏

[@barrybigplums]

Totally hear the complaints about the price ….. however ….. just ordered one for my 40th here in the uk. Tried it on the lawn and WOW I would describe it as butter with backbone …. With the Rio gold this rod is effortless and beyond smooth. Feels way lighter than the x in the 9 foot 5 weight version also it’s much easier to get used to than the odd taper of the x. Every complaint I see in the comments section is always around the price however if you can get over that anger over the £1050 price tag and have a go with the R8 you will see in just a few casts how amazing this rod feels ….. I have owned multiple high end rods , Orvis H3, sage method, sage x, sage igniter, hardy hbx,hardy , hardy zepherus and the hardy ultralite x among others and this rod is really really good….

[@Tridentflyfishing]

It's a great rod, for sure

[@TedJ71]

I will be purchasing a few X’s at the close out prices ! I love when these companies come out with new series.

[@tommyboy0379]

most places already dumped their inventory of the X. But i know what you are saying, get a great rod at a much better price than the gotta have it now guys

[@TedJ71]

You’ll see them pop up on eBay, just have to keep looking. I’ve bought several Sage ones, salts. and Orvis H2’s for 40-50% off retail. The popular rods go first for more money, but you can find some good deals if you keep looking. It’s the smaller fly shops that tend to hold on to their inventory longer.

[@Aprehended]

Did the exact same thing haha, I wanted a flagship rod, but wasn't willing to pay so much. Picked up a 5wt X last month.

[@riverwalker2173]

There's no value in buying a "flagship" stick at MSRP anymore. Reknown fly tyer & streamer specialist Kelly Gallup even mentioned how ridiculous a $1,000 rod is.

[@ixoye56]

It's about time that all rod manufacturers design their rods to fit AFTM standard lines.

[@hunterbemboom318]

Call me crazy I really enjoyed a rio gold elite 6wt on the 590

[@Tridentflyfishing]

Seems to be the growing trend for trout rods.

[@jonasbrasjoalbin9518]

Totally agree! For years we’ve seen rods that are atleast one or two lineclasses heavier than they’re marketed as. Sage is not the only culprit here though. Go Sameo!

[@tomwiggins1225]

I have a Sage Trout LL 8 ft 6 and I love it.

[@chrisp4039]

I have the 9ft 4wt LL. It's dreamy.

[@m.t.pokkets86]

This is the only guy who rambles against the LL. Maybe he should have paired it with the right type of line while reviewing it

[@1369zzz]

Have been a loyal Sage fan for years…the change in their warranty had changed that. $225 repair for “discontinued” rods is not acceptable. I will not buy another if this not fixed. Matter of a few years until the X, Salt hd are on that list. Method and One are already there

[@kkswain96]

I heard their warranty went to shit.. I didn’t know they did that 😓 I’m a Scott guy. I was planning on purchasing a Scott Centric 590 or 690. I own two Scott radian’s. However none of my local guys sell Scott. But they do sell loomis and sage. They had igniters and X’s, and they knocked the x down to $1000 (Canadian) sense the R8’s release. So I was thinking do I try the x 690 and save a couple hundred bucks? But nahhh. I’ll stick with Scott. Lol. I’ve had to warranty one of my radians with them and they either replaced the tip section or built me one, no cost, no stress and super quickly. Plus their rods are incredible and their blanks are so beautiful. They’ve got me 🤷🏼‍♂️😂

[@Arvydas_M]

They need to push the sales of new models.... All companies going this way. Every 3-4 years its a new model with new fancy name... Method/one/x/r8 whats next: "turbo nano quatro"... If you compare high end rod made 5 years ago they have the same abilities as new ones just difirent colour blank, rings, name etc. Why charge a customer once in a life, if you can charge them every four years because the rods do brake even the most expensive ones.

[@Intermtn9736]

100%. Buy a centric, same thing but better

[@richarde1355]

Curious if you have purchased a Sage from a retailer? I wish the rod companies would enforce the “original purchaser” part of their warranties. I believe we wouldn’t see these huge increases in warranty costs.

[@rob3518]

Just don’t break it 😎

[@chazt4863]

Sounds like another nice rod but IMHO the GLoomis Asquith 5904 is still King of the 5 weights for pure end-to-end casting performance!

[@kevingeary1472]

I feel like sage took the easy way out of taking things to the next level. They made everything light and it fishes true to weight lines....Great but other companies have been doing this a looong time. The asquith on the other hand is a rod complicated enough that it takes the expertise of two huge companies to produce. It is 1/16th of an ounce heavier than the Core but it came out in 2017! Also Sage if you read this, your guides are embarrassing. Step upto titanium cerecoil or torzite and stop putting profits ahead of your loyal customers who have to mortgage their house now to fish for trout.

[@tonyg3091]

You must be kidding...The Asquith is the most soulless rod I have ever casted. I'd take Radian and even more Centric over Asquith any day of the week.

[@rangerwhite5165]

I think Sage are pricing themselves into a limited market of affordability. As others have said, the Scott Centric is around 400 to 500 bucks cheaper and are seriously lovely rods. I have several Sage rods and they are fantastic, but the prices are now becoming prohibitive for the average joe.

[@ibookje]

I think Sage is seeing the 'end of the line' here. By making faster and faster rods they could go beyond the competition in this but as fishermen see that fast rods are just that (fishing gets very utilitarian, like flying an airplane with fly-by-wire) they are looking for rods with more soul & feel. The price range is another thing. Fly fishing is a niche and high end rods are even smaller inch of that niche. At pricing going past $1000, people will start to revaluate what they want to pay just to go fishing

[@tommyboy0379]

Scott Cerntric sells for $945. If you can find one for $500 to $600 bucks jump on it.

[@hunterbemboom318]

Where are you finding the centric for 500-600 I want to buy a few at that price

[@stanreedy2686]

@@hunterbemboom318 me too

[@hunterbemboom318]

@@stanreedy2686 heck yeah those are great rods

[@shaller77]

It sounds like they got a lot of positive feedback from the Sonic/maverick and went with a similar design philosophy.

[@Tridentflyfishing]

Both great rods but vastly different

[@rob3518]

I’ll be buying the 9 foot 4 weight after much consideration. As for warranty issues I’ll take my chances as I’ve never had any issues with any of my Sage rods.

[@jackshirkflyfishing]

been waiting for y'alls review!

[@Tridentflyfishing]

👊

[@Subaruuu12]

Why is your standard test line the MPX? Extremely WF line. Sould use the SA smooth. RIO is garbage.

[@hansson3337]

Would be nice if you could take in Nam products in to Trident. And done some review om those rods and lines

[@kevingeary1472]

5 out of 10 for value. Many rods perform just as well in the 300-500 range in my humble experience. High performance yes but ground breaking absolutely not.

[@HelgraMike]

My thoughts exactly

[@salmo3t900]

Thank you for the review. Of course casting is very subjective, but your critic about finishes, casting, etc are insightful. After listening between the lines, I'm very happy I got one of the last 10'6 X's for my stillwater fishing. I've been fishing the same X for a couple years. Doubling up with the 20% closeout was a good choice for me. I prefer a fast action, longer casting rods to maximize the distance flies are in the fish zone. Perhaps in other applications the more forgiving medium action of the R8 will be better, but for all around river rod the Asquith is tops for me.

[@Tridentflyfishing]

Sounds like a killer stillwater setup! Thanks for watching

[@bauhausoffice]

This is an amazing channel

[@MegaNicholls]

Great review thanks. Out of the 9'6" and 10' 6 weights which do you think would be better for a dedicated stillwater rod?

[@Tridentflyfishing]

10ft rods are definitely an advantage when casting out of a float tube, but both should work well. Thanks for watching!

[@loomi47]

How about the R8-Rio perception combination? Does it feel like the MPX?

[@angussoutter7824]

Handy to have the rod weight on the up-locking ring if you have a lot of rods 😱not at that price

[@flyfishingchannel]

Beautiful!

[@bradfordmarley3124]

sage has been playing catch up for the last 12 years, their "flagship" rod can't even compete with Winston,scott and g loomis. anyone buying one of these hasn't picked up the competition or is just buying for brand recognition

[@hunterbemboom318]

I bought one and I casted Winston air 2 and Scott centric in the same day, love the Scott but still went with the Sage, I am not brand specific, yes I own a few sages but my streamer rod is an alpha+, I fish and echo river glass and I love my T&T paradigm

[@spearfisherman308]

Really because the salt had felt better than the orvis h3 and is only slightly less better than the meridian and sector.

[@bradfordmarley3124]

@@spearfisherman308 hahaha the salt is garbage

[@spearfisherman308]

@@bradfordmarley3124 how so I have one and it's great for fishing from shore.

[@tonyg3091]

The last Sage I bought was One 9' #4. Sold it. Will never buy another Sage again. Except for ESN, which is fantastic. Ah yes, and I am keeping forever my SLT. And the Method.

[@slhibbs]

i use a 6wt Scott Sector with a lamson litespeed f 7 reel, the rod is about 3.8 oz why do we need a rod so light, shorely it would compromise the lifting power of the rod.

[@cachi-7878]

Ben, please point me to the lineup reviews of the Sage R8 rods.

[@Tridentflyfishing]

www.tridentflyfishing.com/blog/sage-r8-core-fly-rod-series-review-model-by-model/

[@MatteoRotta82]

Hi, I’m interesting to buy a T&T Avantt 905. Which is the best rod? Why should i buy the R8?

[@kansasscout4322]

I don't understand why line weights became so messed up with so called lines identified as say, a 5 wt but it a half wt heavier or even a whole line size heavier.

[@Tridentflyfishing]

That stems from today's faster action rods needing heavier lines to help them load

[@kansasscout4322]

@@Tridentflyfishing why are they making rods like this? People are pretending to fish smaller lines than they actually are. To what benefit?

[@rg1809]

Is distance really a concern for a 5 wt trout rod?

[@paulb.5592]

As this is a very light rod, what reel would you suggest? What reel did you use for the test?

[@barrybigplums]

I have the hardy ultradisc cassette 4000 reel on my 9 foot five weight and I can balance the rod handle one one finger and it doesn’t wobble …… also allows me to carry several lines so it’s perfect I reckon

[@vadims4589]

Possible this is the new generation of graphite composite materials. Even maybe design but price??? Very expensive!!! If I will be looking now for new rod I definitely will take Scott Centric, less money and better performance.

[@DDMRocket]

How does the R8 compare to the sage sonic in terms of the action/feel department? Does the R8 still feel like an old school sage?

[@Tridentflyfishing]

The R8 will offer much better feel and bend progressively down the blank.

[@sorhol]

Great review. Thx

[@Tridentflyfishing]

Thanks for watching!

[@mepaulius]

Is the any real competition for R8 Core to date? I am interested only in trout fishing. And I am not trying to be funny. I am looking for honest answers from people who have a few rods or more. Tight lines everyone!

[@channguyen3349]

wow it bends further down the handle and softer. I guess this is very difficult to make a rod like that. And if you put a lighter line on it feels lighter. I guess this is rocket science multiplying by 2...🤣

[@kevingeary1472]

He likes sage and I think it's hard to come out and say the newest and most expensive fly rod from sage is nothing special, especially when your trying to sell them

[@gerardnglavin6249]

Absolutely spot on. The x was garbage.

[@Tridentflyfishing]

Thanks for watching!

[@fishingreporter2784]

Gloomis NRX has been there years ago

[@mantismamba]

Do you like this rod more or the Douglas sky g?

[@ibookje]

do you like blondes more?... 😉 What kind of answer do you think you'll get?

[@Tridentflyfishing]

The Sky G is a little lighter and softer in close. The R8 has more range and is a pretty different feeling rod overall

[@larryh9525]

Hi, I have a 5wt Sky G and it's a wonderful fly rod. I have caught a ton of fish using it and the feel is wonderful. I have caught a few big trout in the 3.5lb - 5lb range and the rod never buckled, it has tremendous backbone. I typically fish size 8 - 10 wooly buggers casting SA Frequency Boost, which is a step lighter than MPX. While you can use MPX on the G, it's not my favorite. For smaller flies and soft hackles, I use SA Mastry ART (discontinued) and it provides excellent feel for smaller lighter flies. I just beginning to test Rio Perception Elite, which so far seems good.

[@rhonda837]

@@larryh9525 sa amplitude trout smooth works great for dry flies.

[@anonym1anonym243]

Will there be some double handed versions soon?

[@Tridentflyfishing]

Haven't heard anything yet, but I expect it will be a while.

[@TopSecretVid]

Love my Pulse..

[@HelgraMike]

I want one!

[@kurtjensen7930]

How would you rate it against the sky g for performance?

[@Tridentflyfishing]

Probably give the R8 a higher score for an extended fishing range, but the Sky G is a little more accurate at shorter distances.

[@HopperJuan]

I’d say depending on what you want to use it for, the Sky G is a much better rod. Lighter, more accurate, better components, and just all around better in my opinion.

[@kurtjensen7930]

@@HopperJuan thank you, I have both now! The sky G is my favorite of the two. R8 is decent also.

[@HopperJuan]

@@kurtjensen7930that’s awesome!! A little bit late with my reply but it sounds like you made the right decision. I had the 904 R8 but I traded it. It just wasn’t as good as the others.

[@davidrubianes6223]

Guys can you review Taylor Anomaly Z and Truth Z? Curious what your thoughts are.

[@Tridentflyfishing]

We'll put them on the to-do list!

[@davidrubianes6223]

@@Tridentflyfishing you guys rock

[@davidrubianes6223]

I have a Z and absolutely love it, but very curious what your team’s thoughts are.

[@Tridentflyfishing]

@@davidrubianes6223 Thanks David!

[@jonmunch3298]

For that price, get a Burkheimer!

[@richarde1355]

$1,000 a pop? I don't think I'll mothball my Z Axis for this stick.

[@Detroit3Pistons]

How would a 4WT handle a Scientific Anglers Infinity? Any suggestion for a better line for lighter indicator Nymphing?

[@Tridentflyfishing]

Infinity should work but don't sleep on the Rio Gold

[@Detroit3Pistons]

@@Tridentflyfishing what’s the big difference between the two? They seem similar.

[@HopperJuan]

The 4wt loves the SA smooth Trout. It’s light and smooth. With the Rio Gold, you can feel it flex just a bit more. For nymphing, I’d probably prefer the rio gold. I used the trout line to nymph and felt it was just a bit too light to turn over a nymph rig. With a yarn indicator and nymph rig and a light breeze, it wasn’t the best. With an Airlock indicator, it felt better but that’s where the Rio Gold might work better. Also, just an FYI, the Douglas Sky G is a better rod IMO. For both dries and nymphs. It’s my go to rod in the 904.

[@delawarepro3539]

Be sure to try before you buy…. $1050.00 🤯 the audacity🤬

[@Tridentflyfishing]

We have our Castability Guarantee for a reason!

[@barrybigplums]

I would recommend everyone to visit a tackle shop and try a rod first especially at this price point …..

[@nihat_fishing]

Random!

[@georgenikolov207]

It has a same price as Audi R8 😂😂😂

[@Tridentflyfishing]

You aren't wrong

[@jonmunch3298]

Buy a Burkheimer.

[@timothyorourke7116]

Why

[@gregb8824]

Poor suckers that bought a LL😄

[@austinalexander1066]

LL is still softer

[@ruebdogg1]

Over priced. So many better options.

[@timothyorourke7116]

Rip off

[@robwhitfield1832]

Daiwa Air better

[@ballzblue22]

How do you find it compared to the Centric?

[@Tridentflyfishing]

Softer overall

[@ballzblue22]

What reel are you using?

[@Flyslinger]

Sage Arbor XL

[@ballzblue22]

@@Flyslinger cheers bud 👍🏼