SAGE R8 Core Fly Rods, Here's Everything You Need to Know.

 

The Sage R8 Core Fly Rod is Finally here.

Last week Sage released their highly anticipated R8 Fly Rods. So in light of the launch, here is everything you need to know about the new Sage R8 Core Fly Rods.

INTRODUCING R8 TECHNOLOGY

For most of us, an idyllic day on the water is not when we’re thinking more, but when we’re thinking less. Finding that state of fishing in the moment, where instinct and experience bring us to an almost zen-like awareness of each subtle motion and movement—that’s what R8 is all about. It’s not a race, but a state we all aim to reach out on the water. With R8 we enhance that two-way connection from hand to fly and back for greater feel, flow, and control. Check out our video on it here:

ENHANCED HAND-TO-ROD CONNECTION

SAGE increased the purity of graphite in the rod for even more reactivity and sensitivity, shifting energy further down the blank and into the handle. This transfer of energy creates a more natural extension of your arm, ultimately resulting in less wasted effort and intuitive reactivity. Rather than dialing up parking lot distance, SAGE shifted the thinking back to the roots of rhythm and awareness—where you can experience the energy happening in each moment.

AMPLIFIED SENSORY FEEDBACK

Effortless energy transfer and more connected feel, the amplified two-way feedback loop of R8 Technology, due to our new axial fiber formulation, allows you to feel when the power needs to be applied throughout the cast, presentation, and when applying the appropriate pressure to fish.

HEIGHTENED FISHING EXPERIENCE

Whether it’s the mental chess of matching the hatch, the headspace of reading the water or the instinct putting a fly in exactly the right spot—our best days emerge when our mind is right. It always seems that when we’re not thinking about it is precisely when our fishing mind takes over—where every single moment feels almost automatic or instinctual. With immediate feedback from tip to hand, R8 is designed to facilitate that higher state of mental flow and focus when small decisions, thoughts, and actions line up effortlessly.

MADE WITH PURE GRAPHITE

The advanced, leading-edge material behind R8 enables SAGE to shape a rod with a stiffer, stronger backbone but a more sensitive tip and more connected feel. The secret is twofold. First, a proprietary aerospace composite with a greater hoop strength enables us to dimensionally grow taper diameter more quickly from the tip—while a nano-sintered resin application increases axial resilience and allows us to pack more fiber into the blank, resulting in that true two-way connection from hand to fly and back for greater feel, flow and control.

EFFORTLESS ENERGY TRANSFER

Elongated energy transfer shifts the sweet spot closer to the hand creating a more natural extension of your arm for greater range, quicker reactivity and less wasted effort. Smooth Like Butter.

NEW AXIAL FIBER FORMULATION

Advanced nano-sintered resin application and a more resilient axial fiber allow us to re-profile the dimensional taper to get thicker quicker from tip to butt - resulting in better energy transfer and greater feel. Simply put - a better and more efficient "wiring" of energy.

NEW CIRCUMFERENTIAL HOOP FIBER

Advanced hoop fibers hold blank in optimal cylindrical shape creating greater circumferential strength - continuously maintaining the inherent blank strength while actively engaged or under tension.

The Sage R8 Fly Rod is made to fish, not just cast.

MENDING

With feel that extends to the smallest dry flies, Sage R8 provides the touch to deliver efficient mends with intention and precision.

SETTING

From subtle sips to streamer strikes, the amplified sensitivity of Sage R8 enables fine nibble feel that triggers instant, instinctual reaction for trout sets or strip sets.

FISH FIGHTING

With a fish on, R8’s fusion of stronger backbone yet greater feel enables you to control your fish, even from tough structure, with touch and care.

Sage R8 CORE

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. At its Core, R8 Core traces a direct lineage to Sage’s multi application vision, one shaped by the fishing evolutions happening all around us—from habitats we stalk and waters we frequent, to the flies we fish and the diversity of species we now target.

DRY FLY

A fast action provides the capability to stay tight to the line and in control of the presentation, while the high line speed drives a tight loop that assists in laser accuracy in technical dry fly situations. With ability to handle dry fly lines with long heads, increasing loop control when carrying long lengths and making precise casts to rising fish, all while making it easier to turn over long leaders for technical feeders at range.

NYMPHING

With a sensitive tip section to protect light tippets, a versatile balance between lifting power and delicacy provides perfect synergy for nymph fishing. A very effective tool for anglers that fish nymphs and indicators wading or out of a boat. With a combination of power and feel, R8 Core allows for intuitively better cast timing, easier line lifts and sharp, precise mends leading to faster reaction times when setting the hook.

STREAMERS

A powerful butt section easily throws a wide range of streamers and accommodates a full lineup of sinking tip lines while also quickly pulling aggressive fish out of structure for increased landing success. The powerful butt section of the R8 CORE provides stability, connectedness, and power to rock and fire those one-shot casts.

Stay tuned for a video from us featuring Justin Christopherson and Brian Flechsig that dives more into the Sage R8 Fly Rods and Justin's experience with them out in Montana.