Size: Clear selection. To be fair, Jacks ability to cast is more in line with the median of all fly anglers. Even my guide friends loved it, and I could see a smidge of jealousy in their trout-lovin eyes. -John Duncan, One of the sweethearts in the series, the R8 486-4 casts every suitable fly line with natural grace, line speed and precision throughout its substantial range. -Rich Post, In the X Series, the high line class rods were saltwater style, designed for knifing into the wind with tight loops and relatively small flies. I U-40 all my cork grips before I fish them. You get a more powerful rod in the R8 896 than the X and a rod that throws shorter heavier lines more easily. Click Here for the Rating Graph for the Scott Centric. It has more personality than the X. Pay out 40 stack mends like youre feeding pigeons. Roll cast across the river. Scott Centric Fly Rod - Duranglers Fly Fishing Shop & Guides Click Here for the Rating Graph for the Sage R8 Core. The 95 length is great for fishing in drift boats or off a paddleboard. 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. Outdated and tired Needlessly heavy. You get the feeling that the line behind you can almost hold you up it is so stable. Slow down, keep your stroke medium tempo and feel the control. I had an opportunity to fish with some friends today and fished the R8 Core 690 alongside my 690 X. Best Uses: The shorter 5wt is an excellent option for the angler looking to leave the nine-foot rod at home in favor of a much lighter rod without dropping down to a four-weight. 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. From throwing size 18 Blue Wing Olives to running a Chubby Dropper or Indicator rig with split shot, the R8 Core is a great choice for the angler that likes to catch fish and isn't afraid to change tactics through the day. -John Duncan, A lively and playful 5-weight with all but the right lines, this flagship model is much more than a pure caster. That being said, this might not be the best rod for a beginner. The 390-4 R8 is a bit of a unique rod. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Weight- The least subjective of all. Of course, like our shootouts and other casting commentaries, these mini-reviews are based on our casting style and preferences. Sage R8 Core Fly Rod Series Review: Model-By-Model Exactly. But I still found myself reaching for it when wading. Great post, surfnfish. Add to cart. Stiff-tipped rods comprise approximately half of the R8 Core series. 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. They are also well suited for casting larger flies for bass, pike, musky and salmon. It gets going right away with little line out the tip without the irritating hesitation of many fast action rods. Both lines were excellent. The R8 Core replaced the Sage X, which is indeed a fast-action rod. More than anything else, Sage just nailed the taper and material application. The reels are fully CNCd and have an adjustable drag, something you might not find on a lower-end kit. It includes a rod, reel, fly line, leaders, tippet, a fly box, a rod case, a reel sleeve, and even the option to add a net. There is Euro style crossover potential here as well. When I casted it when it first came out, I liked it quite a bit more than than the X in that configuration. This article is designed to pass that info along to you. Flats anglers neednt worry; we had zero issues throwing tight loops with a Flats Pro Fly Line. Your email address will not be published. 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. What reels are those fishing the Core 6wt using? Lines: Scientific Anglers Amplitude Trout Fly Line, RIO Gold Fly Line, RIO Technical Trout. 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. The Sage R8 Core fly rod family is labeled as "Fast Action". Fly fishing equipment reviews, practical advice, factory tours, interviews and instruction. The R8 Core and Centric are considered the flagship lineup of rods for Sage and Scott, respectively. Sage R8 Core First Impressions | Page 2 | The North American Fly The big difference between this kit and other starter kits is quality. In our annual hunt to find the best fly rods on the market, we took to the water, went to the International Fly Tackle Dealer Show, asked guides, scoured the internet, and read every tech spec and review to bring you our list of the fly fishing rods we think measure up for the coming year. It has a fluid casting arc with sensational feel at all distances. We recently had the opportunity to cast most of the rods in the Sage R8 Core series. 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. Boasting crazy fast line speed and enough power to overcome unpredictable ocean fishing conditions, this rod is still shockingly sensitive and surprisingly light. Think of the R8 seven as more of a trophy trout rod for the angler who uses a variety of tactics and could be a nymph rod for steelhead in certain situations. The are still some discontinued Radians floating around, and if you find one, grab it. If youre planning on fishing close to home, a two-piece can work just fine. Scott F Series vs. Sage Dart: Comp on the Creek! Rich Post, The R8 Core 7100-4 is a best in class long 7 weight for all around Trout and Salmon fishing when you need a powerful rod that can cast a long way and control line a long way out. Was there one rod that you would spend the money to replace a Sage X for and why? The final thing to consider is packability. -John Duncan, Im going to repeat my review of the 690-4 here because I honestly found these models to be nearly inseparable. Sign up to receive GearJunkie content direct to your inbox. - Babe Ruth. Scott Centric $ 895.00. Best Uses: Striper fishing, permit, pike - this was a favorite. Some will say yes, and some will say no. And depending on where youre fishing, a shorter rod might be desirable. Most rods are able to perform in multiple scenarios. We ask much of our 6-weights, but the R8 690-4 FB exceeds all requirements. Thanks-. Versatility- We see this as the rods ability to be used in various fishing situations. Kind of the same reason we don't directly compare a Porsche to Nissan Sentra. Yes, swing weight is what is critical with a rod. It's a nice drake pattern with a high wing that floats low in the water giving a great profile. 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. This setup is perfect for kids and adults who want to test the waters without investing a huge sum of money to do so. I can't speak to the Centric 590 specifically, but I do own a Centric 5100, and I love it. With identical weight rods and the R8 feeling noticeably lighter than the X, it seems nearly certain that the weight savings, no matter how little, must critically be in the upper 3 sections, with the R8 having a slightly heavier butt section. The 9 3wt is at the bottom of the R8 Core series barrel. just like in my opinion bribing a referee, i say all rods should have a chance, same with the brands, American or Chinese or Korean made. This one might have a bit too much bang. This fiberglass rod doesnt just have the looks of a throwback its constructed like one, albeit with some modern tech. That does not mean that it is not a powerful and highly capable rod, but it is not a blazing loop slinger. We have guides, shop pros and all manner of self-proclaimed authorities (like me by virtue of my 'old-timer' status). It felt heavier in hand than the 486-4, despite being a size lighter. With identical weight rods and the R8 feeling noticeably lighter than the X, it seems nearly certain that the weight savings, no matter how little, must critically be in the upper 3 sections, with the R8 having a slightly heavier butt section. The 95 5-weight version of the series came out with a pile of hype, and so far it has measured up. We fished the Centric with the Scientific Anglers Amplitude MPX and Rio Premiere Gold and found these to be choice lines for this rod. Real names are not used to protect the innocent. With that, the Sage R8 Core rod rating varied with each reviewer, while the Scott Centric was more consistent with the accuracy part of the review. Jack, admittedly is not the best caster in the world. Or maybe all of the above. 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. It felt clunky, was overly line-sensitive, and not enjoyable to cast. Choose this model for freshwater or a fresh-salt crossover. All this talk of hidden, lying shills is silly. Double hauling in the wind, it knifes long loops that turn over with an audible hiss. A lot of my other rods gathered dust; the Blackout did not. Distance- Similar to Accuracy, we realize this is subject to the anglers ability. Coming in a range from 3wt to 9wt, with a variety of lengths from 8'6" to 10'0 . Rachelle Schrute has been writing about hunting, fishing, and conservation for several years, as well as being a wilderness guide in Yellowstone National Park. Constructed with G. Loomis Multi-taper Design, this rod is strong where it needs to be and light where it can be. All of the potential bases for "disgust" are prevalent throughout just about any market that is appealing to something other than actual need. It may not display this or other websites correctly. TheSuimenka Zoom($260) from Zen Tenkara is just a cool rod. 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. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. Sage designed the R8 Core series to tackle the shortcomings of high-performance fly rods, such as roll casting, loop control, technical mends, and delicate presentations. I chose the G-Series because I don't care for rods that are stiff as a fireplace poker. 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? The companys direct-to-consumer model means you get a higher quality product at a far lower price point. My local shop got several R8's in a couple days ago and I gave the 904 a wiggle, but refrained from casting it. Matt also preferred the rhythm of the Sage R8 Core but can accurately cast both fly rods. The X 896 was so good and I really didnt know what they could do to improve that rod. Sage Salt R8 fly rods: read our model-by-model review. Casting the SA Trout Taper, the loop seems to tighten and accelerate just before turning over no matter the casting distance. The R8 Core delivers new performance parameters that deliver a noticeably heightened feel and connection, whether you are fishing, casting, or fighting a fish. If little mountain streams are where youre headed, you might want to consider a different rod choice. The 8 wt is 315, the 9wt is 375. This is a telescoping rod, meaning it collapses down into itself. 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. Our assumption is the casting Distance Capabilities have to do with a combination of the casting ability of the user and the recovery speed. The Sage R8 Core will cover the all-around anglers needs in a 5 weight. You couldnt ask for a better all-purpose boat rod, with tight loop dry fly capabilities combined with plenty of butt section for streamers up to a size 8. It isnt hard to find glowing reviews as fishermen have sung its praises for having the power and accuracy of a 10-foot rod while still casting with the ease of a 9-footer. Check Price at Trident Fly FishingCheck Price at G. Loomis. Both are fly rods, both catch fish just fine and both have fans. R8 CORE. The 6wt is a multi-purpose rod that leans towards indicator or hopper dropper fishing out of a drift boat instead of heavy streamers. I was much more impressed when I cast the Douglas Sky G 6wt. 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. ($260) from Zen Tenkara is just a cool rod. All rights reserved. The #8 and #9 in this series are designed to carry a heavier load more slowly. . I think this rod gives you the best of both worlds, without sacrificing performance. The Gold really kicked up the line speed of this rod and felt very good from 20 feet out. You cant hammer this rod like an Igniter or NRX+, but the angler who is well-versed in all-water techniques will find the R8 590-4 equally capable with dry flies and nymphs, truly a rod you can appoint for a long day in ever-changing conditions. I also believe this is a much better tool than its predecessor for throwing shooting head style surf lines to stripers. But if they were to be spey casting, theyd go for a 13-foot 7- or 8-weight rod. Thank you for the excellent assessment and comparison of the R8 to your 690x tybo 11. It casts off the tip, mid section and butt, generating line speed and dead level loops at all distances. I cast it with a Rio Gold, SA Infinity Taper and Rio Predator, 3 of my favorite lines for 6-weight fishing. The Heritage Taper is reminiscent of the old glass rods you might find in a dusty garage. A slow-action rod is more flexible throughout to allow for short, accurate casts. A medium (or moderate) action will be stiffer throughout. Sage R8 Core First Impressions | Page 8 | The North American Fly We realized this is a very subjective category also. This is a finely tuned fly rod. Hi Scott, The RIO Striper Line with the fast sinking. The soft tip to protect light tippets and the mending focused taper make for a highly specialized nymphing rod and one technical tailwater fisherman should pay attention to. The X 896 had a really sweet action that cast beautifully and felt lighter in the hand than you expect for a 9 foot 6 inch 8 weight. They cast with familiarity and intuition. In the R8 lineup, the 7100-4 is the best big rod for mending that I cast. Your email address will not be published. Thanks a bunch! Its also identical between the 590s ( why I suspect Sage is not printing the rod weights on this new series ). I felt like the rod could handle a heavier and longer headed nymph specialty style line well. My favorites are the Rio Gold and Rio Technical Trout, but the rod also handles the long-headed SA Infinity Taper, the SA Trout Taper and the Airflo Superflo Universal. You cast it firm or sit back on it a little and the rod doesnt seem to mind, it just stays right with you. The Sage R8 Core is a self-proclaimed multi-disciplinary fly rod, whereas the Scott Centric is labeled a freshwater fly rod. How do they balance the rod? This rod is no exception. This rod is a prime example of a company that tried something, realized it didnt work, and changed course. The power is smooth and rather than making you feel like you need to hurry up to stay with the rod, the feedback you receive is comforting and familiar. This is one of the lightest rods in the series relative to length and line weight, ideal long hours of steelheading in Northern California, the Great Lakes and other realms of our sport where hundreds of casts can exhaust the angler wielding a heavier stick. Lines: Scientific Anglers Amplitude MPX Fly Line, RIO Perception Fly Line. The 9 9wt is the clear winner. Sage Introduces R8 Core Fly Rod Fly Fisherman's Best New Freshwater Rod for 2023 focuses on angler experience through maximum versatility and applies new material technology. The NRX+ FLY T2S series is touted as having all the performance of a one-piece rod, with the added benefit of portability. This style of fly fishing rod is completely different than any other on the list because its an entirely different way of fly fishing. Typo 11, thanks for your reply. Scott Centric Fly Rods | Model-by-Model Review - Telluride Angler Like all the 10 foot R8 rods, an easy stroke and more relaxed cadence produce remarkable results for the amount of effort the caster applies to the rod. This also works well for bass, although a lot of people will go a little heavier for these tough-fighting fish. The Sage R8 Core had a slight edge. A lot of my other rods gathered dust last year, mostly because the Blackout did not. 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. Others I find to be narrow in purpose, but unique within the Sage toolbox and valuable to the purposeful angler. The rod loaded instantly and responded perfectly to a short stroke and sharp haul shooting head style cast. To me, they are freshwater and fresh/salt crossover rods that allow the angler to make many casts without fatigue. Places and fish for this rod: Alaska Trout, California Surf, Northeast Surf for schoolies, Anadromous Indicator fishing, Jurassic and Pyramid Lake style trout fisheries. 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. I felt the Douglas was snappier and able to generate more natural line speed despite being medium fast in action. The rod is incredibly light in hand yet has a noticeably stiffer feel all the way through to the tip. anyone think of a double blind test of this and other fly rods? With a full lineup of sizes, both the Sage R8 Core and Scott Centric mostly likely make the rod in the weight you want. We paired each rod with the same reel and weight forward, 6-weight fly line. I was able to get my hands on the R8 Core Series last month and get a feel for what these fast-action multiapplication rods have to offer. These are the best fly rods for fly fishing trout - The Fly Fishers A more compact length and lighter weight combined is great for casting small flies in a small stream surrounded by brush or trees that can snag your fly on a backcast. Its clean, sleek, and has a balanced feel. Then, I found the line: the SA Trout Taper. This rod is more of an AK salmon rod than a large trout rod. Perhaps a better category for this one would be: Best Midlevel Fly Fishing Rod, for the fly fisherman who has everything. Not to say the R8 Core cant be used in saltwater situations, but with the faster recovery speed, the Scott Centric would be the preferred rod in saltwater situations. It seems like an odd omission since its such a small component. -John Duncan. It has a clean, classic look that is just cool. The loops are so level and connected to the rod that you get the sense of laying down wire. Casting at short and long range is a joy, the power and smoothness of the rod has to be experienced to be believed. Though this fly rod is targeted at freshwater fishermen, the 990-4actually took home the award for Best Saltwater Fly Rod at the 2022 IFTD Show. Acknowledging my bias as a mountain carpfisherman, I think the star of this lineup is the 96 5-weight. Sage R8 Core Fly Rod Review - Darn Fine - Duranglers Fly Fishing Shop 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. Consider this a big game trout rod. Raise the tip after the lift and effortlessly lay it into the desired position. The carp angler who frequently fishes longer, lighter leaders, and smaller flies will love this rod too. Trident Fly Fishing is a full-service fly shop. Not line picky but I like it with a rio TT or a gold or even a 406 DT. Scott Centric - Bigfork Anglers The stability of the line in the air is tremendous and a core characteristic of these R8 rods. Based in Montana, Rachelle is an avid hunter, angler, wild game cook, and professional outdoor napper. 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. As I heard from a longtime sage rep today only for 'selected pro's' - good bye! The R8 796 cast the Rio Predator line well. ($356) from Bozeman Flyworks is one of the few truly complete packages to get you going. The 10 foot R8 rods really have a special ability to direct line via water based anchors. My impression was the 690 R8 was a good all around fishing rod (I was impressed with how well it mended). The mid-level or entry-level rods use technology that was paid for a long time ago, so it's simply the cost of materials, labor, etc and a reasonable profit margin.
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sage r8 core vs scott centric