Sage Salt R8 Fly Rod

Pulling power when you need it, accuracy when it’s demanded, and a consistent ability to land a fly softly, Sage’s all-new Salt R8 offers a complete lineup of saltwater rods for nearly every saltwater application out there. Replacing Sage’s long-favored Salt HD, the Salt R8 picks up where it left off with a mission that’s been desired by saltwater anglers for years: providing more strength and power in order to release fish faster while maintaining extreme feel and sensitivity with the ability to land precise presentations and handle in-close shots just as well as 90-foot Hail Marys. To make this happen, Sage spent a long time down in the Florida Keys and worked with top guides, fought tough fish, and then handed all of this info off to their engineering team–after a long road, they finally landed at the Salt R8 and crafted it in weights and lengths to handle anything from pelagic billfish to juvenile tarpon in a roadside canal or striped bass in the surf. The Salt R8 is built in Bainbridge Island, Washington and combines meticulous fiber alignment, high-quality componentry, and just the right taper to make casting a joy while making tugging on aggressive saltwater fish stress-free. With a comprehensive assortment of options, the Salt R8 is a tool ready for every salty job, and whether you’re taking a 7-weight into the backcountry for snook, reds, and seatrout or grabbing a 12-weight to battle tarpon before heading offshore for an afternoon of crushing king mackerel, the Salt R8 lets you handle them all with ease. 

Blank
Revolution 8 Technology - Revolution 8 (or R8) is Sage’s newest blank technology, and its key focuses lie in a combination of seamless saltwater fishing versatility–whether that be species, habitats, or conditions. The R8 Tech combines a stiffer backbone with an ultra-sensitive tip and consistent connectivity between you, your rod, your line, and the fish at hand. So how does Sage manage to pull this off? It starts with the use of a proprietary aerospace composite that allowed Sage to “dimensionally grow taper diameter more quickly from the tip” and then combines a nano-sintered resin application that enhances axial durability while placing additional fiber into the blank without increasing weight.

Not only does the Salt R8 boast state-of-the-art technology and a do-it-all saltwater range of sizes, but it comes in a clean Tempest Blue color with Slate primary wraps and accenting White and Grey trim. With a solid look in hand that blends into the water around it, the Salt R8 is both sleek and functional in its appearance. 

 

Guides

Titanium Fuji-K Ceramic Stripper Guides - Durable, anti-corrosive, and as slick as it gets, the Titanium Fuji-K Ceramic Stripper Guides have everything that you need for demanding days in the salt. Whether it’s a long battle or a longshot at a fleeing permit, these guides get the job done, and with their upturned construction, they work to decrease the friction in your cast to make those long casts that much easier. 

Hard Chromed Snake Guides - An industry standard that gives flawless performance and a look that just seems right, Sage’s R8 Core rods are equipped with Hard Chromed Snake Guides that are oversized. Like the stripping guides, these guides are also canted upward in order to decrease friction while shooting line.  

 

Reel Seat
Heavy-Duty Anodized Aluminum Up-Locking Reel Seat - A long-standing favorite for saltwater use, Sage equips their Salt R8 with an Anodized Aluminum Reel Seat. This reel seat is designed to be heavy-duty and hold its own during tough days, months, and years on the water. An up-locking configuration keeps your reel in place no matter what fish you’re tackling, and convenient add-ons like etched line weight labeling and a hidden hook keeper make your life easier so you can focus on the water at hand. 

 

Grips:

6 and 7-weight:  Slim Full-Wells with EVA Fighting Butt

8 through 12-weight:  Full-Wells with EVA Fighting Butt

12-weight (SALT-R8 1290 -4 FG): Extended Full-Wells with EVA Fighting Butt

15-weight: Extended Full-Wells with Extended EVA Fighting Butt

 

Rod Tube
Aluminum rod tube with Sage medallion - During its downtime, Sage wants to ensure that your Salt R8 Rod is protected, so they’ve included an aluminum rod tube with Sage logo as well as a matching black rod bag–and this isn’t just any rod bag because instead of tying it up like a pair of shoes, it has an all-new cord lock for quick and easy storage. Albeit it a small addition, this cord lock is a game changer whenever it comes to stowing. 

 

Warranty
The Sage Warranty - As of January 2023, every new Sage rod and blank is covered by Sage’s lifetime, original owner warranty against defects in materials or workmanship. Limited to repair and replacement of the rod or blank, this warranty will not cover defects caused by fire, theft, lost rod sections, intentional breakage, modification and customization, or any damage caused during the building of a blank into a finished rod. Sage charges a processing fee to handle any warranty processes. 

 

More Info
Rod Action: Fast-action

Best for: All saltwater use–flats, beaches, rivers, and bluewater application. Streamers, poppers, crustaceans.

Ability Level: Intermediate (learn more)

Recommended Lines:
Rio Premier Bonefish Fly Line
Rio Striper Premier Fly Line