Sage POWER R8 Rod 9WT 9'
In Stock • Bozeman, MT
- Revolution 8 Technology
- Hot Rod Red Blank Color
- Burgundy Base Wraps With Grey and Black Trim Wraps
- Hard Chrome Snake Guides and Tip-Top
- Fuji K-Series Tangle Free Stripping Guides, With SiC Ring
- Black Rod Bag w/Quick-Tie Cord Lock
- Aluminum Rod Tube w/Sage Medallion
Description
The 990-4 is the right choice for the kind of calculated, precision presentations that successful sight-fishing requires. From making long shots to tailing permit to picking apart mangrove playgrounds to fishing heavy sinking lines for pike and musky, reach for ultrafast POWER R8 and proceed with speed.
GO FURTHER, FASTER. Humankind was born to explore. Where do rivers lead? How far can the oceans carry us? What lies beyond the horizon when we cast our eyes - and flies - into the unknown? The same spirit drives innovation at Sage. We push boundaries to find answers that deliver performance. Enter the POWER R8.
Made to make fast more finesse-able, designed to cruise at the line speeds necessary for into-the-backing-knot shots, and built with the kind of R8-exclusive reserve power that handles the heaviest heads and rigs, POWER R8 gives you the keys to explore the inconceivable. It's your ticket to chase what others might call unreachable.
The newest addition to the R8 family, POWER R8 expands on the series' trademark versatility with a surge of velocity- perfect for commanding control and distance in the most technical conditions. Like every rod in the R8 lineage, POWER R8 is shaped by evolving challenges and real-world demands. But with its ultrafast action, POWER R8 adds another gear- taking over where moderate, fast, and some salt-specific actions max out.
- Delivers High Line Speed at Distance and Low Angles
- Control To Drive Casts into the Wind
- Power To Lift at Distance, and Deliver Sinking Density Lines and Heavy Flies
Sage Power R8
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Q: What specific fishing scenarios did you design this rod for, and where do you feel it truly excels in performance? A: Designed for expert anglers who want a tool that can help them reach as far as possible. This 9 is designed for fishing at long range with high line speeds. If you want a rod that won’t hold you back at long distance this is it. Or put a slightly heavier line on and get all the benefits of a “nine and a half” weight rod.
Q: What fly line would you recommend pairing with this rod? A: RIO Elite Permit
| empty | Short | Medium | Long | FINAL SCORE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caster 1 | 7.3 | 7.8 | 8.4 | 23.5 |
| Caster 2 | 6.8 | 7.4 | 8.3 | 22.5 |
| Caster 3 | 7.8 | 8.1 | 8.4 | 24.3 |
| Combined | 21.9 | 23.3 | 25.1 | 70.3 |
- In close, I feel like I have to do everything correctly – I can’t feel the rod at all. It really begins working out at 50’ (medium) and truly begins to shine out at 70’ (long) and beyond. Exactly what they said.
- Easy to get from short to long very fast. As you carry more line, need to increase power to the rod to load deeper. It is pretty stiff, but better in close than I expected. Easy to control at 30’ (short). Smooth, straight-line loops at distance. In favorable wind conditions, it will pick up 60’ of line with leader and crab – not easy, but it can be done.
- To be able to navigate a 30’ shot for a rod designed for power, it was easy. The power is there, but not overwhelming – not a meathead of a rod. Very impressed at the 40’-50’ (medium) range. Great improvement, in my opinion, from the Sage Igniter. This thing comes alive at 70’ and further – all gas, no breaks.
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The Sage R8 Core Power 9wt is built for distance and power, and that character becomes apparent as the casting distance increases. In close it can feel difficult to sense the rod loading, requiring the caster to stay precise with timing and technique. Despite its powerful design, it remains manageable at shorter distances and handles 30 foot shots better than expected.
As more line is carried in the air, the rod begins to come into its element. Around the 40 to 50 foot range the rod starts to feel much more alive, responding well as additional power is applied and loading deeper into the blank. The rod transitions quickly from short shots to longer casts and maintains strong line control throughout the casting stroke.
Where the rod truly shines is at longer distances around 70 feet and beyond. With more line outside the tip, the rod produces smooth, straight line loops and delivers impressive line speed. It is capable of picking up significant amounts of line, even with a leader and crab fly, and once pushed into that longer range it feels powerful, controlled, and fully in its element.
