Review: Sage R8 CORE vs. Sage Signal
For the past few years I have been fishing the Sage R8 CORE 8wt quite a bit. It has become my preferred bonefish rod and I have been able to fish it numerous times in locations such as Mexico, Cuba, and Belize. I love its action, and for all "bonefish ranges" from 30-80ft with a properly matched fly line, it's great. Although not specifically a saltwater rod, Sage labels it under their "multi-application" lineup. But, I have found it to be a well suited tool for flats fishing. I believe a little of my preference here has to do with its slightly more "feel oriented" action compared to its saltwater counterpart(s), in any brand. When sight fishing with bonefish flies (not necessarily as heavy as permit flies), I personally like a little more feel than necessarily power. This rod was also the one I used this past July on a trip for Atlantic Salmon. On this trip, while using a different fly line, I was continually impressed with the R8 CORE's versatility.
So, I was curious. If this "multi-application" rod shines as a bonefish rod, how would it compare to Sage's newest saltwater specific rod - the Sage Signal? I was not able to take them out on the water side-by-side, but a good ol' fashioned field test can reveal a lot.
The Setup
Rods:
Fly Lines:
- Scientific Anglers Magnitude Smooth Bonefish Plus WF8F
- Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Titan Long WF8F
Leader:
- 9' 16lb tapered leader
Targets were setup at both 50 and 70ft. The goal was to see how these two rods performed at various distances while keeping an eye on accuracy, swing weight, action, recovery, and other pertinent characteristics. Both of the fly lines were tested on each rod side-by-side. I used a clump of fly tying dubbing as the "fly."
The Test
Actual Weight:
- Sage R8 CORE 8wt: 3.5oz
- Sage Signal 8wt: 4.1oz
Graphite Technology:
- Sage R8 CORE: Revolution 8 Techology
- Sage Signal: Konnetic HD
The first casting and testing was done with the SA Magnitude Smooth Bonefish Plus fly line. This is a line that I have used quite a bit. I have been using the clear tip version (opposed to the full clear). It has become my preferred bonefish fly line over the past few years. It is slightly more aggressive than the "regular" SA Amplitude Smooth Bonefish fly line. The Plus taper, I believe, gives me a good balance between presentation, quick shots, and wind management when matched with the R8 CORE 8wt. I feel it sits somewhere between the SA Amplitude Smooth Grand Slam taper and the Amplitude Smooth Bonefish taper.
The very first difference I noticed between these two rods was the actual/physical weight. I ended up putting them on the scale when I got back to the shop after the test, and when I did, their weight values didn't surprise me. I could feel that difference when casting. The Signal seemed to require a little more work and the increased "swing weight" (compared to the R8 CORE) was apparent. The R8 CORE was lighter in hand and had a little better sense of balance to it while casting.
The action, however, of the R8 CORE and Signal 8wt rods isn't wildly different. Before any casting was done, I did the wiggle test. Taking both rods side-by-side and giving them the highly scientific wiggle test didn't reveal anything outstanding. Both have a similar type fast action, but not broomsticks. I was mostly concentrated on the tip section as that was the clear difference between the Sage Salt R8 and the Signal 9wts.
You can read that Salt R8 vs. Signal 9wt comparison HERE
Both of the 50 and 70ft targets could be hit regularly. Tight loops and good accuracy were capable on both rods. Extended casts beyond 70ft were also possible with both rods and I enjoyed both setups. However, that difference in (swing) weight made the R8 CORE, in my opinion, a more enjoyable rod with this fly line and also a better rod for potential short, quick casts at moving targets (bonefish).
The second line I used was the Scientific Anglers Amplitude Smooth Titan Long. As I mentioned earlier, this is a line that I use, and really enjoy, when fishing for Atlantic Salmon. It is a little heavier than the bonefish line so this gave me a good alternate fly line for comparison. It can be a good line for fishing bombers (dry fly pattern for Atlantic Salmon), but really shines when swinging flies. It roll casts well and shoots with very limited (or any) false casting.
Both rods handled this more aggressive tapered line well. Targets at 50 and 70ft could be hit easily and longer casts going beyond 70ft were accomplished equally between the two. The weight difference of the rods was a little less noticeable here as well. Likely this was due to the increased weight of the Titan Long fly line. Neither of the rods got too overloaded either, even at longer distances.
Conclusion:
I found this was true in this other recent Sage comparisons, but I feel as though the R8 Technology fly rods are simply smoother than previous Sage generations. Hard to describe, but the rods using R8 seem to manage a wider range of lines and have better recovery, especially with fishing sinking lines. In this test, I felt that I had more control over both lines, and an overall better feel with the R8 CORE. However, the biggest difference between the R8 CORE and Signal 8wts was the weight. It was evident while casting and when I took the rods back to stick them on the scale, their actual weight differences weren’t surprising. I could feel this heft mostly in the handle and butt section of the Signal. I'm not sure if Sage's saltwater rods have more material to them, but this weight difference wasn't as big between the Salt R8 and Signal 9wt rods I tested earlier.
