Review: Sage Signal vs. Sage Salt R8
The newest saltwater fly rod from Sage has been released. The Signal is the direct replacement for the well loved, and mid-priced, Maverick. As this very competitive "mid-priced" market has expanded and grown over the years, the fly rods themselves being produced in this level followed suit. More of these rods are being offered from various manufacturers, a lot of attention is being put into them, and that line between flagship/high-end and "mid-level" seems to get blurrier and blurrier, so it's understandable when anglers expect a lot from them.
As I have preached many times over the years in the shop and through these reviews, saltwater fly fishing is quite diverse. By this I mean: for a long time when someone mentions saltwater fly fishing, it seems the industry (and most anglers) think of tropical flats fishing for bonefish, tarpon, permit, etc. However, as much you know I love tropical flats fishing, the type of saltwater fly fishing we do here in New England is different. Sure we have sight-fishing opportunities on flats skiffs here, but most people are not doing this. Whether it's fishing from deep-V skiffs tossing Hollow Fleyes into the rocks, throwing fast sinking lines from shore standing in the surf, or casting floating lines with poppers at sunrise, the various techniques used, and gear needed, differ quite a bit from bonefishing. Even the flies specifically for striped bass are generally much larger and heavier than their tropical counterparts. Take a look at the differences in fly lines designed for tropical flats fishing and then coldwater saltwater lines and you'll find that they are designed and made very differently - from tapers, weights, to materials used....
I recently spent a few days with the new Signal 9wt. The 9wt rod is my go-to striped bass setup as well as my preferred rod for permit fishing. The one that I've been doing most of this with over the past couple of years is the Sage Salt R8. I find that it does well with what I want out of a striped bass rod in New England in addition to permit fishing in the Caribbean.
So, over the course of a few days I took the Signal 9wt out for a test drive and also did some side-by-side casting and comparisons with the Salt R8. Here's how it went...
Fly Lines Used
- Scientific Anglers SONAR Striper I/S5/S7 WF9S
- Scientific Anglers Magnitude Smooth Bonefish Plus WF9F
Actual weight
- Signal 9wt: 4.1oz
- Salt R8 9wt: 4.0oz
Casting Comparison Side-by-Side
To get a basic idea of what the Signal was like and how it compared to the Salt R8, I took the two of them to an open field. Setting up a target at 50ft, I first cast the Signal using the SA Bonefish Plus line. Testing its accuracy at 50ft yielded a responsive and accurate rod that I needed very little time adjusting to. In classic Sage fashion the Signal wanted those (almost exaggerated) abrupt stops on either end of your cast to really get the rod and line humming. The first difference that I noticed however was that the Signal felt a little softer, specifically in the tip section, compared to the Salt R8. This wasn't a bad thing and actually made those shorter 50ft casts (with the tropical line) pretty effortless and accurate. I was able to throw tight loops at every distance and even when extending out to full fly line it felt like it had a good amount of reserved power to manage all of that line in the air.
They are pretty different rods however...When I picked up the Salt R8 to compare with the Bonefish Plus line, the differences in their feel became pretty apparent. The Salt R8, at that shorter 50ft target distance, really wanted me to haul a little more and work that "hard stop" in my casting to fully engage the rod. So in this case, I'd give a point to the Signal with these short casts and tropical line. I think a wider range of angers would also prefer the Signal's feel in this case. It felt a little more "effortless." I can see this rod becoming a favorite with the tropical flats anglers soon. Over the past couple of years this has been really the only "issue" that I encountered with the Salt R8 - those short, quick casts, can sometimes be a little more challenging due to its overall fast action. In most cases, it's not until I get into the 50-60ft range that the Salt R8 starts to sing.
But, the biggest difference in the field test between these rods came when I rigged up the SA SONAR Striper WF9S line. The two rods handled that line quite differently. What I found was that when casting the Signal, with this sinking line, the tracking and management of the fly line suffered compared to the Salt R8. It felt like the Signal struggled with loading and reloading during casting and false casting. I could feel the rod bouncing and wiggling more (during casting) compared to the Salt R8. This, in a way, was similar to what I felt when I compared the new Sage Arrow with the older model Sonic. - You can read that review HERE - The rebounding of the rods were noticeably different. You can even feel this in the basic "wiggle test." I'm assuming that the slightly faster tip section and updated R8 Technology of the Salt R8 gives it a better and smoother experience when casting and managing heavier/fast sinking lines. It feels like the R8 technology does a better job at dampening and thus provides better overall control. Although I could still cast a good distance with the Signal and the sinking line, it just wasn't as composed or smooth.
The Fishing
Although there was a difference in the two rods in the field, I wanted to also see how the Signal fared out on the water. As I'd be fishing for striped bass from shore (rocks and also beach), I'd be using the SONAR Striper I/S5/S7 line.
When waist deep in the surf, the Signal proved to be a comfortable rod when blind casting (and covering water) with this sinking line. The more pliable (but still capable) tip section of the Signal still allowed me to simply roll-cast the head out in front of me and shoot line with minimal false casts. Due to the amount of blind-casting, and thus false casting involved, a rod that gives you power without the need to work your ass off (or shoulder off) is a big advantage when doing this type of fishing. That increased "wobble" feeling (compared to the Salt R8) that I got when casting it in the field did seem to go away a little when actually out in the water. This being mostly due to trying to also deal with waves, heavier wind, and "real life" stuff.
I did also notice a little bit of a difference in lifting power - both in when trying to get the sinking tip off the bottom and begin casting, and also when fighting fish. In each of these situations I felt like the Salt R8 had a little bit of an edge. I've always been impressed with the Salt R8s fish-fighting power and also line lifting. When fishing from shore with a sinking line, being able to lift the line out of the water, roll cast it in front of you, and then begin casting is very common. The capability and action of the Salt R8 allowed for a slightly better performance in this case. This Signal was able to also do this, but the Salt R8 was better.
(Although slightly softer than the Salt R8, the Signal managed weight flies like crabs and closers well)
However, these slight shortcomings of the Signal, when compared to the Salt R8, certainly did not take away from it being a very enjoyable and easy casting rod - this goes a long way when blind-casting for hours.
Conclusion
The Signal certainly shines when casting tropical floating lines. Its fast action created tight loops and very accurate casting at almost all distances. I would love to take this rod out on a Caribbean flat. The short, quick shots are where the Signal out-performed the Salt R8. Those situations on flats where you need to quickly cast 40-50ft of line is common and the Signal did that very well.
But, partly to do with the newer/more advanced R8 Technology and an overall faster action, the Salt R8 was my preferred "striped bass fly rod." It dealt with heavier flies and fast sinking lines better. It picked up and dealt with a cumbersome sinking line with more confidence and made this type of fishing easier. It also did a better job with the tropical line at holding more line in the air and casting at distance.
Words + Photos: Josh Thelin
