All Points Fly Shop + Outfitter - News

Words + Photos By: Josh Thelin

Saltwater fly rods have a unique place in fly fishing. They are dealt a wide variety of environments to accommodate, have to manage larger fish on average than freshwater endeavors, get punished with corroding/damaging salt, and still need to find the balance between powerful, accurate, and responsive. For the most part, with the subject of "saltwater fly fishing" the fly fishing industry (as a whole) mostly thinks of bonefish flats and cruising tarpon. So with this, saltwater fly rods over the years have been designed more towards accuracy and presentation with fighting/lifting power as a secondary thought. It is understandable, as in many cases these characteristics can be mutually exclusive. Further, specifically within this review, Sage has been actually known as a maker of generally faster/stiffer rods than other manufacturers. Depending on what you are looking for in terms of your needs or how it matches with you as an angler, there is a lot to consider when purchasing your next saltwater fly rod. 

The Sage Salt HD has been around for a number of years providing a very capable rod in many saltwater/big game situations. I currently own the 9wt myself which I use for striped bass here in Maine, permit/bonefish in the Caribbean, and Golden Dorado in Argentina. In the words of Sage, the Salt HD has "more pulling power than a standard Fast Action Rod to bring stronger fish to hand more efficiently, and increased line lifting power allowing for long range second casts." So this tells me a few things right off the bat if I had never cast it and were reading this for the first time: this rod is fast. And in truth, if there has been a complaint about the Salt HD from some anglers, it has been that it "lacks feel/seems clunky and doesn't have the touch and responsiveness as other saltwater fly rods, even within Sage's lineup." 

But again, saltwater fly fishing is diverse. So this stiffness that some feel doesn't work for their fishing/casting needs, can also be a good tool for others in different situations. For instance I enjoy the Salt HD especially for striped bass fishing as it provides a rod that allows me to effectively and efficiently cast the flies and lines necessary for stripers. For most of these situations I am not looking for a rod that can delicately place a small + lightweight shrimp fly accurately at 70ft (a la bonefish or redfish), but a rod that can manage throwing lead-eyed clousers/crab patterns as well as wind-resistant hollow flies on sinking and aggressive tapered fly lines. Sure, there are certainly situations with striped bass fly fishing where you can target the fish in flats with a technique very similar to bonefish/permit, but a vast majority of striped bass anglers are not doing this on a regular basis. 

Sage has now released their replacement for the Salt HD. The Salt R8 is a continuation of the R8 family of rods. Using their proprietary Revolution 8 technology, Sage has replaced the KonneticHD technology which was previously available in the Salt HD. This newest rod technology has certainly provided a lighter-weight and responsive rod in the R8 CORE offerings, so let's see how the new Salt R8 fairs against its predecessor...

Rods Used:

• Sage Salt R8 9 + 10wt
• Sage Salt HD 9 + 10wt

Lines Used:

• RIO Coastal Quickshooter XP
• RIO Elite Flats Pro 
• Scientific Anglers SONAR Titan Triple Density

Flies Used:

• Clouser (medium lead + large brass dumbbell eyes)
• Crab Fly (medium lead eyes)
• Hollow Fly (4/0 hook)
• Articulated Beast Fly

Reels Used:

• Hatch 7+
• Galvan Grip G8

We wanted to give the Salt R8 a wide range of tests. This included not only using a variety of different fly lines and flies, but also environments. The first place we brought the rods was into a local gymnasium. This gave us a completely sterile area with no weather/wind to effect the casting. Being able to cast the rods without any environmental interference allowed us to get a good baseline assessment. 

Before we started casting, I did the ol' wiggle test with the 9wt Salt HD and Salt R8 side by side. Right out of the gate it was clear that the Salt R8 was not only lighter but also had more flex, especially in the top section. It did feel "softer" but not in a bad way. The flex styles of the two rods are distinctively different. After rigging up the different lines and flies, casting them side by side with the Salt HD, the Salt R8 felt not only more pleasant to cast, but surprising capable at managing the heavier lines and bigger flies. Additionally, it seemed that I had to work less while casting the Salt R8 to get similar (distance) results as the Salt HD. It took very little effort to get the Coastal Quickshooter 9IXP line with a hollow fly tied on to shoot across the gym. This told me that the power of the Salt R8 is there and comparable to any saltwater rod currently on the market. Plus, with the softer tip section accuracy was enhanced and it was overall a more efficient and pleasant rod to cast compared to the Salt HD.

The 10wt echoed similar results. In the gym, the 10wt Salt R8 performed better than the Salt HD is almost every way. However, once we both tied on aggressive sinking lines and big flies, the Salt R8 seemed to run out of gas a little, but not by much. This was true with the 9wt as well. Certainly doable and the rod could get the job done, but the stiffer Salt HD had an easier time managing the grunt work. 

So, then it was time to bring them outside...

It was windy on this day. Gusts of around 20mph kept things interesting. But, what is a saltwater fly rod test without some wind? Using the same setups as inside the gym, we cast at various targets/distances, changed flies, changed lines, and cast at different angles into the wind. The Salt R8 continued to be the more pleasant casting rod between the two. However, it did start to suffer a little quicker than the Salt HD when the wind picked up and we were trying to negotiation larger/heavier flies and more aggressive lines. This was one of the few instances that the Salt HD had a leg up. 

As we continued to cast both the 9 and 10wts, the differences between the two models became greater. The more I cast the R8 Salt I was able to manage all of the lines that we brought with comfort and, with the exception of the Beast Fly, could easily cast all of the flies accurately with less effort needed than the Salt HD. But the wind was a deciding factor between the two. With either the hollow fly or the Beast Fly, the Salt R8 started to suffer quicker than the Salt HD. However, something to consider: throwing these types of flies or aggressive lines is not what everyone does or needs to do. Which brings me to fly lines...

Best Fly Line

One of the things that I like to take note of when doing these types of fly rod shootouts is to see which lines the rod really prefers. This can not only be a good indication of the type of action the rod is but also what techniques, situations the rod will do best in, or even which species it's best suited for. Testing rods with only one line doesn't really give much information. So that is why we picked fly lines from floating to sinking, aggressive or presentation minded, and also coldwater and tropical. 

A while back we tested a group of 9wt rods with specifically striped bass fly fishing in mind. (You can read our "9wt Fly Rod Royale" HERE). At the end of that shootout the RIO Coastal Quickshooter was our favorite line across the board. It was aggressive enough to load the faster action rods that we like for this type of fishing. In this shootout, although I was pleasantly surprised athte R8 Salt's ability to manage all of the lines we brought, I found that the RIO Elite Flats Pro was the best matched line for this rod. This makes sense as although the Salt R8 is a very capable rod with both power and feel, I think that it will shine brighter on the tropical flats than it will chucking big flies and heavy lines especially in windy situations. 

Conclusion

Joe Webster from here at All Points had a good overall assessment of the Salt R8 after our testing: 

"The R8 Salt 9 and 10wt models are overall a much smoother and pleasant experience to cast than the Salt HD. I think the R8 Salt will probably outperform in every situation other than in rough windy conditions, more specifically windy conditions when wading from shore. For our local striper anglers, I think there are better tools out there, even amongst Sage’s current offerings. But it certainly may be a better tool for our local striper anglers who may not like the broom stick feel of rods that handle heavy sink tips and large flies so well. It just may be more difficult during poor windy conditions (which isn’t for everyone either). If I had to reach for one of the two on a calm day I would choose the R8 Salt every time. But if a rough windy day came about I’d probably still be fishing the Salt HD with a more aggressive and heavier line. Overall I see this series going over very well with everything from sea trout to sailfish with the unfortunate exception of shore bound striped bass fisherman."

Both Joe and I really liked this new rod from Sage. For those who did not like the feel (or lack thereof) of the Salt HD, this rod is definitely worth checking out. Additionally, according to Sage, the Salt R8 has also improved the durability of this rod which I know in some situations was a complaint about the Salt HD. This is not only a perk for any angler, but certainly to note for remote/traveling anglers. As their newest flagship saltwater rod, I can see this going over very well for years to come. 

Thanks for checking out this review! If you have any questions for us, please feel free to contact us at: support@allpointsflyfishing.com

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This past weekend, Leif and I took Echo's Bad Ass Glass Quickshot out for a spin. We've been very curious about how this rod could stand up to various presentations and distances with a floating line, as well as its versatility with a sinking line/streamer rigs. Echo also updated this rod to the "Quickshot" last year, decreasing its length from nine feet to eight. This should make things interesting...

Although fast action rods are more popular with streamer fishermen, I've been hearing recently that some anglers prefer fiberglass rods when chucking meat. So, we brought a couple of fly lines out with us to get a good idea of this rod's capabilities, and got started.

Rod Tested: Bad Ass Glass Quickshot 8' 7wt (780-4)

Fly Lines Used: Scientific Anglers Master Bonefish WF7F + Scientific Anglers SONAR Titan Hover/Sink 2/Sink 4 WF7S

The first line that we cast was the SA Mastery Bonefish. This is one of my favorite lines not only for bonefish, but using as a testing line. The reason for this is that it is a very "true to weight" fly line. This means that it is essentially dead on for what AFFTA lists as being within their "fly line weight specifications." It is also a pretty middle-of-the-road taper which isn't too aggressive nor presentation-minded. So, it's a great line to get a feel for what fly rod does right out of the gate. The WF7F is listed at 185gr. 

Leif and I both felt that the B.A.G. Quickshot was incredibly accurate at about 50-60ft and closer. After that, things started to fall apart and it was pretty clear that the rod started to run out of steam. There was about a 10mph wind which we were casting directly into, so this was not unlike any bonefish flat. But, boy was it accurate. You had a great feel for where the fly was going to land and you could easily pick up all 40-50ft of line and re-cast without issue. This would prove very helpful on a bonefish flat. Our casting had to slow down noticeably in order to negotiate the slower action of the rod, but really not too much. The Echo Bad Ass Glass Quickshot notes the action as "Glass Fast" which I think is honestly very accurate. 

I didn't expect this rod to deal well with more weight. The B.A.G. is advertised as being a rod "designed for big game fisheries where you need to huck big rigs to big fish and do it quickly.  Something previously thought of as well outside the world of fiberglass rods!" I thought there was going to be more marketing behind this claim than actual real life application. But, this rod can absolutely deal with heavier rigs and streamers. We were pleasantly surprised! The shock absorption of the (slower) fiberglass makes negotiating those heavy streamers pretty easy as it does not present as much of a jerky/clunky feeling when the fly hits either end of the cast. Your casting style/timing needs to be changed a little, but nothing more. 

The next line was an aggressively tapered SA SONAR Titan sinking line, weighing in at 240gr. At first, as mentioned above, I did not think this rod was going to like more aggressive lines/weight. But this really surprised me. We were able to cast, at distance, better than the Mastery Bonefish line. The B.A.G. picked up and shot this line out with ease; 90-100ft still needed some serious effort, but anything within 70ft or so was manageable. Like any sinking line, we were more accurate with better presentation with the floating (bonefish) line, but it was a pleasure to cast. 

Overall...

We were pleasantly surprised. We both knew that the fiberglass rod was going to be lots of fun to cast short distances with a floating line, but what was so apparent was the extra horsepower the Quickshot gave us. Not only would this be a capable stick for big fish and big streamers, but the inherent nature of the fiberglass would make it an incredibly accurate and fun rod to bring out on a bonefish flat!

There were some noticeable drawbacks while casting into gustier winds, but a lot fewer than I expected. The flexibility of this fiberglass rod also gives it great shock absorption qualities. While fighting fish, this could mean less fish breaking/popping off, which is definitely an area of concern while fishing for anything from trout to bonefish. Normally with faster graphite rods, the stiffer action can become a draw back while dealing with (larger) fish making abrupt runs, head shakes, etc., and can lead to losing fish. 

For those who are looking for a new streamer rod for trout, pike, or musky or curious about how accurate of a presentation a good fiberglass rod can give you while bonefishing, Echo's B.A.G. is absolutely worth checking out. If you are used to faster graphite rods, you will have to slow down and change your casting style a little. But it might be worth it!

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A fly rod’s worth is a very subjective thing. Therefore I think any critical review of a fly rod is just as subjective. So I must explain the context in which I write about these 10-ft 7-wt sticks of high tech graphite. Otherwise this whole exercise would be total folly.

This is about single hand salmon and sea trout rods, and I think that 10-ft 7-wt is the sweet spot. First off, why 10-ft and not the more standard 9? It’s about the way many of us fish for salmon with one hand. I use a combination of overhead casting, spey techniques, snake rolls and the like. The longer rod is better for spey, especially when teamed up with a long front taper line, like an Air Flo Delta, or Wulff Triangle. The longer rod also gives an angler better line control and mending ability on the water.

Is size 7 a tad light for salmon? No, I’ve brought big silver salmon to hand in short order with a 7-wt, and in quite heavy currents. It is plenty of rod for the silver king. And besides, any heavier than 7-wt is extremely tiring to cast continually in a 10-ft rod. I have tried. The only 10-ft Sage Method available is in a 7-wt version. And any longer than 10-ft and I’m using two hands.

An opinion or review is bias by nature. I am telling you what I like. I have briefly described my philosophy of use for 10-ft 7-wt rods. It is spey and overhead with lots of mending and adjusting on the water. If you fancy this style read on.

I have used many 10-ft single hand rods, not just Sage, but just about every graphite stick maker’s wares on planet Earth. But this review is about Sage and its higher end offerings over the past five years or so.

For two weeks last summer five of us put a bunch of Sage 10-ft 7-wt rods through their paces on Labrador’s mighty Pinware River. The fishing is technical and challenging and we demand a lot from our rods. It is one thing to cast 80 or 90 feet on a soccer field in a gentle breeze. It’s quite another to your waist in a river. Shooting line off grass is easy. On rivers you must hold lots of line in the air and shoot less. It is a demanding game. Holding line in the air with control and power is what separates these rods for me. The Sage Method is king, the standard by which I measure the rest of the gaggle.  They include the latest, Sage X-rod, the discontinued One, and the earlier generation TCX.

First let me explain the pedigree of these casting sticks. The X is the latest iteration of Sage’s top of the line rod for all casters, expert and learner alike. Going back in time, X-rod, One, Z-axis, XP, and RPL. Sage calls them flagship rods, each in its own era. I have cast them all in some configuration but not all in 10-ft 7-wt. And I will never part with my XP’s.

In 2002 Sage revolutionized the game with its introduction of the TCR, or Technical Casting Rod, a graphite blank designed for experienced casters with a strong hankering for speed. We are talking full afterburners. The company followed with the TCX and most recently the Method. I think Method is the current epitome of raw power with a reasonable degree of control. It can cast a short line. I have a Sage Method 9-ft 9-wt strung with a #6 line, just for fun on the grass. It can hold 100-ft of line in the air, but still place yarn in 18-in hoops at 30-ft. That’s impressive I think. Anyway, back to the Pinware and our 10-ft 7-wt Sage showdown.

The Method is the best I can buy for my money. It works well enough at close range for both dries and wets. But having said that, you have to work the rod crisply, quick stops, and hauls to pierce the wind with tight loops. It is not a beginner’s rod. It tracks well and is deadly accurate, given Sage’s Konnetic wizardry of materials engineering. Technology aside ,it works on the water and that’s what counts. At distance the Method is a powerful beast. It can hold line in the air out to over 50-ft., not including leader and tippet, with tight loops and accuracy, so I can get my distance with less line in the water about my feet. Well done. On top of that, I can single hand spey to well over 80-ft in angling conditions. It is the best 10-ft 7-wt I have ever used, all brands included.

The TCX for me is like the Method untamed. Being an earlier generation it doesn’t have the Konnetic magic, and it shows. The TCX doesn’t track as well and seems to be more oriented towards tip action, a stiffer butt and softer tip. The Method loads deeper I think, and is a more progressive action. For all that, TCX gets the job done on the Pinware. It carries line just as well as the Method overhead, but falters a little in the spey and mending departments. I’d blame that on the tip action focus.

I like the One. I’ve fished this rod in other line weights and like them also. The 9-ft   7-wt One is presently my favorite bonefish stick. On the Pinware the 10-ft 7-wt One is a very good performer. It lacks some long-range power compared to the TCX and the Method, but it gets the job done admirably on all but the longest casts. And the One is a better choice for less experienced casters, given its slightly softer friendly feel.  At close and medium range the One is an absolutely outstanding salmon weapon, accurate and effortless. I am sad it was discontinued.

To conclude. First off I must say that I am not generally condemning Sage’s new flagship offering.  I have used only one single hand Sage X. It is just the 10-ft 7-wt under very challenging fishing conditions that I do not like. As I said earlier, we were using all these four test rods with 6/7-wt AirFlo Delta Taper lines. The X-rod fell short of the One in its overhead line carrying ability. This is very important to the way we fish. Bluntly, it lacked power to the point of being a serious liability.  It spent most of our two-week fishing trip in camp. Maybe I will try it another time with a 5/6 line. I hadn’t one in camp on this trip.

For our philosophy of use for two weeks on the mighty Pinware, I prefer the Method by a mile. It does everything. The only downside is quick timing, as I said not for beginners. The TCX is my second choice but the One is very close, and better at close range. The TCX tops the One a bit on longer casts, although the TCX requires near perfect timing to wring out its full potential. The X-rod is a beauty at close range and easy to cast. It is a flop for distance. It may shoot a long line off grass but holding line in the air is not possible for me. Thumbs down.

I’m certainly not selling my X-rod, as there are other on-water philosophies. And I’m waiting with anticipation for what possibly will top the Method someday.

Words + Photos by: Paul Smith

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