Sage 7100-4 Power R8

Reviews

1. Rated 4 out of 5

   Steelhead and stillwaters: the Power R8 7100-4 is one of the most purposeful rods in the series. It is designed for lifting and casting sinking fly lines, whether a heavy sink tip on a winter steelhead river or a full sinking line on a stillwater. Rods for these purposes are always over 9’ in length. The rigid butt section of the Power R8 7100-4 helps lift a long line for your next cast and has a tangible advantage for pulling heavy heads out of the depths. It also holds the line nice and high on the backcast, a real necessity for making overhead casts while wading waist-deep for steelhead. It’s a rod that can fish a dry line for steelhead too, but I would recommend overlining with an 8-weight, loading the rod deeper for roll casts and single-Spey techniques.

   John Duncan (Telluride Angler)

2. Rated 5 out of 5

   Stillwaters and anadromous fish are the primary focus of the empowering and purposeful Power R8 7100. Light for its length yet possessing herculean strength down low, this rod lets you yard an impressive amount of line off the water with ease.

   Long-headed anadromous-style lines like the Rio Elite Salmon/Steelhead or SA Anadro are excellent matches. I’d also experiment with an 8-weight version of your favorite trout nymphing line, the 7100 feels like it wouldn’t mind a little more mass. For sinking lines, stay toward the upper end of your usual 7-weight grain windows; 250 grains is closer to the low end than the high.

   When it comes to single-hand spey casting with the 7100—and the 696 Power R8 as well—these are ultra-fast action rods and they are not forgiving if your timing is off. The load windows are specific and quick. I found the best success with touch-and-go, Scandi-style single spey casts. The rod liked the single spey, but even a snake roll introduced too much room for error in rod movement. Less is more, but it must be just right. Roll casting is similar and precise power application rewards the caster, along with more power; you need to stand on this rod to get the most out of it.

   Alaska trout, salmon, and steelhead, or serious stillwater fishing with sinking lines—if those are the things that float your boat, you owe it to yourself to take a hard look at the Power R8 7100.

   Richard Post (Telluride Angler)