Sage Classic R8 486-4

$975.00

Currency converter

Currency conversions are estimated and should be used for informational purposes only.

Reset
SKU: sag-r8classic-486 Brand:

In stock

  • Free US Shipping on Orders Over $200
  • Free International Shipping on Orders Over $500

Product Description

Sage 486-4 Classic R8 fly rod

8’6″ 4-weight, 4-piece

Details and Features
– Revolution 8 Technology
– Sage Brown Blank Color
– Chestnut Base Thread Wraps w/ Beige Trim Wraps
– Super-Slick Chrome Snake Guides & Tip Top w/ SiC Stripper Guide
– Custom Aluminum Up-Locking Reel Seat w/ Extra-Figured Walnut Insert
– Super-Plus Grade Snub-Nose Half-Wells Cork Handle
– Black Rod Bag w/ Quick-Tie Cord Lock
– Aluminum Rod Tube w/ Sage Medallion

Reviews

  1. This rod will fish pocket water or glassy, technical match-the hatch rivers with equal capability, but choose your fly line accordingly.  The Classic R8 486-4 wants a Rio Gold for short distance with leaders under 11 feet in length or or an SA Trout Taper for mid-to-long casting with longer leaders.  The Gold loads the rod “automatically,” as my friend Richard would say.  It tells the rod exactly what to do.  It casts deliberately, accurately and with a strong delivery for flies of any size.  This is ideal for pocket water, attractor flies, casting under tight cover and dry-dropper fishing and for all situations that call for a strong, short cast, but do not require advanced loop control for technical dry fly presentations.

    For match-the-hatch fishing on lower gradient water, I would highly recommend the SA Trout Taper.  The Trout Taper doesn’t load the rod until you have 20 feet in the air, so it’s not the best choice for short casts or pocket water, but beyond 20′ it’s a perfect match for this rod, offering elite loop control with high line speed and a proclivity for turning over long leaders with small flies.  In the broad spectrum, the Trout Taper is a lightweight fly line (so many lines are slightly overweighted these days).  As a consequence, using this line quickens the casting cadence of the Classic R8 486-4 from “medium action” (Rio Gold or Tech Trout), to medium-fast, highly desirable for fishing long leaders at 30-50 feet.

    If you love the Rio Technical Trout line (like we do), take note:  I anticipated, incorrectly, that the Tech Trout would be the best line taper on the Classic R8 486-4.  However, I found that the taper profile of this rod includes just enough stiffness in the tip to make the rod hesitate slightly on short casts.  The Tech Trout is heavy enough that it tries to engage the rod right away, but the stiff tip causes some hesitation in the casting rhythm.  When flexing into the mid-section on casts of approximately 30-40 feet, everything smooths out and the hitch completely disappears.  With this line, the rod has a true medium action and fishes dry flies just as expected in the desired range.  It also roll casts with feel and efficiency to 40 feet.  I have plenty of loop control and the casting cadence feels completely natural in the 30-50 foot range, but I don’t love it short.

    John Duncan (Telluride Angler)
  2. The Classic R8 486 has a lot of character and in my hands a simple line change gave me the sense of having a pair of rods, rather than one. With a Rio Technical Trout, the Classic R8 486 has a light and airy touch. Loops unroll with a softness and a delicacy that is pleasant and reminds the caster to slow down. The rod encourages this. Take a step back and assess, focus on your cast and make your best presentation. Line speed is appropriate but metered and matched to this presentation style. Light touch, performance through patience, and a pace that allows the angler to savor the cast are some of my take-aways for this rod and line combo.

    If the Rio Technical Trout is for cruising in the slow lane, the Rio Gold grabs another gear on the Classic R8 486 and puts it in the fast lane. The Gold engages the blank more thoroughly and quickens up the pace of the rod by a half measure from the Technical Trout. This combination felt like classic Sage to me. Direct line to blank engagement right off the tip, with a progressive springy action that I really enjoyed. I felt like I could wind up the load on the back cast and hold it in repose until I directed it to leave out the rod tip. It was very confident in the back cast with more line speed.

    With a dry fly, I prefer to control the cast and presentation with line speed and I would rather have a rod with the ability to generate higher line speeds that I can tune down according to my presentation. I think about it like this. Is it easier for a boat to come off plane or get up on plane? I’d rather have it easier to lighten my touch with a fly rod, than have to work a little bit to get it up to speed. The wind being the primary determinant, and with my luck, the W almost always shows up when I take a svelte little sweetheart dry fly rod to the river. I liked the Gold a little bit more, but I appreciated both lines for what they gave to the rod.

    Richard Post (Telluride Angler)
Add a review

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *